《Slowly Falling For Changkong》


 Chapter 01

    Chapter 01


    Ms. Xu¡¯s Chicken Leg Set


    The red light at the Xinghe intersection felt particularly long today. As he waited for the 96th second, Xiang ChangKong lifted his head and saw an airplane fly past.


    The weather today was quite nice. The plane streaked white smoke as it traveled as if painting the vast blue sky.


    Xiang ChangKong continued to stare as it flew past his field of vision, right until the red light turned green. A whistle beside him brought him back to reality, and he turned the throttle to drive the battery-powered scooter forward.


    He was rushing to an office building nearby to deliver a meal order. It was currently October, and City A had entered autumn. With the wind blowing right unto his face, he was met with a slight chill.


    When he had arrived at the office building, he parked his scooter downstairs and took out the take-out boxes from the incubator. Calling the customer, he entered the building quickly. It was a high-end office building, and all the men and women coming in and out were dressed in young and fashionable styles. He waited for an elevator to empty out before Xiang ChangKong stepped inside.


    Because it was lunchtime, there weren¡¯t many people going upstairs, so the elevator smoothly traveled to the 23rd floor without any interruptions. With a ¡®ding,¡¯ the doors soon opened.


    Leaving the elevator, Xiang ChangKong looked around until he found the door with the right company. He then opened the glass door and called out:


    ¡°Hello, which one is Ms. Zhou?¡±


    ¡°Here!¡± A short-haired girl poked her head out of her cubicle and waved towards Xiang ChangKong.


    Looking at her direction, he took out the takeout as he walked over.


    ¡°What did you order?¡± A male colleague sitting behind Ms. Zhou stood up and curiously approached her desk, knocking on it twice. Because of his excitement, the folder he was holding slipped from his hands.


    ¡°A vegetable dish.¡± Ms. Zhou cheerfully responded minimally while quickly making room on her desk: ¡°Thank you, just leave it here.¡±


    Putting down the takeaway box, Xiang ChangKong responded with an ¡®enjoy your meal¡¯ before turning to leave. The male colleague¡¯s folder coincidentally fell near his feet, so Xiang ChangKong bent down to help pick it up, but before he even managed to touch it the male colleague shouted in a fuss: ¡°Don¡¯t touch it! I¡¯ll pick it up myself, don¡¯t dirty my things.¡±


    This made Xiang ChangKong pause. Without saying anything, he circled past the folder and headed towards the exit. When he was about to open the glass doors, he looked at his hand, then wiped it twice on his overalls before pushing the door open.


    As he approached the elevators, the doors opened, and another takeaway boy came out in a hurry. Seeing Xiang ChangKong, he called out a greeting.


    He wasn¡¯t from the same takeout company as ChangKong, but because they both deliver in the same general area, they would meet each other from time to time.


    Xiang ChangKong nodded back as he entered the elevator then quickly pressed the down button.


    ¡°¡­¡± The little brother standing outside looked back with a slack expression. He paused, stunned, before whistling towards the closed elevator doors: ¡°Brother¡¯s suddenly so cool today, ah!¡±


    Quickly putting Xiang ChangKong to the back of his mind, he walked away to deliver his takeout.


    In the elevator, Xiang ChangKong quietly watched the numbers drop, before taking out his phone to check for the next order.


    He¡¯ll be going to Starlight Park for the next order, a meal to a Ms. Xu Lian. He¡¯s been receiving orders from Ms. Xu Lian quite often recently. She had been ordering the chicken sets from ¡®Wolong Kitchen¡¯ for the past three days.


    Arriving at the lobby, Xiang ChangKong left the building, went to his scooter, then headed towards Starlight Park.


    Ten years ago, what was now Starlight Park had been a deserted location. In the past few years, with active support from the government, Starlight Park had been built and then developed rapidly. Today, in addition to the largest flower garden in City A, many exhibition halls and unique shops dotted the park, attracting thousands of tourists and photographers.


    Xiang ChangKong even heard that this year, Starlight Farms would be opening, where people could rent land and grow vegetables in.


    The woman who loved their chicken set, Xu Lian, had rented in Starlight Park and opened a small shop.


    When he first came to Starlight Park to do delivers, Xiang ChangKong had needed to rely on the map navigation. But after a few times, he now had the entire Starlight Park in his mind.


    Parking his scooter outside Xu Lian¡¯s store, he took out her order and walked over, taking a peek past the glass windows. It seems that the girl who usually sat on the first floor to watch the store wasn¡¯t here. No wonder she only ordered one set today.


    ¡°Hello.¡± He knocked gently before pushing the door open, the wind chime attached to the top of the door jingling.


    Xu Lian had been melting wax on the second floor. When she heard the bell, she turned towards the entrance. Her workshop was on the second floor, opposite the front door, and wasn¡¯t blocked by any walls or railings. Instead, she had installed floor-to-ceiling windows, giving her and any customer entering a good view of the other.


    Xu Lian saw the little brother in blue overalls standing downstairs with a takeout in his hand.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Xu Lian shut down the wax furnace and grabbed a paper towel to wipe her hands before going downstairs.


    The crisp sound of high-heeled shoes could be heard, making Xiang ChangKong hold his breath for some reason.


    Two days ago, he first saw her wearing black leather pants, then wearing a handsome and sexy dress. This, coupled with her unique temperament, made him think that she was some big-shot boss¡¯ woman. Today she was wearing a long black windbreaker with an exaggerated belt, a pair of black high-heeled shoes, with her hair tied in a high ponytail, her long black hair glossy and straight. All this no longer made him believe that she was some boss¡¯ woman, but was the boss herself.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Lian didn¡¯t know what he was thinking at that moment and simply took the bag from his hands.


    Feeling her hand touch his, Xiang ChangKong automatically replied, ¡®You¡¯re welcome,¡¯ before dazedly walking out of the store.


    As he placed the key into his scooter, he looked back towards Xi Lian and saw her carrying the takeaway towards another room on the first floor.


    Her face was gorgeous. An oval-shaped face with no bangs revealing a smooth and full forehead. Her eyebrows were drawn darker and thicker than the average woman, and her lipstick was a deep and powerful red.


    It seems that she particularly likes to dress to this style, evident with the fact that she very clearly runs an artsy and bourgeois aromatherapy candle store, but chose to name said store ¡®Monster¡¯.


    Blinking his gaze away, Xiang ChangKong headed for the next destination.


    Xu Lian was very busy these days and only took ten minutes to eat her lunch. At the end of the month, a new building would be opening, and the developer ordered 200 sets of aromatherapy candle gift boxes for their VIP guests who would be attending their inauguration.


    This developer was well-known locally and had substantial financial resources. They had signed a contract with her and given her a generous 100,000 for this order. Xu Lian had always made any order herself. She didn¡¯t have the habit of asking other people for help because she never felt 100% reassured with the quality of other people¡¯s handicrafts. So, in the end, she was now swamped.


    Her store had been running for two years already. In these past two years, business wasn¡¯t very good, so much so that the store was often deserted. After all, it wasn¡¯t like there was a massive market for scented candles, and scented candles weren¡¯t mainstream in the first place. But nowadays, her store was booming because of the recent partnership with the dessert shop ¡®Sugar Honey Heart¡¯ next door.


    Last Christmas, the owner of ¡®Sugar Honey Heart¡¯ approached her and asked for help with some of the scented candles to pair with their Christmas garlands. Because they really liked the finished product, the boss took many photos and posted them online, along with her store¡¯s official blog.


    Sugar Honey Heart was an internet sensation, with its Weibo amassing more than a million followers. With their photos, Xu Lian¡¯s shop rode along their popularity resulting in more and more customers visiting, and with Xu Lian gaining more opportunities to collaborate with other businesses.


    Since this June, she had become so busy that she ended up hiring someone to help her watch the store and tend to the cash register.


    After her short break, Xu Lian went back to the second from and began to catch up with the orders. As soon as she started working, time just flew past. By the time she returned to her senses, her alarm clock had already been ringing for a full minute.


    She took a deep breath and closed the alarm that reminded her to order takeout.


    The alarm clock was a new addition she set up. Because things had been hectic lately, whenever her small employee was absent, she would definitely forget to order takeaway. So she had no choice but to set the alarm to remind herself to eat.


    There are plenty of variations shown in the takeaway app, but only a few would be delicious and worth the money. Since Xu Lian was often too lazy to choose what to eat during the evening, she ended up ordering the chicken set again.


    At around the same time, Xiang ChangKong was getting ready to do a long-distance delivery. Before he left, he made a phone call home.


    The phone rang for a long time before being picked up. The other party answered the phone, but no voice could be heard. This apparently wasn¡¯t strange to Xiang ChangKong as he started to talk: ¡°Mom, remember to eat dinner. I already made some food and put it in the fridge, just warm it up before you eat it.¡±


    There was still no answer from the other end of the call, and only the slight breathing sounds indicated that there really was someone listening.


    Xiang ChangKong continued: ¡°I¡¯ll wash the dishes when I get back, so just leave it. I¡¯ll be home at around 10:00 p.m., so just go to bed early.¡±


    This time he waited, but he heard nothing but silence. With a small sigh, Xiang ChangKong finally said goodbye, then ended the call.


    After the call had ended, Weng ShuLi waited another 3 seconds before putting the phone down. She went to the fridge and took out the dishes Xiang ChangKong had left. She had just placed them in the microwave oven when she heard a knock on the door.


    The apartment they lived in was rather old. It didn¡¯t have a garden, and the kitchen was right next to the front door. Weng ShuLi walked out of the kitchen and looked at the front door. The person outside was still knocking. Weng ShuLi stood there for a moment before slowly opening the door.


    She didn¡¯t open the door all the way, and the chain was still attached. Xiang ChangKong had specially installed this.


    When the person outside saw her, she smiled and said: ¡°Hello Mother Xiang, its little Liu, I live at the apartment across the hall. Do you still remember me?¡±


    Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t speak, and her face showed no expression. Little Liu felt a scared. She had moved next to the Xiang family two years ago and often bumped into the brother and sister who lived there. The only one she hadn¡¯t really met was Mother Xiang, who had some sort of illness.


    ¡°I just went down to pick up a package and saw a letter for your ChangKong. I picked it up for you since I was already there.¡± Little Liu explained as she handed over a letter, ¡°Well, that¡¯s it, I won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡±


    After the letter was handed over to Weng ShuLi, she hastily turned and opened the door to her own apartment. Weng ShuLi closed the door and looked at the letter in her hand.


    It was for ChangKong, from the First Aircraft Research Institute of City A.


    Weng ShuLi stared at these words for a while. Then she tore the envelope in half and threw it into the trash can.

 Chapter 02

    Chapter 02


    At 10:20 p.m., Xiang ChangKong opened the front door softly. The room was quiet, and his mother had long fallen asleep. He closed the door but didn¡¯t turn on the light, only locking the door and fastening the chain Weng ShuLi had removed before she went to bed.


    There were several dishes on the square table in the living room. Xiang ChangKong stacked them together and brought it to the kitchen to wash. After cleaning up, he took a new plastic bag to replace the bag in the trash can, to be thrown away tomorrow morning.


    But as he bent down to change the plastic, Xiang ChangKong hesitated. There was a letter in the can, torn in half. He was familiar with the color and style of the envelope.


    His mouth pursed as he took the envelope out.


    And sure enough, it was an envelope from the Aircraft Institute.


    The mailing address was uniformly printed, with the words ¡®Xiang ChangKong¡¯ stark at bright.


    His lips thinned even more. After standing still for a long while, he switched off the kitchen light and brought the letter pieces back to his room.


    Turning a small bedside lamp on, he brought the two pieces of ripped paper back together.


    ¡°ChangKong,


    The enrollment for graduate students in the Aircraft Institute is starting soon. There are two places for the flight design major. I don¡¯t know if you know any of this, so I printed the enrollment brochure and mailed it to you. I know your difficulties and understand your position, but you¡¯re still so young, and you have great talent and enthusiasm that is no less than your father¡¯s. I¡¯ve always believed that you shouldn¡¯t have to give up like this.


    I attached a letter of recommendation, and hope to see you in the First Aircraft Research Institute next year.


    Uncle Hou.¡±


    Uncle Hou¡¯s letter was quite short, but Xiang ChangKong read it over and over again. He found the enrollment brochure and looked at the registration period.


    October 21 to October 31.


    In this silent night, a tiny sparkle lit up Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes, flickering to life, before quietly, quietly, disappearing in the dark.


    He folded the letter closed, opened the drawer, and placed it deep to the bottom.


    The next day, Xiang ChangKong woke up early. He had a day shift today, and orders didn¡¯t start until 10:00 a.m., so he leisurely prepared breakfast at 8:30 a.m. then knocked on Weng ShuLi¡¯s door: ¡°Mom, get up and eat.¡±


    Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t answer, but after a while, the door opened. She went to the bathroom to wash up, then sat across from Xiang ChangKong at the table. On it was a plate of freshly fried steamed bread, and a bowl of porridge. Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t forget to remind her to be careful about scalding herself.


    Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t use a spoon and took the bowl to take small sips. Her eyes drifted to the trash can near the table. Yesterday¡¯s garbage had already been cleared up by ChangKong, and the trash can was now empty. Retracting her gaze. She put down her bowl and picked up her chopsticks to take a piece of fragrant bread.


    The table was silent, neither of them speaking, with the only sounds coming from the utensils and their chewing. After the meal, Xiang ChangKong handed Weng ShuLi¡¯s medicine, took the dirty dishes to the kitchen to wash, and then left to go to work.


    When he arrived at work, Xiang ChangKong punched his card, then went into the locker room to change clothes.


    When he entered, he saw two of his colleagues sitting together, chatting. As he walked past, Xiang ChangKong greeted them: ¡°Hello elder brother Wang, elder brother Wu.¡±


    ¡°Little Xiang, you¡¯re early.¡± Brother Wang was a middle-aged man with a slightly large figure. Looking especially blessed today, he looked toward Xiang ChangKong and smiled: ¡°I was just talking about you with Brother Wu.¡±


    Lifting the corner of his mouth, Xiang ChangKong asked as he opened his locker: ¡°What were you saying?¡±


    ¡°The ranking, ah. You deliver the fastest, and your ratings are all positive too. Don¡¯t you think little Zhang¡¯s eyes are getting less and less friendly these days?¡±


    Little Zhang had been on top of the rankings before Xiang ChangKong started working.


    With a small chuckle, Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°You¡¯re overthinking things. Everyone¡¯s working hard, doing their jobs properly.¡±


    Brother Wang replied: ¡°Don¡¯t work too hard though, especially during deliveries. Instead of speed, you should pay more attention to keeping safe when you drive around.¡±


    ¡°I know. Thank you for reminding me, Brother Wang.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m curious, you¡¯ve only been here for two months, how did you rise to the top so quickly? Other newcomers would take at least a month to remember the terrain and wouldn¡¯t be able to deliver a lot of orders. You were the same when you started, the number of deliveries you handled was relatively low.¡±


    Brother Wu, who had been listening couldn¡¯t help but exclaim: ¡°How can that be, I saw his delivery area before and wow, it was such a dense and complicated area, more complicated than any subway map. If it had been any other newcomer, they would¡¯ve just cried on the spot.¡±


    Taking out his uniform, Xiang ChangKong shut his locker as he replied: ¡°I¡¯ve always had a good memory ever since I was a kid. I can basically remember anything after looking at it a few times. As for my deliveries, I usually refer to the map when I have a single order, but I don¡¯t bother looking at it when I have a lot of orders coming through.¡±


    Brother Wu squinted: ¡°You remember all your routes?¡±


    ¡°Well, I usually just calculate the distance and time myself, then plan the shortest route to improve efficiency.¡±


    Brother Wu and Brother Wand looked at each other for 2 seconds before Brother Wu exclaimed: ¡°This is what a college student¡¯s brain is like. He¡¯s like¡­what¡¯s that word¡­a high-end player?¡±


    With a ¡®bah,¡¯ Brother Wang corrected him: ¡°Come one, not every college student is this smart. My eldest nephew is a college student, but he¡¯s no smarter than me.¡±


    Putting on a coat, Xiang ChangKong smiled and said: ¡°Brother Wang, Brother Wu, I¡¯ll be going first.¡±


    ¡°Alright. It¡¯s windy today, do you have a mask? If you don¡¯t remember to buy one next time.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    When Xiang ChangKong left, Xu Lian had also just left her home. Her shop doesn¡¯t open until 10:00 a.m., so she would usually run around her neighborhood for half an hour when she gets up. She didn¡¯t live very far from Starlight Park and could usually drive to work in 20 minutes if there wasn¡¯t any traffic.


    Today, her small employee showed up in front of the store door on time. Seeing Xu Lian¡¯s car approaching, she waved her hands to say hello. Xu Lian parked her car not far from her store, then walked over to unlock the door.


    ¡°Boss was the store busy yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Not too bad.¡±


    ¡°So what did you eat yesterday? It wouldn¡¯t happen to be the chicken leg set again, would it?¡± As Zhang GuoEr said this, she poked the other¡¯s arm, ¡°Tell the truth, are you always ordering the chicken set just to see that takeaway boy?¡±


    Xu Lian, who had walked in, paused then looked back at her: ¡°Why, is it the same takeaway boy that delivers every time?¡±


    Zhang GuoEr: ¡°¡­.¡±


    OK, just pretend I never asked.


    ¡°They all wear the same clothes and hats, how can I recognize the person?¡± Xu Lian didn¡¯t care.


    Zhang GuoEr didn¡¯t agree at all, pouting her lips she said: ¡°That takeaway boy was whiter than the others! I wanted to ask him what sunscreen he uses!¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°And he looks good. Don¡¯t you think his eyes look particularly deep and melancholy? He could be the second male lead in an idol drama.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t notice.¡± Xu Lian finally stopped and turned to look at the girl properly: ¡°Do you have a crush on him?¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey.¡± Zhang GuoEr laughed heartily before taking out a small black notebook from her backpack. Waving it towards Xu Lian, she replied: ¡°I don¡¯t have a crush, I just listed him as observation target No. 0123.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s gaze landed on the small notebook. The words ¡®1000 Faces¡¯ were written in white ink, making the words particularly eye-catching. Xu Lian didn¡¯t say anything else, merely turning to go upstairs.


    Zhang GuoEr took back her hand and opened the small notebook. At the bottom of No. 0121, she wrote: ¡®Today, the boss was as cool as ever.¡¯ Then she drew a frowning face.


    Zhang GuoEr was a senior majoring in drama, film and television literature in the Film Academy. She had a great dream of collecting 1,000 different people as materials and recording their personalities and actions in her small notebook as a reference to any future characters she might write.


    Xu Lian was also one of the people she observed.


    When she had come in for the job interview, she had told this to Xu Lian, and Xu Lian didn¡¯t care.


    Because the store opened at 10:00 a.m., morning didn¡¯t take to long to end. It wasn¡¯t long before Zhang GuoEr ran upstairs to ask Xu Lian what she would want to eat for lunch. Xu Lian was in the middle of waxing with a bubbler when Zhang GuoEr had asked her: ¡°What do you want to eat for lunch?¡±


    ¡°I want to eat vegetables.¡± Zhang GuoEr chirped, ¡°Do you want to share, so we can order a few more dishes?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Then take a look and choose what you want.¡± Zhang GuoEr passed her phone.


    After they had ordered, Zhang GuoEr ran down and began to wait for the takeaway boy. Xu Lian stayed upstairs and continued to do her work. If the melted wax isn¡¯t placed into the molds in time, they would harden and solidify again, making any previous work done in vain.


    After she had filled two molds, Xu Lian went downstairs to wash her hands. Coincidentally, the food arrived at the same time. This time, Xu Lian paid extra attention to the appearance of the younger takeaway boy but found that this person wasn¡¯t as pale as she thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s not him.¡± After the little takeaway boy left, Zhang GuoEr opened the box and said to Xu Lian, ¡°It was a different person that delivered today. Next time the little brother with melancholy eyes and pale skin comes to do the delivery, I¡¯ll call you.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t really want to see him.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr squinted: ¡°I saw you peek at that person just now.¡±


    Xu Lian picked up her chopsticks and decided to just stop communicating with her.


    Then, her phone vibrated on the table. Xu Lian shoved her chopsticks into her mouth and took the phone.


    Senior High School Leader: Xu Lian, we¡¯re planning a class reunion, are you interested in participating?


    Xu Lian immediately wrote ¡®not interested,¡¯ but then deleted the sentence and wrote ¡®I don¡¯t have the time¡¯ before sending it.


    Senior High School Leader: Are you busy with work? But we haven¡¯t decided when to have the reunion. I¡¯ll inform you when we have a definite date. Try to come, we all haven¡¯t gathered for a long time.


    Xu Lian: Let¡¯s see then.


    Senior High School Leader: OK. By the way, why aren¡¯t you in the high school group?


    Xu Lian: I¡¯m not? Maybe I accidentally got removed?


    Senior High School Leader: Then I¡¯ll add you back in later.


    ¡°¡­..¡± Xu Lian thought that she should probably get ¡®accidentally¡¯ kicked out again later.


    ¡°Boss, who is it?¡± Zhang GuoEr looked at her curiously. Xu Lian glanced at her before putting her phone back on the table: ¡°My high school leader asked me if I was interested in attending a class reunion.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re definitely not interested.¡± According to her observations of Xu Lian these past few months, her boss rarely participated in any sort of social activities, and she had never seen a friend visit, Xu Lian. Well, except for No. 0122.


    Xu Lian: ¡°I¡¯m really not interested.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr shook her head: ¡°Boss, you can¡¯t keep doing this. A few days ago I saw a post criticizing the young people of today, saying that they stay at home all the time, not socializing, how can they find boyfriends and girlfriends?¡±


    ¡°How absurd.¡± Xu Lian snorted: ¡°The fact that I don¡¯t go out, don¡¯t socialize, just means that I like playing by myself. It means that I¡¯d rather be alone.¡±

 Chapter 03

    Chapter 03


    Zhang GuoEr hurriedly recorded Xu Lian¡¯s golden sentence in her notebook before sitting back down to eat.


    Xu Lian had long gotten used to her eccentric behavior. It didn¡¯t take long for her to finish her meal and go back upstairs to catch up with her orders.


    Halfway through, the developer in charge sent her a message asking for the progress of their order. Just as Xu Lian finished her conversation with the person in charge, she heard the wind chime on the door ring.


    Because customers usually come in the afternoon, Xu Lian didn¡¯t think much of it and continued to do her work. But Zhang GuoEr, who was sitting at the register below, suddenly got excited.


    Her observation target No. 0122 arrived!


    ¡°Boss¡­.¡± She subconsciously wanted to yell for Xu Lian but was interrupted by the person who entered.


    ¡°Shh.¡± Wei YiChen made a hushing gesture. The punk silver ring on his index finger flashed against the sunlight, ¡°I¡¯ll go up and find her myself.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr closed her mouth obediently, nodding her head.


    Wei YiChen moved on, heading straight to the second floor. Hearing his leather boots thump away, Zhang GuoEr glanced at his retreating back. Good, he¡¯s gone. She quickly took out her small notebook and excitedly wrote under the header 0122: ¡®Wei YiChen is so charming!¡¯


    After writing this, she reread the entire page. She felt that her words had too many personal feelings. As an observer, her recordings should be more objective and rational.


    So in the end, she crossed out the sentence she had wrote ad changed it to ¡®Wei YiChen is really charming¡¯, ending with a full stop.


    Xu Lian¡¯s workshop didn¡¯t have locks. Wei YiChen easily pushed the door open and came in, and Xu Lian immediately noticed someone entering.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± She looked up at Wei YiChan, but her eyes fell back to the thermometer in her hand. She was cooling down the wax, so she didn¡¯t dare get distracted. If the temperature dropped too much, she would have to start the heating process all over again.


    Wei YiChen was somewhat dissatisfied with her indifference, but he quickly got over it and smiled. He took two tickets out from his pocket and placed them on the table: ¡°Tickets to PUMPKIN¡¯s revival concert, let¡¯s go and listen to them tomorrow.¡±


    Xu Lian scanned the tickets on the table then said to him: ¡°You know Uncle Wei doesn¡¯t like it when you go to these rock and roll events, and you go ahead and buy tickets to this concert. Do you want to anger him to death?¡±


    Wei YiChen straightened and waved her words off: ¡°When I grew my hair long last year, you said the same thing. He¡¯s still alive, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    Yes, Wei YiChen had long hair last year, but it wasn¡¯t that long. It just reached to his shoulders, and he often wore it down, with a half-ponytail. It was actually the hairdo that PUMPKIN¡¯s lead singer Ray used to wear the most. Wei YiChen had been a fan of the band from an early age, even the two black earrings on his left ears were him imitating Ray.


    This year, he finally cut his hair short. Although it was him just following Ray¡¯s recent haircut again, his handsome short black hair was more acceptable than his long hair from before.


    Xu Lian saw that the temperature had reached the right heat, so she took out the thermometer and wiped off the wax clinging to it. She then looked towards Wei YiChen and jokingly replied: ¡°So you¡¯re making more of an effort this year?¡±


    (T/N: to anger uncle to death)


    Wei YiChen shrugged indifferently: ¡°The less he likes it, the more I get the urge to do it. Are you surprised?¡±


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t continue this line of conversation. This conflict between father and son wasn¡¯t some one-off thing, and as an outsider, she wasn¡¯t someone who should have an opinion about it.


    ¡°Brother Chen, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Outside the shop, two young boys dressed like punk rockers were sitting on a motorcycle, shouting. Wei YiChen glanced at them past the windows, gestured to them, then picked up a ticket from the table, leaving the other. ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow; I have something else so I¡¯ll go first.¡±


    Xu Lian looked up as he hurriedly left, then looked down towards the ticket. Her eyebrows wrinkled slightly. She never promised that she would go.


    Zhang GuoEr watched through the window as Wei YiChen and his younger brothers rode their motorcycles, then ran upstairs to find Xu Lian: ¡°Boss, boss, what did brother Chen come to see you for?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Xu Lian paused for a moment, before asking: ¡°When did you start calling him brother Chen?¡±


    ¡°I just carelessly¡­.¡± Zhang GuoEr shook her head as she approached. She saw the ticket on the table and exclaimed: ¡°Wow, tickets for PUMPKIN¡¯s revival concert! And it¡¯s VIP tickets! Brother Chen got it for you?¡±


    ¡°Nn.¡±


    ¡°Wow, sure enough, brother Chen is a great person! Do you know how much the regular tickets cost online?¡±


    Xu Lian was puzzled: ¡°Is this concert that popular?¡±


    Although she also once liked PUMPKIN¡¯s songs, they had disbanded ten years ago. Ten years was more than enough for human beings to forget a lot of things.


    Zhang GuoEr replied: ¡°Boss, you¡¯re not giving PUMPKIN enough credit. In their heyday, they could directly compete with King Mo in terms of popularity! Besides, what do modern people usually crave nowadays? Feelings and nostalgia, ah! Just how many fans do you think PUMPKIN had.¡±


    Xu Lian nodded thoughtfully: ¡°When you say it like that, it makes me want to go a little bit.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr: ¡°¡­..¡±


    Should she go to Wei YiChen and ask for a reward for this meritorious deed that she had just accomplished.


    As she was seriously considering this, the wind chime downstairs rang again. Zhang GuoEr ran down in a hurry and greeted: ¡°Good afternoon, welcome!¡±


    After a busy day, Monster finally closed at 6:30 p.m. After packing up her things, Zhang GuoEr said her goodbyes to Xu Lian and then clocked off. Xu Lian stayed in the store for a little while longer, continuing to work. She didn¡¯t leave until 7:00 p.m.


    She didn¡¯t know if it was because she overate during lunch, but Xu Lian didn¡¯t really have an appetite for dinner. She decided not to order takeaway and just cook a bowl of noodles and home.


    It was currently the peak period for Xiang ChangKong to do deliveries. He was so busy with takeaway deliveries until 8:30 p.m., so he could only buy something from a stall and quickly eat it by the roadside.


    The area he was responsible for wasn¡¯t in the city center, and traffic on the streets wasn¡¯t particularly long. The pedestrians in a hurry didn¡¯t pay attention to this takeaway boy eating on the sidewalk.


    To the Xiang ChangKong whose job was to deliver meals to others every day, his own meals were done like this.


    Under the streetlight, another man wearing the same uniform parked his battery-powered scooter next to him. Glancing at him, Xiang ChangKong was that it was the man he often bumped into when delivering his orders.


    ¡°Hey buddy, we meet again. Man, we¡¯re really fated to be.¡± The man took out a plastic bag and walked up to stand side by side with Xiang ChangKong.


    Xiang ChangKong remembered his lukewarm attitude towards the other person yesterday, but he didn¡¯t talk and instead just nodded and responded with a faint ¡°Nn.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re eating dinner late too; this line of business really is tiring.¡± As the man spoke, he opened his lunch box and the aroma of food slowly filled the air.


    It smelled nice, but the presentation didn¡¯t look so good. Seeing this, Xiang ChangKong asked: ¡°How¡¯d it become like this?¡±


    The little brother patted the back of his head and smiled bitterly: ¡°Hey, don¡¯t even mention it. This was originally an order I had to deliver, but I fell on the way and lost some time. Before I even arrived, the delivery was already canceled. Since there aren¡¯t any refunds, I could only buy it myself.¡±


    After a moment of silence, Xiang ChangKong said: ¡°When it comes to takeaway delivery, safety always comes first. Did you hurt yourself when you fell?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a few bruises, no scrapes. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± The little brother laughed twice and split some wooded chopsticks, beginning to eat. ¡°If you ignore the mess, it tastes good! I usually wouldn¡¯t dare buy such expensive food for myself.¡±


    To say that while in the takeout business, ah. If their customer decides to cancel the order, it falls to the delivery boy to handle the meal. If any complaints are sent, the delivery boy would be hanged out to dry.


    (T/N: Hang out to dry means to be abandoned. In this context, he probably won¡¯t be getting orders for a while)


    Looking at his forced smile, Xiang ChangKong passed him a bottle of mineral water that he had just bought: ¡°I haven¡¯t taken a sip from it.¡±


    The little brother became stunned for a moment before showing a brighter, more genuine smile: ¡°Thanks, buddy!¡±


    Takeout workers are usually tanner than the average person as they had to go out regularly, and this little brother was no exception. But his teeth were whiter than ordinary people, so when he smiled, his big white teeth were exposed, making him look a little silly and a little cute.


    Maybe it was because he just received a bottle of mineral water from Xiang ChangKong, but the little brother became even more talkative: ¡°I was just unlucky today, but fortunately the customer didn¡¯t send a complaint about me, or I really won¡¯t have anything to do today.¡±


    He nodded towards Xiang ChangKong as he continued to eat.


    ¡°Sometimes, I feel like this job really is miserable. It makes us constantly tired stressed.¡± The little brother used his chopsticks to poke at the cold noodles in his bowl as continued to complain, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the chain store me and my wife wanted, I wouldn¡¯t have already quit.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong turned to look at him: ¡°Chain stores?¡±


    ¡°Well, my wife and I wanted to open a chain store. It doesn¡¯t need to be very big, a small store would be enough for us. But it¡¯s expensive to open a shop and the rent even more so. So I¡¯m working desperately to save enough money.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    ¡°My wife is also working hard, and like me, she goes to work early and gets home late every day. But well, I¡¯m happy every time I see us getting closer and closer to our goal!¡± Then he turned to Xiang ChangKong and asked: ¡°What about you, what¡¯s your dream?¡±


    At this Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes faintly trembled, becoming spellbound: ¡°Dream?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, us small takeout brothers always have dreams!¡±


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t answer immediately. He hadn¡¯t heard the word ¡®dream¡¯ in a long time. He remembered the letter that was torn in half and thrown in the trash at home.


    A car drove past the road in front of them, the headlights momentarily blinding them. Looking up, Xiang ChangKong gazed at the night sky. It was hard to see any stars in the city. Up in this infinite sky, only the darkness remained.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any big dreams. I just want to send my sister to college.¡±


    The young brother didn¡¯t expect an answer and failed to respond right away. He stayed quiet for a couple of seconds before asking: ¡°You have a sister?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in senior high school this year.¡± Finishing his food, Xiang ChangKong threw the empty container in the garbage can beside him.


    Seeing him sit on his scooter, ready to leave the little brother quickly stood up and shouted towards him: ¡°Hey buddy, my name is Cheng Peng, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    As he revved the scooter, Xiang ChangKong looked back at him: ¡°My name is Xiang ChangKong.¡±


    A famous person once said that it meant longing for the vast sky.

 Chapter 04

    Chapter 04


    On the day of the PUMPKIN concert, there were a couple of Weibo posts about it. The concert hadn¡¯t started yet, but it was already one of the most searched topics.


    Xu Lian regularly checked the news on Weibo every day. Today, she saw her Weibo lit up with hundreds of thousands of notifications.


    After checking them, she went to the next page and found that many people were saying that they were also going to the concert tonight. She tapped at the side of her phone and wondered if she should go to the concert with Wei YiChen tonight.


    ¡°Boss, it¡¯s eleven o¡¯ clock! Time to order lunch!¡± Zhang GuoEr ran upstairs and pushed her workshop door open. Xu Lian glanced at her and said, ¡°You¡¯re really active when it comes to eating.¡±


    ¡°Of course, if you¡¯re not active when it comes to food, what do you expect to be active in?¡±


    Xu Lian felt that her words were reasonable, so she opened the takeout app and said: ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±


    Zhang GuoEr approached her and looked at the photos on her phone: ¡°That, it looks like Wolong Kitchen launched a new dish, this barbecued rice looks good.¡±


    ¡°Then barbecue rice it is.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then what about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Xu Lian thought about it then finally settled with the chicken leg set. ¡°I like their chicken leg.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Zhang GuoEr looked at her for a while then decided to go down and write ¡®Unexpected loyalty from the Boss¡¯ into her black notebook later.


    After ordering, Zhang GuoEr said as she went back downstairs: ¡°If that little takeaway boy comes to deliver today, I¡¯ll call you.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­..¡±


    She browsed through her Weibo for a little while until she felt that the delivery would come any minute now. Before Zhang GuoEr could call her, Xu Lian decided that she would take the initiative and go downstairs first.


    Xiang ChangKong was very punctual when it came to his deliveries, so when he entered Monster, Xu Lian was standing at the counter, chatting with Zhang GuoEr.


    She seems to prefer black. Today she was still wearing a pair of black high-heeled shoes, but her black trench coat was replaced by a shorter black leather coat.


    As he approached, he became nervous as usual: ¡°Hello, I¡¯ve come to deliver your order.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Zhang GuoEr suddenly exclaimed.


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Lian calmly took the takeaway bag from Xiang ChangKong, then looked back at Zhang GouEr without any change of expression. Zhang GuoEr awkwardly coughed twice then said to Xiang ChangKong: ¡°Hey little brother, I want to ask you something.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± With ChangKong¡¯s so-called ¡®deep and melancholy eyes¡¯ turned towards her, Zhang GuoEr felt that he could see into her soul.


    ¡°A-ahh¡­oh yes, I think you¡¯re a lot whiter than any other takeaway boy that delivered to us before. I just wanted to know what sunscreen you use?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was distracted as he replied: ¡°I don¡¯t use sunscreen often. My sister gave me a bottle before, but I didn¡¯t pay attention to what the brand was.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr raised an eyebrow and looked at him curiously: ¡°You have a sister?¡±


    ¡°Nn. Everyone in my family has fairly white skin, so maybe it¡¯s just a genetic thing.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr: ¡°¡­¡±


    Oh, yes, I see.


    After a moment of silence, he habitually smiled and said, ¡°Well, have a nice lunch.¡±


    After he left the shop, Zhang GuoEr winked towards Xu Lian: ¡°It¡¯s him, it¡¯s him. After talking to him, I found that even his voice was quite good, so gentle!¡±


    Xu Lian took the takeaway bag to the lounge and replied: ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll dare deliver food here anymore.¡±


    ¡°How come!¡± Zhang GuoEr was halfway into the lounge before turning around and running back towards the counter. She pulled out her small notebook from her backpack and under No. 0123 wrote: ¡°Today, the little brother talked to me. His voice was very gentle. He also has a younger sister.¡±


    After she had written this, Zhang GuoEr¡¯s pen ceased its movements, and she looked past the windows to the outside of the store.


    Xiang ChangKong was turning his scooter on and was about to turn the throttle when a silver car arrived and parked near Xu Lian¡¯s shop. Zhang GuoEr squirmed, stretching out her neck to look.


    The silver car was undoubtedly very conspicuous, especially against the midday sunlight, making the entire car shine. Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes were drawn to the bright car as its door opened. A man came out.


    Like Xu Lian, he was wearing a motorcycle leather jacket, along with dark sunglasses. After closing the car door, he took off his sunglasses and walked directly into Xu Lian¡¯s shop. As Xiang ChangKong watched him pass by, the other man looked back at him subconsciously.


    Just now, the girl at the counter praised him, but this person was obviously whiter than him. But Xiang ChangKong could tell that this was makeup done deliberately. In addition to the unnaturally white foundation, he also painted some eyeliner which was even more evident due to his pale appearance. But because of his naturally heroic facial features, it didn¡¯t make him look soft or feminine. Instead, it revealed a different take to what was handsome and sexy.


    As Wei YiChen passed, he turned his eyes away. A takeaway boy couldn¡¯t attract his attention for long.


    Past the glass, Xiang ChangKong saw the man head inside and chat with Xu Lian. He looked very familiar with her. Xiang ChangKong turned back and drove the scooter out.


    The moment Wei YiChen entered, Zhang GuoEr was beside herself. Wei YiChen just nodded towards her, but she couldn¡¯t restrain her excitement. She quickly sifted through her notebook to Wei YiChen¡¯s page and began to write: ¡°Wei YiChen wore makeup today, so sexy!¡±


    ¡°Zhang GuoEr, are you eating or not?¡± Xu Lian went out of the lounge to call for her but was surprised to see Wei YiChan. When she saw him, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°You look really¡­flirtatious today.¡±


    Wei YiChen smiled and took out his phone, tapping for a few seconds. He showed Xu Lian the screen and said, ¡°I¡¯m imitating Ray¡¯s usual look, how is it, good?¡±


    Xu Lian compared Ray¡¯s picture on the phone with Wei YiChan¡¯s face in front of her, then nodded: ¡°Not bad, but if Uncle Wei saw¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll be mad again?¡± Wei YiChen raised an eyebrow with indifference.


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯ll want to kill you even more.¡± Xu Lian finished. She then turned and called out: ¡°Zhang GuoEr.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Zhang GuoEr immediately answered, then looked up, just in time to see Xiang ChangKong¡¯s scooter leaving. Zhang GuoEr¡¯s heart was moved, and she once again raised her pen to write: ¡°My woman¡¯s intuition says that the little takeaway brother is interested in my boss; he¡¯s secretly peeked at Boss several times.¡±


    As she wrote this, Zhang GuoEr remembered that Wei YiChen was just a few meters away from her. Takeaway Brother VS Socialite Brother, who would win and who would lose?


    From her notes, it looked like Wei YiChen had the better odds, but she felt that this little takeaway brother wasn¡¯t simple. Zhang GuoEr didn¡¯t dare boast that she had read countless people, but she had watched the people in her notebook for a while now. As the saying goes: ¡®Poetry and calligraphy are all in one¡¯s belly¡¯ The younger takeaway brother¡¯s temperament is like a scholar¡¯s, his IQ is probably high too. But then why is he doing deliveries?


    ¡®That takeaway boy has a story. I have the opportunity to learn this story. Besides, I even found out about the truth of this little brother¡¯s skin today: It wasn¡¯t sunscreen, but from his great genes. Smiley face.¡¯


    After writing this passage, she finally put away her pen and notebook, then rushed to eat her lunch.


    Wei YiChen saw their lunchboxes and leaned over to Xu Lian: ¡°You eat this every day?¡±


    When she heard this, Zhang GuoEr said: ¡°You man not believe it, but Boss has been ordering this chicken set for how many days already.¡±


    Xu Lian turned a deaf ear as she continued to eat on her own. Wei YiChen shook his head and looked at Xu Lian in sympathy: ¡°You¡¯re too miserable, ah. I¡¯ll take you out to dinner tonight.¡±


    Xu Lian mercilessly refused: ¡°No time, I have to catch up with an order.¡±


    Wei YiChen immediately ruffled his hair and refuted: ¡°I say, you¡¯re going to the concert with my tonight. You¡¯re not allowed to work!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember promising to do so?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯m already here.¡± Wei YiChen waved his hands. ¡°Say, we¡¯re wearing pretty similar clothes today¡­.couples attire?¡±


    Wei YiChen looked at Xu Lian ambiguously. Zhang GuoEr couldn¡¯t stand the sudden tension and escaped with her lunch in her arms. Meanwhile, Xu Lian was completely unaffected, merely giving him a look: ¡°The concert is later tonight, what are you doing here so early?¡±


    ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d back out.¡± Wei YiChen replied righteously.


    Xu Lian: ¡°You¡¯re really idle.¡±


    ¡°Yep, for this concert, I finished all my framework in advance.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­¡± It seems that this venerable person¡¯s business is thriving.


    Wei YiChen really spent the entire afternoon in Xu Lian¡¯s shop, helping entertain a few guests. Many young girls who were hesitant to buy was coaxed into purchasing several things by Wei YiChen. However, he was very dissatisfied when the girls thought his makeup was a copy of Gu Xin. ¡°Nowadays, people only know about Gu Xin. Gu Xin¡¯s makeup was also influenced by Ray, ah.¡±


    As the godfather of rock music, Ray and PUMPKIN laid the foundation for what would become today¡¯s rock music in the Mainland.


    ¡°Gu Xin is really handsome.¡± Xu Lian lightly said.


    Wei YiChen came up to her and looked at her in the eye: ¡°You¡¯re praising other men when you have the handsome me in front of you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, so?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Wei YiChen paused for a long while before finally putting on a smiling face: ¡°It¡¯s 5:00 p.m., We should set off.¡±


    Xu Lian looked at the time, and it really was 5:00 p.m.: ¡°I usually close at half-past six.¡±


    ¡°If we leave then, we wouldn¡¯t be able to make it. Isn¡¯t Zhang GuoEr here to look after the shop?¡± Wei YiChen couldn¡¯t help but drag Xu Lian.


    ¡°Wait, wait.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I want to put on some makeup.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know why, but Wei YiChen was suddenly in a good mood. He smiled at Xu Lian and said: ¡°You can do it in the car.¡±


    Xu Lian was pulled out of the shop by him. When she saw the luxury car parked outside this entire afternoon, she asked: ¡°Where did you get the car?¡±


    Wei YiChen was the epitome of a rich second generation boy but had been at terrible odds with his father in recent years. Of course, his father wouldn¡¯t buy him a car. He usually used his black motorcycle for his day to day driving.


    ¡°I found a friend and borrowed it from him. It¡¯s a good car.¡± Wei YiChen opened the passenger door and tilted his chin towards Xu Lian: ¡°Get on.¡±


    Xu Lian thought for a moment and said: ¡°What about my car?¡±


    Wei YiChen: ¡°Just leave it here, I¡¯ll pick you up for work tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°In this car?¡± Xu Lian pointed at the flashy car that Wei YiChen had for today.


    ¡°In mine.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Xu Lian laughed.


    When she got into the car and was fastening her seat-belt, Xu Lian asked again: ¡°Do you even have a driver¡¯s license for cars?¡±


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­.¡± He silently took out his driver¡¯s license from his wallet and presented it to her with both hands.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± After checking his license, Xu Lian gave it back to him. Wei YiChen¡¯s driving turned out to be better than Xu Lian thought. She took out a mirror from her bag and painted her lips with lipstick.


    It was a very warm red.

 Chapter 05

    Chapter 05


    This was Xu Lian¡¯s first time attending a concert. The atmosphere was a lot warmer than she imagined it would be. The melodies she had forgotten had resurfaced from the depths of her memories and became alive again. The audience¡¯s shouts shook her eardrums, like waves swaying against the music. She thought she had finally understood what Zhang GuoEr had said.


    Wei YiChen was excited the entire time. He was an avid fan of PUMPKIN; PUMPKIN¡¯s music had practically colored his entire youth.


    Xu Lian looked at Wei YiChen singing and shouting next to her. He was no different from the thousands of others around her, but perhaps someday he would get the chance to be the one who stood up on stage and sing instead.


    After more than two hours, the concert finally concluded. Both the people on and off the stage were exhausted. Wei YiChen was still on high emotions, so Xu Lian insisted on being the driver this time.


    On the way back, Wei YiChen talking Xu Lian¡¯s ear off. He also took out his phone to play the videos he recorded during the concert. Xu Lian was concentrating on driving so she didn¡¯t pay any attention to him and his ramblings but nevertheless, Wei YiChen was enjoying himself as he recounted the past few hours.


    PUMPKIN continued to be a hot topic in Weibo. Wei YiChen was slumped against the passenger seat as he browsed through Weibo when he exclaimed: ¡°Ah? The concert just finished and they already announced the official movie. I¡¯ll have to go contribute to its box office.¡± When he finished his monologue, he glanced at Xu Lian from the corner of his eyes and asked, ¡°Do you know a Feng Jing?¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°Know. Movie star, very handsome.¡±


    ¡°Why are you bragging about other men?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I just decided that I won¡¯t support his next movie at the box office.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­¡±


    Your support is too cheap.


    Wei YiChen played around on his phone for a while before finally putting it down and looking at the streets outside his window: ¡°Are you driving straight home?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Wei YiChen licked his lips and leaned over towards Xu Lian, deliberately lowering his voice and saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go eat a big meal.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too late to eat.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­let¡¯s do something else?¡±


    Wei YiChen¡¯s voice was quite sexy. When he deliberately tries to show his sexiness, most women might not even be able to stay standing. After he said these words, the atmosphere in the car changed immediately. Xu Lian braked sharply and turned to look at him. She found that Wei YiChen was looking at her with burning expectation.


    Xu Lian: ¡°Get out.¡±


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Xu Lian had driven the car back to her neighborhood and got out to give the driver¡¯s seat back to Wei YiChen. Before she left, she knocked on his window and bent over to look at him: ¡°Do you want me to call a driver? I¡¯ve seen people drunk, but I¡¯ve never seen someone drunk from a concert. Drive carefully.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Wei YiChen chuckled, fastened his seatbelt, then drove away.


    When he arrived home, it was almost eleven o¡¯ clock. He thought his family had already gone to bed, but when he stepped into the house the lights in the living room turned on, and he was caught by his father.


    Wei ZhenTing was wearing his pajamas as he looked towards the clock on the wall. He then turned towards Wei YiChen and accused: ¡°You ran again¡­¡± Before he even finished, he turned and was shocked by the makeup on Wei YiChen¡¯s face: ¡°What kind of clothes are you wearing? How scandalous!¡±


    Wei YiChen remained unconcerned at his shocked response. He even smiled at his father as he replied: ¡°Does it look good? I did it myself. I went to a concert, so of course I had to dress up.¡±


    He didn¡¯t mention what concert he had attended, buy Wei ZhenTing knew anyway. Wei ZhenTing¡¯s anger spiked, and he said: ¡°How many times have I told you not to go to those rock and roll places! Why don¡¯t you listen?¡±


    ¡°What shocking thing happened? Why are you shouting so loudly?¡± Mother Wei came down the stairs and was surprised when she saw her son¡¯s outfit, ¡°Son, your clothes¡­¡±


    Wei YiChen walked towards her with a smile and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t I look good?¡± After hugging his mother he went upstairs, straight into his room.


    ¡°You come back here! You¡¯re really getting worse and worse!¡± Wei ZhenTing roared as he stood in the living room. But Wei YiChen had turned a deaf ear towards his father and went to his room without pausing.


    Closing the door, his face was filled with laughter. Downstairs, he could faintly hear Wei ZhenTing cursing. Wei YiChen went to his record player and put a PUMPKIN record on, turning the volume at it¡¯s highest setting.


    Lively guitar riffs blasted out, accompanied by energetic drums and fierce bass sounds, instantly filling the room. Wei YiChen raised his hands, pressing the strings with one hand and plucking on the others. Accompanying the loud music, he played the air guitar with the rhythm.


    His tempo was accurate, and every note correct. Coupled with the music playing, one could imagine that he was the one making the sounds out of thin air.


    After a passionate prelude, he sang along with Ray on the record.


    ¡°You ask me about my future dreams.


    But that door¡¯s taboo


    There are some things I dare not touch


    Like those bitter green plums


    One bite causing a frown¡­¡±


    This was PUMPKIN¡¯s famous song ¡®Green Plum¡¯, which was the opening song of tonight¡¯s concert. As soon as the prelude was started, it set all the audience members into a frenzy, as it evoked so many memories.


    When they first sang the song most of the band members were only nineteen, as green as the plum they were singing about. Wei YiChen once watched in an interview they did during that time. The host asked Ray what he wanted the song to express. Ray answered: ¡°Green plums are sour but delicious, similar to how we are right now. We¡¯re full of frustrations, but we¡¯re also filled with beautiful love. The pursuit of our dreams is the same.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this madness now?¡± Although the Wei villa had good sound insulation, they didn¡¯t account for Wei YiChen¡¯s music. Wei ZhenTing stormed upstairs, his eyebrows furrowed as he kicked at Wei YiChen¡¯s door: ¡°I see your brain¡¯s really sick! Do you know what time it is?¡±


    Mother Wei quickly followed him up and tried to persuade him: ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, if you get angry you¡¯ll end up in the hospital and if you end up in the hospital, I won¡¯t visit you.¡±


    Wei ZhenTing: ¡°¡­¡±


    You¡¯re just making me madder, okay?


    ¡°When the green plums turn red


    the bitterness and sweetness blend at the tip of the tongue


    And then, I¡¯ll be able to reach out to meet the rainbow in the sky.¡±


    Wei YiChen was immersed in his own music. His blood boiled right until the song finished, and then he fell onto his big bed, his chest heaving.


    On the wall opposite his bed was a guitar, hanging on the wall. A broken guitar.


    A full decade had passed ever since that fateful year, but he still remembers every single detail.


    That year, his father broke the first guitar he had ever owned. That year, his dream was set aside. That year, PUMPKIN officially announced their dissolution, bidding farewell to the music scene¡­


    Fortunately, their music stayed.


    Wei YiChen bought another guitar soon after his father broke his first. When his father had broken his third guitar, he had learned a new skill ¨C playing the air guitar.


    From then on, his father couldn¡¯t break his guitar anymore.


    Wei ZhenTing was still kicking at his door outside. Wei YiChen got up and turned off the music. He ignored the sounds outside his room and took a towel, heading towards his bathroom to take a shower.


    The abrupt end of the music allowed Wei ZhenTing to take back his leg that had risen to deliver another kick. He tidied his clothes and said to Mother Wei: ¡°Please call a doctor for your son tomorrow, someone needs to take a good look at his brain!¡±


    Mother Wei: ¡°¡­¡±


    Ever since Wei YiChen fell in love with rock, the father-son pair hadn¡¯t stopped fighting. Mother Wei had tried to meditate in the middle of them, but the two men were as fierce as each other. Neither of them could bear to give in first.


    ¡°Sigh.¡± Mother Wei shook her head and followed Wei ZhenTing back into their room.


    Tonight may be a sleepless night for many PUMPKIN fans, but for Xiang ChangKong, tonight wasn¡¯t any different from any other night. Considering that he had to go to work early the next day, he even went to bed half an hour earlier than usual.


    The morning shift started at 6:00 a.m. so Xiang ChangKong got up at 4:30 and went into the kitchen to stir-fry some vegetables and cook a pot of lean porridge. He had breakfast first, then left a note for his mother on the table before leaving for work.


    Although morning orders weren¡¯t usually as numerous as the lunch and dinner rush, there were still a few early rising customers. Getting the food, Xiang ChangKong rode his battery-powered scooter to a neighborhood near Starlight Park.


    Because the neighborhood didn¡¯t allow scooters in, Xiang ChangKong parked near the entrance and headed towards the security booth to ask the guard to let him in.


    At precisely seven o¡¯ clock, the security guard opened the window of his booth. He looked a little impatient as he asked: ¡°Takeaway this early in the morning?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t say anything else.


    The guard glanced at his scooter and told him: ¡°Take your scooter to the side over there, don¡¯t block the way.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s scooter was parked on a space that couldn¡¯t block any car or person, but he went over and moved it anyway. He knew that the security guard was deliberately trying to find a fault in him.


    When he first came to this neighborhood to deliver food, he met the same security guard. Because he didn¡¯t know exactly where the customer was, he asked for directions. Instead of telling him immediately, the security guard asked him if he had any cigarettes.


    It wasn¡¯t really a big deal, but Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t smoke, so he naturally wouldn¡¯t have any cigarettes on him. But the security guard thought he was being stingy, so he gave Xiang ChangKong directions to the wrong building.


    There were 16 buildings in this neighborhood, making it a relatively large estate. After walking for a while, Xiang ChangKong realized that the directions given to him were wrong. He eventually found the right building himself.


    Now he long remembers the location of all 16 buildings. And of course, this security guard remembers him well.


    As he passed building 12, he saw someone in grey sportswear coming out. There was a white towel around her neck, and the ponytail behind her was swinging side to side as she trotted out.


    It was Xu Lian.


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t expect to see Xu Lian here and was stunned still for a moment. He had sent many meals to Xu Lian, but they were all delivered to her store. Unexpectedly, she lived in this neighborhood.


    This Xu Lian who had come out for a morning run wasn¡¯t quite the same as the Xu Lian he saw at her store. Maybe it was because she wasn¡¯t wearing any makeup. Her temperament was a lot softer, and not as dazzling as it usually was in the afternoons. Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t stare for too long as he quickly turned his gaze away and walked past her, his face becoming expressionless.


    It wasn¡¯t until Xu Lian had run to the opposite direction that the hand holding the takeaway bag relaxed.


    He knew that his interest in Xu Lian had exceeded the amount of attention he should have towards customers, but that was it. Because he was also clear about the fact that he was nothing more than a delivery boy.

 Chapter 06

    Chapter 06


    He doesn¡¯t make me happy, nor do I make him happy


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t notice Xiang ChangKong. She ran for half an hour before returning to her home. After taking a shower she opened her fridge to see what she could eat. Her fridge was designed to match her kitchen decorations and was a large fridge with two doors. She remembered the salesperson saying that she could probably fit a small supermarket in it.


    But Xu Lian was someone who loved cooking cup noodles the most, so her fridge regularly didn¡¯t hold much. She took out a sandwich she had bought yesterday and an orange to juice. She planned to have a sandwich and some orange juice for breakfast today.


    Before she could start squeezing the juice, her cell phone on the counter rang twice. Xu Lian looked at the screen and saw that it was a message from Wei YiChen.


    Wei YiChen: I¡¯m picking you up to have breakfast together.


    Xu Lian: Don¡¯t go out to eat, just eat at my house.


    Wei YiChen: You actually have food? Did you order takeaway?


    Xu Lian glanced at the screen and didn¡¯t reply. She put down the sandwich and went back to the fridge to take out a vacuum-sealed yellow cake.


    When Wei YiChen arrived, Xu Lian had just finished steaming the yellow cake. He went into the kitchen and sniffed: ¡°What did you steam, it smells good.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°Before Zhang GuoEr gave me some fruit cake, a specialty of her hometown. I took it out specially just for you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Wei YiChen grabbed the packaging from the counter and saw the expiration date: ¡°This is expiring today!¡±


    Xu Lian acted as if she didn¡¯t know, saying: ¡°Really? What a coincidence. Then you came at the right time.¡±


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­¡±


    He understood that she saw the expiration date and thought it was a pity to throw away so she asked him to come over.


    Although the yellow cakes were expired, it still tasted good. Sweet, waxy and glutinous, the most important thing was the filling. After eating three pieces, Xu Lian felt full.


    She took a sip of her orange juice and asked Wei YiChen who was sitting opposite to her: ¡°Did you go home and meet with Uncle Wei last night?¡±


    Wei YiChen smirked as he replied: ¡°Yeah, he saw me looking like a ghost, then I performed an air guitar show just for him.¡±


    Xu Lian took another sip of her juice and said, ¡°Your rebellious phase is quite long.¡±


    She and Wei YiChen met in high school. To be more precise, it was more Wei YiChen targeting her during high school. When she met him Wei YiChen was already sporting the bad boy look, and many people were supporting him. But Xu Lian just wasn¡¯t interested. She was described as ¡®too lonely and unsocial¡¯ since she was young, but she simply felt that she was more straightforward and transparent than others.


    Once you become more intimate with another person, your relationship with them would just become more and more troublesome, with contradictions emerging one after the other. She didn¡¯t like to deal with troublesome things, so she simply kept her distance. There always seemed to be an invisible line between people and Xu Lian never tried to cross this boundary. She had known Wei YiChen for many years now, and their relationship looks very good, but in Xu Lian¡¯s heart, she had firmly stayed on the other side of this invisible line.


    Wei YiChen smiled at her words: ¡°If you can¡¯t do what you want to do, then what¡¯s the point of living?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it make sense to enter Uncle Wei¡¯s company? You can be a high-ranking leader the moment you go.¡±


    ¡°Of course it doesn¡¯t make sense! He doesn¡¯t make me happy, nor do I make him happy!¡±


    Xu Lian let that sink in for a while before nodding: ¡°Nn.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Wei YiChen frowned: ¡°Your reaction is too flat. Forget it, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore, lest it affects your appetite.¡±


    After breakfast, Wei YiChen drove Xu Lian to work with his motorcycle, giving her his extra helmet. Like the battery-powered scooter, his motorcycle also couldn¡¯t enter the neighborhood. Because of this, Wei YiChen and the security guard aren¡¯t very close. In fact, they almost fought each other once.


    But in Xu Lian¡¯s opinion, the fact that the security guard was willing to let him in was already the greatest benevolence given.


    Wei YiChen¡¯s motorcycle drove very fast. When they arrived at Xu Lian¡¯s shop, she was early for more than 10 minutes. After sending her to the door, Wei YiChen left and Xu Lian opened the store, heading straight up to her workshop.


    Zhang GuoEr saw that Xu Lian had actually arrived earlier than herself today. She ran upstairs and said: ¡°Boss, you¡¯re so early today! I thought you went to the concert last night? You should have stayed up all night!¡±


    Xu Lian continued to work as she replied plainly: ¡°Don¡¯t exaggerate.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr placed her hands on the table, looking for gossip: ¡°What happened with you and brother Chen last night?¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°After the concert, we went back to our homes.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Brother Chen didn¡¯t manage to do it Zheng GuoEr silently said in her heart. she then became curious: ¡°Boss, what does Brother Chen do exactly?¡±


    She had wanted to ask this question for quite some time now but didn¡¯t dare ask Wei YiChen directly. While he could be considered pure towards Xu Lian, in the eyes of others, he was a proper idle socialite.


    Xu Lian: ¡°Have you heard of XX? I guess that¡¯s where he works.¡± Otherwise, how can he support such a colorful lifestyle?


    Zhang GuoEr: ¡°¡­¡±


    When she returned downstairs, Zhang GuoEr brought out her notebook and recorded: ¡°The Boss suddenly has a sense of humor, so scary.¡±


    Wei YiChen wasn¡¯t really an idle socialite. After all, he has a legitimate job. He runs a small bar with several friends, and he was the honorary boss.


    As for the money to open said bar, his mother gave it to him. His father wouldn¡¯t give him a single penny since he turned 18. Fortunately, the bar was doing quite well. Wei YiChen already paid his mother back this year, and from time to time, even bought her some things to honor her. Of course, his father got nothing.


    The bar was open at night and whenever Wei YiChen was in particularly good spirits, he would go up on stage and sing. Tonight, when he arrived at the bar he immediately felt that something was wrong. He went to the lounge and saw several of his brothers slouching, their faces pale and sagging.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, why are you all so sad?¡± He walked in and threw his helmet to the sofa. ¡°I saw a few broken tables outside, did you fight with someone?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Zhu Bing¡¯s grandson! He knows you weren¡¯t here last night so he brought a few people to cause trouble!¡± The brother with a flat head and panda eyes stood up in anger. Because he became too excited the wound on the corner of his mouth was aggravated, making him hiss.


    (T/N: Having a ¡®flat head¡¯ means being a little dumb/stupid. Basically this is Wei YiChen seeing one of his brothers as an idiot.)


    Wei YiChen frowned. ¡°Zhu Bing? Why¡¯d he come to make trouble?¡±


    Qingnan Lane was a famous bar street in A city and was ruled by several different forces. Wei YiChen had been following the rules of Qingnan Lane when they opened the shop, so things that shouldn¡¯t been touched, shouldn¡¯t been touched.


    Xiao PingTou said: ¡°Of course it¡¯s because of his woman, she¡¯s such a troublemaker!¡±


    Wei YiChen looked at him and motioned him to continue.


    Xiao PingTou suddnely turned red in embarrassment, coughing as he continued: ¡°Well, brother, do you still remember that woman named Lulu? The one with the big chest¡­¡±


    Wei YiChen¡¯s eyes changed, causing Xiao PingTou to immediate change his tune: ¡°With the pink hair! The one who likes staring at you, and also likes listening to your singing, that Lulu!¡±


    Wei YiChen thought about it for a moment and replied: ¡°I vaguely have an impression.¡±


    Most of the girls who came at their bar were mostly there for Wei YiChen. He doesn¡¯t remember each and every single one of them. But this girl named Lulu was particularly bold and proud. Once when Wei YiChen sang, she directly paid for everyone¡¯s drinks then confessed to him. Of course, he only had Xu Lian in his heart, so he rejected her.


    ¡°When did she become Zhy Bing¡¯s woman?¡±


    Xiao PingTou replied: ¡°Zhu Bing has been chasing after her for a while now. But Lulu keeps rejecting him, saying that the one she likes is you. Bah, isn¡¯t that obvious? If I were a woman I would choose you too!¡±


    Wei YiChen gave him another look so Xiao PingTou backtracked again: ¡°But that Zhu Bing is too weak and incompetent! He should fight you head-on, but chooses to come and make trouble when you aren¡¯t here!¡±


    Wei YiChen thought so too. He patted Xiao PingTou¡¯s shoulder and asked: ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me last night?¡±


    Xiao PingTou said: ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to the concert with older sister Xu Lian last night? We were¡­afraid we would disturb you!¡±


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Nothing happened last night. I¡¯m afraid I didn¡¯t live up to my brother¡¯s painstaking efforts.


    Wei YiChen coughed then told everyone: ¡°We¡¯ve always been a clean establishment that followed the rules and didn¡¯t participate in any shady business. But now that others have bullied us, we won¡¯t just take this lying down. Come brothers, let¡¯s go find this Zhu Bing and settle the accounts!¡±


    ¡°Good!¡±


    Wei YiChen then took his large group of people and went out to do some ¡®routine business¡¯. On the way, he received a call from his mother telling him that she cooked dinner herself today so he should come home tonight.


    Wei YiChen seldom ate at home. Because whenever he sees his father, they end up quarreling within minutes. It was better for everyone if they simply didn¡¯t see each other. But whenever his mother cooks, he still tries to give her face. He did his makeup special before going home this time, covering up the bruises on his face. But in the end, one look from his mother and: ¡°What¡¯s that on your face, son? fighting again?¡±


    Wei YiChen licked his lips and awkwardly replied as he sat down: ¡°No, it¡¯s the latest fashion trend right now¡­bruised makeup.¡±


    Mother Wei looked at the marks carefully and didn¡¯t buy it:¡±What latest trend, you were beaten up weren¡¯t you?¡±


    As she said this, Wei ZhenTing had come back inside and saw Wei YiChen in the living room, causing him to frown. Wei YiChen didn¡¯t want to pay attention to him and kept his eyes on his mother. As Wei ZhenTing approached he condescendingly said: ¡°You¡¯re just in time. This is your Uncle Nie¡¯s daughter. Come take a look at her.¡±


    Wei ZhenTing took out a picture from his briefcase. Taking a quick look at the photo, Wei YiChen felt that something was off. He looked at his mother beside him. Mother Wei blinked and with some embarrassment said: ¡°Your Uncle Nie¡¯s daughter is really nice. She has a beautiful personality. Your father and I want you to get to know each other.¡±


    Wei ZhenTing placed the photo on the table and said to Wei YiChen: ¡°You¡¯ll go have dinner with her at the European Hotel, day after tomorrow. We already made reservations.¡±


    When Wei YiChen heard this he stood him and told his father in a particularly bad tone:¡±Why should I go eat with her? You like her so much, why don¡¯t you go eat with her instead.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Wei ZhenTing was so angry he wanted to beat him up again. Mother Wei quickly caught Wei ZhenTing¡¯s hand and advised: ¡°Don¡¯t, you¡¯re no match for him.¡±


    Wei ZhenTing: ¡°¡­.¡± His wife has a very unique way of persuading people.


    ¡°Son¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom, how come you¡¯re letting Dad do these foolish things?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s doing fooling things?¡± Wei ZhenTing was so angry his eyebrows were rising, ¡°Look at what you look like, how do you look like?¡±


    Wei YiChen picked up his helmet and didn¡¯t continue to bother: ¡°In conclusion, I¡¯m not going, since you like her, you go instead.¡±

 Chapter 07

    Chapter 07


    An image Xiang ChangKong would remember for a long time


    The next morning, Wei YiChen was ready to leave. He had just walked to the door of his bedroom, only to find himself locked in. He frowned, slamming against the door several times, but the door refused to budge.


    Mother Wei heard the slams and hurriedly rushed over: ¡°Son, don¡¯t bother. The doors in our house are the sturdiest ones in the market, stop it.¡±


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­¡±


    He held back his rising anger and adopted a spoiled tone: ¡°Mom, why did you lock me in?¡±


    Mother Wei replied: ¡°It¡¯s all Old Wei¡¯s idea. He said that you would definitely run so he locked you in.¡±


    Wei YiChen exploded: ¡°What is he thinking? He¡¯s just treating me like a prisoner now, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°No, no, your father said that as long as you and Nie Lei¡­¡±


    ¡°No way, no way!¡±


    Wei YiChen¡¯s sudden roar frightened Mother Wei. She sighed then tried to persuade him: ¡°Son, you don¡¯t have to treat this as a date or anything, it¡¯s just that Nie Lei really is a good girl. You won¡¯t lose anything if you just get to know her right? Besides, with the way you are right now, I can¡¯t feel reassured.¡±


    As Mother Wei tapered off, she sounded close to tears. After a long silence, Wei YiChen sighed and said: ¡°Alright, Mom, don¡¯t be sad. I¡¯ll go.¡±


    Mother Wei was somewhat surprised: ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Wei YiChen replied, ¡°But I am a little hungry. Ask auntie to come up and give me something to eat.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you wait, I¡¯ll go and tell her.¡±


    Hearing the fading footsteps outside, Wei YiChen quickly packed up his things and sent messages to his brothers. After arranging everything, he rushed out as soon as the auntie opened his door to deliver his meal.


    Auntie was knocked to the side and in a blink of an eye, Wei YiChen had already run out of the gate. The employee by the gate chased after him, but couldn¡¯t catch up. Wei YiChen ran all the way out of the neighborhood and saw three motorcycles driving towards him.


    ¡°Brother Chen-¡±


    One of the people waved at him. Wei YiChen immediately rushed over and took the helmet thrown by the person driving. He then jumped on.


    ¡°Son, what are you doing?!¡± Mother Wei had rushed out and was shouting at their backs.


    Wei YiChen turned and shouted towards her: ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll call you.¡±


    The three brothers cheered as they drove away. Wei YiChen adjusted his sitting posture and listened to the sound of the wind whistling past his ears.


    ¡°Brother Chen, where to?¡±


    Wei YiChen thought about it for a moment before replying: ¡°Go to Starlight Park first.¡±


    Xu Lian and Zhang GuoEr decided to change their order today and ended up with two dishes and one soup. They had gone to the first floor of the shop to wait for their order, but was met with Wei YiChen instead of the takeaway boy.


    When they heard the dull roar of a motorcycle, Xu Lian looked up and saw that it was Wei YiChen. Zhang GuoEr took out her notebook and wrote on Wei YiChen¡¯s page: ¡®Brother Chen has been coming a lot recently, and he always looks windswept.¡¯


    Xu Lian was also surprised to see him: ¡°How come you¡¯re here again? There¡¯s no concert today?¡±


    ¡°Must there be a concert every time I see you? We can do something else.¡± Wei YiChen deliberately bent down, his face close to Xu Lian¡¯s. Zhang GuoEr silently reduced her presence: ¡°Should I leave first?¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°Take him with you when you leave.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr: ¡°¡­.¡±


    She doesn¡¯t dare.


    Wei YiChen hooked his lips and stopped his joking: ¡°I have to go abroad, it may take some time before I can come back.¡±


    ¡°Going abroad?¡± With just these two words, Xu Lian could already imagine blood splattering everywhere. ¡°Who did you offend?¡±


    Wei YiChen snapped: ¡°Am I the kind of asshole that offends people then runs away?¡±


    When Xu Lian didn¡¯t answer, Wei YiChen reluctantly said: ¡°My dad is forcing me to go on a blind date.¡±


    Xu Lian was stunned, then said: ¡°You¡¯re pretty weak, eh?¡±


    (T/N: When Wei YiChen¡¯s brother described the person who trashed their bar, he called that person weak and incompetent (????). Here, Xu Lian used the same word to describe Wei YiChen. Pretty funny.)


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­.¡±


    He remained silent for two seconds before looking at Xu Lian enthusiastically: ¡°Or, we can get married. Then I wouldn¡¯t be forced to marry.¡±


    Xu Lian replied with her heart still as stone: ¡°I wish you a pleasant journey.¡±


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­.¡±


    On the side, Zhang GuoEr continued to write: ¡®Brother Chen performed a sudden marriage proposal, and then was rejected by the Boss.¡¯


    ¡°Don¡¯t say anymore. I need to go catch a plane, but I¡¯ll buy you food before I go.¡± Wei YiChen opened his arms and said to Xu Lian: ¡°Parting hug?¡±


    Xu Lian suddenly called out: ¡°ah.¡±


    Wei YiChen¡¯s mood suddenly peaked, but Xu Lian¡¯s next words brought it crashing down said: ¡°We already ordered takeout.¡±


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­¡±


    He picked up his helmet and left indignantly. Zhang GuoEr wrote ¡®miserable¡¯ in big letters and also circled the word.


    Xiang ChangKong had just stopped his scooter when he saw Wei YiChen coming out of the store. He remembered Wei YiChen despite only passing him once, because his face was rather impressive.


    Today Wei YiChen wasn¡¯t wearing any makeup, his skin wasn¡¯t as white as last time either. But his face didn¡¯t look too good, with his eyebrows tight and his expression fierce and aggressive.


    Xiang ChangKong definitely didn¡¯t think about his relationship with Xu Lian as he approached the store door. As Wei YiChen left he pushed the door open and said: ¡°Hello, your order is here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, let me take it!¡± Zhang GuoEr rushed up and while taking the bags, took the opportunity to look at Xiang ChangKong¡¯s empty hand. His finger bones were distinct, and each finger was long and beautiful. She silently thought that this takeaway brother currently had the advantage.


    ¡°Have a nice meal.¡± After Xiang ChangKong said this, he quickly left. Zhang GuoEr opened a lunchbox and said to Xu Lian: ¡°That takeaway brother comes and goes so fast.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°He probably has a lot of meals to deliver every day. Everyone¡¯s waiting for their lunch.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr nodded: ¡°It must be tough.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°Living is hard.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr¡¯s eyes lit up: ¡°Can I write that down? I¡¯m going to write that down!¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­¡±


    Xiang ChangKong had the early shift today, so he finishes work at 8:00 p.m. He waited until 7:30 p.m. to find a bench in Starlight Park and have dinner. Coincidentally, he met the other takeaway brother again: Cheng Peng.


    ¡°Ah, Xiang¡­Xiang Chang Kong! I remember!¡± Cheng Peng stopped his scooter in front of him. Xiang ChangKong nodded a greeting: ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty polite.¡± Cheng Peng sat down next to him with his own dinner and started chatting: ¡°What are you eating? I just went to the snack street to buy my dinner. Oh here, I asked the boss to fry some rice noodles. Do you want to try some?¡±


    ¡°No thanks.¡±


    Cheng Peng licked his lips: ¡°You¡¯re so polite.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Cheng Peng picked up his fork, rolled some noodles and put it in his mouth: ¡°This is really good, cheap but filling.¡± He looked at Xiang ChangKong eating quietly next to him and swallowed the food in his mouth: ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve always thought that you don¡¯t look like a takeaway boy. You look unique and culturally attractive.¡±


    When Xiang ChangKong¡¯s face became a little unnatural, Cheng Peng joked: ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. Say I want to ask, do you have a girlfriend?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t really want to answer, but Cheng Peng was staring at him so he had to answer: ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so unscientific! A person like me got married, how can you not have a girlfriend?¡± Cheng Peng straightened into a matchmaker¡¯s posture and cleared his throat: ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go back and ask my wife if she has any single friends. If there¡¯s a nice one I¡¯ll introduce you.¡±


    ¡°No thanks.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be polite brother!¡± Cheng Peng smiled and patted him on the shoulders, before looking up towards the dark sky: ¡°You said the last time that you can¡¯t see the stars here. But it¡¯s called Starlight Park?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­the investors of this park were the same people who invested in Starlight Plaza. It probably came from there.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s not stars in Starlight Plaza either.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they just liked the sound of it?¡±


    The two of them continued to chat, until it was suddenly 8:00 p.m. Cheng Peng recieved a new order, so he said goodbye in a hurry. Xiang ChangKong went to his own scooter, ready to go home early.


    From his current position, the fastest route home didn¡¯t pass by Xu Lain¡¯s store, but whether it was intentional or not, he still ended up in front of Xu Lian¡¯s store.


    Xu Lian hadn¡¯t left yet.


    The young girl who usually manned the register had already left, and only Xu Lian was left inside. The incandescent lamp above her head was the only light on, with every other light already off. She stood between the boundary of light and darkness, as if the world was centered around her, and as the shadows covered her figure, it looked like she had been forcibly cut in half.


    This was an image Xiang ChangKong would remember for a long time, and many years later he would often dream of it.


    He parked his scooter outside the store, stood outside for a moment, before pushing the door to Monster and entering.


    Upon hearing the door chime, Xu Lian automatically looked up. Oh? Wasn¡¯t this the ¡®melancholy and deep-eyed¡¯ takeaway boy? She tilted her head and with some doubt said: ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t order anything.¡±


    In addition to Xiang ChangKong¡¯s awkward nature, he also became a little embarrassed: ¡°No, I wanted to buy something. Are you closing?¡±


    Xu Lian was surprised, but turned on all the lights then walked up to him: ¡°No, It doesn¡¯t matter. What did you want to buy?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong looked around. Xu Lian¡¯s store had a wild name, but in order to match the items she was selling, the decorations were more hipster. In the corner of the store also featured real flowers, arranged to look like a mini garden. The flowers look fresh and lively, and you could tell that they¡¯ve been carefully taken care of by the owner.


    There was a variety of scented candles in many different styles, and each had their own unique characteristics. It was impossible for Xiang ChangKong to choose one immediately. He hurriedly said: ¡°My sister¡¯s birthday is coming soon and I wanted to get her something.¡±


    Xu Lian nodded, then asked: ¡°How old is your sister?¡±


    ¡°3rd year of Highschool.¡±


    ¡°Then she¡¯ll be going to college soon.¡± Xu Lain thought about it, then recommended an aromatic card instead of a candle. She said: ¡°How about this card? I really like this fragrance. It¡¯s fresh, not too sweet, and has a calming effect. When I get stressed, I usually order this essential oil.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong looked at the item in her hands. It was a clean and simple diamond-shaped gypsum tablet, decorated with a variety of dry flowers. Whether it was the color or design, the tablet looked exquisite. Looking up, Xiang ChangKong asked her, ¡°Did you make this yourself?¡±


    (T/N: tablet as in a board, bigger than a greeting card.)


    ¡°Nn, every product in this store is made by me. I imported these dried flowers from abroad. I¡¯ve tried many kinds of dried flowers made in China, but they aren¡¯t very strong. They would often fragment at the lightest touch, so it isn¡¯t very convenient to use them to make shapes. The price of imported flowers is several times that of domestic flowers, so the price of this will be relatively more expensive. I don¡¯t have any other gypsum tablets with other scents, so if you don¡¯t like the fragrance of this one, you can choose an oil and drop some on it yourself. The fragrance won¡¯t last as long though.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong blinked, distracted. This was the first time he had heard Xu Lian talk so much. He had always thought that Xu Lian was the cool girl type that said very little. But it seems that as soon as the topic became about something she liked, she would turn into a chatterbox.


    He smiled at her and said, ¡°No, I really like this one. Can you wrap it for me?¡±


    Finally back to Xiang ChangKong!

 Chapter 08

    Chapter 08


    Loving the Sky


    As Xu Lian helped wrap the gift for Xiang ChangKong, he couldn¡¯t help but observe her hands. Xu Lian¡¯s hands were white and slender, with seemingly no flaws. At a glance, one could tell that these were hands that had never experienced any rough work. Thinking of the numerous times he delivered food to her, Xiang ChangKong figured that she had no need to fend for either.


    (T/N: no need to fend for oneself is an idiom for living a pampered life.)


    But it was this hand that made so many beautiful and delicate works. Xiang ChangKong¡¯s gaze drifted towards the shelves that held various scented candles, with one candle next to the register eventually catching his attention.


    It was a spherical candle, the size of an apple, with blue skies and white clouds on it. Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t know how the patterns of this candle were made, but the light blue and the fluffy clouds made him think of the vast and empty skies.


    Xu Lian noticed him looking at the candle. She walked towards the register and picked up a candle: ¡°This pattern is a new style I just learned. I¡¯ve only just finished one for now, but I¡¯m quite satisfied with how this turned out. I named it ¡®Loving the Sky¡¯.


    (T/N: Really cute, she named it called Lian Kong, get it?)


    Xiang ChangKong froze for a moment, subconsciously repeating: ¡°¡®Loving the Sky¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Nn. In order to find a suitable fragrance, I spent a lot of time smelling many different things and mixing so many different scents.¡± Xu Lian brought the candle towards Xiang ChangKong: ¡°Here, smell it.¡±


    Slightly bending over, a distinctive scent wafted towards a surprised Xiang ChangKong: ¡°The smell of the sky.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s lips slightly lifted, showing a rare smile. She replied: ¡°Nn.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong gently took the candle from her hand. It was warm: ¡°Can you sell this candle to me too?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Did you want me to wrap it up for you?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong replied with a smile: ¡°No, thank you.¡±


    Xu Lian placed his items into a paper bag with her store logo on it and also gave him a voucher, saying it was a 200 yuan discount that he could use on his next purchase. Taking the bag and the voucher, Xiang ChangKong thanked her, then left.


    Xu Lian also closed the shop and left soon after, going home.


    When Xiang ChangKong said that his sister¡¯s birthday was coming up, it wasn¡¯t an excuse he said to Xu Lian at the spur of the moment, his sister Xiang Nuan really was about to celebrate her birthday.


    Xiang Nuan usually lived in her school dormitory and only went home during the weekends, so she had decided to celebrate her birthday this Saturday. Xiang ChangKong went out early that morning to buy food, all of them things Xiang Nuan liked to eat. On the way back, he received a call from Aunt Fan.


    Aunt Fan had been in the same literary group as their mother when they were young. In the past few decades, despite growing old, they had never lost contact. He answered the call: ¡°Aunt Fan, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Aunt Fan replied: ¡°Xiang ChangKong, Auntie is asking if you have time tomorrow, me and Aunt He wanted to come over and see your mother.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°I¡¯m off work today. If you can come over today, we can celebrate Nuan¡¯s birthday together.


    Aunt Fan gave out a cry of delight: ¡°Today is Nuan¡¯s birthday? Well, I¡¯ll talk to Aunt He and buy a big cake for her.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong laughed: ¡°No need, I already bought a lot of dishes. You and Aunt He can just come directly.¡±


    ¡°No, no it¡¯s Nuan¡¯s birthday, how can there not be cake? You can be rest assured, we¡¯ll get there quickly. Nuan hasn¡¯t arrived yet, right?¡±


    ¡°No, they have a half-day today. She should arrive at around noon.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll stop talking, I¡¯m going to go out and buy a cake now.¡±


    Aunt Fan hung up without waiting for an answer, leaving Xiang ChangKong to smile helplessly at his phone.


    When he got home, he immediately started to prepare lunch. At 11:00 a.m. Aunt Fan and Aunt He arrived, bringing with them a big cake. Their small living room immediately looked even tinier when their guests entered. Xiang ChangKong poured them water, then went to their small balcony where a sunbathing Wang ShuLi sat. He told her: ¡°Mom, Aunt Fan and Aunt He came to see you.¡±


    Weng ShuLi heard him and looked back towards the living room, her face showing no expression. Aunt Fan was an emotional person and when she saw her good friend like this, her eyes couldn¡¯t help but turn red: ¡°LiLi¡­.¡±


    Weng ShuLi was already around 50 years old, but Aunt Fan still called her LiLi, as if they were still teenagers: ¡°How have you been, feeling a little better?¡±


    Weng ShuLi¡¯s gaze stayed on Aunt Fan for a while, before turning back to the balcony view.


    Aunt Fan pursed her lips, trying to hold her tears: ¡°LiLi used to be our literary group¡¯s flower, and she also dominated the square dance community¡­.¡± But now her eyes held no light, like a pool of dead water.


    Xiang ChangKong patted her back and tried to comfort her: ¡°Aunt Fan, don¡¯t be sad. My mother¡¯s a lot better now.¡±


    Aunt Fan nodded. She knew that Weng ShuLi had been much worse before. She also patted Xiang ChangKong¡¯s shoulder in comfort: ¡°Give it more time, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll get better. Now off you go, I know you¡¯re busy.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xiang ChangKong nodded and walked back into the kitchen.


    In the living room, Aunt Fan and Aunt He continued to chat with Weng ShuLi, reminiscing on their past. Of course, it was Aunt Fan and Aunt He who talked the entire time, with Weng ShuLi sitting nearby without reaction. But even so, the atmosphere wasn¡¯t cold.


    At half-past twelve, Xiang Nuan arrived home. As soon as she entered, she smelled the delicious scent of boiled pork¡± Wow brother, are we having pork for lunch today?¡±


    Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t even put down her bag and instead ran straight into the kitchen. The busy Xiang ChangKong smiled at her and said: ¡°Go say hi to Aunt Fan and Aunt He.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Ever since her mother became ill, Aunt Fan and Aunt He would regularly visit so Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t find it strange that they were here. She went out of the kitchen and greeted them: ¡°Aunt Fan, Aunt He you came to visit?¡±


    Aunt Fan smiled as she replied: ¡°Yes, ah you cut your hair? It looks very nice.¡±


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°Combing it in the mornings took too long so I got it cut. It cuts down on my time in the shower too.¡± For highschool students, their lives were a race against time.


    Aunt Fan: ¡°Well you look beautiful. Your brother said it¡¯s you¡¯re celebrating your birthday today? Me and Aunt He bought you a fruit cake, I don¡¯t know if you like this kind of cake?¡±


    ¡°Love, love it!¡± Xiang Nuan nodded her head like she was pounding garlic, ¡°You girls talk slowly, I¡¯ll just put my bag down first.¡±


    Running to her room, she put down her bag then went back into the kitchen, wanting to see what her brother had prepared. Seeing Xiang Nuan come in, Xiang ChangKong asked helplessly: ¡°Why are you hanging around here for?¡±


    ¡°I came to see if there¡¯s anything I can do to help.¡±


    Having known her since the moment she was born, Xiang ChangKong wasn¡¯t the least bit fooled: ¡°I think you just want to see if there¡¯s anything you can stealthily eat.¡±


    ¡°Haha, well I am hungry.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, go take the dishes out and we can eat right away.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡±


    Xiang Nuan pushed her sleeves up as she approached, only to be stopped by Xiang ChangKong: ¡°Don¡¯t take the soup, I¡¯ll bring it out myself.¡±


    ¡°OK.¡±


    Their small dinner table soon became filled with dishes. In the middle was a big cake filled with seventeen candles, burning a warm yellow. Xiang Nuan closed her eyes and with her hands clasped together, made a wish. Afterward, she blinked, then blew out the candles.


    Aunt Fan asked her: ¡°What did you wish for?¡±


    Aunt He guessed: ¡°It¡¯s probably to get into a good university?¡±


    Xiang Nuan smiled warmly but didn¡¯t tell: ¡°It¡¯s a secret, oh.¡±


    The two aunts smiled at her response, then helped her cut the cake.


    After celebrating Xiang Nuan¡¯s birthday, the two aunties chatted with Weng ShuLi for a little more before leaving. Before they left, they asked Weng ShuLi: ¡°LiLi, how about we go square dancing again? I¡¯m not sure if you realize, but a lot of people are asking where Ms. Weng went.¡±


    Weng ShuLi looked at the two for a while, then turned her head away. Xiang Nuan looked at the two disappointed aunties and smiled for them: ¡°Why don¡¯t I send you two down.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The two aunties were successfully seen off, then a sleepy Xiang Nuan patted her cheeks as she went to her room. Trying to renew her spirit, she took out her school textbooks.


    Meanwhile, Xiang ChangKong cleaned up the kitchen. Afterward, he took his gift for Xiang Nuan and knocked on her door. Xiang Nuan was in the middle of solving a complicated math problem when she heard the knock on her door. She turned around and shouted: ¡°Brother? Come in, the door is unlocked.¡±


    Pushing the door open, Xiang ChangKong approached her and placed her gift on her desk: ¡°Your birthday present.¡±


    Xiang Nuan was surprised, she thought the big meal they had at noon was her birthday present!


    ¡°Thank you, brother!¡± She happily reached for the gift, pushing the irritating math problem to the back of her mind. ¡°Wow, what a pretty little tablet¡­and the scent!¡± She sighed softly, suddenly feeling healed, ¡°It smells so nice. I didn¡¯t think that my brother could choose such a nice gift, ah.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong had an indescribable feeling of ill-ease as he replied: ¡°The store owner helped me pick.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s why.¡± She looked at the logo on the paper bag and vaguely felt that it looked familiar, ¡°Hey, I think I¡¯ve seen this before¡­isn¡¯t this¡­¡±


    After a few seconds of deliberation, she suddenly reached for her cellphone and opened her Weibo: ¡°It was this! A dessert shop I followed recommended this shop¡­found it! Yep, I remembered right!¡±


    She turned her phone screen towards Xiang ChangKong, Xu Lian¡¯s logo clearly visible.


    ¡°Her stuff is super pretty, but none of them look cheap.¡± Xiang Nuan lightly hit Xiang ChangKong: ¡°Who let my brother spend so much money.¡±


    Laughing, Xiang ChangKong patted her head: ¡°As long as you like it. Alright, I won¡¯t disturb your study anymore.¡± Before he walked off he added: ¡°Ah, but you made a mistake in the third part of your equation.¡±


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­..¡±


    The author has something to say:


    Xiang ChangKong: Perhaps you didn¡¯t know, my name is ¡®to long for the sky¡¯.


    Xu Lian: Yes, that¡¯s what it means


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡­¡­¡­¡­o(*////¨Œ////*)q

 Chapter 09

    Chapter 09


    That Person will be in the Heavens in the Future!


    ***


    Because Xiang ChangKong said such a thing, he ended up tutoring Xiang Nuan for the rest of the afternoon.


    These functional questions that Xiang Nuan found so hard to understand were as simple as adding and subtracting to Xiang ChangKong.


    Ever since she could remember, Xiang Nuan knew that Xiang ChangKong was very smart. He had always taken first place in any competition and ranking. Scattered amongst her childhood memories was her brother bringing home all kinds of trophies. She had always been proud of having such an amazing brother, even if neighbors or relatives would tease her about it from time to time.


    To her, their division of labor was apparent: Xiang ChangKong was responsible for being smart, and she was responsible for being cute.


    Until that incident occurred.


    Xiang ChangKong raised his head to ask Xiang Nuan about the next topic when he saw her look dazed. Knocking her head with a pen, he asked: ¡°Did you not understand? Do you want me to explain things again?¡±


    Xiang Nuan saw him take another piece of draft paper, intending to show the relevant formulas again. With a bitter heart, she whispered: ¡°Brother, you¡¯re really not going to continue your studies?¡±


    The pen writing out a formula suddenly stopped, the nib slowly smudging black ink onto the paper. Xiang ChangKong put down the pen, looked towards his sister, and smiled: ¡°You should be the one to continue studying. I don¡¯t have to go since I¡¯m already plenty smart.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I need to go make dinner, go ahead and complete the rest of this.¡± He patted his sister¡¯s head and then left.


    Looking at the steps he wrote on the draft paper, she realized that the solution became obvious. Any average person who looks at these formulas would usually get a headache, but when shown these steps, one could understand it all in a glance. Xiang Nuan was still looking at the paper stunned when her cellphone vibrated.


    Shen Lin: QQ just told me that your birthday is coming up. Here¡¯s a cake for you, I wish you a happy birthday.


    (T/N: QQ is like a messaging app. I guess they also have that feature like Facebook where they tell you when your friend¡¯s birthday is coming soon.)


    Xiang Nuan¡¯s heart jumped. Shen Lin was the study committee member for their class. With his good grades, he would always rank first in their grade. He also had a pure and clean look, with a refreshing haircut and a pair of frame-less glasses perched on his nose. He looked very gentle.


    Xiang Nuan had some hazy feelings towards this classmate of hers, but she had never voiced them. She had never expected for him to pay attention to her birthday. For the first time in her life, she thanked QQ for adding this kind of feature.


    Xiang Nuan: Thank you [adorable]


    (T/N: I¡¯m guessing the adorable part is a sticker)


    Shen Lin: I sent the cake. It said you¡¯ll get it on the day of your birthday.


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­..¡±


    Well, a cake¡¯s a cake, even if it¡¯s the automatic system kind. Thinking that her relationship with Shen Lin was just that of ordinary classmates, Xiang Nuan felt that a system cake was fine. So she calmly accepted the ¡®cake¡¯ that would only be sent on her birthday.


    (T/N: Alright, I don¡¯t use QQ here so I¡¯m just guessing, but I think there are two ways to get virtual cake. Automatic sending or choosing and sending it out yourself. Automatic sending is like having the computer send a generic happy birthday greeting rather than someone writing the greeting themselves.)


    Xiang Nuan: En, en.


    After waiting a while, Shen Lin didn¡¯t reply, so she put down her phone and went back to her functions.


    Her actual birthday was on the day after tomorrow, on Monday. When she logged on QQ early Monday morning, she received several birthday wishes from her friends, all in similar formats.


    But she kept going back to the cake Shen Lin had chosen for her. The cake could be called very chic, and there were words in bright red written on it: Five years of college entrance examinations, three years of simulation.


    Xiang Nuan felt that Shen Lin wasn¡¯t wishing her a happy birthday, but was instead of wishing for her to make significant progress in her studying.


    Alright, alright, this is also in line with his academic personality.


    She sent Shen Lin a ¡®thank you¡¯ then thought of her own brother. Her brother too¡­.has been single for a long time now¡­.sigh.


    When she arrived at the canteen to buy breakfast, she had surprisingly received a reply from Shen Lin. He even sent a red envelope containing 6.66 yuan.


    (T/N: virtual red envelope. 6 is a lucky number in China)


    Although the message attached says ¡®I wish you get into a good university.¡¯


    How dependable.


    Looking at the red envelope on her screen, Xiang Nuan couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud. She may just make it to university. And maybe, there¡¯s still hope for her brother to actually find a girlfriend.


    Xiang ChangKong was actually much more popular than Xiang Nuan gave him credit for. There were plenty of girls that secretly liked him during his school days, and even now, as he worked in the takeaway company, the receptionist secretly finds him attractive.


    Of course, Xiang ChangKong was totally clueless about all of this.


    At around noon, orders started to pick up. Xiang ChangKong was dispatched, and he began to plan his route as usual. His first delivery was to a nearby financial company. He passed the customer details to a nearby office worker who met him by the door. The worker looked at the customer details, then awkwardly asked: ¡°Uh, which one is the ¡®president¡¯s little fairy¡¯?¡±


    The office workers nearby couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The little fairy herself was red-faced as she raised her hand: ¡°That¡¯s me, I¡¯ll be troubling you.¡±


    As her colleagues began to tease her, Xiang ChangKong remained unruffled and just brought her takeaway over: ¡°Have a nice meal.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± The little fairy was lovely and polite.


    As he turned to leave, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s arm was suddenly pulled. He thought it was the little fairy, but when he looked back, he was stunned.


    It was Zhao Di, a classmate from university.


    Zhao Di was also looking at him with surprise, and laughed incredulously: ¡°ChangKong, it really is you! I almost thought I was mistaken!¡±


    His voice was particularly loud, and the joy on his face was evident, as if he had missed this long-lost classmate of his.


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he subconsciously avoided Zhao Di¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Why are you delivering takeaways?¡± Zhao Di pulled him towards his colleagues without hesitation: ¡°Let me tell you, this guy here is a top talent, flying professional seed player in A University! The future star of plane designers! Ah, but why are you delivering takeaways? Trying to experience life?¡±


    The office was quiet, and everyone¡¯s eyes automatically fell on Xiang ChangKong.


    Clenching his jaw, Xiang ChangKong silently pulled his arm out of Zhao Di¡¯s grip and turned away.


    The atmosphere in the office remained tense. The little fairy who ordered the meal, with chopsticks in her hands looked at Zhao Di and said: ¡°Zhao Di, don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve gone a little too far?¡±


    Zhao Di didn¡¯t really care, and instead took a photo of Xiang ChangKong with his phone.


    Xiang ChangKong left without a word. As he passed through the door, he found Cheng Peng standing there with another delivery in his hand. His eyes were big and round, and he had an awkward expression.


    Xiang ChangKong quietly went around him and walked out. Cheng Peng finally snapped out of his daze and quickly said: ¡°Hello, I have a delivery for a little fairy.¡±


    A girl walked up to him and silently took the food. After successfully delivering the meal, Cheng Peng rushed out to try and catch up to Xiang ChangKong.


    As the elevator doors started to close, at the very last second, the door was stopped.


    As the doors slowly opened, Xiang ChangKong looked down at his feet. Cheng Peng entered the elevator and stood next to him: ¡°Just now, I heard that guy saying you¡¯re learning how to design airplanes, ah?¡±


    Although he did think that Xiang ChangKong wasn¡¯t an ordinary person, Cheng Peng didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be this extraordinary!


    Cheng Peng anxiously continued: ¡°Why are you doing deliveries, ah? The aviation industry needs you!¡±


    Xiang ChangKong continued to remain silent. Cheng Peng saw that he was in a bad mood, so he tried to comfort him; ¡°Don¡¯t bother with that person just now, he was obviously just jealous of you! His grades certainly aren¡¯t as good as yours, he¡¯s probably a second-eldest child!¡±


    (T/N: The second-eldest child thing is also a euphemism for dick lol Cheng Peng is saying he probably can¡¯t compare to ChangKong¡¯s grades and the length of his *ahem*)


    As soon as his voice fell, the elevator doors opened. Xiang ChangKong immediately walked out, not turning back. Cheng Peng rushed to follow him: ¡°Now you¡¯re just bullying me with your long legs¡­.¡±


    In the end, he could only watch as Xiang ChangKong got on his scooter and drove away. Standing there, Cheng Peng sighed, then took out his phone. Pressing speed dial, the call soon connected and he immediately started talking: ¡°My dear wife, last time I asked you to help a brother of mine find a girlfriend. Let¡¯s put that on hold.¡±


    Cheng Peng¡¯s wife was puzzled: ¡°Oh? Have they found someone already?¡±


    ¡°No, I just don¡¯t think any of your friends are good enough for him.¡±


    The voice on the other end of the phone suddenly rose: ¡°Hey! We didn¡¯t diss your guy for being a takeaway boy, why does he get to abandon this first?¡±


    ¡°What takeaway boy,¡± Cheng Peng looked towards the direction Xiang ChangKong left. ¡°He¡¯ll be way up in the heavens in the future!¡±


    (T/N: ChangKong will be way up in the social ladder in the future/he has a bright future)


    As the cold wind blew past his battery scooter, Xiang ChangKong gradually calmed down. It seems like every time he encounters something terrible, he ends up meeting Cheng Peng. Last time he met him, this time bumped into him too. Xiang ChangKong exhaled as he parked his scooter outside Wolong Kitchen.


    Xu Lian (Madam), signature chicken leg meal set.


    Looking at this line on his list, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s taut mouth relaxed into a slight smile.


    Always eating chicken legs. Even if it came with rice, it¡¯s still not a very balanced meal.


    Meanwhile, the Ms. Xu Lian who had ordered the chicken set, was still busy with work. Ever since her first collaboration with Sugar Honey Heart, the two stores had continued to cooperate from time to time. This time, Sugar Honey Heart¡¯s second boss was messaging her about a new collaboration project.


    Boss Fu: Xu Boss, are you free? We have another promotion idea, that is, if a customer spends 50 yuan in our dessert shop, we¡¯ll give them a coupon for your store. What do you think?


    They¡¯ve done a similar before, with the daily turnover of both sides increasing. Therefore, Xu Lian straightforwardly replied: That¡¯s fine. But I have a lot of orders this month. If there are too many customers, I might get too busy.


    Boss Fu: That¡¯s fine. I planned to start the promotion next month anyway. Strawberry season starts next month, and our store is going to launch several new products. We planned to promote things on Weibo first to get more exposure and hype.


    Xu Lian: Alright, I¡¯ll be delivering my orders before the end of the month, so next month shouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    Boss Fu: OK, I¡¯ll draft a plan and send it your way.


    Xu Lian: OK.


    After Xu Lian had sent those two letters, she heard the chime ring downstairs. Zhang GuoEr was on vacation today, so Xu Lian put down her phone and went downstairs to greet the customer.


    It was two young girls, looking like tourists to City A. They seemed very interested in Xu Lian¡¯s works, and Xu Lian was patient as she introduced her products to them.


    When the chime rang again, Xu Lian had thought it was her takeaway. But she guessed wrong.


    It was four tough-looking men, dressed rough. As soon as they entered the store, they scared the two female customers silent.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    Xiang ChangKong Gave Her a Shallow Smile


    ***


    Xu Lian had opened this store two years ago, and had met a variety of guests during this time. She had met all sorts of troublesome customers, so she remained calm when she saw this group of men. After the group came in they drove out the two young girls out of the store, and Xu Lian didn¡¯t try to stop them. These people obviously came for her, so she didn¡¯t want to involve any of the customers.


    She looked at the four men in front of her and asked: ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    The man that led the group smiled at her: ¡°You¡¯re Wei YiChen¡¯s girlfriend? Very pretty.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°I¡¯m not Wei YiChen¡¯s girlfriend.¡±


    The man continued to smile, clearly unconvinced: ¡°Oh, don¡¯t even try to act dumb. Say, where¡¯s that bastard Wei YiChen hiding?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s gone abroad.¡±


    ¡°Gone abroad?¡± The man¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and he mocked: ¡°Oh, that bastard hit my shop and beat up my people. Now that ass ran off abroad.¡± No wonder they haven¡¯t found him, despite searching for two days.


    He looked at Xu Lian again: ¡°Since he¡¯s abroad, I guess his bills are on your head.¡±


    As soon as he said this, one of his men ¡®inadvertently¡¯ hit a candle on the display cabinet, making it crash to the ground. The candle was directly molded in a glass cup. While it didn¡¯t shatter when it fell, the resulting ¡®bang¡¯ caused the two girls who were lingering outside the store to startle.


    Xu Lian looked at the group, went to the counter, picked up the phone, then dialed 110 directly.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m in Starlight Park¡­¡±


    She hadn¡¯t finished when the phone was suddenly disconnected. Xu Lian looked up and saw the arrogant man in front of her.


    ¡°What, you want to call the police?¡±


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t bother answering. She put down the phone, then turned towards the second floor to grab her cellphone. The man seemed to have guessed her intentions, grabbing her hand and not letting go: ¡°If you have the strength to call the police, might as well call Wei YiChen. Let him crawl back to this Master early! When he shows up, we won¡¯t bother your store anymore.¡±


    A crowd had started to gather outside the store. Xiang ChangKong had just parked his scooter when he saw this. He approached the crowd and asked: ¡°What happened?¡±


    A girl with long hair turned back to say: ¡°There¡¯s something going on in the shop.¡±


    As if to confirm her words, the sound of broken glass could suddenly be heard, causing the crowd outside to gasp.


    ¡°Has someone called the police?¡± Xiang ChangKong¡¯s voice became urgent. The girl who answered him seemed to have been affected by his tone and nodded quickly.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the number for the security in Starlight Park. Call this number.¡± After giving her his phone, Xiang ChangKong quickly rushed inside.


    As soon as he entered, he saw Xu Lian being viciously pulled. Without thinking, he ran to Xu Lian and grabbed the man¡¯s wrist. He forced the hand away, then pulled Xu Lian behind him. Unlike Wei YiChen, he had no experience in fighting, but since he was tall, he had been forced to join the basketball team during his school days. He had the physical fitness for it if things devolve into a fight.


    Just now, because he had only been thinking of Xu Lian, he hadn¡¯t been paying attention to his strength. The man he pulled off rubbed his wrists, his face wrinkled: ¡°Delivery boy, what are you doing? Actually trying to be a hero and save the beauty?¡±


    The man¡¯s voice was loud, as if he was trying to be heard from across the street. His brothers behind him didn¡¯t bother with Xiang ChangKong, instead asking their leader: ¡°Older brother, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The three of them shuffled towards their brother, like a wall standing before them. Xiang ChangKong, who was standing in front of Xu Lian, tilted his head slightly and whispered to her: ¡°Go somewhere safe, the police are coming.¡±


    This was the first time Xu Lian and Xiang ChangKong had gotten this close, his breath touching her face. Xu Lian had never noticed, but his voice was clear and gentle, and his temperament wasn¡¯t as fierce as Wei YiChen. She felt at ease behind him.


    The leader, Zhu Bing, had been cleaned up by Wei YiChen last time. Back then, Wei YiChen didn¡¯t even look at him. Now, even delivery boys dare to cross him. Zhu Bing¡¯s face deformed: ¡°Hold down that fool who dares to confront this Master!¡±


    His three younger brothers had always been obedient. When they heard his order, they immediately joined forces and approached Xiang ChangKong. Xiang ChangKong immediately pushed Xu Lian back, blocking the hand that stretched out towards her.


    Another person¡¯s fist immediately greeted him, and he avoided the punch. Zhu Bing saw that Xiang ChangKong was pretty flexible, then thought of a cheap trick. While Xiang ChangKong was distracted with his younger brothers, he grabbed his calf and pulled hard. Xiang ChangKong suddenly fell to the ground, and the three men hastily grabbed his hands, pressing him to the ground.


    Xiang ChangKong struggled to get free, but there was no way to escape the hold of three people. Zhu Bing took advantage of this and kicked him in anger: ¡°Hah, continue to struggle, continue!¡±


    Xiang ChangKong sucked in, a sharp pain spreading from his abdomen.


    Zhu Bing was still in a bad mood. He grabbed Xiang ChangKong¡¯s collar and punched him in the face.


    Xu Lian stood at the stairway, halfway to the second floor and saw Zhu Bing kick Xiang ChangKong. Then she saw him punch him in the face. The scene was like in slow motion, playing in front of her frame by frame.


    A strange feeling swept through her uncontrollably. She didn¡¯t know what it was, but she felt like her brain was lacking oxygen. The fighting and the noises outside the store melted away until she couldn¡¯t hear it anymore. All she could see was Xiang ChangKong¡¯s blood-stained mouth and furrowed brow.


    Then, she calmed down.


    She walked towards her mini garden, picked up the largest potted plant she could carry, held it high above her head, then slammed it to the ground.


    The flower pot shattered, muddy soil splattering everywhere.


    After the loud crash, sounds gradually returned. But the store became surprisingly quiet, with Zhu Bing and his three brothers looking at her.


    Xu Lian bent down and picked up the largest shard of porcelain she could find. Grasping it firmly, she went over to Zhu Bing.


    Her steps were quick, with her high-heels making crisp sounds at each step. It was similar to classic sound effects used in thriller movies, making people involuntarily sweat.


    Zhu Bing subconsciously took a step back, pulling one of his brothers in front of him. He screamed, bluffing: ¡°Hey, hey, what do you plan on doing? Stop her for this Master!¡±


    Seeing two of the men approaching Xu Lian, Xiang ChangKong, who was still held down by the third man, started to struggle harder. His knee had gotten injured when he fell, but any pain was put at the back of his mind. He quickly escaped the man¡¯s grip, then pulled back one of the men that was walking towards Xu Lian. Xiang ChangKong punched him in the face as soon as he turned.


    ¡°You¡¯re just a takeaway boy, why are you looking for death?¡± Because of the punch, the group¡¯s attention went back to Xiang ChangKong. With a cough, he raised his arm and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. He really wasn¡¯t good at fighting. He had only ever fought twice- once when some boys bullied his sister during his high-school days, and the fight he was in now.


    The tension in the store was on the verge of exploding, but before Zhu Bing could order his brothers, the door flung open and a large number of people entered.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?! Stop!¡± Security guards for Starlight Park were the first to rush in, holding security batons. Seeing this, Zhu Bing wanted to take his men and withdraw, but the security guards had surrounded them. Xu Lian let go on the flower pot shard in her hand and walked to Xiang ChangKong: ¡°How are you?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong gave her a shallow smile: ¡°I¡¯m fine. How about you, are you hurt?¡±


    Xu Lian shook her head: ¡°No.¡±


    Soon, sirens could be heard from the outside. Zhu Bing and his group became even more panicked. He took his young brothers, pushed past the circle of guards and ran out of Xu Lian¡¯s store, only to be met with police.


    Everyone was brought back to the police station. Because of the surveillance cameras in the store, Zhu Bing¡¯s group had no excuse. From the moment they stepped in the police station, they were already clamoring for their lawyers. Xu Lian asked to be compensated for all the damages they caused in her store and insisted for Xiang ChangKong to go to the hospital for inspection, saying that she would sue Zhu Bing for their intentional assault.


    Zhu Bing heard that she wanted Xiang ChangKong¡¯s wounds inspected and also shouted for their own injuries to be examined, saying that Xiang ChangKong hit them.


    Xiang ChangKong figured that Zhu Bing was someone who had old connections. If they really continued to pursue them, they could get involved with some wily old foxes. He was afraid that they would later seek revenge on Xu Lian, so he agreed to police mediation.


    When they left the police station, Xu Lian was still frowning: ¡°Why are you insisting on settling things privately?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°You have a business in the area. If we butt heads with them, they could show up at your store and cause trouble. If they do this enough times, what¡¯ll happen to your business then?¡±


    Xu Lian knew that he was right. This was probably a usual tactic that Zhu Bing did, but she was still angry. She looked at the bruise in the corner of Xiang ChangKong¡¯s mouth and said: ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the hospital. We need to get you checked out first.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong shook his head: ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just some bruises. I¡¯ll just go back and put some medicine.¡±


    ¡°No, you have to go to the hospital.¡±


    Looking at Xu Lian, Xiang ChangKong continued: ¡°I haven¡¯t finished my deliveries. Now that I¡¯m late, I have to call them and explain.¡±


    Xu Lian finally remembered that Xiang ChangKong came to her store today to deliver her meal. This made her even more upset: ¡°You losses today are on me.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, it¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Yes, it was all Wei YiChen¡¯s fault. Xu Lian now wanted to go abroad and punch Wei YiChen¡¯s dog head.


    ***


    WHEW. I just imagined cute baby Xiang ChangKong getting beat up and punk girl Xu Lian wielding that porcelain shard like she gonna shank someone.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    His impression of her had been too inflexible.


    ***


    Xiang ChangKong had brought his scooter to the police station. When they reached the scooter, he turned to Xu Lian and said: ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going first.¡±


    When Xu Lian saw that he was about to go, she reached out and grabbed the incubator fixed on the back seat.


    Turning back, Xiang ChangKong gave her a puzzled look: ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    At this moment, Xu Lian had to admit that Zhang GuoEr¡¯s description of Xiang ChangKong was pretty accurate. His eyes were melancholic and deep, like the vast starry sky. Feeling swayed by his gaze, she said: ¡°I still think you should go to the hospital to get checked.¡±


    She didn¡¯t know why she continued to pester him endlessly and felt annoyed at herself. Xiang ChangKong said he was fine, and he still had a job to do.


    After a few beats, he simply said ¡®good-bye,¡¯ then left.


    Xu Lian stared at his retreating back for a long time, before turning around and flagging a taxi back to her store.


    The store was only a little messy. Except for the few candles that fell to the ground, none of her other merchandise had been disturbed. In the end, the mess that was going to be the most difficult to clean was the broken flower pot that she broke herself.


    The glass and porcelain fragments wouldn¡¯t take much time to clean, but the earth from the pot was scattered and smeared everywhere. Xu Lian estimated that the entire first floor would have to be thoroughly cleaned. But she was feeling lazy, and besides, it had been her favorite pot of Anthurium¡­


    Xu Lian owned several Anthurium flowers, but this particular pot had been her most satisfying purchase. She thought the color of these flowers were particularly vivid, and they had always made her feel a little more positive whenever she glanced at it. But now the flowers lay listless on the floor, and Xu Lian didn¡¯t know if she could save them.


    She picked up the flowers, rubbed them gently, then wrapped them up to be brought to a flower shop later. She would ask the florist to help check on them and properly re-plant them in a new pot.


    She decided that the shop would have to be temporarily closed for two days. This won¡¯t affect her orders much anyways since she could still come in and work upstairs.


    She took out her cell phone and was just about to inform Zhang GuoEr that she didn¡¯t need to come to work in the next two days when her phone started ringing.


    It was Wei YiChen, asking for a video call.


    Xu Lian pressed accept with a fingertip.


    ¡°Xu Lian, are you OK? I just heard Ah Mao say that Zhu Bing ran to your store and made trouble. Are you hurt?¡±


    In sharp contrast to Wei YiChen¡¯s anxious tone, Xu Lian¡¯s voice was frosty. She turned her phone and pointed the camera towards her shop. Circling around, she asked: ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Wei YiChen was the state of her store and started scolding: ¡°You can be rest assured, I¡¯ll bear all the damages and losses your store will incur. I¡¯ve already bought a return ticket, I¡¯ll go clean up that Zhu Bing.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°They¡¯ve already compensated me for any losses, so you should come and clean my store for me instead.¡±


    ¡°Alright, no problem, I¡¯ll do whatever you say.¡± Wei YiChen had anticipated that Zhu Bing would retaliate, so before he left, he already arranged things with his bar. But he never would have dreamed that Zhu Bing would find Xu Lian and make trouble for her. ¡°This kind of thing will never happen again, I promise.¡±


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t really take Wei YiChen¡¯s promise seriously. On the contrary, she only affirmed her long-held view- that when close relationships form, trouble would also inevitably come.


    Although she never crossed that invisible line with Wei YiChen, to others they were considered ¡®close,¡¯ so trouble befell her.


    As she ended the call, she caught a glimpse of something near the cash register. It was the chicken set that she ordered.


    She walked towards the counter and touched the box. The meal was already cold, with a few drops of water hanging from the sides due to condensation. Somehow, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s face appeared in her mind again, along with that strange feeling. She opened the takeaway app on her phone and for the first time, paid attention to the name of the man who delivered the meal.


    Xiang ChangKong.


    She read the name in her heart and gave him a five-star rating.


    After closing the app, she picked up her long-cold lunch and found a paper bag to put her Anthurium in. She then locked up her store and drove away. Her first stop was a nearby flower shop in which she asked the florist owner if she could save her Anthurium.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, as long as the roots weren¡¯t cut they¡¯ll be able to live. You can go ahead and choose another flowerpot and I can re-plant them for you.¡± Most of Xu Lian¡¯s flowers came from this young florist woman who had a gentle temperament.


    Xu Lian circled the shop and eventually chose a flowerpot similar to the one she broke: ¡°You can take your time, I¡¯ll just come back tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± The owner nodded and said: ¡°The last batch of tablets I got from you are almost sold out, and I wanted to order another batch.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s gypsum tablets sell quite well in this flower shop, many like to pair them with the bouquets they bought.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, but I¡¯ve had a lot of orders this month, so I can¡¯t make as much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll order a little less and wait until you¡¯re not as swamped.¡±


    The two soon agreed on the number of tablets and the scheduled delivery. Later, Xu Lian left the florist and was planning on just going directly home when she noticed the florist¡¯s daughter nearby painting.


    She tilted her head down and saw that the little girl was painting a sea of flowers in Starlight Park. The colorful flowers were mesmerizing, making one feel like they were peeking in fairyland.


    Xu Lian waved as she passed: ¡°Goodbye, little girl.¡±


    The little girl looked up with a smile and waved back.


    After Xu Lian arrived home, she put the cold chicken meal in the microwave, then sat in her living room and ate it. She had eaten this chicken set from Wolong kitchen way too many times. It wasn¡¯t particularly good and was just something that fit her tastes.


    But tonight, she felt that it tasted a little different from usual.


    Was it because she reheated it?


    Xu Lian picked up her phone and opened the takeaway app. She usually didn¡¯t write reviews, but for some reason, she suddenly wanted to post a comment.


    ¡°Is today¡¯s chicken set made by another chef? It tastes better than usual. In addition, I¡¯d like to especially praise the takeaway brother. Thank you very much for his help today.¡±


    After a while, the restaurant responded: The chef didn¡¯t change, miss. Maybe the warmth of the delivery man made the food a little bit tastier.


    Xu Lian:¡­


    After leaving the police station, Xiang ChangKong made several phone calls to explain the situation to his customers. He mentioned that he was willing to pay for their meals, but he still received a complaint. Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t dwell on his matter though and simply insisted on finishing his day¡¯s work. On his way home, he dropped by a small pharmacy and bought himself some medicine.


    Usually, his mother would be long asleep when he returned home so he would always tiptoe around. But when he opened the front door today, he saw his mother standing at the kitchen, drinking water. She didn¡¯t turn on the lights, but she still subconsciously turned the injured half of her face away from the front door.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m back.¡±


    As usual, Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t reply. She stared at Xiang ChangKong for a while, then put down the glass in her hand and went back to her room. Locking the door behind him, Xiang ChangKong went to his room and changed clothes, checking on his wounds as he did so.


    There were bruises on his knees and abdomen. His knees looked the worst, and he could see blood. Just a gentle touch caused immense pain. He cleaned this wound first, applying some medicine. As he did this, he thought back to today¡¯s events. He forgot to ask Xu Lian how she got into trouble. Although Xu Lian looks cold, she shouldn¡¯t be the type to provoke such people. Xiang ChangKong guessed that it should be related to the man he saw visit Xu Lian twice.


    Thinking of this, he turned on his computer and looked through Weibo. Ever since Xiang Nuan told him about Xu Lian¡¯s Weibo, he had followed it and checked it ever so often. Xu Lian didn¡¯t post a lot and usually only updated her Weibo when she made a new product or has a special offer. But she should have posted something explaining today¡¯s events.


    Sure enough, there was an update.


    MONSTER: Sorry, there¡¯s been a little accident in the store today. We¡¯ll be closing down for two days. In addition, I¡¯d like to thank the brave takeaway brother. If your order was late today, please give him a little more tolerance.


    She also added a picture to the post: Xiang ChangKong, his back facing the camera. The angle of the photo was taken from the outside of her store, through the windows. It must have been taken by someone from the crowd and was sent to Xu Lian.


    Xiang ChangKong never expected Xu Lian to post a photo of him, let alone write those words. He always had the impression that Xu Lian was a cold person.


    It seems that his impression of her had been too inflexible.


    The number of reblogs this post had was surprisingly high. He scrolled through the comments but didn¡¯t post one himself. He never posted anything in his Weibo anymore and only occasionally logged in to check the news.


    But for some reason, someone sent him a private message.


    He didn¡¯t intend to read it, but while he had been reading Xu Lian¡¯s post, the number of private messages changed from one to five, and was continuing to rise.


    He looked at the little red icon and finally clicked it.


    Generating love for aviators: Xiang ChangKong, are you still using your Weibo? Take a look at our class chat group, Zhao Di that villain is talking about you.


    Generating love for aviators: Really pissing me off! I really want to hit a certain someone this evening!


    Generating love for aviators: What exactly did he learn as a student of A University?


    Generating love for aviators: I helped you take him down a peg, and many other classmates are roasting him! Even our class flower is still standing up for you!


    Generating love for aviators: I had to drink a beer just to calm down! You should¡¯ve seen it. And what the hell is Zhao Di trying to do anyway?


    After reading these messages, Xiang ChangKong could guess what Zhao Di probably said. He had long broken off any contact with his fellow undergraduate classmates and had blocked their chat group. He thought about it for a moment then clicked the penguin icon in his desktop and logged in to QQ.


    (T/N: Weibo is like Twitter or Tumblr while QQ is a messaging program/app like WeChat or Skype)


    On his list of chat groups. There was one he hadn¡¯t looked at in a long time. An icon next to the group displayed ¡¯99+¡¯ next to it. Even while Xiang ChangKong looked at it, the chat continued to refresh.


    Okay, I¡¯m the class flower: Other people might not know the details of what happened to ChangKong¡¯s family, but it should be clear to everybody in this group. You¡¯re a disgusting villain. If it hadn¡¯t been for ChangKong would you have gotten the recommendation that let you study your postgraduate abroad?


    Zhao DiDiDi: Haha, I don¡¯t think I said anything noteworthy?


    Refined Swine: Haha, if you didn¡¯t think it was anything worth mentioning, then why say it, you fart.


    Teacher Du: Alright, break it up. It is indeed Zhao Di in the wrong here.


    The group was silent for a minute.


    Refined Swine: Du XiaoTian you dunce, I really thought it was Teacher Du who spoke just now. Scared me to death!


    Xiang ChangKong couldn¡¯t help but smile at their silliness. But at the mention of Teacher Du, his smile slowly faded. Teacher Du, like Uncle Hou, had always placed high expectations on him. But now he had failed them.


    He found Zhao Di¡¯s name among the others and opened a new chat with him alone.


    When Zhao Di saw the notification signaling ChangKong had messaged him, he was surprised. He guessed that Xiang ChangKong messaged him to ask why he was saying bad things, or to call him out. He sneered as he opened the chat, but instead found something unexpected.


    Xiang ChangKong had only asked one question.


    Why are you working in a finance company?


    ***


    That¡¯s some hot burns you got there.

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    ****


    Cheng Peng was actually right to speculate that Zhao Di had second-child syndrome. While studying in university, Zhao Di really was second in a million of ways; no matter what exam he took, his name was always below Xiang ChangKong¡¯s.


    Xiang ChangKong was very popular back then. Almost everyone in the school liked him, and it was if only Zhao Di felt like he was under Xiang ChangKong¡¯s shadow.


    It was only until Xiang ChangKong gave up his spot to study abroad due to an accident that the spot fell on Zhao Di. Did it make him happy? Not really. The situation only felt like Xiang ChangKong was giving him his leftovers. Did it make him unhappy, then? No. After all, it was a rare opportunity for any student in their major.


    Zhao Di finished his postgraduate studies with this incompetent mindset. Then today, Xiang ChangKong suddenly shows up and asks him, ¡®Why are you working in a financial company¡¯?


    Zhao Di looked at the sentence on his phone silently before sneering. This way of doing things was very in-line with Xiang ChangKong¡¯s personality.


    Zhao Didi: Shouldn¡¯t you be doing your job and delivering food right now?


    Xiang ChangKong: You¡¯re different.


    Zhao Di had excellent grades in university, and he even gained the opportunity to study abroad. Xiang ChangKong learned from Uncle Hou that Zhao Di managed to get a job at a flight yard when he came back to China, a great starting opportunity to show his skills in the industry.


    Meeting him at a financial company today was definitely a surprise, not because they met in awkward circumstances, but because Zhao Di had changed careers.


    It took a long time before Zhao Di replied to his message. Once he did, several messages came one after the other.


    Zhao DiDi: I¡¯m not like you. I¡¯m not as enthusiastic about aviation as you are.


    Zhao DiDi: Aviation majors are pits. It¡¯s useless to study it. How many of our fellow graduates actually become chief designers?


    Zhao DiDi: Even if I did a postgraduate, what does that actually amount to? The entire industry operates on a 6 a.m. ¨C 11 p.m. work hour. If you¡¯re not doing overtime, you¡¯re on a business trip. And what about the income? Take a look at our class group, show me one who lives comfortably. The aviation industry is like dedicating yourself to service the country.


    Looking at Zhao Di¡¯s messages, Xiang ChangKong was quiet for some time. He remembered what his father had told him when he was a child: ¡®Aviation requires passion.¡¯


    He believed that every student that chose to major in aviation initially had the enthusiasm to enter the industry and contribute to their country¡¯s aviation research. But eventually, this enthusiasm would get exhausted when faced with reality.


    Aviation is a relatively new industry, and even a flight yard might not give the best treatment to its newcomers. But the fact that it was a young and new industry meant unknown territory and many opportunities to explore and be imaginative. Xiang ChangKong firmly believed that it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to obtain achievements as long as one sticks with it till the end.


    Xiang ChangKong: I still think it¡¯s a pity.


    Zhao DiDi: What, a pity that you didn¡¯t manage to finish your postgraduate studies?


    Xiang ChangKong: No, a pity that your talents won¡¯t be used.


    Zhao DiDi: That¡¯s enough! What¡¯s there to pity about me?


    Staring at the bright screen, Zhao Di pursed his mouth. His eyes flickered as if something in him had ignited¡­but only for a moment.


    Zhao Di went offline soon after. Looking at the darkened icon, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes inadvertently fell to the lower right corner of his computer.


    Today was October 20. Tomorrow graduate students from the academy would begin to register for work.


    Xiang ChangKong sat there for a long time, then turned off the computer.


    Xu Lian had a very long and strange dream that night. In her dream, she was in her candle store in Starlight Park, and was somehow being chased. Then a takeaway brother appeared. After a fierce fight, all the people chasing after her were killed by the takeaway brother. The takeaway brother then told her that the sky candle contained a mysterious power so she should watch over it carefully. After he said this, another group of people came, so a fierce fight began again. He flew towards the sky¡­


    ¡­and then she woke up, feeling tired as if she really had been chased.


    She started the day in a very complicated mood. She never had such a dream since junior high school. Her mind went back to the takeaway brother, his face towards the sky.


    She calmed her heart, then got up for a morning run.


    Wei YiChen said that he would come over to clean her shop today, so after having breakfast, she drove straight to Starlight Park. By the time she arrived, Wei YiChen was already in front of her store with several of his brothers.


    When Wei YiChen saw her car approaching, he waved eagerly towards her: ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a few days, miss me?¡±


    Xu Lian got out of her car and gave him a blank look. ¡°I want to punch your dog head.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Wei YiChen coughed in embarrassment, then laughed nervously. ¡°This time was my fault you got dragged into this mess. Isn¡¯t that why I¡¯m here now to make amends? As for Zhu Bing¡­¡±


    Wei YiChen¡¯s eyes dimmed. ¡°He won¡¯t trouble you again.¡±


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t want to know how Wei YiChen would deal with Zhu Bing, nor did she ask where the wounds on his face came from. Her eyes swept from Wei YiChen to his little brothers, then she said: ¡°Why are you dressed like this? People might think my store¡¯s getting harassed again.¡±


    Wei YiChen blinked. ¡°Then should we wear suits next time?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± eXu Lian silently turned around and opened her store. Wei YiChen waved his hands like some king and said to the people behind him: ¡°Young men, get to work!¡±


    Although Wei YiChen only brought a few random little brothers to clean up, they were still quite skillful. When Xu Lian saw their competence, she simply let them be and got them to clean her entire shop. Since her one of her showcases were damaged, Wei YiChen bought her another one and said that it should be delivered by tomorrow at the latest.


    It was getting pretty dusty as they cleaned, so Xu Lian went out and drove to the florist to check on her Anthurium. Yesterday her plant had been withered, but it now, in the florist¡¯s magic hands, her plant had sprung back to life and was full of vitality. Xu Lian thanked the florist, brought her plant back to her car and drove back, buying some drinks on the way.


    When she came back, she passed the drinks to the little brothers. Xu Lian then picked up her phone and walked towards a corner. She opened the takeaway app and ordered her usual chicken set from Wolong Kitchen. She left a note in the instructions: Please have Xiang ChangKong deliver the meal.


    As she sent this, Wei YiChen approached her with a smile and asked: ¡°How about having lunch together at noon?¡±


    Xu Lian waved her phone towards him: ¡°I¡¯ve just ordered myself takeout.¡±


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­.¡± Just how much does this person like takeaway?


    ¡°What¡¯s so good about takeout? I heard that a new barbecue shop opened in Starlight Park, how about we try it? My treat.¡±


    Xu Lian remained unmoved. ¡°No. In the future, you better visit less so that no one else gets the idea to come and smash my store again.¡±


    Wei Yichen: ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    When Xiang ChangKong entered Wolong Kitchen to pick up his delivery, the boss looked at him oddly. ¡°This chicken set order had a note that asked you to deliver it personally.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong silently took the bag, embarrassed, but the boss refused to let him go and continued, showing him his phone. ¡°Yesterday she also made a comment thanking a takeaway boy for helping her. Didn¡¯t you deliver to the same address yesterday? Did she fall for you?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Xiang ChangKong looked at the phone and told the boss: ¡°You¡¯ve got another order for curry rice, please hurry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already being made, no need to worry.¡± The owner¡¯s interest in curry rice obviously doesn¡¯t compare to gossip. ¡°We¡¯ve been in the takeout bussiness for two years now, and I¡¯ve seen my fair share of weird notes. We¡¯ve even gotten a note asking for the most handsome takeaway boy to deliver meals to them. I do think you¡¯re handsome. But this girl must have taken a real liking to you, so much so that she even remembered your name.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± It wasn¡¯t that he had never been confessed to, but hearing this boss comment this way made Xiang ChangKong feel way more embarrassed than any of the face-to-face confession he had experienced in the past. ¡°Boss¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, I know, the curry will be out soon.¡±


    As soon as Xiang ChangKong had the two meals, he left quickly. The boss looked at his rapidly retreating back and smiled. ¡°This young man, still so shy, ah.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong delivered the curry first, then drove to Starlight Park.


    As he parked, he saw Xu Lian through her store window, watching a group of people clean. He had wondered how Xu Lian was able to open her store today, and seeing this, he finally understood.


    As he opened the door, Xu Lian noticed him. She quickly walked towards him and accepted the bag of food. She then looked him up and down and said: ¡°How¡¯re your injuries?¡±


    Seeing that the wound on the corner of his mouth was still pretty conspicuous, she figured that the rest of his injuries were still tender. Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t meet her¡¯s as he said: ¡°They¡¯re fine. I already put medicine on them.¡±


    Wei YiChen followed Xu Lian and looked at Xiang ChangKong. ¡°I heard some of what happened from Xu Lian. Thank you, brother, for helping her. I owe you one.¡±


    Lifting a corner of his mouth slightly, Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°No, no, you had nothing to do with the situation.¡±


    Wei YiChen slightly lifted an eyebrow and was about to say something when his little brothers shouted from upstairs: ¡°Brother Chen, we¡¯ve finished cleaning up!¡±


    ¡°OK! I¡¯ll treat you all to a big lunch at noon!¡± Wei YiChen raised his head and smiled at the group on the second floor.


    Although his face was quite colorful, his smile was still very attractive.


    After everyone packed up, Wei YiChen looked at Xu Lian and asked again: ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to come with us?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m planning on going home and catching up on a few orders after lunch.¡±


    Wei YiChen knew that she was swamped this month, and finally reluctantly acquiesced, promising to invite her next time. After they all left, Xiang ChangKong turned to Xu Lian and said: ¡°Then I¡¯ll be leaving too. Have a nice meal.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Xu Lian grabbed his arm and asked: ¡°Are you busy right now?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong nodded. The lunch rush was always busy. ¡°I have several orders that need to be delivered.¡±


    ¡°When will you be free in the afternoon?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was stunned. He didn¡¯t know what she was trying to do. A little doubtful, he asked: ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I just have a small matter.¡± Xu Lian showed a rare awkward posture.


    Xiang ChangKong thought for a bit, then said: ¡°I¡¯m free from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.¡±


    This was the break time for the day shift. It was also the times the company forbid anyone from taking orders, so this long period of idleness wasn¡¯t really Xiang ChangKong¡¯s choice. After all, as a takeaway boy, he gets paid on commission. The more orders he delivers, the higher his salary will be.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± Xu Lian replied.


    Xiang ChangKong candidly asked: ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that you were going home after lunch?¡±


    Xu Lian looked at him. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait for you at home?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Xiang ChangKong¡¯s face was beet red as he replied: ¡°I¡¯ll be here at around 2:30 p.m.¡±

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    Xu Lian felt that her search for Xiang ChangKong wasn¡¯t anything serious. It was only because he had refused to go to the hospital despite being injured that she worried over it throughout the day.


    She had remembered the medicinal liquor given to her by her relatives in Hong Kong. Her father said it worked quite well on him, so she wanted to let Xiang ChangKong give it a try.


    Afraid that Xu Lian would end up waiting for a long time, Xiang ChangKong arrived at her store at 2:20 p.m.


    The door was closed, but it was unlocked. There was a wooden sign hanging on the door with the ¡®Closed¡¯ side facing him. Pushing the door open, Xiang ChangKong headed towards the second floor. With a knock, he said: ¡°Hello.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s hands were busy handling beeswax. Leaning slightly towards him, she replied: ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    She put down the wax and took out a paper towel on the table, wiping her hands. She picked up her cell phone and headed downstairs. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the lounge.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong hesitantly nodded. ¡°Well, alright.¡±


    The lounge in Xu Lian¡¯s store wasn¡¯t very big. There was a three-person sofa pushed against one wall, with a long table in front of it. The lounge door was glass with curtains installed, but Xu Lian seldom lowered them down. As Xiang ChangKong sat down, Xu Lian went to a small cabinet and took out a bottle. She turned around and said: ¡°This is a type of medicinal liquor brought back by my relatives from Hong Kong. Dad said it worked wonders for him, so I wanted you to try some too.¡±


    This was totally unexpected to Xiang ChangKong. The entire day he had wondered what Xu Lian wanted from him; now that he realized it was for this reason, he felt a little relieved. Xiang ChangKong was about to say that she didn¡¯t need to trouble herself, but stopped. She had already bought the medicine out. If he refused, Xu Lian might get upset. So in the end, he agreed: ¡°Alright, thank you.¡±


    He reached out a hand to accept the bottle, but instead of giving it to him, Xu Lian pointed to the sofa and said: ¡°Sit down, I¡¯ll wipe it on for you.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­¡­..¡±


    ¡°Ah, this, I can wipe it myself.¡±


    However, Xu Lian insisted: ¡°After putting this medicine on, a massage will make it more effective. You can be rest assured, my mother taught me some special massage techniques, and they¡¯re all tested on my father. It won¡¯t hurt one bit.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­¡­..¡±


    He wasn¡¯t afraid of pain, but something else¡­


    ¡°Where are you experiencing pain? In the abdomen?¡±


    Subconsciously wrapping his arms around his stomach, Xiang ChangKong grasped at his clothes and stammered: ¡°In the legs, legs¡­.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Lian put the bottle on the table and rolled up his trouser legs. His knee was swollen and sported large bruises. Looking at the mottled skin littered with purple-red dots, Xu Lian was shocked.


    When she saw his injuries, she stood up and picked up her cell phone and car keys. She then said: ¡°You need to go to the hospital to check your injuries.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It only looks scary. When I was on the basketball team at university, I suffered way more.¡±


    ¡°But¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really alright. I put some medicine last night; it doesn¡¯t hurt as much anymore.¡±


    Xu Lian looked at the injury on his knee, as if deep in thought. After a while, she put down her keys and said: ¡°Well, let¡¯s try my medicine first. If it doesn¡¯t get better in two days, we¡¯ll go to the hospital.¡±


    Xu Lian straightforwardly decided for the wounded Xiang ChangKong. Licking his lips, Xiang ChangKong said nothing.


    Xu Lian picked up the bottle, opened it, and poured some liquor into her palm. The scent of liquor immediately permeated the room, but it wasn¡¯t anything pungent. Xu Lian touched Xiang ChangKong¡¯s knee, pressing on it gently. Soon, she heard him hum in a low tone.


    ¡°Hurts?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong shook his head and replied: ¡°No, it was just a little cold.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll warm up soon.¡± Xu Lian said.


    As she helped press the medicine into his knee, Xu Lian explained her massage techniques to him, her pressure remaining very light. After a while, the medicine began to warm.


    ¡°Did you get any complaints yesterday?¡± Xu Lian asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Xiang ChangKong replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Xu Lian adjusted her posture and slightly increased the pressure. ¡°You should make sure not to exert yourself too much. Don¡¯t put much weight on it for more than 15 minutes at a time.¡±


    ¡°Nn¡­.¡± As Xiang ChangKong listened to Xu Lian, his gaze subconsciously lowered to her. Because she was looking down, her hair was hanging down her face. A small movement caused her eyelashes to flutter. From Xiang ChangKong¡¯s angle, the tiny tremble made her lashes look longer. She seemed to have gone for a darker shade of red today, as her lips seemed especially seductive¡­as if tempting people to gently bite¡­


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s heart was beating faster than ever, and his breathing deepened a little. As if sensing his change, Xu Lian lifted her head and coincidentally met his eyes straight on.


    Xu Lian had always felt that Xiang ChangKong¡¯s deep eyes had many secrets buried in its depths. But to her surprise, his eyes this time was covered with a layer of water, and seemed bright. The medicinal alcohol on her palm felt like it was burning her skin, and Xu Lian shrank a little into herself. She felt her heart beating at an abnormal speed. She felt like she was drowning in this familiar feeling, as if she was moments away from disaster.


    It felt like some invisible hands were stretching the silence, and this moment became extraordinarily long.


    Pulling down his pant leg, Xiang ChangKong suddenly stood up: ¡°That¡¯s good, thank you.¡±


    Xu Lian looked at his flustered expression, then he hastily left. She sat on the sofa and saw the bottle on top of the small table in front of her.


    Ah, he forgot to take the alcohol.


    She stared at the bottle for a while. Then she tightened the cap, picked up her belongings, closed the store, and went home.


    When she arrived back at her place, Xu Lian worked especially hard. She still had a lot of orders to do, and she brought along the beeswax to continue. She wasn¡¯t really paying attention to what she was doing, and before she realized it, she had wrapped more than a hundred pieces of candles¡­


    Seeing the mountain of candles, Xu Lian sighed softly.


    On Thursday, MONSTER formally resumed its operations. Wei YiChen sent along a bunch of flowers to commemorate the occasion. Xu Lian placed the beeswax candles on the display cabinet. She also placed a big red one on a candlestick and lit it. As it burned, beautiful tears of beeswax started to drip down, and she took more than ten pictures in succession.


    Xu Lian¡¯s photography skills were self-taught. She had bought several books about photography and studied that way. Then, she gradually accumulated experience through actual combat. Now, all the promotional photos used in her store was done by her, with these beautiful scenes attracting many customers.


    Zhang GuoEr looked around the store and took out her small notebook to carefully record: ¡®Boss usually has something in her mind every time she does a crazy photo-spree.¡¯


    Xu Lian continued to take pictures non-stop for another half hour. Then, she chose the best ones and uploaded them on Weibo. Soon, Zhang GuoEr knocked on her door and said: ¡°Boss, its time to order some takeout!¡±


    Zhang GuoEr saw that the word ¡®takeout¡¯ caused a ripple in Xu Lian¡¯s usually still eyes. Zhang GuoEr blinked, then approached Xu Lian and asked: ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You don¡¯t want to eat takeaway today?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just thinking of what to eat.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr laughed. ¡°That dish we ate last time was nice. I want to try two other dishes today.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Lian opened the takeaway app on her phone and found the restaurant they chose last time. ¡°Do you want to try their potato stir-fry?¡±


    ¡°Ok, lets order another vegetarian dish too?¡±


    ¡°Nn.¡±


    They soon chose another dish. Xu Lian thought about it for a while, then added a note as she placed their order¨C Please have Xiang ChangKong deliver the meal.


    Zhang GuoEr was so shocked her spirit almost left her person. Xiang ChangKong, wasn¡¯t that the pale-skinned takeaway brother?


    With probing eyes, she asked: ¡°Boss, why did you specify someone to deliver the meal?¡± You can ask someone by name in the takeaway industry nowadays?


    ¡°No reason.¡± Xu Lian replied. He was injured in her store last time. She only wanted to see if he¡¯s better.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Zhang GuoEr knew what happened to the store that caused them to close for two days. Boss also told posted that thank you message in her Weibo.


    But Brother Wei YiChen was also got injured by this incident, ah. When he came by this morning with some flowers, Zhang GuoEr saw that his face sported a few small injuries. Why didn¡¯t the Boss care about him?


    Zhang GuoEr felt that she missed some wonderfully interesting drama.


    Xiang ChangKong saw Xu Lian¡¯s note when he received the system dispatch notice. After yesterday¡¯s emotional roller-coaster, he thought that he¡¯d be able to face Xu Lian calmly the next time he saw her. But now, this simple sentence, caused hi emotions to fluctuate.


    That scene in her lounge replayed again and again in his eyes, and the rapid beating of his heart made him feel like he was going to lose control any minute now.


    The thoughts that surfaced from the depths of his mind when he thought of Xu Lian were really dirty.


    ¡°Little Xiang, you¡¯re getting an order here too?¡± A slightly fat middle-aged man came over with a sunny smile. He was dressed in the same uniform as Xiang ChangKong.


    Xiang ChangKong saw him and smiled as he called out: ¡°Brother Wang.¡±


    ¡°One potato stir-fry, one steamed egg soup, two rice, all done!¡± The boss soon came out with a bag and put them on the table in front of Xiang ChangKong.


    This was Xu Lian¡¯s order. Xiang ChangKong grabbed the bag, but stood in place for two seconds. He looked at the brother next to him, then asked: ¡°Brother Wang, can you help me deliver this meal?¡±


    Brother Wang looked at the delivery address. Starlight Park, it was along the way to his own order.


    ¡°I can¡­¡± Brother Wang¡¯s gaze shifted to the note at the bottom. ¡°But the note said they wanted you to deliver it.¡±


    What a strange thing. He¡¯s been delivering takeout for more than a year already, but he¡¯s never encountered a note that specified the takeaway boy by name.


    ¡°Do you know this person?¡± Brother Wang asked, curious.


    ¡°Ah, then sorry to trouble you.¡± Xiang ChangKong vaguely mentioned another order he had to deliver and quickly left on his scooter.


    Xu Lian and Zhang GuoEr waited of their order. As the delivery time got closer and closer, Zhang GuoEr felt Xu Lian¡¯s mood subtly change.


    Zhang GuoEr thought that this change must have something to do with that takeaway brother. She looked at the time and said: ¡°Strange, that takeaway brother is usually so punctual. How come he¡¯s five minutes late today?¡±


    Xu Lian replied: ¡°He¡¯s injured.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± Just as Zhang GuoEr was about to nod, she saw a familiar set of clothes approaching. ¡°He¡¯s here!¡±


    She excitedly rushed to the door and looked at the takeaway¡­.uncle in front of her.


    ¡°Hello, are you Ms Xu Lian?¡± The uncle asked her with a smile.


    Xu Lian came forward and took the bag from him: ¡°That¡¯s me. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I wish you a pleasant meal.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Xu Lian stopped the takeaway uncle that was about to leave. She then asked him: ¡°I made a note asking for Xiang ChangKong to deliver the meal. May I ask, is he alright?¡±


    ***


    Maiden Xiang ChangKong getting felt up by Bad Boy Xu Lian. But not really, because the maiden is having pervy thoughts about the pure and naive bad boy (girl) (???)

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    In the span of a second, a 100,000-word dog blood drama flashed in Brother Wang¡¯s brain.


    He subconsciously looked Xu Lian over. A lovely girl, and her height perfectly suited.


    Seeing the man fail to promptly answer, Xu Lian became worried and continued to ask: ¡°Did his injury worsen?¡±


    While Brother Wang filled in the plot of his 100,000-word drama, he also realized something: Turns out Xiang ChangKong¡¯s injury was related to this woman named Xu Lian.


    When he saw Xiang ChangKong¡¯s injury a couple of days ago, he was so shocked. He asked him what had happened, but Xiang ChangKong only said that he accidentally fell.


    What a joke. He was young once you know! Who could he not tell that his injury was from fighting with others?


    So this fight was caused by fiery youths competing for a beautiful young woman?


    But he couldn¡¯t understand. If that was the case, why didn¡¯t Xiang ChangKong deliver the order today? Where¡¯s the contradiction in my logic?


    As a colleague and predecessor of that young man, Brother Wang felt that he had a heavy burden pressing down on his shoulders. He opened his mouth and told Xu Lian: ¡°That¡¯s right. Little Xiang¡¯s injuries are so bad, but he insists on not going to the hospital to have them checked out. I don¡¯t know what to do. I¡¯m not sure you know ah, but he usually gets plenty of good reviews on our site. The day he got injured was the first day he ever got a complaint.¡±


    Xu Lian saw stunned. Didn¡¯t he say that he didn¡¯t get any complaints?


    She slightly opened her red lips, but didn¡¯t say anything for quite a while. Brother Wang watched her and said: ¡°If you want to find him, you can just visit his home directly. His house is just on the other side of ZhongRong district.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s eyes flickered. Go to his house?


    Brother Wang saw the look on her face and felt that his mission had been successfully completed. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be going first.¡±


    ¡°Ah, thank you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem.¡±


    Leaving Xu Lian¡¯s store, Brother Wang¡¯s footsteps were more confident compared to his walk coming in. He took out his phone and dialed. ¡°Hey Old Wu, guess what. I just did a great thing.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did you drop an order all over the sidewalk?¡±


    ¡°Bah! It¡¯s about Little Xiang¡­¡± Brother Wang braked. ¡°Forget it, I won¡¯t tell you. I¡¯ll keep it to myself and get all the praise.¡±


    Brother Wu: ¡°¡­¡± Then why make a phone call you fart!


    Back in Xu Lian¡¯s store, Zhang GuoEr and Xu Lian had long lost their appetite. Xu Lian was too busy thinking about Xiang ChangKong. Zhang GuoEr, on the other hand, had eaten too much fruit as she watched the drama, making her too full.


    Zhang GuoEr looked at Xu Lian, thinking that something big was about to happen to her Boss, ah!


    The two women settled their lunch and started the afternoon¡¯s work, both pretending that nothing had happened.


    In this adult world, emotions such as joy and anger never influenced work.


    Xu Lian continued working through orders on the second floor. Zhang GuoEr stayed behind the counter, tapping her pen while looking up towards the second floor from time to time.


    She wondered when her Boss¡¯ self-control would snap, finally making her give in to her urge to drop everything and run to that takeaway brother¡¯s house to find him.


    By Friday, Xu Lian continued to write ¡®please let Xiang ChangKong deliver the meal¡¯ on the notes, but Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t come once. So on Saturday, instead of requesting Xiang ChangKong, she asked for that fat takeaway uncle who delivered to her last time.


    ¡°Ah, Little Xiang is taking a day off today. If you need to contact him, it¡¯s best to go to his house and find him directly.¡± Brother Wang said as he put down Xu Lian¡¯s order, inadvertently revealing a piece of news.


    Xu Lian seriously thought about it.


    For her, going to someone¡¯s house was a very intimate act. She had never been to any classmate¡¯s house when she was young, and even though she and Wei YiChen have known each other for so many years, she had never been to his house.


    However, when she thought that it was Xiang ChangKong¡¯s house she was visiting, such acts didn¡¯t seem so difficult to accept.


    These days, she would always end up thinking about Xiang ChangKong. His gentle voice, that small dimple that showed up whenever he laughed, those starry eyes that seemed to pierce through people, eyebrows he couldn¡¯t help but scrunch when he was injured¡­


    For the first time in her life, Xu Lian was experiencing thoughts of love.


    Xu Lian put down her lunch, picked up her keys, and said to Zhang GuoEr: ¡°I¡¯m going out, help me look after the shop.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr, with a spoon in her hand, looked at her and blinked twice. ¡°Oh, sure, you go ahead in peace.¡±


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t say anything else. She didn¡¯t even bother opening her lunch and simply left. Zhang GuoEr watched Xu Lian drive away, then picked up her pen and wrote in her notebook.


    ¡®The Titanic actress Ruth once said that she needs someone who can ignite her passion for life. Everyone needs someone who can ignite our passion. I think the Boss¡¯ special person already appeared.¡¯


    When she first met Xu Lian, Zhang GuoEr felt that she was a lonely and indifferent person. Xu Lian didn¡¯t seem to need friends, nor did she need to integrate into any sort of social circle. And because of her work, she does come into contact with a variety of people every day. It¡¯s just that whether friend or guest, it made no difference in Xu Lian¡¯s eyes.


    She didn¡¯t establish any close ties with anyone, nor did she need such relations. Perhaps people¡¯s first impression of her was a cold woman, like an iceberg. But to Zhang GuoEr, Xu Lian wasn¡¯t an iceberg, but a fire simmering just beneath the ice. When the fire ignited, her passion would devour everything around her.


    Like Xu Lian¡¯s favorite lipstick, she was a warm, fiery red.


    Xu Lian drove towards the ZhongRong district. Although the name sounds tall and imposing, the buildings in the area were relatively old. However, there were some advantages to living in an old district: there were many old and competent supermarkets, vegetable markets, snack shops, and grocery stores dotted around the area.


    She came across an old basketball court that seemed to have been unused for a long time, its basket rim shabby.


    Using is as a ¡®parking lot,¡¯ she soon got out of her car. She looked around, thinking of finding a local resident to ask for clues.


    Soon, a girl with short hair was walking towards her. She was carrying a school bag and wearing a high school uniform, looking very cute.


    Xu Lian approached and asked: ¡°Hello, do you happen to know which house Xiang ChangKong lives in?¡±


    The girl was stunned. Looking at Xu Lian with bright eyes, she laughed: ¡°Sister, you¡¯re looking for my brother? He lives here.¡± The girl pointed to the side.


    Now it was Xu Lian¡¯s turn to be stunned. She remembered Xiang ChangKong talking about his sister, but¡­what a coincidence that she just happened to ask her.


    ¡°Sister, are you my brother¡¯s friend? I¡¯ll take you up.¡± Xiang Nuan persuaded Xu Lian to follow her upstairs. ¡°My name is Xiang Nuan, Nuan as in warmth.¡±


    Hearing the other party introduce herself first, Xu Lian also introduced herself out of courtesy. ¡°My name is Xu Lian.¡±


    ¡°Xu Lian? Lian as in love?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Xiang Nuan looked back at her with a smile. ¡°Sister¡¯s name sounds pretty, ah!¡±


    ¡°Ah, your name sounds nice too.¡± Xu Lian became a little embarrassed. What is this, a flowery commercial where they praise each other?


    (T/N: In Chinese, many different words can have the same sound, but different character.)


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s apartment wasn¡¯t very high up, so they soon arrived. Xiang Nuan took out a key and opened the door. When she walked in, she looked towards the kitchen. ¡°Gee, I think my brother went out.¡±


    Xiang Nuan knew that Xiang ChangKong should¡¯ve been in the middle of cooking lunch. A quick glance showed that all the ingredients were cut, but the cook himself was missing. Did he go out to buy some soy sauce?


    Xiang Nuan invited Xu Lian inside and said: ¡°My brother might¡¯ve gone out to buy something. He should be back soon, so you can wait for him.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Xu Lian followed her to the living room and saw a middle-aged woman sitting on the sofa. The woman was wearing a red sweater, her hair was draped on one shoulder, and she was holding a cup of tea. Hearing the front door open, the woman had looked towards them. Her eyes showed no emotion, but she still somehow made Xu Lian feel a little uncomfortable.


    Weng ShuLi¡¯s eyes lingered at Xu Lian for a moment, before moving away. Xiang Nuan put down her schoolbag and shouted out: ¡°Mom, I¡¯m back. This sister is brother¡¯s friend!¡±


    Weng ShuLi gave no response, but Xiang Nuan smiled and said to Xu Lian: ¡°I¡¯ll take you to my brother¡¯s room.¡± She took Xu Lian¡¯s hand and walking through the living room, whispered to her: ¡°Sorry, my mom was sick, and afterward, she¡¯s been like this.¡±


    Sick? Xu Lian¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised. She was curious to know what was wrong with Nuan¡¯s mother but felt that it was disrespectful to inquire about other people¡¯s illnesses. Finally, she kept her questions to herself and simply nodded to show that she had understood.


    After leaving the living room, a few steps took them to a closed door. The door wasn¡¯t locked, so Xiang Nuan easily opened the door and said: ¡°Sit here for a while, I¡¯ll pour you a glass of water.¡±


    Xu Lian wanted to decline, but before she could open her mouth, Xiang Nuan had already run out.


    In the end, Xu Lian turned and looked into the empty room.


    His room was small. The single bed, two-door wardrobe, and desk that occupied the room already filled the room. These were the only furnishings, with the only a few trinkets on the desk decorating the place.


    One of those trinkets was the sky blue aromatherapy candle Xiang ChangKong had bought from her.


    Ah, this candle, she remembered telling him that she named the candle ¡®Loving the Sky.¡¯


    At the time, she didn¡¯t know his name and therefore naturally didn¡¯t feel anything. But after finding out that his name was ¡®ChangKong,¡¯ she felt really panicked.


    (T/N: remember ChangKong means vast sky and Lian means love/to love)


    Seeing in the middle of his desk, Xu Lian walked up to it and gently picking up the candle. Xiang ChangKong hadn¡¯t lit it once, with the candle still wholly intact. Its unique fragrance wafted towards her. Xu Lian had always thought that it closely resembled the scent of the vast blue sky, but now she felt it resembled Xiang ChangKong more.


    Yes, Xiang ChangKong made her feel like she was up in the skies.


    On the spot the candle stood was a small, wooden plane.

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    Curious, Xu Lian put down the candle and picked up the model plane.


    She could tell that it was hand-made, thought their skills were questionable. The plane wasn¡¯t made very well, and she could see slightly rougher spots. But being hand-made, she could tell the mindset of the person who made it. She could see that the person was very attentive to the details, and liked planes very much.


    She placed the model back to its original position and moved her gaze to the books on the desk. They were all about flight dynamics, pneumatic distribution design¡­in short, names that were basically hieroglyphics to Xu Lian.


    She then recalled that Xiang ChangKong had once mentioned that he had been on the basketball team when he was an undergraduate.


    The point is, undergraduate. He did an undergraduate course.


    She doesn¡¯t discriminate against the takeaway industry, but she didn¡¯t understand why Xiang ChangKong, who had studied such a complex course, would choose to do takeout.


    Xu Lian felt that the closer she gets to him, the more she wanted to know about him.


    Meanwhile, Xiang Nuan was on her cell phone, excitedly sending out a message in her group chat.


    NuanNuan traveling the world: Ah ah ah ah! A good-looking sister came to my house! Looking for my brother! Is she my brother¡¯s girlfriend???? Ahhhh!


    NuanNuan traveling the world: Sister¡¯s lipstick is so good! I want to ask the brand and color number¡­


    Studying causes baldness: Don¡¯t ask, don¡¯t ask. You won¡¯t be able to afford it either way. Why hurt yourself?


    NuanNuan traveling the world: True (???)


    Do a question for five minutes paralyzed for an hour: Xiang Nuan! I thought I had dibs on your brother? Why are there other girls! £¨¨p?Òæ?)


    NuanNuan traveling the world: Who said I agreed to that (*¡ä¦Ò©`£à) ? You can¡¯t even compare to a single strand of Sister¡¯s hair!


    Do a question for five minutes paralyzed for an hour: Haha we should disband this chat, it¡¯s too plastic¡­ (¡£?¡¦?¡¦?¡£)


    NuanNuan traveling the world: Whatever, I have to go. I need to pour water for Sister!


    Xiang Nuan put her phone away and poured some hot water into a clean paper cup. She then turned to bring it to Xu Lian. Xiang ChangKong¡¯s door was open, but Xiang Nuan knocked first before entering.


    Hearing a knock at the door, Xu Lian put down the plane and turned around. Xiang Nuan walked up to her with a smile and placed the cup on the table. ¡°Sister, go ahead and drink. My brother should be back soon.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, you¡¯re welcome.¡± Shaking her head, then taking the opportunity to scrutinize Xu Lian a little bit more.


    The black and white vertical striped shirt looked stylish and cool, with her high-waisted trousers elongating her legs. The belt on her waist added some points, and with a short leather jacket and her black high-heels, this young lady was excluding such a cool and handsome vibe.


    ¡°Come and sit down, no need to stand.¡± Pulling out a chair, Xiang Nuan invited Xu Lian to sit. Xu Lian looked at the chair. There was only one chair in the room, so it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for her to sit down while Xiang Nuan stayed standing.


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯ll just stand.¡± Xu Lian smiled and took a sip from her cup.


    Xiang Nuan herself realized the same thing and became embarrassed. ¡°My brother¡¯s room is a little small. This apartment was originally had two rooms and one hall. The landlord separated the living room and made it into three rooms and one hall. This room was originally the living room. I actually wanted to make this my room because I usually lived in a dorm and only came back on weekends. But my brother insisted on using this room, saying that it was in front of the road so it would be too noisy and would affect my studies.¡±


    Xu Lian thoughtfully nodded. She said to Xiang Nuan: ¡°Your brother is very kind to you. I was there when he was picking a birthday present for you.¡±


    Xiang Nuan was surprised. ¡°Oh my God, Sister, you¡¯re not MONSTER¡¯s owner?¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s store had a Weibo page, but it only ever had pictures of her merchandise and never pictures of her. Plus, Xiang Nuan had never been to Xu Lian¡¯s store, so they had never seen each other¡­


    To think that the owner would look so beautiful and match the store¡¯s aesthetic so well!


    ¡°Ah, ah, I¡¯m a little excited now!¡± Xiang Nuan was beaming, her face turning red. ¡°I¡¯ve always followed your Weibo, I really like the candles that you make. And the tablet you gave me last time was so pretty, I hung it at my desk!¡±


    Xu Lian corrected her: ¡°Your brother bought it for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s practically the same thing!¡± Suddenly given idol status, Xu Lian blinked as Xiang Nuan looked at her with starry eyes. ¡°Sister, do you do apprenticeships? I want to learn how to do handicrafts from you!¡±


    Aromatherapy candles were relatively new and weren¡¯t very popular in China. There were some classes people could go to, but they weren¡¯t cheap. Zhang GuoEr had long suggested that Xu Lian run a class in her shop, as the tuition fees would give her considerable income. But Xu Lian didn¡¯t have the time or energy to run classes, especially given the recent increase in orders.


    Xu Lian thought about it, then replied: ¡°I don¡¯t do apprenticeships, but if you¡¯re interested, I can teach you.¡±


    ¡°Really?! Thank you, Sister!¡± Just as Xiang Nuan said this, they heard the sound of the front door opening. ¡°That must be my brother!¡±


    Xiang Nuan ran out and saw that Xiang ChangKong really was back. He was holding a shopping bag, which probably contained some kind of condiment.


    ¡°Brother, there¡¯s a lady looking for you.¡± Xiang Nuan excitedly said.


    Xu Lian heard Xiang ChangKong grunt in reply. Putting down her cup of water, Xu Lian followed Xiang Nuan out of the room and greeted him: ¡°Hello.¡±


    His eyes growing wide, Xiang ChangKong was stunned in place.


    Seeing his reaction, Xu Lian took the initiative to explain: ¡°Your colleague told me that your injury became serious. I was worried, so I came to have a look. He also told me about your address.¡±


    After a long silence, Xiang ChangKong finally managed to open his mouth and stammered: ¡°Oh, well, that¡­I¡­my injury wasn¡¯t that serious, which one of my colleagues told you?¡±


    ¡°The fat uncle that always looks a little happy.¡± Xu Lian described.


    Ah, it should be Brother Wang, who he asked to deliver an order for him last time. Feeling like he lacked air, Xiang ChangKong continued: ¡°That, that, that, he may have just misunderstood things. I really am alright.¡±


    ¡°Why did you stop delivering my meals?¡± Xu Lian asked.


    ¡°¡­¡± Xiang ChangKong subconsciously tightened his grip on the plastic bag. Then said: ¡°The orders are basically randomly assigned. I probably didn¡¯t get them. And I have a day off today.¡±


    Xu Lian thought about his answer for a while, then said: ¡°Are your injuries better?¡±


    She raised the subject again, causing Xiang Nuan to finally notice the bruise at the side of his brother¡¯s mouth. The color was very light, causing her to miss it before. Without scrutinizing her brother¡¯s face, she could have easily continued to miss it. ¡°Brother, how did you get hurt?¡±


    Turning his head away, Xiang ChangKong tried to avoid her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a little bruise. It¡¯s almost healed.¡±


    Xu Lian continued: ¡°Your colleague also said that you received complaints that day. Why did you lie to me?¡±


    That Brother Wang¡­.really telling her everything.


    He licked his lips and replied: ¡°It was just some small thing. I didn¡¯t want you to blame yourself.¡±


    Xu Lian was silent for a few moments as she looked at him. Then she said: ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m still responsible that such things happened. I¡¯ll compensate you for your loss.¡±


    Xiang Nuan suddenly felt that she had just experienced information overload. Responsible? What kind of responsibility did this Sister have towards her brother?


    As Xiang Nuan looked at Xiang ChangKong, her expression shifted into a more meaningful glance.


    As Xu Lian stood there, she suddenly realized that her attitude might have been too aggressive. She came here today to help him, not interrogate him.


    ¡°Well, you forgot the medicinal alcohol last time, so I brought it with me today. It¡¯s in my car. I¡¯ll go down and pick it up.¡± When Xu Lian spoke, her voice was a lot more relaxed this time. Xu Lian, who was ready to go out, was suddenly held back by Xiang Nuan. She said: ¡°Sister, you can go down and get it after dinner. You don¡¯t need to be in such a hurry.¡±


    Xu Lian was surprised by this remark. It seems that she really did come in an awkward time. It was already time for dinner.


    When Xiang Nuan saw that Xu Lian wasn¡¯t saying anything, she turned to Xiang ChangKong and said: ¡°Right brother? Let¡¯s all eat first.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong right now was a mess. He didn¡¯t expect to come home after buying a few bags of salt and be met with Xu Lian in his home. He wouldn¡¯t fault her for staying for dinner, but he wouldn¡¯t blame her if she didn¡¯t want to stay either. As Xiang Nuan grabbed at his sleeve, he ended up saying: ¡°Well, uh, if you don¡¯t mind, just stay for a little longer.¡±


    Xu Lian hadn¡¯t intended to stay and eat at Xiang ChangKong¡¯s house. She had driven directly to his house without any warning, being quite rude. Now she¡¯s staying at someone else¡¯s home to eat dinner¡­and even the elders are present.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t bother. I just wanted to come over and see how you were doing. Since you¡¯re okay, I¡¯ll be leaving first. Ah, wait, let me just get the alcohol.¡±


    Xu Lian went downstairs, her high-heels clacking. Xiang Nuan pounded at her brother, hating iron for not becoming steel: ¡°Brother, what are you doing? Send Sister down!¡±


    (T/N: to feel resentful towards something/someone for failing to meet expectations and impatient to see improvement)


    His eyes finally focusing, Xiang ChangKong put down the plastic bag he was holding and ran after Xu Lian.


    Xu Lian heard footsteps behind her and stopped to look back. When she did, she saw Xiang ChangKong appear at the stairway entrance. Looking up, she asked: ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡± As Xu Lian¡¯s gaze turned to him, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s entire person felt uncomfortable. He didn¡¯t even know where to put his hands. ¡°I¡¯ll send you off.¡±


    Xu Lian nodded and waited for him to reach her before going downstairs together.


    The corridor wasn¡¯t very wide. If two people walked side by side, their shoulders would touch from time to time. Xiang ChangKong tried his best to lean towards the railing as they walked down, and could only relax a little when they finally left the corridor.


    Xu Lian brought out the medicinal alcohol from her car and handed it to him. As he took it, Xiang ChangKong thanked her.


    Xu Lian looked at him for a few seconds, then asked: ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± It wasn¡¯t that he was afraid of Xu Lian, but more that he was afraid of her perceiving his many thoughts about her. If she found out that he had been daydreaming about her, she would surely feel sickened.


    Xu Lian seemed to want to ask more, but in the end, she changed to another topic. ¡°Are you really okay?¡±


    The wound on the corner of his mouth looked a lot better, but she couldn¡¯t see his other injuries.


    It wasn¡¯t like she could take off his clothes and look.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t know just how Brother Wang managed to tell Xu Lian his address, but he did understand that Xu Lian was worried enough to actually drive to his house. Xiang ChangKong looked at Xu Lian and said; ¡°I¡¯m really alright. You don¡¯t need to take my injuries seriously, and I really don¡¯t need any sort of compensation.¡±


    Xu Lian had never been close to anyone since she was a child, and she never owed anyone either. Now that she¡¯s experiencing it, Xu Lian couldn¡¯t help but feel worried. Not only did he get injured, but he even got complaints from his job. To her, it was more than reasonable for Xiang ChangKong to receive some compensation for his loss. But Xiang ChangKong had repeatedly told her that he didn¡¯t need it, so to not burden him any further, Xu Lian relented. ¡°Alright. But remember to use the medicinal alcohol, and if you have any other questions make sure to ask me. You can just visit the store anytime.¡±


    ¡°Ok, I know.¡±


    There was a moment of silence between the two, then Xu Lian said: ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be going.¡±


    She turned around, opened her car and got in.


    Standing at the basketball court, Xiang ChangKong watched her car slowly drive away before going back upstairs. He had the bottle of medicinal alcohol that Xu Lian gave him in his hand. It wasn¡¯t the bottle that Xu Lian had used on him back at her store; this was brand new, sealed and unused.


    Looking down at the bottle, Xiang ChangKong suddenly felt a warmth springing from the depths of his heart. It felt like a beam of sunshine melting his cold body.


    Xu Lian was such a good, kind-hearted person. She should be treasured, not coveted by someone like him.


    When he arrived back home, he closed the door, only to see Xiang Nuan rush towards him, phone at hand: ¡°Brother, Brother, I just saw Big Sister¡¯s Weibo. Her store had an accident last week and a takeaway brother helped her. Isn¡¯t that you?!¡±


    She shoved her phone towards Xiang ChangKong, its screen tilted his way.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t help her or anything like that¡­¡±


    ¡°Nobody else posted a reply and claimed to be the one who helped her!¡± When it comes to things like this, Xiang Nuan was second to none. Laughing ambiguously, she said: ¡°Brother, you got your injury by being a hero. Saving such a beauty, it¡¯s definitely worth it. So am I getting a sister-in-law soon?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong rubbed her little melon head, then walked further into the room: ¡°If you have the energy to think something like that, then you should be able to study day and night no problem.¡±


    ¡°Why are you running away? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re shy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m putting this bottle in my room, you go wash your hands and set the table.¡± As he said this, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s pace seemed to be speeding up.


    Back in his room, he placed the medicinal alcohol on his desk and saw a paper cup.


    It was the cup Xu Lian had used. Xiang ChangKong picked up the cup, intending to throw it away, but saw a red lipstick stain printed on the edge of the cup.


    The already cold water in the cup seemed to immediately boil up, making Xiang ChangKong¡¯s hand feel hot.


    An image of Xu Lian drinking water, her soft, tempting lips flashing through his mind.


    He really is hopeless.


    He took the cup to the kitchen, dumped the water, and then threw it in the trash.


    As he placed the dishes on the table, he greeted his mother and began eating lunch with Xiang Nuan. Xiang Nuan picked up a piece of fried lettuce with her chopsticks and placed it in her mouth. As she did so, her expression immediately puckered. ¡°Cough Cough, Brother I know you bought a lot of salt just now, but you didn¡¯t need to put so much.¡±


    She hastily put down her chopsticks and gulped down a large glass of water.


    Xiang ChangKong thought that she was just exaggerating. But when he also ate a piece of lettuce he couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°Cough, it really is a little salty.¡±


    ¡°Not just a little! I think you dumped the whole bag in this! It¡¯s so salty it became bitter!¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Exaggerating so much. Xiang ChangKong placed the plate of lettuce aside and told his mother: ¡°Don¡¯t eat this, I try to save it later in the evening.¡±


    As Xiang Nuan drank another glass of water, they went back to lunch. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to save that no matter what you do. Good thing Big Sister didn¡¯t stay for lunch.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xiang Nuan picked up her chopsticks and grabbed a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs. Carefully, she took a small bite. ¡°Well, at least these ribs taste normal.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°I probably got a little distracted when I was preparing the fried lettuce. Everything else should be fine.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Xiang Nuan tilted her head thoughtfully. ¡°So Big Sister scared you so much that you messed up?¡±


    ¡°No, I just wasn¡¯t paying attention and accidentally poured more salt.¡± Xiang ChangKong said. Seeing that Xiang Nuan wanted to continue insisting, he took a piece of sweet and sour rib and placed it in her bowl. ¡°Here, more of your favourite. Eat more.¡±


    Xiang Nuan gnawed on the rib as she looked at him.


    Look at this trickster! Maybe she really is getting a sister-in-law?


    After Xu Lian left Xiang ChangKong¡¯s house, she drove back to her store. Zhang GuoEr was sitting at the cash register and upon seeing her Boss arriving back so soon, she stood up. ¡°Boss, you¡¯re back already?¡±


    Xu Lian walked over with car keys in hand, her high-heels clacking. ¡°I¡¯m done, so I¡¯m back.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr blinked. Then she straightforwardly asked: ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°I gave Xiang ChangKong some medicinal alcohol.¡± Xu Lian replied.


    Zhang GuoEr: ¡°¡­.¡±


    That¡¯s it? You¡¯re just teasing me now.


    Xu Lian walked past her and went into the lounge. The lunch she ordered was still on the table, but it was now cold. She picked up the lunchbox and told Zhang GuoEr: ¡°I¡¯m going next door to borrow their microwave.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr was surprised. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet?¡± So you really just went out to pass a bottle of medicinal alcohol along?


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be back in a couple of minutes.¡± Xu Lian replied.


    Zhang GuoEr: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Maybe she was just too young to understand the complicated world of adults.


    But nevertheless, she found out that Xu Lian had gone to Xiang ChangKong¡¯s house. Her mood had vastly improved when compared to that of the last two days.


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t know about the many thoughts that went through Zhang GuoEr¡¯s head. She continued making orders all throughout the afternoon. When she got tired, she took a break and turned on her phone. Opening the browser, she thought for a while, then entered the word ¡®Aviation¡¯ in the search box.


    A lot of results popped up, but the subject matter was so broad that they were all over the place. She read through the results and finally, her eyes met with the word ¡®Aircraft Design¡¯.


    ¡°Aircraft Design?¡± Xu Lian mumbled the words over and over again, then wrote them on the search box.


    ¡®Aircraft Design¡¯. The first-level discipline of ¡®Aerospace Science and Technology.¡¯ The second-level¡­


    As Xu Lian read the awkward sounding sentences, her expression became more serious. So Xiang ChangKong was learning about aircraft design?


    She looked down and searched for the top university in China for this major. A City University¡­this is a first-class university¡­should be where Xiang ChangKong studied?


    Perhaps the ordinary person wouldn¡¯t associate a delivery boy with a talented individual who studied in the prestigious A City University, but Xu Lian wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Xiang ChangKong did say that he graduated from this University.


    She didn¡¯t know why.


    She read a lot of information about aircraft design on the Internet, including the current outlook of the students who took this major. A common comment was that this major wasn¡¯t very helpful. Many students who graduated with this major changed their careers to the more popular finance industry, or the IT industry for various reasons.


    But Xiang ChangKong was different. Why did he change his career and go to the¡­takeout industry?


    Xu Lian frowned slightly, her fingers sliding down the screen of her phone. Information on postgraduate enrolment for the Aircraft Research Institute of A City. It was already time for graduate students to sign up. Xu Lian subconsciously paid more attention as she read through it. The deadline was on the 31st of this month.


    There were only six days left.


    Zhang GuoEr had been watching her from downstairs from the moment Xu Lian had picked up her phone. She took out her pen and notebook and wrote: ¡®I don¡¯t know what the Boss is thinking about, but she looks gloomy again. My many years of experience tells me that she¡¯s obviously sick. Diagnosis: Boss caught the love bug.¡¯


    On the other side of town, Xiang ChangKong helped Xiang Nuan with her homework all afternoon, then went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Xiang Nuan continued to study for a while and soon heard Xiang ChangKong calling for her to eat.


    She walked out to the living room and looked at the dining table. The failed fried lettuce from lunch turned into lettuce soup.


    Xiang ChangKong had used the biggest bowl they had to plate the soup. Xiang Nuan turned to her brother with a raised brow. ¡°After drinking all this, do we even still need to eat rice?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± With a struggle, Xiang Chang Kong said: ¡°I needed to add that much soup to reduce the saltiness.¡±


    Alright.


    After tasting the huge bowl of soup, Xiang Nuan thought that her brother was indeed the most intelligent brother ever.


    She had to admit that he really was smart. Other than studying, he always managed to do things better than others. Take cooking for example. Ever since her mother got ill, Xian ChangKong had done all the cooking. When she first tasted food made by Xiang ChangKong she had been really surprised.


    It tasted better than her mother¡¯s.


    Another example would be today¡¯s fried lettuce. Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t think it could be saved, but Xiang ChangKong managed to turn it into a delicious soup.


    Xiang Nuan drank two bowls and burped three times before dinner even started.


    Xiang Nuan felt like her brother was raising pigs.


    ¡°I need to stand for half an hour.¡± After dinner, Xiang Nuan felt like her stomach was about to burst. She went back to her room and stood against the wall.


    Xiang ChangKong cleaned up the table, waited until his mother got out of the bath, then took a shower.


    After putting on some pyjamas, he went to his bedroom and sat on his bed. He looked at the medicinal alcohol Xu Lian had given him. Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t know how long he did this, but after a while, he finally opened the bottle and poured some on his palm.


    He remembered the massage technique Xu Lian had taught him and tried to imitate it as he slowly massaged the bruise on his knee.


    After putting medicine on it for a couple of days, it looked much better. Although the bruise looked scary it really didn¡¯t hurt all that much.


    As the medicinal alcohol did its job, his knee gradually became hot. This warmth reminded him of Xu Lian¡¯s hands as she used the same medicinal alcohol to gently rub his skin, little by little. Her hands were small and soft, and every place that she touched burned like fire¡­


    Xiang ChangKong abruptly stopped his massaging.


    He fell on the bed behind him with an arm over his face.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    During the next two days, Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t receive a single order from Xu Lian. He was relieved, but at the same time, confused.


    He didn¡¯t see Xu Lian, but he did see Wei YiChen.


    He didn¡¯t know Wei YiChen¡¯s name, but he did see him three times already around Xu Lian¡¯s store, so he recognized him.


    He wore the same black leather motorcycle jacket, two prominent studs on his right ear, and was sitting in a coffee shop with a beautiful girl.


    Xiang ChangKong had come to the coffee shop to pick up an order. He didn¡¯t go to coffee shops very often, but he did know that this place was famous for being a matchmaking meetup. Every time he passed by, he could see different men and women sitting together.


    He looked towards Wei YiChen¡¯s direction and slightly frowned. Was Wei YiChen here to meet with a woman? Isn¡¯t he¡­Xu Lian¡¯s boyfriend?


    Wei YiChen really was here for a blind date. When he fled the country because of the last blind date attempt, his father grew furious. Wei YiChen had wanted to stay away until everything blew over, but then Xu Lian¡¯s store was trashed, so he quickly came back. The moment he stepped out of the plane, the Wei family started keeping a very close eye on him. So after cleaning Xu Lian¡¯s store, he hardly left the confines of his family home.


    Sitting opposite him right now was Uncle Nie¡¯s daughter, Nie Lei.


    To be fair, Nie Lei really was a very excellent girl. She was beautiful and had a high education. After chatting with her for a bit, Wei YiChen also found that she was an independent person with her own thoughts. Wei YiChen appreciated this aspect of hers, but that was it.


    There are thousands of excellent girls in the world. He can¡¯t like them all.


    ¡°Oh by the way, Uncle Wei said you were sick, are you better now?¡± Nie Lei took a sip of her coffee and looked at Wei YiChen.


    Wei YiChen smiled and replied: ¡°You¡¯re pretty smart. You don¡¯t really believe my father¡¯s words do you?¡±


    Nie Lei¡¯s lips hooked up, and she didn¡¯t answer.


    Wei YiChen commented: ¡°You¡¯re a really great girl, if you really wanted a boyfriend you certainly wouldn¡¯t need to waste your time waiting for me. Truthfully, I already have someone I like. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t attend our previous blind date.¡±


    Nei Lei wasn¡¯t surprised. Wei YiChen was a popular guy, it was normal for him to have a girl he liked. She came to this date only because her parents had asked her to. She came here with the attitude of merely completing a task and then going home.


    She also heard a lot of rumors about Wei YiChen, so she was curious. Maybe it was because she had simply followed her parent¡¯s roadmap and diligently studied ever since she was a child. All her life, she already knew what her future would look like, so she had been interested in the Wei YiChen, who constantly broke the rules.


    But well, since he said everything out in the open, she no longer wanted to waste her time. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll tell my father that we¡¯re not really suitable for each other.¡±


    Wei YiChen smiled at her and said: ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Nei Lei looked at his sunny expression and said: ¡°Smile at me like that again, and maybe I¡¯ll change my mind.¡±


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­¡±


    After leaving the coffee shop, Wei YiChen took advantage of this rare freedom and went to Starlight Park to find Xu Lian. Meanwhile, Xu Lian was putting the finishing touches on her final order. After this, she could immediately deliver them, finally giving her at least two days of free time.


    When Wei YiChen arrived, Xu Lian was taking care of the many plants and flowers in her store. After her Anthurium got injured the last time, she had consciously taken more care of it. She was afraid that if she didn¡¯t pay serious attention to it, she would accidentally feed it to death.


    Wei YiChen slowly tiptoed towards her from behind, wanting to surprise her. But as soon as he got close, Xu Lian had turned around with a shovel in her hands. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Wei YiChen¡¯s hands drew a big arc, and pretending to stretch, he said: ¡°Nothing, nothing, just wanted to exercise for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Do you need to that in here?¡± Xu Lian asked, deadpan.


    ¡°No¡­.¡± He followed Xu Lian as she went to the cash register. With a smile, he asked: ¡°Are you free tonight? I¡¯ll treat you to some dinner.¡±


    Xu Lian looked up at him and replied: ¡°I don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s Sunday, so a lot of people are going out.¡±


    ¡°Then how about tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Can you even go out tomorrow?¡± Wei YiChen had been low-key nowadays. When she thought about it, Xu Lian figured it was because his family was keeping an eye on him.


    Wei YiChen sneered. ¡°I go when and where I want to go. Who can stop me, ah?¡±


    Xu Lian tilted her head and looked behind him. ¡°Those two men in black probably can.¡±


    Wei YiChen turned around and frowned. It was the bodyguards his father had hired for him. They were responsible for keeping an eye on him, and unexpectedly, they found him.


    But whatever, his motorcycle could outrun any car they had.


    Wei YiChen looked back at Xu Lian and said: ¡°I¡¯ll take you out to play after I settle things with my family.¡±


    Then after putting his hands in his jean pockets, he left.


    Zhang GuoEr soon arrived and passed the departing Wei YiChen. Seeing his pitiful look, she took out her little notebook and wrote a few things before entering the store. She then took a small red box from her backpack and handed it to Xu Lian: ¡°Boss, this is for you.¡±


    Xu Lian looked at the box. On the red packaging were large Arabic numbers and the words ¡®ultra-thin¡¯.


    Xu Lian silently gave her a pointed stare. Zhang GuoEr couldn¡¯t stand the weight of the stare and exclaimed: ¡°It was a local product my friend brought back from her trip to Japan!¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­¡±


    What an amazing local specialty.


    ¡°She said it¡¯s super thin, and it moisturizing too!¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­¡±


    Zhang GuoEr shyly explained: ¡°But I¡¯m still a baby, so I can¡¯t use that kind of thing. I thought I¡¯d give it to you instead.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t use this either.¡± Xu Lian gave the box back to her then left to go up the studio on the second floor. Zhang GuoEr curled her mouth, then ran to the lounge and stuffed the box into Xu Lian¡¯s bag.


    Later, when Xu Lian came home from work, she opened her handbag, only to see the red box inside, right on top.


    She was silent for a few seconds, calmly moved the box aside, then took out her home keys and opened the door.


    After cooking and eating a simple bowl of noodles, Xu Lian went to her workshop to start packing some gift boxes. Because she didn¡¯t have any other hire, she did everything from making the candles to packaging the gift boxes herself.


    The printing factory had already sent over 200 sets of gift boxes. Each looked exactly the same and was as big as a handbag. Xu Lian and Zhang GuoEr had packed everything into her car, and then she brought them home. Each gift box would have two scented candles, a gypsum board, and two honeycomb wax sticks. Xu Lian managed to pack 30 gift boxes before stopping to check the time.


    It was half-past eleven.


    The bowl of noodles that she had cooked didn¡¯t fill her up very much. Xu Lian¡¯s brain was telling her that eating at such a late hour would make her fat, but she still unconsciously reached for her mobile phone and opened the takeout app.


    They should still do deliveries at this time, right?


    The takeout app had prudently displayed several late-night snake stores. She looked for a while, then ordered 20 barbecue sticks. She didn¡¯t waste time writing a note. After Xiang ChangKong told her that the orders were given to them in an automated system, she stopped writing notes in her orders.


    Xiang ChangKong was currently on the night shift. When he saw the company¡¯s system message him Xu Lian¡¯s order, his hands slowed. He thought he had been safe when he didn¡¯t get a single order from Xu Lian this afternoon. Unexpectedly, she still placed an order so late in the night.


    He looked at the order. She bought food in a nearby barbecue place, and all the dishes were meat.


    Eating so many greasy foods this late? Girls don¡¯t eat at night, do they?


    He put his phone away and rode his scooter to the barbecue place. He had been very cautious these past two days, especially during peak times, because he had been worried about what he should do or say if he ever received an order from Xu Lian.


    But well, as long as he continued to deliver takeout, and as long as Xu Lian continued to order takeout, he couldn¡¯t hide from her forever.


    The problem was with him and his thoughts.


    After getting Xu Lian¡¯s takeout, Xiang ChangKong drove to Xu Lian¡¯s neighborhood and to the address written in the order. He had delivered a lot of meals to Xu Lian already, but this was the first time he was delivering something to her house.


    Since it was late at night, the security detail was more strict. But seeing Xiang ChangKong¡¯s familiar face, the security man let him without too much trouble. Speaking of which, the security in Xu Lian¡¯s neighborhood was pretty good. In other places, while there were a few young men doing security guard jobs, they would often be in and out as they found better jobs. In the end, the guards would eventually become retired elders.


    But in Xu Lian¡¯s neighborhood, most of the security guards were veterans. Despite being a small neighborhood, it was pretty secure.


    Xu Lian lived at building 8, at a prime spot. Not only was she in the middle floor, but she wasn¡¯t living in between two neighbors. Building 8 was a six-story building, and Xu Lian lived on the fourth floor. When Xiang ChangKong entered, a resident was going on the elevator, so he just followed them in.


    The resident in the elevator with him looked at him and asked: ¡°It¡¯s already midnight, and someone¡¯s still ordering takeout? It¡¯s been hard on you.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled and replied: ¡°We get different shifts. And we only deliver until 3:00 a.m.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s still quite hard.¡± The resident sighed and left the elevator on the third floor. Xiang ChangKong stayed until the fourth floor, then finally arrived at apartment 402.


    Although he tried to psych himself up the entire way to Xu Lian¡¯s house, he still couldn¡¯t help but get nervous. Finally, he took a deep breath, and rang Xu Lian¡¯s doorbell.


    Xu Lian quickly came to her front door and saw Xiang ChangKong standing outside. After a second of hesitation, she blurted: ¡°Xiang ChangKong, it¡¯s you.¡±


    Xu Lian had written ¡®Xiang ChangKong¡¯ in many of her orders, but she had never actually said his name out loud right in front of him. When Xu Lian said his name, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s heart practically leaped out of his chest. She only needed to say his name, and he was already a mess.


    ¡°Well, well, ah, hello, your order is here.¡± Xiang ChangKong struggled to lift a corner of his mouth and raised his hand to pass Xu Lian¡¯s order to her.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Lian took the delivery, but didn¡¯t immediately go inside. She looked at Xiang ChangKong and asked: ¡°You¡¯re still delivering food this late?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong blinked. ¡°Well, I¡¯m on the night shift today. I don¡¯t get off until midnight.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Xu Lian held the takeout in her hand and leaned against the doorframe. She looked at Xiang ChangKong for a long time. ¡°Do you want to come in and sit down?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no.¡± Xiang ChangKong¡¯s tone was urgent. ¡°¡±Our company has strict regulations with that sort of thing. We¡¯re not allowed to enter a customer¡¯s home while delivering food.¡±


    Xu Lian took out her phone from her pocket and turned it on. The number on the screen jumped from 23:59 to 00:00.


    ¡°You¡¯re off work now.¡± Xu Lian said, pointing the phone screen towards Xiang ChangKong.


    ***


    Xiang ChangKong CANNOT catch a break LOL

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    ¡°You¡¯re off work now.¡± Xu Lian said, turning her phone screen towards Xiang ChangKong.


    Seeing Xu Lian¡¯s phone displaying 00:00 in large white numbers, Xiang ChangKong was speechless for a moment. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for him to enter a young woman¡¯s home during the day, let alone now at midnight.


    Seeing Xiang ChangKong failing to reply, Xu Lian asked: ¡°Or do you still have something to deliver?¡±


    ¡°No, no.¡±


    ¡°Then come in and sit down. I ordered a lot of barbecue sticks, and I don¡¯t think I can eat it all myself.¡±


    ¡°This¡­this isn¡¯t very good¡­.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xu Lian¡¯s eyes were clear, and she looked straight at him, as if there was absolutely nothing weird with a man going into her home at such a late hour.


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t know what to say. It felt like he was the only one who had these dirty thoughts.


    ¡°You really helped me out last time, but I never had the chance to properly thank you. I¡¯m inviting you in for some dinner to express my thanks.¡± Xu Lian¡¯s reasoning was sound. She stood by the door and waited patiently for his answer. Xiang ChangKong pursed the corner of his mouth before finally agreeing: ¡°Alright. Excuse me.¡±


    Xu Lian found him a pair of slippers and placed it by the door. Putting on the slippers, Xiang ChangKong followed Xu Lian inside.


    Past a collection of plants was a spacious living room. One side of the wall was filled with black and white tiles and had a white sofa with two pillows of the same color. Xu Lian went to the kitchen to grab a plate and placed it on the coffee table that was in front of the sofa. She turned to the still-standing Xiang ChangKong and said: ¡°Come and sit down.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± Xiang ChangKong felt a bit shy. He was worried that his clothes might dirty her pristine sofa, so he sat at the very edge. Xu Lian squatted near the coffee table, tore open the foil containing the food, and passed a stick. ¡°Here¡¯s some beef.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Xiang ChangKong accepted a stick but didn¡¯t start eating.


    Xu Lian transferred the rest of the food onto the plate, then standing up to throw away the foil, she asked: ¡°What do you want to drink?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡±


    Xu Lian thought for a bit as she went into the kitchen, then opened her fridge to look around. There were a few cans of beer which would pair nicely with the barbecue. But Xiang ChangKong would be driving home. That would be considered drink driving, wouldn¡¯t it?


    In the end, she didn¡¯t take out the beer and instead got the last two oranges that she had to make two glasses of orange juice.


    When Xu Lian brought the glasses out, she saw Xiang ChangKong still sitting in the exact same posture when she had left, the barbecue stick still in his hand. The word ¡®cute¡¯ traveled through Xu Lian¡¯s mind, though her expression stayed as blank as ever.


    She placed a glass of orange juice in front of Xiang ChangKong then said: ¡°Why didn¡¯t you start eating? Do you not like beef? Do you want some chicken instead?¡±


    ¡°No, no, I can have beef.¡± Xiang ChangKong finally took a bite of the skewer in his hand. The barbecue smelled great, and there were a lot of seasonings put in the meat. The meat was covered in sauce, but Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t taste any of this.


    Xu Lian took a skewer and sat down on the sofa beside Xiang ChangKong. As soon as she got close, Xiang ChangKong sat straighter.


    His nervousness was obvious to Xu Lian. So to help him relax, she initiated a conversation. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you deliver so late.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°I don¡¯t know about other companies, but our company delivers until 3:00 a.m.¡±


    ¡°So late? wouldn¡¯t all the restaurants be closed?¡±


    ¡°Some restaurants close late. But don¡¯t eat late so often, it¡¯s not good for your health.¡±


    ¡°Well, I actually seldom eat supper. It¡¯s just that I got caught up in packing some gift boxes, so I got really hungry.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong could tell. In the brief conversation they just had, she had already eaten two sticks of beef and a rib. She had said earlier that she had ordered too much and wouldn¡¯t be able to finish, but Xiang ChangKong thought that her order might not actually be enough for her.


    After finishing the skewer in his hand, he didn¡¯t reach for another stick and sipped some orange juice instead. It was very late at night, and everything was silent. When they stopped talking, the silence was a hundred times larger than it would be during daylight.


    ¡°¡­.You live here alone?¡± Xiang ChangKong asked.


    Xu Lian nodded. ¡°I wanted to be closer to Starlight Park, so I moved here. My parents live somewhere else. My parents don¡¯t usually stay in one place very long, though. My father works at construction sites and usually moved as the projects move. My mother follows him.¡±


    When you include the conversations he had with her in her store, this was the most Xu Lian had ever talked to him. The conversation even related to her family.


    Xiang ChangKong liked talking with her, even if he was mostly a listener.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you eat another stick?¡± Xu Lian noticed Xiang ChangKong had been holding onto the orange juice for quite a while now. She handed him several sticks and said: ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, thank you.¡± Xiang ChangKong hastily received her offerings. Xu Lian had handed him a bunch of chicken wings and several ribs, very high-calories.


    Meanwhile, Xu Lian was happily eating some chicken wings with her hands. After eating, she took a paper towel to wipe her hands. ¡°I have a little store employee, do you remember her? She¡¯s very curious about you.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was puzzled. ¡°Curious?¡±


    ¡°Un.¡± Xiang ChangKong picked up her glass of orange juice and took a sip. ¡°She¡¯s a budding screenwriter and is particularly interested in observing people.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s why.¡± No wonder. Whenever Xiang ChangKong came to do a delivery, he felt that she would always look at him with inquisitive eyes.


    ¡°I think she would be eager to do an interview with you. Since I have this chance, I think I¡¯ll help her by asking a question. How do you feel about your work?¡±


    ¡°How do I feel?¡± At this, Xiang ChangKong couldn¡¯t help chuckling. This kind of ¡®feelings¡¯ question sounded like something a teacher would ask their student.


    After thinking for a while, Xiang ChangKong answered: ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything particularly special about it. Though I am curious, why don¡¯t people cook very much nowadays?¡±


    ¡°Pfft-¡± Xu Lian laughed at her glass. ¡°Maybe they can¡¯t do it, like me.¡±


    After saying this, Xu Lian looked at Xiang ChangKong said: ¡°Oh, when I went to your house last time you were cooking. Do you know how to cook?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was a little embarrassed as he answered: ¡°I¡¯m not that good at it. I¡¯m just OK.¡±


    ¡°Next time you¡¯re free, why don¡¯t you come by and teach me how to cook? I¡¯ll pay you for tutoring me.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong froze when he heard this. Seeing his lack of reply, Xu Lian pouted, vaguely looking like an unhappy child. ¡°You don¡¯t want to?¡±


    ¡°No, no, wait, I mean, you don¡¯t have to pay me.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s mouth curved up ever so slightly. ¡°Deal.¡±


    ¡°Ah, good.¡± Xiang ChangKong felt like he was doing something incredible. He and Xu Lian were like old friends, sitting together and gossiping while they ate barbecue.


    This was something he hadn¡¯t dared to imagine when he stepped into Xu Lian¡¯s home.


    His eyes couldn¡¯t help but gravitate towards Xu Lian again. At her home, Xu Lian looked relaxed and natural. She wasn¡¯t wearing any lipstick, so instead of the usual deep red, her lips were a light pink, like peach blossoms in early spring.


    Her black hair wasn¡¯t in its usual high ponytail, but was just casually gathered to the back of her head and fixed with a hairpin.


    Xiang ChangKong had always thought that she looked cool and strong whenever he saw her in her shop, but he also liked this casual and relaxed Xu Lian. It gave him the illusion that they were close.


    ¡°What are you looking at? Is there something on my face?¡± Xu Lian subconsciously raised her hand to touch her face.


    ¡°No, no.¡± Quickly moving his gaze, Xiang ChangKong looked down at the orange juice he was holding. Xu Lian stood up with her own empty glass and asked him: ¡°Do you want some water? It¡¯s easy to get thirsty when eating barbecue.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll just finish this juice.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied. With the barbecue finished, it¡¯s almost time to go.


    When Xu Lianleft to get some water, Xiang ChangKong drank the remaining orange juice in his glass. He then stood up, ready to say his goodbyes.


    Meanwhile, Xu Lian opened her fridge to see only half a lemon left in it. She cut two slices and put them in some water. When she returned, she saw Xiang ChangKong standing up, as if he was preparing to leave.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Xu Lian asked him.


    Xiang ChangKong nodded. ¡°It¡¯s already pretty late. Thank you for your hospitality.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Xu Lian felt a little down, and she took a sip of her lemon water. The sour taste made her feel a bit better as she walked him to her door. Xiang ChangKong¡¯s heart was also feeling a little stuffy. Before the opened the front door, he turned back to Xu Lian and started: ¡°Oh, by the way¡­.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure what he saw in that coffee shop. Should he tell Xu Lian? Relationships between men and women were sensitive, and something outsiders shouldn¡¯t concern themselves with. But if that person really was dating other girls, what about Xu Lian? If he clearly saw something happening but didn¡¯t tell Xu Lian¡­could he be considered an accomplice?


    ¡°What is it?¡± Xu Lian stopped and stood there, looking at him. The living room light shined from her back, giving her profile a fuzzy layer of light.


    ¡°Um¡­Is that man I saw in your shop before your boyfriend?¡±


    Xu Lian was stupefied by the question. Then she realized who he was referring to. ¡°Wei YiChen? Who told you he was my boyfriend?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was also shocked by her reply. ¡°Isn¡¯t he? I¡¯ve seen him in your store several times, and your relationship with him looks good¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Xu Lian interrupted Xiang ChangKong and began to seriously reflect on whether she and Wei YiChen were getting too close. ¡°The people who came to trash my store also thought I was his girlfriend. That¡¯s why they tried to make trouble. But Wei YiChen and I are just friends who¡¯ve known each other for a long time.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong opened his mouth, but no sound came out. So he got it wrong? They were just friends, and not boyfriend and girlfriend.


    Ah¡­good thing he didn¡¯t just blurt out the blind date he saw Wei YiChen attending in that coffee shop.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you mention such things all of a sudden?¡± Xu Lian asked.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Since he isn¡¯t your boyfriend, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied.


    Xu Lian thought about it for a while, but couldn¡¯t understand why he would suddenly ask about Wei YiChen. But now that they were in this subject, it suddenly reminded her of another thing. ¡°By the way, how¡¯re your injuries?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost better.¡±


    ¡°Really? Show me.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong subconsciously started to cover himself with his hands. ¡°It¡¯s really alright, much better.¡±


    But Xu Lian wasn¡¯t fooled. Last time she saw his knee injury, it looked very serious. She hadn¡¯t been sure if it would heal with just some medicinal alcohol.


    ¡°Let me see.¡± Xu Lian saw that he really didn¡¯t want to. Accepting that maybe they didn¡¯t really have time for him to take off his clothes, she asked for the next best thing. ¡°Then at least let me see the injury on your face. Don¡¯t move.¡±


    Xu Lian went to her tiptoes. It seems that the wound on his face has recovered very well. Compared to what it looked like when she saw him last in his home, the wound looked much lighter. Xu Lian moved closer to scrutinize the bruise more clearly.


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s heart was just about to jump out of his chest. Xu Lian was so close that he could feel her eyelashes sweep across his face whenever she blinked. But he couldn¡¯t move any further, as his back ended up completely pasted against the wall.


    Xu Lian was still studying the injury on his face. Her hand raised to touch his face, and she gently pressed on the bruised skin: ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t answer. He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, his voice would completely expose his emotions.


    Feeling his tense muscles, Xu Lian looked up into his eyes. His deep black eyes, just like last time, looked like a deep endless lake. When their eyes met, Xiang ChangKong quickly looked away. But even though he looked away, their breaths inevitably tangled together due to their close distance.


    They were so close, neither knew whose heart was beating loudly.


    Thump, Thump.


    Xiang ChangKong knew he can¡¯t stay here a second longer. Before Xu Lian hates him, he has to leave immediately.


    But before he could move away and open the door, Xu Lian wrapped an arm around his neck and kissed his lips.


    Xiang ChangKong totally forgot to breathe.


    Xu Lian¡¯s lips were much softer than he had ever imagined. It was so soft, his heart felt like it was sinking into cotton. Xu Lian¡¯s body instinctually moved closer to his¡¯, making Xiang ChangKong¡¯s body erupt in flames.


    He wanted to come closer. Even if it would make her hate him, he wanted to be close.


    Xu Lian did it at the spur of the moment. She wanted to do it, so she did. But she didn¡¯t expect it to feel so good. Xiang ChangKong¡¯s masculine scent fascinated her.


    small NSFW warning (If you want to skip this, go find the next NSFW)


    What came next was utterly beyond her expectations. Suddenly, Xiang ChangKong whirled her around, and her back ended up stuck on the door. He began to kiss her back, their bodies so close there was no gap.


    The two people were like two trains, running faster and faster that they were on the verge of derailing.


    But neither wanted to stop.


    Xi Lian was wholly immersed in kissing Xiang ChangKong. She could feel his hot body temperature, his tense muscles, his burning breath, and his heart pounding restlessly, seemingly affected by the atmosphere.


    When she came back to her senses, she realized that she was pressed down on the sofa by Xiang ChangKong. Her hair had been undone, her shirt unbuttoned, and the collar off her solders. Xiang ChangKong had always been gentle to her whenever they happened to meet. But right now, he had an aggression that Xu Lian couldn¡¯t refuse.


    And honestly, she didn¡¯t want to refuse.


    She turned her head a little to the side, letting his kisses fall to her neck and collarbone, one by one. Her vision was becoming fuzzy, but she could still see her handbag at the end of the sofa. Embracing Xiang ChangKong, she reached out with her foot to hook the bag over.


    Just as she was about to succeed, the handbag fell and its contents spilled all over the ground.


    Xiang ChangKong shifted slightly. Looking down at the source of the noise. There, amongst some cosmetics, was a particularly eye-catching small red box.


    He picked up the box, and while panting, asked: ¡°Were you looking for this?¡±


    ¡°Nn¡­¡± Xu Lian was panting even faster than he was, her chest heaving. She looked at Xiang ChangKong, her eyes so dark it looked like dripping ink. Xiang ChangKong asked him: ¡°Are you sober?¡±


    (T/N: He¡¯s not asking if Xu Lian is drunk, he¡¯s asking if Xu Lian is clearheaded and is lucid to understand what she¡¯s doing.)


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Xiang ChangKong breathed a few more times, then leaned over and kissed Xu Lian on the corner of her mouth. He turned and whispered in her ear: ¡°I don¡¯t want you to regret it.¡±


    Don¡¯t regret it later, after everything¡¯s been said and done.


    Xu Lian¡¯s hands went up to hook Xiang ChangKong¡¯s lips, and she pulled him down to kiss his lips. She felt that it wasn¡¯t enough. She wanted to know more about him, to feel his breathing, and have his sweat on her skin.


    She didn¡¯t remember how long they did it. Xu Lian only remembered that they went from the sofa to the bedroom, then to the bathroom, and then finally back to the bedroom. For the first time ever, she fell asleep on someone else¡¯s chest, their heartbeat lulling her to slumber.


    NSFW end


    The birds singing outside and the sunshine falling through Xu Lian¡¯s window woke Xiang ChangKong. His brows unconsciously moved, and Xiang ChangKong slowly opened his eyes. A strange ceiling, a strange bed, a strange environment. Xiang ChangKong was confused for a long second, before last night¡¯s memories quickly rushed back.


    He suddenly turned his head to the side. Xu Lian wasn¡¯t there.


    His heart plummeted like a rollercoaster. What happened last night? Was it just a dream? No way, it felt too real. He could still feel the scratches Xu Lian had given him on his back.


    But this made him panic again, and he didn¡¯t know how to deal with this feeling. How would last night be determined as? Xu Lian¡­.what does she think about it?


    He lay on the bed for a long time, his thoughts chaotic. The finally, Xiang ChangKong sat up and¡­found that he wasn¡¯t wearing a single thing. Looking around, he saw his trousers on the ground. Xiang ChangKong hastily put them on, a little embarrassed. Then he opened the bedroom door and called out in a low voice. ¡°Xu Lian?¡±


    The house was quiet, and no one answered. It looked like he was the only one there.


    With slightly drooping eyes, he stood there for a while. Then he took out his phone from his pant pocket and looked at the time.


    He slept until ten in the morning.


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­..¡±


    He had always been a disciplined person. Even during rest days, he had never slept this late.


    Fortunately, he just did a night shift, so he wasn¡¯t late for work.


    Xiang ChangKong went back inside and got properly dressed. He then went into the bedroom¡¯s adjoining bathroom, planning to wash his face and then leave. But when he went to the bathroom, something immediately caught his eye. Written in lipstick, a message was on the mirror.


    ¡°I went to the shop. Feel free to do whatever you wish.¡±


    At a speed visible to the naked eye, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s expression lightened, and his cheeks turned red. His heart rate started to accelerate uncontrollably.


    He stared at the red text for a long time before he managed to gradually recover his discordant breathing.


    The color of the lipstick she had used was Xu Lian¡¯s favorite red, the color he would see her use the most. There was a tube of lipstick on the counter next to the sink. Its color was similar to the one used on the mirror. Xu Lian should have written the note with this lipstick.


    Xiang ChangKong picked up the tube and opens it to have a look. The lipstick had a very unique design. Xiang ChangKong noted that while it was cylindrical, it was like a diamond, giving it a gorgeous cut surface.


    It was a very dazzling red.


    There was a key-like shape on the lipstick case. It should be the logo of the brand, but Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t recognize it. He took a photo of the lipstick with his phone, then cleaned up the message on the mirror.


    After a simple wash, Xiang ChangKong found his uniform coat in the living room and put it on. As he passed the dining room, he saw a pair of chopsticks on the table.


    He noticed the plate they used for the barbecue, and the glasses they used for the orange juice were by the sink, unwashed. The cup she used for her breakfast was also in the pile. Xiang ChangKong helped her wash the dishes, then picked up a sandwich that had been left on the table. He wrapped it and placed it back in her fridge.


    After this, he took his things and left Xu Lian¡¯s home.


    His scooter was still parked outside. As he left, the security guard saw him passing the gate and was surprised. ¡°When did you come in?¡±


    The person on duty last night had obviously already changed shifts. This new security guard on the day shift naturally didn¡¯t see Xiang ChangKong enter the neighboorhood. Xiang ChangKong¡¯s face felt a little hot. Probably making a fool of himself, he stuttered a few words and escaped, then started to drive towards the company.


    He didn¡¯t know how Xu Lian was feeling right now. He had been so fierce last night, did he hurt her?


    At first, when he saw the things in Xu Lian¡¯s bag, Xiang ChangKong thought she had some experience. But he soon found that it was also her first time. He remembered Xu Lian¡¯s pleads of mercy in his ear, her fingers scratching his back¡­.No, no, he shouldn¡¯t continue this line of thought.


    Xiang ChangKong accelerated his scooter, and let the cold wind beat his face.


    Minutes before he was to be considered late, Xiang ChangKong successfully managed to card in. As he left the company to start on some orders, he happened to bump into Brother Wang, who was also about to leave. Brother Wang saw him and was surprised. ¡°Xiao Xiang, why are you so late today?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was usually very diligent. Even when he got injured, he didn¡¯t ask for some leave.


    Xiang ChangKong naturally didn¡¯t respond, only replying with a ¡®hm.¡¯ Brother Wang looked around carefully to see if there was anyone around. Then in a low voice, he asked: ¡°How have things been with you and that Xu Lian lady?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong sadly couldn¡¯t control his ears from becoming hot. Brother Wang saw his ears becoming redder and redder. With a smile, he said: ¡°Alright, you don¡¯t have to say anything, I know.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°Just please invite me to drink some of your wedding wine, hahaha!¡±


    Xiang ChangKong laughed along with him, but as he walked away, his gaze gradually sunk. Wedding wine? Will there even be such a day?


    What was his relationship with Xu Lian now? Boyfriend and girlfriend? Or ¡®419¡¯?


    (T/N: 419 is slang for having a one-night stand with someone.)


    Xiang ChangKong knew that when Xu Lian calmed down, she would probably regret last night.


    He knew, but he still couldn¡¯t control himself.


    If Xu Lian started to hate him because of this, it would all be his fault.


    Today, Xu Lian didn¡¯t order takeout at noon. Instead, she walked to a famous restaurant street in Starlight Park to buy some food. Starlight Park had a road dedicated to food shops, and the dessert shop she frequently collaborated with, ¡®Sugar Honey Heart,¡¯ was also on this street. But Xu Lian seldom bought food in Starlight Park because they were usually more expensive than outside food.


    So when Zhang GuoEr saw her come back with food from Starlight Park, she was surprised. And when she saw that she also had a share, she was delighted. Dancing, she exclaimed: ¡°Wow, Boss is really generous today!¡±


    ¡°Since we just finished a big order, I thought we could treat ourselves to a good meal.¡± Xu Lian replied.


    ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± Xu Lian¡¯s order for 200 gift boxes has been successfully completed this morning. In the afternoon, someone will come to check and receive them. If there was no problem, they could be packed up in boxes to be sent.


    Zhang GuoEr happily sipped a spoonful of soup. ¡°Ah, although it is more expensive, the taste is truly excellent. Way better than anything!¡± Way more delicious than the chicken rice set they usually ordered.


    ¡°Un.¡± Xu Lian replied noncommittally, before asking: ¡°By the way, that ¡®local specialty¡¯ you gave me yesterday, does your friend have any more?¡±


    (T/N: omg Xu Lian you don¡¯t just ask that)


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    It took Zhang GuoEr the strength of nine cows and two tigers to stop herself from spurting out the soup in her mouth.


    It would be a lot of money she was spurting out if she did so.


    She tenaciously swallowed the soup and silently looked at Xu Lian for a long while.


    What¡¯s the meaning of this? Yesterday she said she didn¡¯t need such things. Why wasn¡¯t it the same today? And¡­there were four in a box. Did she use them all? No, no, no, the point is, who did she use it with? Brother Chen? Or that takeaway brother?


    Zhang GuoEr¡¯s thoughts were written all over her face. Even the usually cold Xu Lian couldn¡¯t help but get embarrassed for a little while.


    ¡°Forget it, pretend I didn¡¯t ask.¡± Xu Lian picked up a spoon and began to eat her own food.


    Zhang GuoEr¡¯s disordered thoughts finally started to become clear, and she felt that many of the small things she noticed this morning suddenly made sense! The Boss was wearing heels that were much lower than usual, and her foundation was much thicker this morning¡­but was this enough evidence? After all, the Boss was wearing her typical cool, deadpan face, ah.


    Oh but, wasn¡¯t she wearing a high collar chiffon shirt today? Is it to cover a few scandalous marks?


    Zhang GuoEr suddenly felt like she was somehow related to Sherlock Holmes.


    ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Zhang GuoEr pretended to cough and said: ¡°My friend only gave me one box, but she also sells some over the internet. If you want, I can give you her WeChat.¡±


    The lounge was quiet for a long minute. Then Xu Lian¡¯s voice rang out: ¡°Ok.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr: ¡°¡­..¡±


    After their meal, Xu Lian went upstairs to prepare for the product inspection this afternoon. Zhang GuoEr stayed downstairs alone. She raised her pen, then put it down. She raised her pen again but put it back down.


    She felt like she had a thousand thoughts in her heart that she wanted to express. But when she opened her notebook, she didn¡¯t know how to start.


    This action was repeated for who knows how many times before she finally wrote something to summarize today¡¯s events.


    ¡®Art originated from life, but it cannot be life.¡¯


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t go home last night, so he wasn¡¯t able to make breakfast and lunch for his mother today. So as soon as his break started, he rushed home. He knew there were some biscuits in the fridge that she could eat, but his mother couldn¡¯t have biscuits for both breakfast and lunch. He bought three dishes and some soup from a nearby stir fry shop and then trotted up to their home.


    The sunshine at 1:00 p.m. was just right. Weng ShuLi was leaning on the sofa by herself, basking in the sun with her eyes closed. There was a box of open biscuits on the table. She only ate two pieces. Maybe she doesn¡¯t like such sweet snacks.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m back. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± Xiang ChangKong opened the dishes and set them on the table one by one. Weng ShuLi opened her eyes and watched him, not moving.


    Ever since Weng ShuLi became ill, she had never spoken to anyone. Her expression was always numb. It looked like she had no longer been able to express any emotion. But at this moment, Xiang ChangKong felt that when she looked at him, her eyes were questioning.


    This was the first time he had ever he stayed out all night.


    He put down the chopsticks in his hand and looked down at the table. ¡°Mmm¡­.there were a lot of late orders yesterday. I delivered them late, and ended up falling asleep in the company.¡±


    Weng ShuLi looked at him for a while, then got up, walked to the table, and picked up her chopsticks to eat.


    After lunch, Weng ShuLi went back to the sofa and closed her eyes. Xiang ChangKong folded all the packaging boxes and threw them in the trash can. He also replaced the trash can with a new plastic bag. There wasn¡¯t much left, but Xiang ChangKong felt that their leftovers would be enough for dinner if he added one more dish. He fried a few things in the kitchen and figured his mother could just heat it up later and eat.


    After finishing all this, he looked up the time and saw that it was past 3:00 p.m. Xiang ChangKong looked towards Weng ShuLi and said: ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll be going first. Sleep early.¡±


    Weng ShuLi opened her eyes and just looked at him. There was no speck of emotion in her eyes, but Xiang ChangKong felt that she saw right through him.


    ¡°I, I¡¯ll be back tonight.¡± Xiang ChangKong said, suddenly shy.


    After he left, Xiang ChangKong drove his battery scooter faster than usual. He tried to let the cold wind cool his burning heart.


    He wanted to know how Xu Lian was doing. He can go straight to Starlight Park to visit her, or he could call her. He has her phone number in his cell.


    But he had been dragging his feet. As long as he didn¡¯t contact Xu Lian, he could still delude himself a little- she didn¡¯t hate him, and she didn¡¯t regret last night.


    Xu Lian was busy all afternoon. The gift boxes had passed inspection, and once she packed everything, they could be delivered. She and Zhang GuoEr had managed to finish packing everything at half-past six. They closed the store and finally went back home.


    When she left that morning, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s scooter had still been parked in front of her building. But now, it was gone. Xu Lian had tried to look for it specifically before driving her car into the underground parking garage.


    Xu Lian went up to her home and opened the door. Placed nearby was a pair of slippers, the one she had given to Xiang ChangKong yesterday. She smiled, put on his slippers, and went inside.


    She had woken later than usual today and didn¡¯t manage to do her morning run. She even had to eat breakfast in a rush. She remembered leaving the dining table and kitchen in a mess, but now, it was spotless.


    Ah¡­how could Xiang ChangKong be so hard-working.


    She went into her bedroom and saw the quilts stacked properly, her bathroom mirror spotless. Ah, not only did he clean up her note, he cleaned the entire mirror spotless.


    Xu Lian looked up and saw her smile reflected in the mirror.


    She stared at herself for a few seconds. She hadn¡¯t known before. That thinking of someone could make you smile without you realizing.


    She thought of last night, of his passion, and strong muscles. They had been so emotional then, but whenever she felt that she couldn¡¯t bear anymore, he would stop and gently reassure her.


    His low, gasping voice next to her ear was like the most affectionate caress, even making the pain addictive.


    Xu Lian discovered something about her that she hadn¡¯t known before. It turns out that she was¡­a crazy person.


    She took out her phone, found the WeChat of Zhang GuoEr¡¯s friend, and sent a friend request.


    Becoming friends just so she could purchase something wasn¡¯t the best of reasons, but this friend did have more of those little red boxes. Xu Lian sent a photo she had taken of the box earlier.


    Xu Lian: Hello, may I ask if this is still available?


    Big Buyer: Hello there, yes, that¡¯s domestic stock. I can deliver it tomorrow.


    Big Buyer: How many boxes would you like?


    Xu Lian: How many boxes do you have left? I¡¯ll buy them all.


    Big Buyer: ¡°¡­..¡±


    Big Buyer: Alright, please send me your address and phone number.


    Xu Lian typed in her address and phone number.


    Xu Lian: When will it arrive?


    Big Buyer: Since you¡¯re in City A, when I send the goods off tomorrow, you¡¯ll receive them the day after tomorrow.


    Xu Lian calculated that the day after tomorrow would be a Thursday. She happens to be off on that day.


    She went to her WeChat contacts and chose to add a friend via mobile phone number. Swiping down, she went through her contacts, then stopped at the X column.


    Xiang ChangKong.


    Xu Lian¡¯s mouth curved in the corners, and with a tap, she added him.


    Xiang ChangKong had been so busy that evening that he didn¡¯t even have the time to eat dinner. But this kind of hectic night also helped him forget about Xu Lian temporarily. At 8:00 p.m., he finally had a little break, so he bought some food and sat by the side of the road to eat. As he did so, he noticed that he had a new friend request on WeChat.


    The user had an aromatherapy candle as their icon, and their username was MONSTER.


    It was Xu Lian.


    Xiang ChangKong felt air slowly escaping his lungs, and stared at the friend request as if in a trance.


    The entire day he had tried to escape reality, but in the end, Xu Lian took the initiative and contacted him. But well, this was Xu Lian¡¯s style. She had always been the assertive type.


    He did something wrong last night. No matter the reason for Xu Lian seeking him out now, whether it was to scold or hit him, Xiang ChangKong resolved to accept it all without a complaint.


    He accepted the request and edited the name to ¡®Xu Lian.¡¯


    Xu Lian soon got a notification of this.


    Xu Lian: Xiang ChangKong?


    Xiang ChangKong: Nn.


    Xu Lian: Last night, didn¡¯t you promise to come and teach me how to cook? My shop is closed on Thursdays. Are you free then?


    Xiang ChangKong: Huh?


    ***


    OHMERGHAD THIS CHAPTER. I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT.


    I knew Xiang ChangKong was more passive (you can just read the utter lack of self-confidence), but I honestly didn¡¯t expect Xu Lian to go yolo and just kiss him. Anyways, I was super excited. This chapter was a long one (triple the usual word count), but man, I didn¡¯t want to split it.


    Also, I understand why they ended up straight to bed instead of the usual dating first. It was too much of a buildup for Xiang ChangKong, he was WAY too attracted to her. On Xu Lian¡¯s side, the only reason she hadn¡¯t done this before was because she had never been interested in anyone before. She¡¯s someone who does what she wants, when she wants. She doesn¡¯t care for conventional thinking, and if she wants to bone the guy, she¡¯s boning him.


    I feel that because they now have something like this between them, that something deeper will develop. Because years of friendship (Wei YiChen) sure didn¡¯t work with Xu Lian.


    The title is ¡®Slowly Falling for ChangKong¡¯, not ¡®Slowly waiting to bone ChangKong.¡¯ I laugh.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    ***


    At Xiang ChangKong¡¯s ¡®What?¡¯ Xu Lian raised a brow.


    Xu Lian: What? Are you canceling?


    Xiang ChangKong: No, no.


    Xiang ChangKong: I just have to look at my schedule first.


    Xu Lian: OK, let me know if it looks optimistic.


    Xiang ChangKong: OK.


    After Xiang ChangKong sent this, Xu Lian no longer responded. But he kept the chat open, not logging out just quite yet.


    Staring at the brief chat they just had, Xiang ChangKong read it over and over again before finally touching the keyboard.


    Xiang ChangKong: How are you feeling?


    Xu Lian looked at her phone and smiled.


    Xu Lian: Feeling great.


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­..¡±


    No, wait, did she just say she was feeling great?


    Xiang ChangKong: I, I mean how is your body feeling?


    Xu Lian: Oh¡­


    Xu Lian: I feel alright, just a little tired. I¡¯m planning on going to bed early.


    Xiang ChangKong: Oh, then quickly go to sleep, I won¡¯t bother you anymore.


    Xu Lian: Remember to check your schedule.


    Xiang ChangKong: Un, I¡¯ll tell you tomorrow morning.


    ¡°Hey, Xiang ChangKong! We meet again.¡± Cheng Peng parked his scooter next to Xiang ChangKong. Under the street light, Cheng Peng noticed something. ¡°How come your face is so red, ah?¡±


    Quickly putting his phone away, Xiang ChangKong packed up his food. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look like it¡¯s nothing.¡± Cheng Peng gave him a playful look. ¡°Did you get a girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°No, no.¡± Xiang ChangKong headed for his scooter, planning to escape this conversation immediately. Cheng Peng called out to him: ¡°You¡¯re going already? But you haven¡¯t even eaten yet!¡±


    ¡°I just got another order, I¡¯ll eat later.¡± After saying this, Xiang ChangKong rode away. Watching his retreating figure, Cheng Peng thought of a particular phrase.


    To flee in defeat.


    Tut, tut, tut, young people these days. They fall in and out of love so quickly.


    Cheng Peng didn¡¯t go after Xiang ChangKong. Instead, he sat on the side of the road and hummed as he ate his food.


    Xiang ChangKong rode to another street and parked and ate his food. He took out his phone and opened his chat log with Xu Lian again. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he opened his chat log with Xiang Nuan.


    She should be studying right now. Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t want to disturb his sister while she was studying, but there was no one else he could ask.


    He sent Xiang Nuan the picture he took of the lipstick this morning and asked: ¡°Do you know what brand this is?¡±


    Xiang Nuan was currently taking a break when she hears her phone vibrate. Taking a look, she was surprised to see that is was her brother. Xiang ChangKong rarely sent her WeChat messages when she was in school. What¡¯s more, she didn¡¯t expect him to ask her such a question.


    Xiang Nuan: That looks like the lipstick Big Sister used the last time I saw her!


    Xiang Nuan: I¡¯ve checked it out before, that lipstick costs more than 600 yuan in China. Wu wu wu [crying]


    (T/N: the text in [brackets] are emoticons or react photos I¡¯m guessing. The raw is like this and not actual emoticons, so just imagine some emoticons.)


    Sure enough, the lipstick Big Sister uses isn¡¯t something she could afford.


    Xiang ChangKong: What brand is it?


    Xiang Nuan: Why? Do you want to buy it for her?


    Xiang ChangKong:¡­


    This lipstick was Xu Lian¡¯s favorite, but she used it to write him a message on her mirror. Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t know if it could be used again. He really wanted to buy her another tube of the same brand and color.


    Xiang Nuan: Are you stupid, ah [crying while laughing], what would be the point of getting her the exact same lipstick that she already owns [crying while laughing]?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: Eh?


    Xiang Nuan: I know you clueless men don¡¯t understand such things! Buy her a different brand or color!


    Xiang ChangKong: Why?


    He didn¡¯t know what other kinds of lipsticks Xu Lian would like. At least with this one, he knows for sure that she¡¯ll like it.


    Xiang Nuan: [picture]


    Xiang Nuan: This is BUNNY¡¯s new lipstick, Serenade 007. It¡¯s the same general style.


    Xiang Nuan: But this is suuuper hard to buy, the entire world ran out of stock [smile].


    Xiang ChangKong:¡­..


    Xiang Nuan: I have to go, need to study now [smile].


    Xiang Nuan said she was going to study, so Xiang ChangKong had no other choice but to let her go. He studied the lipstick she had sent him, planning on going to the department store in Starlight Park to see if they had it there.


    Xiang ChangKong was on the day shift the next day. He entered the company and punched in, then looked at the schedule nearby. He was still on the day shift tomorrow.


    He took out his phone and sent Xu Lian a message.


    Xiang ChangKong: I¡¯m on the day shift tomorrow. I don¡¯t get off work until 8 p.m.


    Xu Lian: OK


    Xiang ChangKong: Isn¡¯t that a little late?


    Xu Lian: Doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯ll wait for you.


    Xu Lian: Can you send me a copy of your schedule?


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s face was turning red again. Xu Lian¡¯s words reminded him of some couples who exchanged course schedules in university.


    He took a picture of the schedule and sent it to Xu Lian.


    Xu Lian: OK, got it.


    ¡°Xiao Xiang, good morning!¡± Brother Wang and Brother Wu came into the room and saw Xiang ChangKong, so they said hello. Like a thief caught in the act, Xiang ChangKong quickly put away his phone and said hello.


    He went to his locker to change into his uniform. Brother Wu looked at Xiang ChangKong¡¯s back and whispered to Brother Wang: ¡°I think something¡¯s going on with Xiao Xiang.¡±


    Brother Wang gave him a profound smile: ¡°Hehe.¡±


    Brother Wu: ¡°¡­.¡±


    After working through the morning, Xiang ChangKong stopped for his break at 2 p.m. He hastily ate a simple lunch, then rode his scooter to Starlight Department Store. It was the biggest department store in A City, and had many cosmetic counters on the first floor.


    Xiang ChangKong found a spot to park his scooter, and after thinking about it for a bit, he took off his uniform coat before entering the store.


    Xiang ChangKong, a native of A City, had watched this department store grow from nothing more than some concrete blocks into the largest department store in the city. But he hadn¡¯t visited the store very much. He used to come here with his mother in sister, but nowadays¡­


    While lost in thought, he spotted the counter for BUNNY. There wasn¡¯t a lot of people around it, and as soon as he approached, the young lady operating the counter warmly greeted him. ¡°Hello sir, would you like to choose something for your girlfriend?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was very embarrassed. He took out his phone and showed her the picture Xiang Nuan had sent him last night. ¡°Do you have this lipstick?¡±


    The young lady looked at the photo then apologized. ¡°Excuse me sir, but Serenade 007 is currently out of stock. 006 is quite close to this color though. Would you like to see it?¡±


    Looking at the 006 lipstick tube that she handed to him, Xiang ChangKong thought about it. The young lady helped him onto the back of his hand. The color was a gentle kind of red.


    ¡°Do you have a redder color?¡± Xiang ChangKong felt that Xu Lian liked warmer, bolder red tones.


    ¡°How about this one, its a kind of liquid lipstick.¡± The young woman passed him another tube, and helped him smear it on his hand.


    This color was much redder than the other one. It looked like a blooming rose, and was similar to the lipstick Xu Lian often used. Xiang ChangKong figured that Xu Lian would like this one, so he picked up the tube and examined it.


    The young woman asked: ¡°Your girlfriend usually wore something similar to that shade?¡±


    Hearing her say ¡®girlfriend,¡¯ Xiang ChangKong became even more embarrassed. ¡°A-ah, yes, I often see her wearing something similar.¡±


    The young woman replied: ¡°Oh, then she may already have this shade. You have to pick a different shade. After all, no woman will like getting identical lipstick colors.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong recalled his conversation with Xiang Nuan. It seems that she said something similar.


    The young woman helped him choose another color and smeared some on the back of his hand. ¡°This one is another liquid lipstick that¡¯s very popular. It colors the lips in a rich red very similar to wine. It¡¯s mellow and looks gorgeous, your girlfriend should like it.¡±


    With three different kinds of red smeared on his hand, Xiang ChangKong couldn¡¯t tell which from which anymore.


    ¡°We only have one more box in stock. I can wrap it for you if you¡¯re satisfied with this.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong had been troubling her for such a long time, he didn¡¯t want to say no. Besides, the color of this lipstick really was beautiful, so in the end, he replied: ¡°Alright, please wrap it up for me.¡±


    The young woman took out the last box from a cabinet and rang it up for him. She then said: ¡°Sir, if you leave your phone number with us, we can contact you right away if Serenade 007 does come back in stock.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes please, thank you.¡±


    After paying, Xiang ChangKong wrote down his phone number and left. After a while, the young woman took out her phone and sent out a message in her group chat.


    Boyfriends never let me down [smiles].


    (T/N: She means boyfriends looking to buy something for their partners never fail to purchase something)


    On Thursday, Xu Lian woke up early to receive packages containing the small red boxes that she had bought. With several packages in her arms, she went back into her home and opened them up.


    Hm, she¡¯ll have to put some under a sofa pillow, and most certainly under her bed pillows. What about the bathroom? Should she put some there? Thinking back to their many accomplishments during that night, Xu Lian placed a box behind her toiletries by the counter.


    After cleaning up, she decided to go out and buy some vegetables. After all, Xiang ChangKong was supposed to teach her how to cook.


    Xu Lian¡¯s neighborhood didn¡¯t have a vegetable market in the vicinity. The nearest one was a ten-minute drive away. However, there was a vegetable supermarket just outside the community called Starlight Farm. The prices would be higher compared to vegetable markets, but Xu Lian heard that fresh vegetables were transported to Starlight Farm every day.


    (T/N: Instead of stalls [vegetable market], there¡¯s a supermarket specializing in vegetables.)


    Xu Lian usually passed the supermarket every time she drove to work, but she had never gone in. Now, as she stepped inside, she saw that they had a huge variety of vegetables.


    ¡°Welcome! Our vegetables are grown on our own farms and delivered fresh every day. Please feel free to browse.¡± When the clerk saw a first-time customer, he immediately greeted her.


    Xu Lian wasn¡¯t the type of person who thought about what vegetables to buy beforehand. She would often just walk around, follow her gut, and buy whatever. After browsing for a few minutes, she opened her WeChat and sent Xiang ChangKong a message.


    Xu Lian: What vegetables do you like?


    Xiang ChangKong: You can buy what you like.


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t expect Xiang ChangKong to reply so quickly this time!


    In the end, Xu Lian bought a lot of vegetables that she liked to eat. She paid for everything, then from the vegetable supermarket, went to a general supermarket and bought some meat. Looking at the fresh shrimp they had today, she decided to buy some too.


    Xiang ChangKong should be able to cook shrimp, right?


    After buying all this, Xu Lian went home. S placed all the shopping on the table, took a picture of it, then sent it to Xiang ChangKong.


    Xu Lian: The ingredients are ready, the only thing missing is the chef.


    Xiang ChangKong: Do you have any seasonings?


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­¡±


    She went into her kitchen and opened her seasoning cabinet.


    Xi Lian: [picture] only soy sauce and vinegar.


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡­..


    How does she live like this?


    Xiang ChangKong typed up some seasonings and sent it to Xu Lian. Xu Lian looked at the list and felt a headache coming on.


    Xu Lian: So many seasonings exist in this world?


    Xiang ChangKong: That¡¯s right.


    Xu Lian: Alright, I¡¯ll go buy it now.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    ***


    At 7:00 p.m. Xiang ChangKong set his status at ¡®busy¡¯ when he didn¡¯t get any orders. He didn¡¯t want to keep Xu Lian waiting and go hungry, so he rushed and managed to ring her doorbell at exactly 8:00 p.m.


    ¡°Xiang ChangKong, you¡¯re here.¡± Xu Lian opened her front door and greeted him.


    When he saw Xu Lian, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s thoughts couldn¡¯t help but wander, especially when he saw several hickeys on her exposed neck.


    A record of their accomplishments.


    ¡°¡­.¡± Xiang ChangKong suddenly turned bright red, his breathing becoming erratic.


    ¡°Come in.¡± Xu Lian bent down and brought out a pair of slippers for him. As he slipped off his shoes, Xiang ChangKong noticed something. It was a different pair to the ones he wore last time. These look brand new.


    ¡°Are¡­are these new?¡±


    ¡°Nn.¡± Xu Lian nodded. ¡°I saw them while I was in the supermarket. I thought the blue color would suit you, so I bought it. You can wear them from now on.¡±


    His gaze turning limp, he put on the slippers.


    Later¡­


    ¡°What do you have in your hand?¡±


    After Xu Lian asked, Xiang ChangKong offered her the bag. ¡°Oh, these are some fried dumplings I bought on the way here. I was afraid you¡¯d be hungry, so I thought you could eat these first to tide you over.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go get a plate for it.¡± Xu Lian went into the kitchen and took a plate, two bowls, and two pairs of chopsticks. Setting the table, she said: ¡°You have some too.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll just start cooking.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied. Then, he slowly took out a small paper bag from his backpack and handed it to Xu Lian. ¡°This¡­this is for you.¡±


    Xu Lian had just taken a bite of a dumpling. After hearing Xiang ChangKong¡¯s words, she looked up towards him. In his hand was a small pink paper bag with a pair of rabbit ears printed on in. It was the logo of BUNNY.


    ¡°Lipstick?¡±


    ¡°Nn.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t say anything else, so Xu Lian took the paper bag and took out the lipstick. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s this one. I wanted to buy this, but they were out of stock the last time I checked.¡± Xu Lian raised her head and gave Xiang ChangKong a smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°N-no, no, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s mouth raised a little more. She went out to the living room and took out a small mirror. ¡°Let me try it.¡±


    Xu Lian had light-colored lips, so she didn¡¯t need a lot of lipstick to stain her lips. After applying the lipstick, she rubbed her lips together. The color was a full red with hints of peach. It was as if she had just drunk some wine, and the drink accidentally stained her lips.


    She turned towards Xiang ChangKong, who had been standing nearby and asked: ¡°How does it look?¡±


    ¡°Good, looks good.¡±Xiang ChangKong finds that he always seems to end up stuttering when next to Xu Lian.


    Xu Lian smiled again. Taking a step forward, she hooked an arm around Xiang ChangKong¡¯s neck and stands on her tiptoes. She then kissed the side of his neck, leaving a distinct lip print on the skin.


    ¡°Nn, it¡¯s pretty.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    His entire body was frozen, but his neck quickly began to turn red, and his ears started to look like they were burning.


    Xu Lian laughed as she leaned on a table. After a long while, Xiang ChangKong managed to come back to his senses. Still stammering, he said: ¡°L-let me cook first.¡±


    He was so jittery that he even forgot to wipe away the lipstick mark on his neck. Xu Lian didn¡¯t remind him, and instead followed him back into the kitchen.


    Opening the fridge, Xu Lian looked at Xiang ChangKong. He looked at its contents and said: ¡°We can make three-color chicken with garlic shrimp and some vermicelli soup. Is that alright?¡±


    (T/N: Three color chicken is ¼¦Èâ³´Èý¶¡. I took some liberties when translating this. Basically, stir-fried chicken with cucumber and carrot [all diced], hence the ¡®three-color.¡¯ )


    Xu Lian: ¡°You¡¯re the chef, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Then wash these first, I¡¯ll deal with the shrimp.¡± Xiang ChangKong picked up a lotus root, some lettuce, and some carrots then handed them to Xu Lian. After this, he started to peel the shrimps.


    Xu Lian doesn¡¯t really have much cooking experience, so she was somewhat nervous when she picked up the knife. But Xu Lian had fairly dexterous hands due to her job, and Xiang ChangKong gave her some helpful tips, so she managed to dice the carrots.


    When she finished dicing the carrots, Xiang ChangKong was pretty much done peeling the shrimp. Taking the kitchen knife from Xu Lian, he said: ¡°I¡¯ll cut the set of it, you can run some water through vermicelli and mix them up with some soy sauce.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Lian took out a big bowl and put the vermicelli noodles in it. When she turned around, she became overwhelmed by the exquisite technique Xiang ChangKong was displaying. ¡°You cut so fast, aren¡¯t you afraid of accidentally cutting yourself?¡±


    ¡°Practice makes perfect.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied. ¡°I¡¯m used to it.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Xu Lian went back to the noddles and turned on the faucet to fill the bowl with water. After a while, she drained the water and took out a bottle of soy sauce. ¡°How much soy sauce do you want?¡±


    ¡°Just a little, don¡¯t pour too much.¡±


    Xu Lian thought about it, then asked: ¡°Do I need a dropper?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Xiang ChangKong¡¯s hands that were cutting the vegetables stopped for a moment. ¡°Dropper?¡±


    Xu Lian nodded. ¡°When I make my gypsum boards, I usually need to pay attention to the ratio of water and gypsum. When I need to use tiny amounts of water, I use droppers to control how much I put in.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong bit his bottom lip and said: ¡°We don¡¯t need to be that precise in cooking. You can just eye-ball it.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± As Xu Lian opened the soy sauce, she couldn¡¯t help but taunt him a little: ¡°But I can¡¯t cook ah. People always say words like small, little, or appropriate amount, but in the end, just how much does that mean?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled. ¡°You have to get a feel of such things.¡±


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t answer and after staring at the bottle of soy sauce in her hand, poured a few drops into the noodles. ¡°How¡¯s that? Is that enough?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You can pour some cooking wine into the shrimp, then mix it with some chopsticks.¡±


    ¡°How much wine?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong chuckled then said: ¡°An appropriate amount.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong finished cutting all vegetables and transferred them into a small bowl. He then chopped up a small clove of garlic, fried it until it turned into a golden color, then dropped in the shrimp Xu Lian had covered in wine. ¡°OK, now we¡¯ll let it steam for ten minutes.¡±


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t expect cooking shrimp to be that simple. ¡°What do we do now?¡±


    ¡°You can wash some onions and cut them into shreds.¡± Xiang ChangKong said. ¡°I¡¯ll fry the chicken while the shrimp is cooking.¡±


    ¡°OK.¡± Xu Lian figured shredding an onion would be easier than dicing some carrots.


    The two people stood at the counter, each busy with their respective jobs. Xiang ChangKong secretly glanced at Xu Lian, a warm and sweet feeling surging up from his heart.


    They were like newlyweds.


    They continued to be busy until they finally finished all the dishes at half-past eight. Xu Lian helped Xiang ChangKong bring all the plates to the table, and also carried two bowls of fragrant white rice out. She had bought the rice in Starlight Farm that morning. The clerk said they grow their rice themselves.


    ¡°Ah, this rice smells really good. Really worth its price.¡± Xu Lian took out her phone and snapped some pictures of the food on the table. ¡°I¡¯ll show my mother so she can stop saying that I only cook noodles.¡±


    Xu Lian sent the photo she just took to her mother and added the message: ¡®Made at home.¡¯


    Her mother replied immediately with a voice message. Xu Lian pressed the message to listen and heard her mother say: ¡°Girl, did you get a boyfriend? How come you have two bowls of rice on the table?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xu Lian pressed the record button and sent a voice message back to her mother: ¡°I¡¯ll introduce him to you when you come back.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was startled, and he looked up to her. Could this be considered her acknowledging it?


    Xu Lian put down her phone after she sent her message. She picked up her chopsticks and was about to start when she noticed Xiang ChangKong looking at her from the other end of the table. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong hesitated for a few seconds, but then figured it was better to say something now and clear things up. ¡°What you just said to your mother¡­were you serious?¡±


    ¡°What? Introducing you to her?¡± Xu Lian tilted her head. ¡°You don¡¯t want to?¡±


    ¡°No, no.¡± Xiang ChangKong clenched at the chopsticks in his hand. He was afraid to look at Xu Lian in the eye. ¡°What is our relationship now?¡±


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t answer immediately and instead looked at him with interest. The silence in the room became so overwhelming that Xiang ChangKong could hardly breathe.


    ¡°What do you think it is?¡± Xu Lian asked him back. ¡°Good friend? Or¡­¡±


    ¡°No, not¡­¡± Xiang ChangKong was anxious to deny this thought, but he couldn¡¯t say anything else.


    ¡°If not, then it has to be boyfriend and girlfriend, right? Or are you just playing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not either.¡±


    The conversation ended abruptly. They continued to stare at each other until Xiang ChangKong turned red again. He said: ¡°Eat, eat, the dishes aren¡¯t going to taste good when they¡¯re cold.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡±


    Although Xiang ChangKong came here today to teach her how to cook, she never actually did much. Xu Lian hadn¡¯t tasted Xiang ChangKong¡¯s food before, so when she took a bite of the garlic shrimp, Xu Lian was amazed. ¡°This is delicious. This garlic shrimp tastes like something you would eat in a restaurant, really good.¡±


    Xiang Nuan would usually praise his cooking, but when Xu Lian does it, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s heart pounded. ¡°Then you should eat more.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong pushed the plate towards Xu Lian. Xu Lian noticed that there wasn¡¯t anything other than rice on his bowl, so she took the biggest shrimp and placed it in his bowl. ¡°Eat more.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I can do it myself.¡±


    Xu Lian ate two bowls of rice that night, with the two dishes and the one soup Xiang ChangKong wiped clean. As she washed the dishes, Xu Lian became a little worried. Eating so much tonight, she would definitely need to run tomorrow morning.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t need my help?¡± Xiang ChangKong stood at the kitchen door and looked at Xu Lian, who was by the sink. Xu Lian shook her head and said: ¡°No, I overate, so I need to digest. I can just install a dishwasher next time.¡±


    Back when she was planning the layout of her apartment, she only remembered to set aside some space for an oven. She forgot all about having a dishwasher. In the end, the oven had never been used once, and she would be washing dishes from time to time. Planning to have a dishwasher installed now wasn¡¯t impossible, it would just be a little troublesome to place.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be out in a minute. Go ahead to the living room and watch some TV.¡±


    Xu Lian continued to wash the dishes without saying any more. After finishing, she walked to the living room.


    Xiang ChangKong wasn¡¯t watching the TV and was instead leaning on the balcony railing, watching the distant sky. The night wind was gently blowing his hair, black tendrils caressing his forehead.


    Xu Lian had never observed a man so carefully. His facial features, his mouth, his jaw, his Adam¡¯s apple, and his melancholy temperament that the night wind couldn¡¯t quite disperse.


    He looked like he was about to merge with the night.


    Xu Lian had always known that she couldn¡¯t get too close with other people, as trouble will always inevitably come. She had always abided by this self-imposed rule whenever she made friends. But with Xiang ChangKong, even if she knew things would sure become troublesome, she would gladly accept it all.


    Because she didn¡¯t want to just stand here and look at him.


    Xu Lian walked over, leaned on the railing beside him, and asked: ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled and shook his head. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Xu Lian looked at his profile for a while, then said: ¡°How can it be nothing when you look like that? Let¡¯s talk about it. Let older sister enlighten you.¡±


    ¡°Older sister?¡± Xiang ChangKong frowned.


    ¡°Yep.¡± Xu Lian nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been out of university for two years.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong looked out into the distance for a while before turning to her with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been out for three.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xu Lian doesn¡¯t believe it. She had always thought that Xiang ChangKong was younger than her. ¡°How old are you this year?¡±


    ¡°Twenty-four.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m twenty-four too. What month are you?¡±


    ¡°March.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­¡±


    I lost.


    Xiang ChangKong, who rarely looked anything other than shy, watched her with interest. ¡°How many months are we apart?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in July.¡± Xu Lian said, looking very unwilling.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯m older.¡± Xiang ChangKong said with a smile.


    ¡°¡­¡± Xu Lian curled her lips. ¡°Naive.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong uttered a low laugh. He doesn¡¯t know who was more naive between the two of them.


    Xu Lian was quiet for a few moments then asked: ¡°You¡¯ve only started delivering takeout recently, right? What were you doing before?¡±


    Looking up at the boundless night, Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°I used to work in a top 500 company.¡±


    ¡°Why did you quit?¡±


    ¡°Because I needed money.¡± Xiang ChangKong was silent for a while. Then he slowly explained: ¡°Our company was a big company, but it was still developing. As you know, in big companies, you would usually get promoted little by little, with your salary increasing year by year. So for the first few years, the salary you get is actually pretty low. Plus, I was just an undergraduate back then, so I wasn¡¯t the most memorable among the bunch of graduate students.¡±


    Xu Lian became a boss right out after graduating. She didn¡¯t go out to find a job, but she still knew the workplace culture. It was true that newly graduated students were often seen as cheap labor. They would need to stay in the company for three, five, seven years before they could actually make a start.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been to my house. You know my mother is ill, right? Her treatment is still ongoing. My sister is also going to university soon. I need money. Delivery jobs don¡¯t need such a long time compared to big companies. As long as you deliver a lot, the salary can be relatively high.¡±


    Xu Lian thought for a moment, then said: ¡°It¡¯s true that delivering takeout can net you more money, but your future prospects certainly aren¡¯t as good as working in a big company. Your accumulation of two years working in the company became fruitless.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t in the position to consider such things.¡± In addition to his mother and sister, he also needed to save money. Otherwise, there would be nothing he could do if an accident or an emergency ever happened. ¡°And at that time, some unpleasant things were happening in the company.¡±


    Xu Lian was still full of questions. What about his father? What exactly was wrong with his mother? These questions lingered in her mind, but in the end, she never said them aloud.


    Xu Lian thought back to the books she saw on his desk, along with the wooden plane. She thought of how he would always look up at the sky with melancholic eyes.


    ¡°Xiang ChangKong.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°You learned aircraft design in university, right?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong looked at her in surprise. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    Xu Lian answered: ¡°I saw some books in your room related to it. Since you studied it, why change your profession?¡±


    ¡°I used to work in that industry, but I changed jobs because of the salary issue. It was also hard to find another job in the same industry.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied.


    ¡°But you like flying, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong looked at her for a long time, not speaking. This was probably one of the things that attracted him to Xu Lian. No matter the situation, she would always be frank and open with him.


    ¡°Flying¡­¡± he whispered into the night. ¡°I finished my undergraduate, but I didn¡¯t go to the Institute.¡± After graduating, he had intended to further his studies in a flying research institute.


    ¡°I happened to come across a webpage saying that a graduate school was recruiting students.¡± Xu Lian commented. ¡°Did you want to sign up?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes slightly trembled as he looked out at the distance. Like the dark night, they descended into silence again.


    Xu Lian looked at him and said: ¡°If it¡¯s money, there are other ways to solve it. But when it comes to things you really want to do, you shouldn¡¯t give up so easily.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He leaned over the balcony in silence, staring at the dark sky. The stars that were reflected in his eyes disappeared.


    Just how much weight did he have to bear, for him to show such an expression? What happened that made him give up his passion?


    For the first time, Xu Lian felt heartache for a person.


    ¡°Xiang ChangKong.¡± Xu Lian called out to him.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Xiang ChangKong looked at her.


    Xu Lian: ¡°Do I look good?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Having been caught off guard, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s heart grew restless. ¡°G-good looking.¡±


    ¡°Then do you want to bang?¡±


    (T/N: Xu Lian says a Chinese slang here which roughly translates to ¡®Applause love.¡¯ It makes no sense context-wise in English, so I¡¯m just putting another word here. Basically, she¡¯s asking if he wants to papapa.)


    ¡°A-ah, no!¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s heart practically jumped out of his chest. He was so nervous that he instinctively said no. With a raised brow, Xu Lian asked: ¡°You don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°No, no!¡±


    ¡°I want to.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xu Lian stared at his red face, which had been expressionless just moments before. She smiled and said: ¡°So what are you waiting for?¡±


    Her smile was beautiful, but to Xiang ChangKong, it was like a deadly drug.


    He couldn¡¯t help but want to hold her. As soon as he got close enough, Xu Lian hugged his neck and jumped, wrapping her legs around him.


    Her whole body was hanging onto Xiang ChangKong. Xu Lian felt Xiang ChangKong¡¯s strong hands holding her tightly. Their breaths blended together, becoming more and more disordered. Xiang ChangKong gently put her against the wall, and with his lips so close to hers, asked: ¡°Let¡¯s go?¡±


    Xu Lian gasped and looked at him with watery eyes. ¡°Yes.¡±


    As Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes darkened, he took Xu Lian to the bedroom, and they fell to bed together. The two ignited each other¡¯s passion, and like two arrows strung, they were just about ready to go.


    ¡°How are you?¡±


    He still remembered their last time. Xu Lian looked at him and replied: ¡°I¡¯m OK.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll¡­¡± Whatever Xiang ChangKong said didn¡¯t register to Xu Lian. His breath swept across her skin, like the tickle of a feather. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him down.


    The temperature in the room kept rising. Their clothes were soon thrown to the ground haphazardly, and a small red box in the corner had been opened. Hugging Xu Lian, Xiang ChangKong whispered in his ear: ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Like¡­¡± She liked everything about him.


    ¡°I-I also like¡­¡± Xiang ChangKong tried to articulate his feelings as he touched her like a dragonfly touches water.


    (T/N: the dragonfly touches the water lightly is an idiom meaning touching something very lightly)


    Xu Lian whispered his name again and again, and feeling emotional and overwhelmed, Xiang ChangKong could only respond to her.


    Afterward, they took a shower and laid down in the bed together to calm their disordered heartbeats.


    Xiang ChangKong was brushing Xu Lian¡¯s hair with his fingers. Her hair was soft and slippery, and it smelt pleasant. He rubbed the tip of his nose on Xu Lian¡¯s head and couldn¡¯t help sniffing. Meanwhile, Xu Lian had her face buried on his chest, listening to his powerful heartbeat. And so they comfortably stayed together, doing nothing but basking in each other¡¯s presence.


    After a while, Xiang ChangKong said: ¡°I need to leave.¡±


    Xu Lian frowned, then raised her head. ¡°Do you want to go back?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Xiang ChangKong kissed her on the lips and said, ¡°My mother is at home alone, so I¡¯m feeling a little uneasy. Also, if I don¡¯t go back, no one will cook for her tomorrow.¡± Even if it¡¯s quite late already, it would be better for him to go back late than not go back at all.


    Xu Lian thought about his sick mother. Thinking that she was alone at his home, even she couldn¡¯t help but be apprehensive for her. She looked at Xiang ChangKong again and asked: ¡°When will you come back then?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was stunned for a moment, and then he laughed.


    Xu Lian really is a frank person. Even her desire for him wasn¡¯t concealed.


    Xiang ChangKong leaned in and said in her ear: ¡°Call me, and I¡¯ll come.¡±


    Eventually, he got out of bed to look for his clothes. Xu Lian stayed on the bed and watched him dress. She found that it was quite an enjoyable thing to see someone get dressed.


    After getting dressed. Xiang ChangKong walked to Xu Lian¡¯s side and bent down to kiss her. ¡°Go ahead and sleep. Good night.¡±


    ¡°Un¡­¡± Xu Lian answered with a low voice, then watched him walk out of the room.


    Just as Xiang ChangKong left the building, he took out his phone and looked at the time. It was pretty late. He softly sighed and ran a hand through his hair.


    The phone in his hand suddenly vibrated. Xiang ChangKong opened his phone and saw that it was Xu Lian calling him. Worried that she was feeling uncomfortable, he quickly answered the call. ¡°Xu Lian? What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s voice came through the speaker: ¡°Xiang ChangKong, look back.¡±


    Turning around, Xiang ChangKong saw her on her balcony on the fourth floor, looking at him. She had her phone in one hand, and was leaning on the railing. Her soft, silky long hair was draped across her shoulders, like a shawl.


    A gust of night wind blew. Xu Lian took advantage of the wind and threw something towards him.


    It was a white paper plane.


    It was like a white light, tearing through the dark night and flying towards him.


    Xiang ChangKong picked up the paper plane that landed by his feet. Xu Lian said to him on the other end of the phone: ¡°Good night.¡±


    She then hung up and went back to her room. Xiang ChangKong stared at the paper plane in his hand, then unfolded it.


    On the white paper was a line of words.


    ¡®Death doesn¡¯t hurt. What hurts is living.¡¯


    The things that make you ache was just proof that you¡¯re alive.

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    ***


    When Xiang ChangKong arrived home, it was almost 2:00 a.m. in the morning. He usually worked at night, but he had never come home so late before. He was worried about his mother.


    Fortunately, his mother usually went to bed early, way before Xiang ChangKong usually came home. So maybe, she wouldn¡¯t even notice that he had come back late today.


    The house was so quiet he could hear his own breath. Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t turn on the lights and only looked towards his mother¡¯s door before tiptoeing into his room.


    Turning on the small lamp in his room, Xiang ChangKong took out the paper plane Xu Lian gave him. The white paper had been refolded back into a plane. After staring at it for a while, Xiang ChangKong placed it on his desk, beside the wooden plane.


    The wooden plane was given to him on his fifteenth birthday, made by his own father. He had just entered high school and decided to study the same thing his father did. To encourage Xiang ChangKong, his father made this plane for him.


    Xiang ChangKong had kept this small handmade representation of his father¡¯s hopes and dreams for him all this time.


    ¡°When it comes to things you really want to do, you shouldn¡¯t give up so easily.¡±


    What Xu Lian had said to him echoes in his ears. He looked at the white paper plane on his desk and slowly smiled.


    Uncle Hou also told him that he shouldn¡¯t give up like this, didn¡¯t he?


    Xiang ChangKong turned his computer on and clicked on the application page for post-graduates in the First Aircraft Research Institute.


    It was October 31 right now. The last day for registering.


    Xiang ChangKong stared at the application form for a while. Then, slowly, he typed his information and clicked submit.


    ¡®Congratulations, you¡¯ve signed up.¡¯


    After submitting the form, a dialogue box popped up on the screen. Xiang ChangKong¡¯s hand was still on the mouse, unmoving.


    Xiang ChangKong could hear his heart beating loudly.


    He had finally signed up.


    After turning off his computer, Xiang ChangKong fell to his bed.


    The next morning, when Weng ShuLi got up, Xiang ChangKong had already prepared breakfast. She wore her slippers and walked towards the kitchen. Standing by the doorframe, she watched Xiang ChangKong plating up some dishes. He turned around, noticed her, and smiled. ¡°Good morning, mom. Breakfast will be ready in a minute, go and wash up first.¡±


    Weng ShuLi stared at him, no expression on her face. This made people unable to tell what she was thinking.


    ¡°Is there something I can do for you?¡± Xiang ChangKong asked.


    Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t answer. She simply turned and walked away. Xiang ChangKong breathed out and continued plating.


    Today he was on the day shift, so after eating breakfast, he got ready to leave for work. When he left, he brought an insulated lunch box with him. Weng ShuLi looked at the lunchbox, but ultimately didn¡¯t seem to care.


    ¡°Mom, I made lunch, just heat it up later. I¡¯m going to work now.¡± After calling this out, Xiang ChangKong opened the front door and left. Weng ShuLi stared at the closed front door for a very long time.


    Xiang ChangKong continued to be busy, receiving orders throughout the day. At 11:00 a.m., he received an order to be sent to Starlight Park. He decided to visit Xu Lian¡¯s store on the way.


    Around this time was usually when Zhang GuoEr would start pestering Xu Lian to order takeout. Because Xu Lian had bought her a meal from one of the restaurants in Starlight Park before, Zhang GuoEr¡¯s tastebuds have become a little choosy. She even started looking down on the Wolong Kitchen they often ordered from before.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we order from a restaurant in Starlight Park? It¡¯ll be quick, and it¡¯ll be delicious.¡± Zhang GuoEr rubbed her hands together and asked Xu Lian.


    Xu Lian nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t care, as long as you don¡¯t think it¡¯s too expensive.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr: ¡°¡­¡±


    She decided to write ¡®stingy¡¯ in Xu Lian¡¯s page on her notebook later.


    As they debated which restaurant to go to, the bell by the store door chimed. Xu Lian turned and saw Xiang ChangKong walking in. Stunned, Xu Lian exclaimed: ¡°Ah? But we haven¡¯t ordered takeout yet.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s mouth slightly pursed. Very embarrassed, he replied: ¡°I cooked lunch this morning and made too much, so I brought some to give to you. Eating so much takeout isn¡¯t good for you.¡±


    Xu Lian was visibly shocked. But after a few moments, she snapped out of her daze and accepted the insulated lunchbox that Xiang ChangKong had been holding out towards her.


    Meanwhile, Zhang GuoEr was in the background, stupefied. Has she solved the case? The murderer who used the small red box appeared?


    (T/N: Remember she was likening herself to Sherlock Holmes a couple of chapters back? She¡¯s talking about the fact that she just solved the mystery of ¡®Who Did Xu Lian Use The Condoms With.¡¯)


    As Xu Lian opened the tiered lunchbox, Zhang GuoEr shuffled closer, attracted by the delicious aroma. The insulated lunchbox had three layers. One layer was filled with white rice, while the other two were filled with meat and vegetables, respectively.


    ¡°They¡¯re all homemade. I hope they suit your taste.¡± Xiang ChangKong explained.


    Xu Lian looked at Xiang ChangKong. Then suddenly, she smiled, hooked an arm around his neck, and kissed him. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s face immediately turned red. He didn¡¯t understand why Xu Lian acted with the same enthusiasm she had when they were in her home. After all, back then, it was just the two of them alone. But now, they were in her store in broad daylight, and even in front of a staff member¡­


    How can he continue to deliver orders here in the future¡­


    Zhang GuoEr was just as flustered as Xiang ChangKong, if not more. Her Boss is really¡­what¡¯s with this obvious affection? It doesn¡¯t look fake at all! And actually kissing in broad daylight?


    Fortunately, there weren¡¯t any guests in the store!


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be going. You can just return the lunchbox next time.¡± After saying this, Xiang ChangKong escaped. Xu Lian looked at his quickly retreating figure and couldn¡¯t help laughing.


    Arriving back to his scooter, Xiang ChangKong took a moment to get his breath back. He touched his lips. Xu Lian was using the lipstick he had given her. He could smell the faint peach fragrance.


    He looked towards the rearview mirror on his scooter and saw that his lips were tainted red, as if he had stolen a sip of red wine.


    His mouth involuntarily curved into a smile. As he wiped his lips with the back of his hand, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s phone chimed.


    Xu Lian: I just looked through your schedule. You have a day off tomorrow?


    Xiang ChangKong: Yeah.


    Xu Lian: Then let¡¯s go on a date.


    Xiang ChangKong had just managed to placate his heart when Xu Lian made it jump again.


    He was ashamed to say that despite being so old, he had never made an appointment with a girl before.


    Xiang ChangKong thought about it for a while, then replied to Xu Lian.


    Xiang ChangKong: Alright. Where do you want to play?


    Xu Lian: How about watching a movie and eating together? Most dates are like that, apparently.


    Xiang ChangKong: Ok, let¡¯s go to the cinema then have some dinner.


    Xu Lian texted him to wait a minute, then looked through the cinema website to check the movie showings.


    Meanwhile, Zhang GuoEr was sitting by the cash register, dutifully recording on her notebook: ¡®On the first day I found out Boss has a boyfriend, I suddenly began to miss her being the single one. Also, I expect to save a lot of my lunch money in the future because I¡¯m probably going to be fed a lot of dog food.¡¯


    Zhang GuoEr peeked at Xu Lian, who was currently leaning against a nearby wall, sending messages to Xiang ChangKong. Zhang GuoEr shook her head, flipped a few pages in her notebook, then wrote under the title Goal 0123: ¡®I expect information about the little brother to sharply decline for the next month.¡¯


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s rest day was always arranged to be on Saturdays because Xiang Nuan usually came back home on this day. He wanted to be free to make her delicious food to improve her well-being. It was the same this Saturday. He went early to the nearby vegetable market as usual and bought some vegetables. What was different this week was his uneasiness.


    Thinking about his date with Xu Lian later in the afternoon, Xiang ChangKong became so nervous he couldn¡¯t hold a kitchen knife steady. Whenever he met up with Xu Lian before, it would be in her house, and they would be doing¡­unspeakable things. This was going to be the first time they would be acting like a regular couple.


    Xiang Nuan had noticed Xiang ChangKong¡¯s anxious mood and had already asked him several times, only to be met with vague answers.


    After lunch, when Xiang ChangKong left to do the dishes, Xiang Nuan sent out a message in the group chat she had with her girlfriends.


    NuanNuan traveling the world: I think my brother is in love!


    Studying causes baldness: With whom? That big sister from last time?


    NuanNuan traveling the world: I think so! He bought lipstick for her the other day!


    Do a question for five minutes paralyzed for an hour: Oh, man (¡ä?`)


    NuanNuan traveling the world: I noticed my brother becoming absentminded ever since I came back. Did something happen with Big Sister?


    Studying causes baldness: Problems with their sex life?


    NuanNuan traveling the world: ¡­¡­


    Her brother already lost his virginity?!


    With red ears, Xiang Nuan closed the group chat and rushed to open her math notebook to calm herself.


    At 1:30 p.m., she heard a knock at her door. ¡°Nuan.¡±


    ¡°Brother? Oh good, I need help with a math question¡­¡± Halfway through her sentence, Xiang Nuan slowly closed her mouth. Her brother somehow changed his clothes after washing the dishes!


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t usually pay any particular attention to what he was wearing. As long as they were clean and dry, it would be good enough for him. But now, it was apparent that her brother was wearing a set of carefully selected clothes- a black low-necked sweater, a jacket, jeans, dress shoes¡­


    Xiang Nuan was pretty sure her brother searched up ¡®men¡¯s autumn clothing, date strategies¡¯ online.


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re so handsome today, brother!¡± Xiang Nuan put up her phone and immediately took pictures of him. Xiang ChangKong blushed and asked her, uncertain: ¡°Does it really look good?¡±


    ¡°Really great! the perfect demonstration of straight guy aesthetics!¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­¡±


    Is she implying I¡¯m not straight?


    Xiang ChangKong coughed and said: ¡°I have something to do, so I¡¯m gonna go out for a while. I may not come back for dinner in the evening, so just heat up the leftovers with mom later.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xiang Nuan nodded, then looking for gossip, she asked him: ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°N-nowhere.¡± Xiang ChangKong coughed again. ¡°I¡¯m going now. Don¡¯t you have homework? Write out the questions you don¡¯t know, and I¡¯ll look over them later.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about that, just go out there fearlessly.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Then I¡¯ll be going.¡± Xiang ChangKong closed her door and left. As he did so, Xiang Nuan opened her group chat and sent the photos she had just taken.


    NuanNuan traveling the world: My brother dressed up like this just to see Big Sister!


    Studying causes baldness: Your brother is so handsome, this Miss is so happy!


    NuanNuan traveling the world: What are you thinking of doing to my brother? (?¨Œ?)


    Do a question for five minutes paralyzed for an hour: Please pay attention to what time your brother arrives home tonight (?¨Œ?)


    Studying causes baldness: It¡¯s probably around the same time he comes home when Xiang Nuan isn¡¯t there (?¨Œ?)


    NuanNuan traveling the world:¡­


    No! Her brother is pure, he¡¯s not going to make a move on Big Sister!


    But¡­whether Big Sister will end up making a move on her brother¡­that she isn¡¯t sure of.

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    ***


    Xu Lian was currently working in her store today. She and Xiang ChangKong had an appointment to watch a movie at 3:20 this afternoon. After watching, they would go have dinner together. Seeing that it was almost time for them to meet up, she cleaned up her workstation, then went downstairs to talk to Zhang GuoEr. ¡°I¡¯m going to go out. Please close up at 6:30.¡±


    ¡°Alright Boss, walk slowly!¡±


    Xu Lian looked back towards her just as she closed the front door. Ignoring Zhang GuoEr¡¯s weird words, she turned back and walked towards her car. Right after Xu Lian left her line of sight, Zhang GuoEr immediately took out her small notebook and began writing: ¡°The Boss is going out on a date with that young brother. She even specially changed her usual lipstick to a different color! It turns out the Boss has a maiden¡¯s heart after all!¡±


    Xu Lian entered her car, then began straightening her hair using the rearview mirror. Just as she was about to start her car, she hears her phone ring. Thinking it was Xiang ChangKong, she immediately opened her bag. But when she took out her phone, the name on the screen was her mother¡¯s.


    She answered the call and confused, asked: ¡°Mom? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s mother replied with a happy tone: ¡°Daughter, I¡¯m at the airport right now. Come and meet me.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Xu Lian was silent for a while. Then she asked: ¡°Which airport?¡±


    ¡°Where else? A City International Airport, ah.¡±


    ¡°You came back? What about dad?¡±


    Mother Xu replied: ¡°Your father¡¯s project is still going to take a few more months to finish, so I came back alone. It¡¯s your father¡¯s doing. When he heard that you had a boyfriend, he urged me to go and have a look.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡±


    Xu Lian was quiet for a moment, before she said: ¡°OK, I¡¯ll go pick you up now.¡±


    After hanging up, Xu Lian softly sighed, then went to call Xiang ChangKong.


    While walking around the mall, Xiang ChangKong heard his phone ring. When he saw that it was Xu Lian, he quickly answered it and asked: ¡°Xu Lian, you¡¯re there already?¡±


    ¡°No, are you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I just arrived.¡± Xiang ChangKong looked at the time. There was still an hour before the movie started. ¡°It¡¯s still early, so take your time.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s tone was very apologetic when she replied: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my mother suddenly came back, so I have to pick her up from the airport.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong blinked. Her mother came back?


    Xiang ChangKong answered: ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, go pick up your mother first. We can go out next time.¡±


    Xu Lian frowned for a bit, the said: ¡®Why don¡¯t you go directly to my place? My mother actually came back to meet you specifically. Why not take advantage of this opportunity and fulfill her wish?¡±


    ¡°M-meet your mother?¡± Having a date suddenly turn into meeting the parents, Xiang ChangKong immediately went tense. ¡°B-but I haven¡¯t prepared anything.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°You don¡¯t need to prepare anything, just come to my house. She came back unannounced, after all.¡±


    ¡°Even if you say so, it¡¯s still not good to come empty-handed¡­.¡± Xiang ChangKong pursed his lips and thought about what to bring Xu Lian¡¯s mother. ¡°Well, I¡¯m in Starlight Mall right now, so I¡¯ll go and after I buy something.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­.¡± Xu Lian thought about it, then said: ¡°Alright, but you don¡¯t need to buy anything too expensive. It was only my mother that came back. We can have a proper meal when my father finishes his work and comes back.¡±


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll go shopping first.¡±


    ¡°Un, I¡¯ll see you later.¡± Xu Lian said her goodbyes, then drove towards the airport.


    Starlight Park wasn¡¯t far from the airport. If there¡¯s no traffic jams, it would only take half an hour to get there. Soon, Xu Lian met with her mother in the parking area. She opened the trunk of her car and put her mother¡¯s luggage inside. ¡°Why do you have so many things? Are you going to be here for a while?¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s mother replied: ¡°It¡¯s all local products your father bought you. He was afraid you were missing them.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Xu Lian closed the trunk and said: ¡°Go on in.¡±


    As they drove on the airport expressway, Xu Lian complained to her mother: ¡°Why¡¯d you come so quickly? I¡¯ve only been with him for a few days, and you already flew all the way here to see him.¡±


    With a sharp laugh, her mother replied: ¡°Talk to your father, ah, you think I wanted to come back? I was having the time of my life abroad.¡± She then turned and looked at the driving Xu Lian. ¡°But you also need to understand your father¡¯s worries. It¡¯s true that you¡¯re at that age where you should be looking for a partner, but you¡¯ve never once talked about a boyfriend. Not since you were a little kid. Now a marriage partner suddenly comes out of the blue, how can he not be nervous?¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine, fine. Anyway, I was going to meet up with him today, so you¡¯ll be able to see him today.¡±


    At Xu Lian¡¯s words, her mother immediately tensed up. ¡°What?! This child, really, I don¡¯t even have anything prepared!¡±


    Xu Lian laughed at her mother¡¯s words. ¡°What preparations? In the first place, didn¡¯t you rush back here to see a certain someone?¡±


    ¡°Still! I didn¡¯t think it would happen this quickly!¡±


    Seeing her reaction, Xu Lian¡¯s mood lifted. ¡°Isn¡¯t it such a coincidence that the day we planned to go watch a movie was the day you decided to arrive. Anyway, we have to meet up now; it isn¡¯t good to just let him go home empty-handed.¡±


    Mother Xu: ¡°¡­..¡±


    Mother Xu understood that because her movie plans fell through, her daughter was now taking revenge. My goodness, this daughter of hers.


    ¡°So, where are we going now? Your house?¡±


    ¡°Un.¡± Xu Lian nodded. She thought for a bit, then told her mother: ¡°I should talk to you about his situation. His name is Xiang ChangKong. He graduated from City A Engineering University-flying major-he¡¯s twenty-four this year, and currently works in the food delivery industry.¡±


    ¡°A delivery boy?¡± Mother Xu had been fixing her hair using a small mirror, but after hearing this, she turned towards her daughter quizzically. Xu Lian noticed her confusion and clarified: ¡°Oh, something happened at home, so he didn¡¯t continue his studies. After he graduated, he went straight to work. He did some work in a financial company before he started delivering food two months ago.¡±¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s mother took a moment to digest this information. Then she asked: ¡°What happened at home?¡±


    Xu Lian shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask. We only just got together, it wouldn¡¯t be good to ask. When you meet him later, don¡¯t ask him embarrassing questions, alright? You can ask me instead.¡±


    Mother Xu looked at her daughter and didn¡¯t speak for a long while. Xu Lian felt uncomfortable as her mother stared her down, so she asked: ¡°What?¡±


    Her mother smiled and replied: ¡°You¡¯ve grown so big now. I¡¯ve never seen you so interested in anything other than your business.¡± Xu Lian had a cold temperament ever since she was a child. Let alone a boyfriend, she didn¡¯t even have regular friends. When she used to pick up Xu Lian from school, she would see other children talking and laughing together, but her daughter alone, clutching at her backpack straps.


    The teachers would often contact her, saying that Xu Lian wasn¡¯t in any groups, nor did she play with other children.


    At first, Xu Lian¡¯s mother suspected that she was autistic and took her to a doctor to get Xu Lian properly checked out. But the doctor said that Xu Lian wasn¡¯t autistic. As she grew older, they also found that Xu Lian had no trouble communicating with people. Xu Lian just wanted to keep her distance and not be close to anyone.


    Xu Mother and Xu Father were naturally worried about her, but in the end, they relented. Everyone had their own path in life; as long as Xu Lian was happy, they would let her do what she wanted. They had actually prepared themselves long ago for Xu Lian to never date and get married. But now, out of the blue, Xu Lian actually said that she had a boyfriend.


    (T/N: I just wanna say, her parents are the best. They were ready to support their daughter, no matter her sexuality-or apparent lack of.)


    No wonder her father was so flustered. This really was a big deal.


    Xu Lian¡¯s mother told her: ¡°Now I want to see him even more. You and Wei YiChen have known each other for so many years, but I¡¯ve never seen you get even a little bit interested in him.¡±


    Xu Lian tutted. ¡°What¡¯s Wei YiChen got to do with me? He gives me nothing but trouble.¡± She then turned towards her mother and reminded her: ¡°About Xiang ChangKong, even though he¡¯s working as a delivery boy right now, you¡¯re not allowed to look down on him.¡±


    ¡°Aiya, if there¡¯s anyone I¡¯m going to be looking down on, it¡¯ll be you.¡± Mother Lu laughed. They graduated from City A Engineering Univerity. That¡¯s a well-known school, you know. Do you think just anyone can pass their exams? Didn¡¯t you go to some random diploma mill?¡±


    (T/N: A diploma mill is a place where you can basically get a diploma just by paying the fees. So you don¡¯t even have to work hard to study/pass your exams. As long as you pay, you get your papers lol.)


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Although her university couldn¡¯t compare to an engineering university, it¡¯s also a university, OK? Hehe.


    ¡°By the way, what major did you say he graduated with? Flying?¡±


    (T/N: I specifically put ¡®flying¡¯ instead of aviation because Xu Lian and her mother aren¡¯t too knowledgable with this topic. And also because that was the Chinese word used. Just thought I¡¯d clarify.)


    ¡°Un.¡±


    ¡°What does that major do? An airplane maker?¡±


    ¡°Almost. I think it¡¯s about designing airplanes. I¡¯ve read a few of his textbooks, but I don¡¯t quite understand them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be stranger if you did understand.¡± Mother Xu knew her daughter well. ¡°But, oh, your father builds things on the ground, and he builds things for the air, isn¡¯t this fate?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Well, you¡¯re not wrong.


    ¡°But don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you, once your boyfriend goes back to work, he¡¯ll be just as busy as your father. Your father is always running around building things. When your boyfriend starts building airplanes, he¡¯ll be the same.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Xu Lian pondered her mother¡¯s words, then asked: ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you divorced dad yet?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s because your dad begged me. Really pathetic.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± With a chuckle, Xu Lian said nothing more.


    As they were about to get off the highway, Xu Lian¡¯s mother, who had been silent for a while, suddenly sighed again. ¡°Ai, such a pity for such an excellent child.¡±


    Although she didn¡¯t say any names, Xu Lian knew she was talking about Xiang ChangKong. Xiang ChangKong hadn¡¯t explained much about his major, but just as her mother said, not just everyone could get into his university. What¡¯s more, his major was one of the most difficult ones. Who doesn¡¯t feel bad for all the hard work he put in?


    ¡°A few days ago, I saw that a research institute was looking for some graduate students. I don¡¯t know if he signed up or not.¡± Xu Lian told her.


    ¡°Research institute?¡±


    ¡°The First Aircraft Research Institute of City A. I checked it on the internet. It seems to be the best research institute in all of China. It produced a lot of famous designers.¡±


    One of those famous designers even had the surname Xiang.


    ***

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    ***


    When Xu Lian arrived back home with her mother, Xiang ChangKong hadn¡¯t arrived yet.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why your father put so many things in this.¡± Xu Lian¡¯s mother complained while she sorted out her suitcase. Xu Lian sat on the nearby sofa and sent a message to Xiang ChangKong.


    Xu Lian: Where are you?


    Xiang ChangKong: Just got off the train. I¡¯ll be there soon.


    Xu Lian: Alright, I¡¯ll pick you up.


    Xiang ChangKong: No, I can go there myself.


    Xu Lian: I want to (? ? ?)


    After closing her WeChat, Xu Lian stood up. ¡°He¡¯s almost here, I¡¯m going to pick him up.¡±


    ¡°Alright, go quickly.¡± When Xu Lian¡¯s mother heard this, she quickly started cleaning up. Xu Lian took her keys and opened her front door. But as she walked down the hall, the elevator doors nearby opened, and out came Xiang ChangKong. Xu Lian smiled and called out: ¡°Xiang ChangKong.¡±


    Hearing her call out, Xiang ChangKong gently smiled and quickly walked towards her. ¡°Have you been waiting long?¡±


    ¡°No, we just arrived.¡± Xu Lian looked at him up and down. ¡°You¡­seem different today.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong coughed uneasily. ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I feel you¡¯re a lot more handsome than usual.¡± Xu Lian answered.


    Face slightly red, Xiang ChangKong said: ¡°Let¡¯s go; we shouldn¡¯t make Auntie wait too long.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The two went back to Xu Lian¡¯s home together. When Mother Xu heard the front door opening, she ran towards the sound. Xu Lian, who had been putting on slippers. Looked up and was stunned.


    In the few minutes it took for her to pick up Xiang ChangKong, Mother Xu had managed to change clothes¡­


    Xu Lian and Mother Xu gave each other a tacit smile. Xu Lian took Xiang ChangKong¡¯s hand and said: ¡°Let me introduce you to my mother.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Auntie.¡± Xiang ChangKong was a little nervous, and the hand that presented a gift towards Mother Xu was stiff. ¡°This is the first time we¡¯re meeting. My name is Xiang ChangKong. This is a present for you, I hope you like it.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s mother visibly brightened when she saw Xiang ChangKong. Her first thought was this young man was quite tall. After giving him a careful once over, she found that he was also very handsome. Unexpectedly, he was also quite shy.


    Mother Xu took the bag from Xiang ChangKong¡¯s hand and smiled at him. ¡°Thank you, you¡¯re so polite.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something I should be doing.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied with a smile.


    ¡°Come, sit first.¡± They all headed towards the sofa in the living room. Mother Xu took a quick glance at the slippers on his feet. She had noticed them when she first came into the house and figured Xu Lian had bought them for her father. Now though, she knows that they were for someone else.


    Mother Xu looked at Xu Lian, then smiled at Xiang ChangKong. ¡°Xiao Xiang, I bought a lot of stuff back with me from overseas. I¡¯ll give you some, just wait a bit.¡±


    (T/N: Xiao translates as ¡®Little.¡¯ Usually, a nickname adults make for children/younger people)


    Mother Xu¡¯s huge suitcase had already been dragged into Xu Lian¡¯s bedroom in the few minutes she had been out. Mother Xu went into Xu Lian¡¯s room, then came back out with a lot of things. She placed them on the sofa, then began talking about them: ¡°This is a tapestry, that cashmere fabric over there is quite a famous brand- I bought several. Here you go. And these are pine nuts, Xu Lian¡¯s father stuffed a lot in my suitcase, so you take some back to eat. Oh, and I heard from Xu Lian that you have a little sister? Take a look at these gadgets, is there anything your sister would like? This brand is also quite famous.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t expect Xu Lian¡¯s mother to be so warm and affable. He was even more embarrassed because of this. ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re too polite; Let¡¯s leave these to Xu Lian.¡±


    ¡°She has plenty. Her father packed an entire box for me to bring. I think customs even thought that I bought all this on behalf of Xu Lian.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°You take it, there¡¯s a lot left in my room.¡± Xu Lian told Xiang ChangKong.


    Seeing Mother Xu look so enthusiastic, Xiang ChangKong couldn¡¯t refuse again. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No need to be so polite with me.¡± Mother Xu helped him put the items to the side, then sat down next to them. As soon as she sat down, she felt something hard under the sofa pillow. She looked to the side and put her hand underneath the pillow. ¡°What did you put under the sofa pillow?¡± Mother Xu asked.


    Xu Lian and Xiang ChangKong both looked at what she was holding, then fell silent. The Mother Xu saw what she was holding- a small red box. Although the words printed on it were in Japanese, she still understood what it was in a matter of seconds.


    ¡°¡­¡­..¡±


    So embarrassing.


    Mother Xu slipped it back under the sofa, then turned towards the other two, as if it had never been taken out in the first place. ¡°Well, why don¡¯t we watch some TV.¡±


    She took the remote control and turned on the TV. Regardless of the channel, she simply turned up the volume.


    The news was currently being broadcasted. It was about accidental deaths and injuries in a certain country. The seriousness of the host alleviated some of the embarrassment in the room. Mother Xu coughed twice, then said: ¡°Ah, the situation there is so chaotic, and yet people still want to travel there regardless. Aren¡¯t they just burning their money?¡±


    ¡°Maybe they scheduled it ages ago, and it¡¯s hard to cancel it now.¡± Xu Lian said.


    ¡°Ah, I wouldn¡¯t go anyway. Sadly, when I¡¯m abroad I hear these kinds of news reports every day.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­¡±


    And so, the three sat and talked about current affairs all afternoon.


    At around 5:00 p.m.m Xu Lian asked a truly thought-provoking question: ¡°Is anyone hungry? Why don¡¯t I order some takeout?¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s mother ate on the plane at noon. After talking about current affairs all afternoon, she was so hungry she felt that her chest was pasted on her back. ¡°What¡¯s delicious here?¡±


    ¡°We can order takeout from a restaurant in Starlight Park. They¡¯re pretty good, but a little expensive.¡± Xu Lian replied.


    After thinking about it, Xiang ChangKong asked her: ¡°Have you finished all the ingredients you bought before?¡±


    Xu Lian shook her head. Except for the ingredients used by Xiang ChangKong that one time, the only thing she had used was lettuce leaves.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll cook.¡± Xiang ChangKong said. ¡°There should be plenty of ingredients left. And if we don¡¯t use them soon, they¡¯ll just go bad.¡±


    As soon as Mother Xu heard this, she said: ¡°No, no, you¡¯re our guest. Let me do it.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled at her and said: ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter Auntie, I cook at home all the time. I¡¯ll be very fast.¡±


    He then took off his jacket and said to Xu Lian: ¡°I¡¯ll go cook first, you can continue to chat with Auntie.¡±


    But Xu Lian stood up with him. ¡°Let me help you.¡±


    After thinking about it for a bit, Xiang ChangKong nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    After the two went into the kitchen, Xu Lian¡¯s mother took out her phone and sent a message to Father Xu: I saw Xiao Xiang. The child is really good. He¡¯s smart and grew to be a fine young man. And he can cook! I knew the dishes Xu Lian sent me last time weren¡¯t made by her.


    In the kitchen, Xiang ChangKong folded the sleeves of his sweater and opened the refrigerator to have a look. There were vegetables and meat left. It should be enough for dinner. He turned around and said to Xu Lian: ¡°You can cook the rice while I¡¯ll stir-fry some dishes.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Lian said. Then, as if remembering something, she turned around and took out an apron from a nearby cupboard. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to use an apron last time? I went and bought one the next day, so come and try it on.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡± With a smile, Xiang ChangKong took the apron Xu Lian was holding and tied it around his waist. Xu Lian looked at him from the side, her expression making Xiang ChangKong nervous. He asked: ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    Xu Lian continued staring at him, a smile in her bright eyes. ¡°I always thought you were the conservative type. I didn¡¯t expect you to wear such a low necked sweater, so flirty.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Xiang ChangKong was silent for half a minute before saying: ¡°It¡¯s too hot to wear a turtleneck.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Xu Lian replied, her smile widening. ¡°It¡¯s quite handsome, and a little sexy.¡± The neckline of Xiang ChangKong¡¯s sweater was lower than his clavicle, outlining the defined lines. It was really sexy.


    Xu Lian¡¯s words made Xiang ChangKong subconsciously pull the neckline of his sweater a little higher. Xu Lian walked towards him, then went on her tiptoes to kiss him on the lips. Xiang ChangKong was surprised, but he didn¡¯t push her away. He whispered to Xu Lian: ¡°Don¡¯t make trouble, Auntie is still outside.¡±


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t care. ¡°She didn¡¯t care about the little red box. What are you afraid of?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­¡±


    Ah, and he tried so hard to forget that. Xiang ChangKong was very embarrassed. He meets Xu Lian¡¯s mother for the very first time, and she ends up seeing that kind of thing. What must she be thinking?


    Xu Lian knew what he was thinking and said: ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My mother is very avant-garde.¡± After all, if they can accept the idea of her never marrying, what¡¯s a small red box?


    ¡°Yes, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Nevermind that, let¡¯s just cook first.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡±


    Xu Lian turned the faucet, then began cleaning the rice.


    After a while, Xiang ChangKong called out to her: ¡°Xu Lian.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°I signed up.¡±


    Xu Lian paused. She turned around and looked at Xiang ChangKong. ¡°The graduate student?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Xu Lian¡¯s mother came and met him today. Although she didn¡¯t ask him anything, Xiang ChangKong knew that she must be feeling uneasy. Xiang ChangKong could understand that. If one day Xiang Nuan brings a boyfriend back home, he would surely care about what this boy¡¯s family environment was like, what his abilities were like, and whether he could take good care of Xiang Nuan.


    Even if they hadn¡¯t asked Xiang ChangKong, he should still try his best to make them feel at ease. After all, he couldn¡¯t let Xu Lian live with a takeaway boy her entire life.


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t turn the water off until the rice pot was about to overflow. She smiled at Xiang ChangKong and said: ¡°Congratulations.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong laughed. ¡°Congratulations? I just signed up, not take an exam.¡±


    ¡°You would definitely pass the exam.¡± Xu Lian said.


    Xiang ChangKong lifted the corner of his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re that confident in me?¡±


    ¡°Of course. My mother praises you to high heaven. She compared you to me and acted like you were her child, not the other way around.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong couldn¡¯t help laughing at her words.


    Meanwhile, by the kitchen door, Xu Lian¡¯s mother opened the video app on her phone and quietly pointed the camera towards the kitchen. Xiang ChangKong noticed the movement, and Xu Lian followed his gaze. ¡°Mum, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Mother Xu saw Xu Lian looking at her and immediately hid her phone behind her back. ¡°Keep cooking, I won¡¯t disturb you two.¡±


    Mother Xu went back to the living room and sent the video she just took towards Father Xu. She then started talking about her future-son-in-law.


    Xu Mama: See?


    Xu Papa: That¡¯s all? What can I see from a person¡¯s back figure?


    Mother Xu rolled her eyes.


    Xu Mama: I thickened my face to sneak a few shots, and you still think they¡¯re not enough? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll tell you anything else when I come back.


    Xu Lian resolutely turned her phone off, ignoring Father Xu¡¯s explosion of messages.


    Xiang ChangKong used all the meat and vegetables left in Xu Lian¡¯s refrigerator to make three dishes and one soup. Xu Lian¡¯s mother looked at the dishes on the table. She tasted the lettuce and fried pork slices, then looked at Xiang ChangKong in admiration. ¡°Xiao Xiang¡¯s skill is so good! Xu Lian, you should learn more from others.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong said: ¡°Xu Lian contributed a lot to these dishes; she learns very quickly.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s mother smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t need to speak for her, I know her level. I¡¯ve tried teaching her for so long, and the only thing she could cook was noodles.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that I had a poor teacher.¡±


    Mother Xu: ¡°¡­.¡±


    After they finished eating, Xiang ChangKong stood up, planning to clean the dishes. But Mother Xu hurriedly stopped him. ¡°Let me wash! You cooked, there¡¯s no reason for you to wash up.¡±


    Xu Lian also said: ¡°Let us clean up.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong thought about it and didn¡¯t insist. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll go back first then.¡±


    Mother Xu looked at the time. ¡°But it¡¯s only 8:00 p.m.! Isn¡¯t it too early?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve been bothering you two for a long time already. Auntie, you¡¯ve just come back. You must be tired. You and Xu Lian should rest earlier.¡±


    Mother Xu thought that the young man in front of her was very considerate. ¡°Well, alright. Remember to take all the things I gave you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you Auntie.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong went to the living room to put on his coat and took the gifts Mother Xu had given to him. Xu Lian came out of the kitchen and handed him the heat-preservation lunch box. ¡°Here¡¯s your lunchbox back; I¡¯ve cleaned it.¡±


    Taking the box, Xiang ChangKong smiled at her and said: ¡°You don¡¯t need to order takeout tomorrow. I¡¯ll cook you another meal.¡±


    Before Xu Lian could reply, Mother Xu exploded. ¡°What? You bring her lunch? Oh, you mustn¡¯t spoil her like that!¡±


    Xiang ChangKong chuckled and told Mother Xu: ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I cook every day, so another portion isn¡¯t a big deal.¡±


    What else could Xu Lian say? She simply started pushing Xiang ChangKong towards the door. ¡°I¡¯m going down to see him off.¡±


    After watching the two leave, Mother Xu opened her WeChat. She had anticipated the mass amounts of messages from Xu Lian¡¯s father, and sure enough, there were dozens of them, all asking about Xiang ChangKong.


    Xu Mama: You mean Xiao Xiang? I¡¯m halfway falling in love with him already. (*¡ä?`*)


    Xu Papa: ¡­..


    ***


    Sorry I¡¯m late by a couple of hours. Time just ran away!

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    ***


    Xu Lian sent Xiang ChangKong off to the subway station before returning home. When Xiang ChangKong got home, Xiang Nuan was still having a fierce battle with her homework. Hearing the sound of the front door opening, she hurried out of her room. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re back?¡±


    ¡°Un.¡± Xiang ChangKong closed the front door and handed her the bag he was holding. ¡°Here you go.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±The curious Xiang Nuan took the paper bag and opened it.


    Xiang ChangKong said: ¡°It¡¯s a few specialty products Xu Lian¡¯s mother brought back with her from abroad. See if there¡¯s anything you like.¡±


    At Xiang ChangKong¡¯s words, Xiang Nuan couldn¡¯t help but look at him strangely. ¡°You saw Big Sister¡¯s mother today?¡± You met the parents already?!


    Xiang ChangKong knocked her on the head and then asked her in a whisper. ¡°Where¡¯s mom?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s asleep, rest assured. Let¡¯s go to my room to talk.¡± Xiang Nuan pulled her brother back into her room and asked him to sit on her chair. She stood over him, arms crossed across her chest. Xiang Nuan asked: ¡°Brother. Now that you¡¯ve met the parents already, does that mean you¡¯re not far from marriage?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong blushed, then replied. ¡°What marriage? Her mother just happened to come back from abroad, and we coincidentally met each other.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Xiang Nuan had a thoughtful look on her face. ¡°Then, since you¡¯ve met her parents, when are you going to formally introduce Big Sister to your family? I¡¯m saying it now, you have to do it while I¡¯m home!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Xiang ChangKong casually glanced at Xiang Nuan¡¯s homework paper and said to her: ¡°Have you finished your homework? This question is pretty important, you know. I taught you how to do it last time, but you still did it wrong here. Although you got the right answer, you¡¯ve made it too convoluted. It doesn¡¯t have to be so complicated as what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Wait, weren¡¯t we just talking about meeting the parents!


    ¡°Exams are time-limited. If you can learn a more simple solution, you can save more time.¡± Xiang ChangKong took a pen on the desk and began to write on Xiang Nuan¡¯s homework. In the end, her entire solution was reduced to a few steps.


    ¡°You should just keep quiet and study hard. Don¡¯t think about other people and just concentrate on yourself. You don¡¯t have all day after all.¡± Putting down the pen, Xiang ChangKong stood up and left the room.


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­¡±


    In the end, she picked up her cell phone, and angrily opened her group chat.


    NuanNuan traveling the world: My brother just came back home. I was going to interrogate him, but he countered with the finishing move ¡®IQ Crush¡¯ ( ?¨Œ?) So inhuman, ah. ( ?¨Œ?)


    Do a question for five minutes paralyzed for an hour: eh, he came back so early? Does that mean I still have a chance?


    NuanNuan traveling the world: Die. He even met her parents, you know (¨R¨Œ¨Q)


    Do a question for five minutes paralyzed for an hour: Adults are so efficient¡­


    Studying causes baldness: Is it¡­a shotgun marriage?


    Do a question for five minutes paralyzed for an hour: I really envy the adult world. (£þ¦ä£þ)


    NuanNuan traveling the world: You two get out of here!


    Despite having said all that, Xiang Nuan¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but worry. Don¡¯t tell me all this was moving so fast because there was a ¡®human life¡¯ involved?


    (T/N: She wonders if it was because Xiang ChangKong knocked Xu Lian up. Common in shotgun weddings.)


    No, no, her brother wasn¡¯t such a person.


    She¡¯d better focus on her homework.


    The next day was a Sunday, so Xiang Nuan stayed in bed late. Naturally, she wouldn¡¯t get out of bed as early as she usually did in school. So Xiang ChangKong was the first to get up. He made a good breakfast, made a lunchbox for Xu Lian, then left.


    As he left, Wei YiChen, who rarely went out so early, also left his home.


    After his blind date with Nie Lei, Wei YiChen¡¯s father naturally yelled at him again. But fortunately, after a colossal scolding, his father relaxed his control on him, so Wei YiChen could go out again. During his imprisonment, apart from thinking about Xu Lian, he worried about his bar. Although it wasn¡¯t a booming business, it was something created through his own hard work.


    Now that he finally regained his freedom, Wei YiChen rode his motorcycle straight to his bar.


    The bar was usually closed in the mornings. It was quiet when Wei YiChen entered the bar. He went straight to the recreation area, played a few rounds of billiard with his brothers and listened to their reports. When Ah Mao finished reporting to Wei YiChen the happenings of the bar, he began to falter.


    As Wei YiChen sunk a ball and straightened to change positions, he asked: ¡°What else aren¡¯t you saying? Speak up?¡±


    Ah Mao and the other brothers looked at each other. With a dry smile, Ah Mao replied: ¡°It¡¯s about¡­ Sister Xu Lian.¡±


    Wei YiChen looked at him and asked: ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Xu Lian? Who dares make trouble with her?¡±


    Ever since Zhu Bing caused trouble in Xu Lian¡¯s store, Wei YiChen kept a close eye on MONSTER. Although he¡¯d been trapped at home for a while, he had asked his brothers to keep an eye on Xu Lian¡¯s store in secret in case anyone else wanted to cause trouble.


    ¡°No, no, no, no one caused trouble.¡± After Ah Mao denied it, he found it much more challenging to say the next few words. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­just that recently, it seems like she¡¯s in love.¡±


    After he finished, he immediately took a few steps away from Wei YiChen.


    Wei YiChen didn¡¯t speak for a long time. He eventually leaned against the billiard table. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    His voice was low. Ah Mao¡¯s back was dripping in cold sweat. ¡°I-I, we, we¡¯ve seen it several times. She¡­she and a man together. And also¡­also¡­¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°He went in and out of her house!¡± Ah Mao shouted this sentence out. Come on, I¡¯ll face death head-on!


    The rest of the room was so quiet it was depressing. Wei YiChen threw the billiard stick in his hands to the ground and walked towards Ah Mao. ¡°Who was the man?¡±


    ¡°It was the guy who delivered her takeout before. It seems that he helped take care of Zhu Bing when he burst into Xu Lian¡¯s store.¡±


    Wei YiChan¡¯s eye twitched. He had a vague impression of the guy. He pushed Ah Mao out of the way and walked out of the bar.


    After he left, Ah Mao took a great gulp of air. After a few seconds, Ah Mao looked at the people around him and said: ¡°Let¡¯s go follow him. I¡¯m afraid Brother Chen might do something bad. He¡¯s too impulsive.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Ah Mao left with half of their people and left the other half to look after the bar. As they left the building, they just managed to see Wei YiChen riding away in his motorcycle. Ah Mao watched Wei YiChen¡¯s retreating back in apprehension.


    When Wei YiChen got to Xu Lian¡¯s store, he quickly parked his motorcycle and walked through the door.


    Zhang GuoEr, who has on the first floor, was startled by his abrupt entrance. Before she could even speak, Wei YiChen had already run up the stairs. This time Zhang GuoEr¡¯s heart jumped with a ¡®thump,¡¯ not because of Wei YiChen¡¯s handsomeness, but because of his scary, aggressive expression.


    She didn¡¯t even bother taking out her notebook and instead followed him upstairs.


    Xu Lian had just finished a large order so she should be relaxing a little, but it was nearing the end of the year. This time of year was usually when she would be the busiest, so she was preparing herself for the upcoming flood of orders.


    The door to her workshop suddenly slammed open, causing her hand to shake and wax to drip. Frowning, she put down the wax pot in her hands and looked at Wei YiChen, dissatisfied. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Wei YiChen walked towards Xu Lian with a grave expression. ¡°Are you dating the takeaway guy?¡±


    Xu Lian was stupefied for a moment. Then she said: ¡°His name isn¡¯t ¡®takeaway guy,¡¯ it¡¯s Xiang ChangKong.¡±


    ¡°Who cares what he¡¯s called!¡± Wei YiChen kicked over a nearby chair. He was very angry. Zhang GuoEr, who had been shuffling by the door, heard the loud crash and rushed in the room. ¡°Brother Chen, if you have something to say you should use your words. Don¡¯t be impulsive!¡±


    Wei YiChen turned to Zhang GuoEr and impatiently said: ¡°This has nothing to do with you. Get out.¡±


    How can Zhang GuoEr just leave? Wei YiChen looked furious. What¡¯ll happen if he does something to the Boss!


    Xu Lian glanced at Zhang GuoEr and calmly said: ¡°Go.¡±


    ¡°Boss¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    The young Zhang GuoEr frowned, then reluctantly walked out of the workshop. But she didn¡¯t go far. She stood behind the door. She thought that if Wei YiChen really started something later, even if he was handsome, she would definitely call the police!


    Meanwhile, Wei YiChen¡¯s brothers arrived. Ah Mao looked at Zhang GuoEr standing by the door and gulped. He peeked through the open door and said: ¡°Brother Chen, calm down.¡±


    Wei YiChen looked back and closed the door.


    Ah Mao: ¡°¡­¡±


    Xu Lian walked to the table, poured herself a glass of water, then looked at Wei YiChen. ¡°Who I¡¯m with and what I do, what does it have to do with you?¡±


    ¡°What does it have to do with me?¡± Wei YiChen was so angry he couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Xu Lian, do you even have a heart?¡±


    He had doted on her for so many years, all his brothers could see it. How can she not see it?


    Xu Lian took a sip of her water. ¡°I told you a long time ago how I felt. It was you who kept pestering me.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, yes, I¡¯ve been pestering you!¡± Wei YiChen repeated in a low voice. He then took the overturned chair and set it right.


    People outside the room grew nervous when they heard a thump. Ah Mao knocked on the door and yelled: ¡°Brother Chen, don¡¯t do anything to Sister Xu Lian!¡±


    He has been with Wei YiChen for many years now, so he knew Wei YiChen¡¯s character well. If he really raised a hand on Xu Lian, he would regret it even after death.


    But Ah Mao had nothing to worry about. Even while he was angry, it was impossible for Wei YiChen to strike Xu Lian. Instead, looking at the woman in front of him, Wei YiChen sarcastically said: ¡°Even if you don¡¯t like me, you should at least find someone better than me. What can you possibly see in a takeaway boy?¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s better that you in every way.¡± Xu Lian said.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Wei YiChen sneered as he looked away. ¡°I see.¡±


    He opened the door and strode down the stairs. Ah Mao and his other brothers hastily followed him out of Xu Lian¡¯s store.


    Zhang GuoEr saw that they had left and then ran to Xu Lian¡¯s side. Anxiously, she asked: ¡°Boss, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Xu Lian straightened the chair and told Zhang GuoEr: ¡°When Xiang ChangKong comes in later, don¡¯t tell him what happened just now.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Zhang GuoEr nodded. Then she asked: ¡°Boss, are you not ordering takeout today?¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°Un.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr: ¡°¡­.¡±


    People with boyfriends sure are happy.


    In the end, Zhang GuoEr went downstairs and recorded what just happened in her little notebook. When she heard the bell chime, she looked up.


    It was Xiang ChangKong.


    ¡°Ah, the Boss is upstairs.¡±


    As Xiang ChangKong looked up towards the second floor, he happened to lock eyes with Xu Lian.


    Xu Lian smiled at him, then walked down the stairs. As Xiang ChangKong handed Xu Lian the insulated lunchbox, he looked at her strangely. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did something happen?¡±


    Xu Lian froze, then shook her head. ¡°No, why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look very well.¡± Xiang ChangKong then smiled at her and said: ¡°It¡¯s fine if you¡¯re alright. Go on and eat while it¡¯s still warm. I¡¯ll get going first.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Xu Lian stopped Xiang ChangKong. ¡°Are you off at 8:00 p.m. tonight?¡±


    ¡°Un.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait for you. Let¡¯s go shopping around Starlight Park later.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong looked at her for a bit, then said: ¡°Alright.¡±

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    ***


    After leaving Xu Lian¡¯s store, Wei YiChen drove around Starlight Park before heading back towards his bar. His brothers knew he was in a bad mood, so they didn¡¯t dare talk to him.


    When Wei YiChen walked in his bar, he shut himself in the lounge and put on an album of PUMPKIN in the DVD player. Hearing the loud music coming from the lounge, Ah Mao subconsciously kneaded his ears. The person beside him said: ¡°Brother Mao, Brother Chen is doing it again.¡±


    Ah Mao sighed then said: ¡°Let him go, he¡¯s in a bad mood.¡±


    Every time Wei YiChen was in a bad mood, he liked to vent like this.


    In the lounge, Wei YiChen played with his air guitar, completely immersed in the music. This time, he wasn¡¯t playing PUMPKIN¡¯s famous song ¡®Green Plum¡¯, but another old song he was familiar with¡ª¡ª ¡®Dorothy¡¯.


    It was said that the song was written by lead singer Ray for their band agent. They were childhood sweethearts, and the band was actually formed by the two. At the time, all the magazines and reporters said that the two would surely get together. But in the end, the agent married an ordinary outsider and later, PUMPKIN disbanded.


    What the world said about the fated golden boy and jade girl had only been wishful thinking in the end.


    It was now nine years since Wei YiChen had first seen Xu Lian. Nine years filled with compulsory education and resistance. But no matter how hard he had tried, he hadn¡¯t managed to move her heart.


    He thought back to the day Xu Lian entered high school. She was standing in the corner of the classroom, her schoolbag slung across her back. She was looking around with cold eyes, as if she had never once thought of integrating herself into the people she would be with for the next three years. At the time he thought: This girl is really interesting.


    It was as if nothing could move her. That nothing had to do with her.


    At first, he paid attention to Xu Lian just out of curiosity. He wanted to see a change of expression out of the girl. Bit by bit he paid more and more attention to her and saw that even in small groups she would isolate herself.


    Although Xu Lian never cared about it. Or rather, she preferred to be alone and with no one bothering her.


    Because Wei YiChen was a well-known ¡®school bully¡¯, others naturally didn¡¯t dare bother Xu Lian. But of course, this also meant that no one could stop Wei YiChen himself from bothering her. Although Xu Lian was indifferent to his attention, Wei YiChen thought that with enough time, she would eventually be moved.


    It was like a long-winded tug-of-war. Both were stubborn and both were waiting for each other to give up. Wei YiChen had been waiting for Xu Lian to be moved. Xu Lian had been waiting for Wei YiChen to stop bother her.


    In the end, he lost. He had never moved her.


    The song ended, and Wei YiChen collapsed on the sofa, gasping violently.


    He had spent nine years and not once did Xu Lian open her heart to him. And that takeaway boy only knew her for a few days? Why him?


    Hearing the music from the lounge disappear, Ah Mao tentatively knocked on the lounge door. ¡°Brother Chen, shall we go to lunch?¡±


    There was no answer. Just when Ah Mao thought he wouldn¡¯t get a response, the door suddenly opened. with no expression on his face, Wei YiChen answered: ¡°I want to drink the best and most expensive alcohol in this bar.¡±


    ¡°Good, good. But we can¡¯t just drink, why don¡¯t we order some barbecue?¡±


    ¡°Whatever, just bring me the wine.¡± Wei YiChen took two steps outside, then turned back to Ah Mao. ¡°Bring me the bottle of Jiang YueZhang.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Ah Mao pursed his lips then looked at him with embarrassment. ¡°Brother Chen, that bottle¡¯s been reserved for Zhang Shao. He wanted to drink it himself.¡±


    Wei YiChen couldn¡¯t care less. ¡°It¡¯s better that we drink it rather than let him use it to coax a few female stars.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much. Just get it.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± If Zhang Shao ended up wanting the wine¡­nevermind, Zhang Shao should be able to understand the pain of Brother Chen, even if his love remained unrequited. Ah Mao settled his heart and left to get the wine.


    After delivering the lunchbox to Xu Lian, Xiang ChangKong went to deliver other orders. He was more than a little busy. During his breaks he ate lunch while reading his textbooks at the same time.


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t even realize it when Cheng Peng approached him. Cheng Peng quietly parked his scooter next to Xiang ChangKong¡¯s and peeked at the cover of the book he was reading.


    Cheng Peng could read every single Chinese character on the book, but he had no idea what they meant when arranged and combined into a phrase on Xiang ChangKong¡¯s cover.


    Xiang ChangKong finally felt someone else¡¯s presence behind him. He looked up at Cheng Peng and said: ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Cheng Peng smiled at him and said: ¡°I just wanted to see what you were looking at, so focused.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong closed the book in his hands and put it back in the small bag on his scooter. ¡°Nothing, it was just a textbook of mine.¡±


    ¡°Textbook?¡± Cheng Peng thought back to Xiang ChangKong¡¯s previous job in a big company. He became excited and asked Xiang ChangKong: ¡°That¡­your book is about making planes?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was self-conscious, and thinking that it would be much too difficult to explain, simply nodded. ¡°Uh, yes.¡±


    Cheng Peng happily asked: ¡°That¡¯s great! Are you going back to building planes?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Xiang ChangKong opened his lunchbox again. ¡°I¡¯m just going to take the postgraduate exam.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Cheng Peng thought about it for a while, then said: ¡°Are you going to be building planes after the exam?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Cheng Peng sounded more obsessed with making planes that Xiang ChangKong himself. Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t say anything and simply smiled and nodded instead.


    Cheng Peng opened his lunchbox and continued: ¡°I already said you¡¯re no ordinary takeaway boy! Let¡¯s make a deal- why my restaurant opens I¡¯ll invite you to a meal, and when the plane you build is finished, you¡¯ll invite me for a ride!¡±


    He paused, then continued: ¡°That sounds like I¡¯m taking advantage of you. How about this, I¡¯ll treat you to ten meals?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled. ¡°OK, up to you.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s a deal!¡±


    After a very busy day, Xiang ChangKong went to Xu Lian¡¯s store at exactly 8:00 p.m. It was already dark and there were only a few tourists left in Starlight Park. The scenic spots that were usually lively during the day were now empty and a little lonely.


    Xiang ChangKong parked his scooter just outside Xu Lian¡¯s store. He knocked on the glass door and peered inside. Xu Lian, just like last time, had closed all the lights except the one above the cash register. At Xiang ChangKong¡¯s knock, Xu Lian looked up.


    Xiang ChangKong stood there, watching a smile bloomed from her lips.


    The light had made her expression even more soft and gentle. It was enough for a person to fall.


    Xu Lian cleared off the counter, turned off the lights, and walked out of the store towards Xiang ChangKong.


    ¡°You¡¯re so punctual?¡± She thought he¡¯d still be doing orders. Although he said he finished at 8:00 p.m., Xu Lian thought Xiang ChangKong would still need to finish delivering the orders they had on their list before he could actually clock off. He probably never left work on time.


    ¡°I did a little maneuvering so that my last order was something delivered to Starlight Park.¡±


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t know much about their delivery system and felt curious. ¡°Is that even possible?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied with a chuckle.


    Xu Lian raised a brow, but didn¡¯t ask again. ¡°Please accompany me to the flower shop nearby. I need to send some tablets to the owner.¡±


    Looking at the big bag in Xu Lian¡¯s hands, Xiang ChangKong took it and said: ¡°Let me help you with that.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡± Xu Lian then took out a key and closed her shop.


    ¡°Have you had dinner yet?¡± Xiang ChangKong asked.


    ¡°Yep. I¡¯ll take your insulated lunchbox home and wash it later. I¡¯ll give it back to you next time.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I can just wash it myself later.¡±


    Xu Lian looked at him with a smile. ¡°If my mother found out that you even wash the lunchboxes you give me on top of cooking for me, I don¡¯t know what she¡¯ll say.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled, but didn¡¯t say anything else.


    Xu Lian looked at the scooter parked nearby and said: ¡°You can leave your scooter here. We can just walk and come back later.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The two walked side by side through the night. It was between autumn and winter, and while the flowers along the park weren¡¯t as prosperous as it was in spring, the air was still filled with the subtle fragrance of flowers. It was light, but refreshing.


    ¡°Cold?¡± After a gust of wind blew by, Xiang ChangKong asked Xu Lian beside him.


    Xu Lian shook her head and said to him: ¡°When is your postgraduate exams?¡±


    ¡°Next January.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied.


    ¡°January?¡± Xu Lian frowned. ¡°That¡¯s only two months away. Do you have enough time to study?¡±


    ¡°Yes, plenty of time.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± It wasn¡¯t that Xu Lian didn¡¯t trust him, but when she was in university, many of her classmates in the same dormitory had to prepare for their postgraduates one whole year in advance. And some of them even failed. With Xiang ChangKong only having two months, he would definitely have to be in a great hurry.


    Xiang ChangKong chuckled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you believed in me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s different. You¡¯re working on the side too; you won¡¯t have much time to study.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry so much.¡± Xiang ChangKong raised his hand, wanting to rub Xu Lian¡¯s head. But remembering that he had been shuttling off food boxes all day, he put his hand down. ¡°I had good enough grades to be recommended by my university. And unlike the other undergraduate candidates, I¡¯ve already graduated. The questions aren¡¯t going to be that difficult for me.¡±


    Seeing that Xu Lian still not speaking, Xiang ChangKong continued: ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m actually being a little modest. It¡¯ll probably be really simple for me.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­¡± She should really stop worrying about this top student.


    After walking for a while, they arrived at the flower shop Xu Lian had mentioned. They could still see the florist inside, fiddling with several flowers and plants. A little girl was sitting in the store, busily drawing on her sketchpad.


    Seeing Xu Lian enter, the florist greeted her: ¡°I¡¯m sorry I made you sent me the boards on such a late hour.¡±


    Xu Lian shook her head. ¡°It was because I was too slow in making them.¡± She took the bag from Xiang ChangKong and handed it to the florist. ¡°Its all in here, have a look.¡±


    Xu Lian and the florist began counting the boards on a nearby table. After confirming that there was no problem, the florist raised her head and said to Xu Lian: ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve been trying to make fried flowers again recently. This new batch has a stronger fragrance, I¡¯ll show them to you when I¡¯m done. If you think they¡¯re good you can buy some on a discount.¡±


    Xu Lian was happy to hear that. She had tried many shops that sold dried flowers, but had always failed to find suitable ones. If these dried flowers can be used, it¡¯ll definitely attract a few more customers. ¡°Yep, please call me when you¡¯re ready.¡±


    As the two women continued to chat, Xiang ChangKong stood to the side and watched the little girl draw. She was drawing some sort of white flower. It looked quite beautiful. From afar, it looked like a white cloud floating in the air.


    Squatting down to be the same height as her, Xiang ChangKong smiled at the little girl and said: ¡°That¡¯s very beautiful. What kind of flower is that?¡±


    The little girl looked at him with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s a White Azaela. It looks really pretty when it blooms. Just like a cloud.¡±


    Looking around the store, Xiang ChangKong asked: ¡°Is there any in the store?¡±


    The little girl pointed forward.


    The florist had heard their conversation and went to get a pot of White Azaleas. Showing it to Xiang ChangKong, she said: ¡°It¡¯s not in bloom yet, not until March next year.¡±


    Xu Lian also came over. ¡°Do you like it? Then I¡¯ll buy it please.¡±


    ¡°No, no, I can buy it myself.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied.


    Xu Lian looked at Xiang ChangKong, and before he could even stand up, Xu Lian had already walked towards the register and bought the flower. As the florist helped them pack everything up, she also gave them a brochure about winter gardening and a small bag of fertilizer.


    Holding the flowerpot, Xiang ChangKong and Xu Lian left the flower shop together. Xiang ChangKong turned towards Xu Lian and said: ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Xu Lian smiled. ¡°It¡¯s just a pot of flowers, why are you so polite?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t speak and instead looked down at the flowers in his arms with a smile.


    ¡°Look at the sky.¡± Xu Lian raised a finger and pointed up somewhere in the night sky. ¡°I can see stars, although it¡¯s just the one.¡±


    Looking up, Xiang ChangKong followed Xu Lian¡¯s finger and saw the only twinkling star in the sky.


    Although it wasn¡¯t very bright, it was the only light in an otherwise dark night.


    Much like Xu Lian¡¯s love was to him.

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    ***


    After leaving the flower shop, the two walked back towards Xu Lian¡¯s store. Xiang ChangKong put the flowers under the seat of his scooter then turned back towards Xu Lian. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, you should go home first.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Drive safely.¡±


    ¡°Un, you too.¡±


    With a smile, Xiang ChangKong watched Xu Lian drive away. Then stepping onto his scooter, he drove home.


    Because it was November, the weather was getting colder and colder. Xiang ChangKong idly thought that he better wear a mask tomorrow.


    Thinking about the flowers the entire drive back, Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t ride his scooter too fast. When he got home, Xiang ChangKong carefully took the flowers out and put them on his desk.


    This was the first plant he had ever had in his room. He hadn¡¯t been a flower lover, but his mother used to have a lot on their balcony. But the flowers had slowly died with inattention when she turned ill. Later, when they moved into this apartment, no one mentioned raising flowers. So in this house, there weren¡¯t any plants.


    Xiang ChangKong hoped that this gift Xu Lian had given him would be able to smoothly get through the winter.


    The next morning, Xiang ChangKong followed the instructions in the brochure and pursed some water into the pot. He then moved it to the warmest place in the house before leaving for work.


    At noon he received an order from Xu Lian. It was the usual chicken set, making Xiang ChangKong laugh. Xu Lian naturally put Xiang ChangKong¡¯s name in the order notes. She then watched as the delivery map showed the takeaway boy get closer and closer to its destination. She thought it was a wonderful feeling.


    The sense of anticipation.


    Seeing that Xiang ChangKong was two minutes away, Xu Lian walked down the stairs and brought down his insulated lunchbox. When Xiang ChangKong came into the store, he saw the lunchbox she was holding. Chuckling, he said: ¡°In the future, I¡¯ll be cooking for you, or help you cook. And even if I don¡¯t, I¡¯ll still have to come around and deliver you your meal.¡±


    Xu Lian couldn¡¯t help but get embarrassed at his words. She had grown up with a relatively independent personality, and coupled with the nature of her dad¡¯s work, she would often be alone at home. Now that Xiang ChangKong is here, how come it sounds like she can¡¯t do anything on her own and needs Xiang ChangKong to take care of her?


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to make my deliveries anymore, ah. It¡¯s better if you concentrate on studying for the next two months.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. My job is pretty lax anyway. I can usually read my textbooks when in-between orders outside the peak hours.¡±


    He then pointed towards his scooter outside. ¡°My books are all in there. I read them whenever I have free time.¡±


    Xu Lian knew that if she went on talking about it, she¡¯d end up getting KO¡¯d by Xiang ChangKong¡¯s IQ again. So she changed the topic. ¡°Then I won¡¯t keep you here, you must be very busy with other orders.¡±


    ¡°Un, I¡¯ll bring you a meal tomorrow.¡± Xiang ChangKong accepted the insulated lunchbox and left.


    Meanwhile, Zhang GuoEr thought that the days were becoming very hard to get through. She had to be stuffed with dog food every single day. However, Xu Lian¡¯s conversation with Xiang ChangKong just now had attracted her attention. ¡°Boss, what book is Brother Xiang reading?¡±


    ¡°A book for postgraduate exams.¡± Xu Lian answered.


    Zhang GuoEr was stupefied. He was taking a postgraduate exam? Brother Xiang sure is smart!


    ¡°What¡¯s his major?¡± Zhang GuoEr took out her own little notebook, pen at the ready.


    As Xu Lian started opening the food boxes, she replied: ¡°Aeronautical design.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr paused, took out her phone, and googled the words. Then she started writing.


    ¡°Learning how to make airplanes, huh! No wonder his scooter is so fast!


    How did you end up talking about his scooter!


    As Xiang ChangKong left Starlight Park, a group of people suddenly emerged from the roadside, causing him to abruptly stop his scooter. These people dressed like vintage greasers.


    (T/N: Greasers are like those guys who dress up in leather jackets and fluffy hair. From the movie Grease. If you¡¯re unsure, google images.)


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s first thought was that these people were the same group that caused trouble in Xu Lian¡¯s store. He thought that they were confronting him now for revenge. But Xiang ChangKong was a little confused. Why did they wait so long to get their revenge?


    It wasn¡¯t until he was a familiar man walking towards him that he realized he was mistaken.


    It was Wei YiChen.


    Wei YiChen was the type of person who was very conspicuous no matter where he went. Not only due to his very handsome face, but also due to the way he dresses. Wei YiChen¡¯s style was quite similar to Xu Lian¡¯s style. Similar enough that Xiang ChangKong once misunderstood and thought they were a couple.


    Wei YiChen walked up to Xiang ChangKong and patted the front of his scooter. He just looked at Xiang ChangKong with a smile and didn¡¯t say a word.


    It wasn¡¯t a kind smile. The disdain and provocation in it was apparent to Xiang ChangKong.


    After a while, Xiang ChangKong said: ¡°You¡¯re Xu Lian¡¯s friend, right? What can I do for you?¡±


    At the mention of Xu Lian, Wei YiChen¡¯s expression sunk. He coldly raised his lips to a sneer and loomed over Xiang ChangKong. ¡°You dare say her name in front of me?¡±


    By now, Xiang ChangKong could roughly guess what Wei YiChen¡¯s intentions were. But he didn¡¯t make a sound, and eventually, Wei YiChen removed the sneer on his face. He said to Xiang ChangKong: ¡°Did you come to see Xu Lian again?¡±


    ¡°I just came to deliver a meal.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied.


    ¡°A delivery?¡± Wei YiChen scoffed. ¡°Xu Lian told me she¡¯s with you.¡± Wei YiChen carefully gave the kid a once over. His face is pretty good, but if Xu Lian was only looking at how a person looked, she would¡¯ve dated him years ago instead.


    Wei YiChen really doesn¡¯t understand. What exactly does Xu Lian see in Xiang ChangKong?


    With derision in his eyes, Wei YiChen told Xiang ChangKong: ¡°I know you were the one that helped Xu Lian back in her store that one time. Let me give you a friendly warning: What Xu Lian feels for you isn¡¯t love. It¡¯s just a heat-of-the-moment kind of emotion. When everything settles down, do you think she won¡¯t hesitate to break up with you?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong pursed his lips and said to Wei YiChen: ¡°Since your a friend of Xu Lian¡¯s, please don¡¯t say such things about her.¡±


    Wei YiChen snorted, then smiled. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk about you instead. Do you know how much the rent costs in Starlight Park? Do you know how much Xu Lian¡¯s house and car is worth? She¡¯s never suffered financially in her entire life. What do you think you can possibly give her? Or do you just like her money and plan to get Xu Lian to support you? Hah, after all, it¡¯s a different world nowadays. There are a lot of men with similar ideas. Men with good looks, like you.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s hands that were gripping the handlebars of his scooter tightened. His expression grew colder too. When Wei YiChen saw that he seemed angry, he happily raised a brow. ¡°Angry? Good. Let¡¯s fight. I promise my brothers won¡¯t jump in.¡±


    But Xiang ChangKong took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He then said: ¡°If I wasn¡¯t in the middle of studying, I would¡¯ve gladly fought you. But now, I just think that you¡¯re very naive.¡±


    Wei YiChen shouted with a loud ¡®ha.¡¯ ¡°Naive? Me?¡± His brothers laughed with him, saying: ¡°Are you too afraid? You dare not fight our Brother Chen? Brother Chen isn¡¯t afraid of anyone in this city!¡±


    Xiang ChangKong simply revved his scooter and ignored the jeers. ¡°Excuse me, I still have a lot of customers waiting for their meals.¡±


    Wei YiChen looked at Xiang ChangKong for a long time, before saying: ¡°Let him go.¡±


    Ah Mao was the first to refuse. ¡°Brother Chen!¡± Just let him go? No, it¡¯s better to fight it out!


    Wei YiChen didn¡¯t answer and moved out of Xiang ChangKong¡¯s way. When the brothers saw him give in, they had no choice but to follow.


    After Xiang ChangKong drove away, Ah Mao angrily asked Wei YiChen: ¡°Brother Chen, how could you let him go so easily?¡±


    Wei YiChen stared at Xiang ChangKong¡¯s retreating back and kept silent for a few seconds. Then he said: ¡°Ah Mao.¡±


    ¡°What? Are we running after him?¡±


    ¡°No. Check his background for me.¡± If Xiang ChangKong really was taking advantage of Xu Lian, there was no way he was going to let Xiang ChangKong stay with her.


    ¡°I see. I¡¯ll get right to it.¡±


    As Xiang ChangKong drove his scooter, Wei YiChen¡¯s words kept echoing in his mind. Although he didn¡¯t date Xi Lian for money, it was true that he didn¡¯t really have anything to offer her either. So what if he did get into graduate school? It would be years before Xiang ChangKong would graduate. And even if he did successfully find a job in his field, his salary won¡¯t be high either. Otherwise, Zhao Di wouldn¡¯t have felt like he needed to change careers,


    He can do what he loved, regardless of the amount of money. But what about the people around him? His sister wanted to go to university. His mother was ill. Could Xu Lian really accept this kind of life?


    These problems had existed since the beginning of their relationship, but he had deliberately tried not to think about them.


    The next day, he packed a lunch and sent it to Xu Lian. Xu Lian noticed that he intended to leave right away, so she stopped him and asked: ¡°Do you finish at 8:00 p.m. tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, I planned to go home and study.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied.


    Xu Lian nodded. ¡°Alright, go study hard.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡± After this reply, Xiang ChangKong turned around and left. Zhang GuoEr looked at his retreating back and said to Xu Lian: ¡°Boss, don¡¯t you think Brother Xiang isn¡¯t very lively today?¡±


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s been tired after all that studying.¡± Xu Lian replied.


    Zhang GuoEr thought about it, then nodded. ¡°That must be it. I feel tired just thinking about it.¡±


    Xu Lian smiled, then opened the insulated lunchbox Xiang ChangKong had given her. She opened the soup container and took a sip.


    It really was much better than any takeout soup she had ever tried.


    After closing her store, Xu Lian drove to a nearby bookstore and bought several cookbooks before returning home. When she passed by a supermarket, she bought some vegetables and meat too.


    That night, Xu Lian turned on her stove by herself for the very first time ¡ª¡ªnot for cooking noodles, but for actual cooking.


    She picked out the simplest and easiest recipe: tomato scrambled eggs with shredded potatoes on the side. She dutifully followed the recipe.


    It has to be said that in the two times she had cooked with Xiang ChangKong, Xu Lian had learned a lot. Apart from the potatoes, which weren¡¯t very well sliced, everything else went well.


    Just as she finished plating the two dishes, the rice finished cooking. She put all the dishes on the table and took a picture to send to Xiang ChangKong.


    Xu Lian: I tried to cook today. I¡¯d like to hand in my homework.


    Xiang ChangKong opened the photo and enlarged it.


    Xiang ChangKong: The presentation can be improved upon, but at least it¡¯s not burnt. You can still eat it.


    Xu Lian: You¡¯re quite strict.


    Xiang ChangKong subconsciously smiled.


    Xiang ChangKong: What were you thinking about while you were cooking?


    Xu Lian: Well, I won¡¯t be ordering food tomorrow. You don¡¯t need to bring me a lunchbox either, I¡¯ll pack some myself.


    Xu Lian: This way, you don¡¯t have to make a special trip to my store, and you can spend more time studying instead.


    Looking at the message on his phone, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes glimmered. Honestly, what Xu Lian was doing didn¡¯t make much sense. Because even if she doesn¡¯t make a delivery order, he would just be given someone else¡¯s order. But Xiang ChangKong knew that Xu Lian was just trying to be considerate for him.


    She was so good to him, but he can¡¯t give her anything.


    Xiang ChangKong remained silent for a long time, before slowly starting to type on his phone again.


    Xiang ChangKong: In fact, you can just order takeout from another delivery service.


    Xu Lian:¡­


    Yeah¡­why didn¡¯t she think of that?

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    T/N: Thank you Lalorena for the Kofi!


    ***


    The next day, Xu Lian installed a new takeout app. Zhang GuoEr saw Xu Lian do this and was very confused. Xu Lian didn¡¯t bother explaining. Zhang GuoEr guessed that maybe there was a promotion where new users got a discount in their first order?


    But it felt strange to Zhang GuoEr. After Boss changed her takeout app, Brother Xiang didn¡¯t visit for two consecutive days. Did their honeymoon period end already? Are they now tired of each other?


    She tried holding herself back several times, but in the end, she couldn¡¯t restrain her curiosity. She asked Xu Lian while they were having lunch: ¡°Boss, have you seen Brother Xiang recently?¡±


    As she said this, Zhang GuoEr carefully watched Xu Lian to see if she would make a sad expression. However, Xu Lian had no expression at all. Instead, she said as usual: ¡°He¡¯s been studying.¡±


    Such a bland response.


    Zhang GuoEr was a little disappointed. But then, she thought for a bit. Xiang ChangKong had a good temper. He looks like he seldom talks loudly, let alone quarrel. As for the Boss, well, she doesn¡¯t quarrel at all. After all, to fight means to have a great emotional change. She¡¯s been with her Boss for quite a while now, and the only time Zhang GuoEr saw Xu Lian show emotion was when she was with Xiang ChangKong.


    Meanwhile, Ah Mao had collected some information about Xiang ChangKong for the past two days and is now reporting it to Wei YiChen.


    ¡°Brother Chen, you might not believe this, but that takeaway guy is a graduate of the University of Engineering!¡±


    Wei YiChen had been in a bad mood because of Xu Lian and coupled with some heavy drinking last night, he had another hangover. He had still been in bed when Ah Mao called him. But when Ah Mao¡¯s voice started buzzing in his ear, he sat up, hand pressed against his temple. ¡°University of Engineering? What city?¡±


    ¡°What else? City A¡¯s University of Engineering! A place I had dreamed of attending!¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Wei YiChen was silent for a few seconds. He felt like he wasn¡¯t understanding Ah Mao properly. ¡°You actually thought of taking that university¡¯s entrance exam? Did you dream about becoming the President too?¡±


    Ah Mao: ¡°¡­¡±


    He thought that Brother Chen is still deeply hurt, but it looks like he¡¯s already half-recovered.


    After a dry cough, Ah Mao continued to report: ¡°What¡¯s more exciting is that he was admitted while being first place in the exam results. And he studied a complicated major too- Aeronautical Design. Do you know what that is?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Wei YiChen licked his lips. ¡°Literally, it¡¯s designing airplanes.¡±


    ¡°Wow, Brother Chen you¡¯re so smart! So its about designing airplanes!¡± Ah Mao had long mastered the essence of a successful younger brother. He took every opportunity given to flatter his elder brother, anytime, anywhere. ¡°I heard that Xiang ChangKong did well in university, and even won some awards. He was also recommended to go abroad for postgraduate studies. But something happened at home and he had to give up the opportunity.¡±


    Wei YiChen listened to Ah Mao¡¯s report. Although he didn¡¯t give any response, his heart was far from being quiet. It looks like Xiang ChangKong wasn¡¯t just any ordinary delivery boy after all. If he hadn¡¯t been in love with Xu Lian, he wouldn¡¯t have noticed him at all. But now, according to Ah Mao, this seemingly typical delivery boy was actually a monk of the Shaolin Temple who had reached rock bottom.


    (T/N: The Shaolin Temple is a Buddhist monastery famous for its kung fu monks. Basically, Wei YiChen is saying Xiang ChangKong is a master/top guy who fell from grace.)


    ¡°What happened to his home?¡±


    Ah Mao: ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. I¡¯m still asking other former students. All I know that Xiang ChangKong graduated three years ago, yet the university still has legends about him that hadn¡¯t died out.¡±


    He recalled the expression of that university student he had talked to recently. Her eyes were twinkling when she talked about Xiang ChangKong. Forget it, he shouldn¡¯t talk about that with Brother Chen.


    ¡°I see. Keep asking, and let me know if you learn anything new.¡±


    ¡°OK!¡±


    Wei YiChen put down his phone, then looked at the broken guitar on the other end of his room. He looked at it for a long time, then put on his slippers and approached the instrument. Raising his hand, he gently plucked the strings.


    A low, deep thrum sounded. It sounded like a scream.


    He slowly drew his hand back, his eyes flickering.


    Xiang ChangKong. A top university graduate who studied Aeronautical Design. Had his dream been broken too?


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t know that Wei YiChen had someone look into him. For the past two days, other than delivering orders, he had spent his time reading his textbooks and studying. Xu Lian had been afraid to disturb his work, so she hadn¡¯t contacted him. Similarly, Xiang ChangKong hadn¡¯t contacted her either.


    Xiang ChangKong walked out of the elevator and rang the doorbell for apartment 1703. He quietly waited and soon, a woman opened the door. As she accepted her order Xiang ChangKong said to her: ¡°Have a good meal.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± The woman accepted the delivery, then promptly shut the door. Xiang ChangKong stayed standing outside for a while.


    The perfume of that woman just now was the same as Xu Lian¡¯s. He had smelled the same scent on her.


    He hadn¡¯t seen Xu Lian in two days. Xiang ChangKong had managed not to contact her for two days, but because of a simple scent, the impulse he had buried in his heart boiled over.


    He wanted to see her.


    Even when he went to Starlight Park to deliver an order, he didn¡¯t pass by Xu Lian¡¯s store. He had deliberately planned it this way.


    Eventually, Xiang ChangKong turned around and walked back to the elevator. He pressed the button and waited for it to reach his floor.


    In Xu Lian¡¯s store, Zhang GuoEr slid her phone away from herself and concentrated on her takeaway food. Suddenly, the wind chime on the door rang and she blurted out ¡°Welcome.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr stood up and when she looked towards the door she startled. ¡°B-brother Chen?¡±


    ¡°Good afternoon.¡± Wei YiChen entered the store, the door gently closing behind him.


    Zhang GuoEr¡¯s heart was shaken. Wei YiChen had come to the store countless times, but this was the first time he had greeted her so warmly. It seems that he was in a good mood today. Compared to the last time he visited, he was practically glowing.


    Zhang GuoEr guessed his sunny mood was related to the flowers in his hand.


    Wei YiChen had given Xu Lian red wine and snacks from abroad before, but he had never given her flowers. Especially red roses.


    Xu Lian saw him come in from her workshop so she walked downstairs. She looked at Wei YiChen without any expression in her face. No one could tell whether she was angry about last time. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Wei YiChen had long gotten used to Xu Lian¡¯s cold face. He walked over with the roses on hand and stood by the stairway to wait for her. Xu Lian stepped down from the last step and stopped. Wei YiChen smiled at her and handed out the flowers in his arms. ¡°This is for you. An apology for last time.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡±


    ¡°I was wrong, last time. I shouldn¡¯t have been so impulsive.¡± Wei YiChen replied as he pushed the flowers into Xu Lian¡¯s arms. The sweet fragrance of the roses immediately filled the room. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    Wei YiChen, this man, was frivolous and a little bit impulsive, but he had done everything he had promised Xu Lian. Last time he promised that Zhu Bing wouldn¡¯t bother her again. Xu Lian didn¡¯t care about it, but sure enough, Zhu Bing hadn¡¯t bothered her again.


    She stared at him for a moment, silent.


    Meanwhile, just outside the store, Xiang ChangKong had arrived just in time to see Wei YiChen giving Xu Lian the roses. He looked at Wei YiChen¡¯s smile, then at the red roses. Little by little, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes grew calm and still. In the end, he didn¡¯t get out of his scooter. Instead, he continued to drive away.


    None of the three people in the store noticed that he had come by. Xu Lian examined Wei YiChen¡¯s expression, then finally asked: ¡°Did you look into Xiang ChangKong?¡±


    Her question wasn¡¯t without merit. During high school, although she had a cold disposition and preferred to be alone, some boys still tried to pursue her. They liked a challenge. Her good looks and family conditions were a plus too. At the beginning of her senior year, a lot of boys rushed to confess to her.


    Wei YiChen met with these boys one by one and had a ¡®talk¡¯ with them. By the end of the year, there were no more boys interested in Xu Lian.


    And now she was dating Xiang ChangKong. According to Wei YiChen¡¯s personality, it would be impossible for him to not get Xiang ChangKong checked out.


    When Wei YiChen heard this, his gaze turned a little heavy. With a wry smile, he said: ¡°Do you have to mention him to me?¡±


    But Xu Lian was relentless. ¡°Did you meet with him?¡±


    Wei YiChen turned away. Impatient, he said: ¡°I asked Ah Mao to look into him. I didn¡¯t expect him to be such a talented person. University of Engineering? Did you know from the very beginning?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t find out until later.¡± Xu Lian looked at him. ¡°What did you do that for?¡±


    ¡°Of course I had to check him. Auntie and Uncle are abroad; I¡¯m the only one here that can look out for you. Can I not make sure that he has good intentions?¡±


    Xu Lian pursed her lips and told him: ¡°My mother came back from abroad a while ago.¡±


    Wei YiChen was shocked. ¡°Auntie is back? Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡±


    ¡°She already met Xiang ChangKong.¡± Xu Lian continued.


    Wei YiChen was quiet for a while. After a long silence, he sarcastically replied: ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. Sorry for bothering with that then.¡±


    Then he turned and walked out without looking back.


    Wei YiChen had walked off in the opposite direction Xiang ChangKong had left in, so they naturally didn¡¯t cross paths.


    As Xiang ChangKong drove his scooter, the red roses in Xu Lian¡¯s arms lingered in his heart.


    After he delivered an order in an office building, Xiang ChangKong had just sat on his scooter when his phone rang. He took it out of his pocket and saw that the caller was an unknown caller.


    Because his line of work often involved him calling strangers, Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t think much of it. He answered the call: ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Hello Mr. Xiang, this is the BUNNY counter.¡± It was a woman¡¯s voice on the other end of the line. ¡°You inquired to us previously about our new lipstick, Serenade 007. We¡¯ve just replenished our stock, would you like us to keep one aside for you?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong remembered that he had left his phone number to the sister manning the counter. After a while, he said: ¡°Yes, please. When can I pick it up?¡±


    ¡°We close at 10:00 p.m., so anytime before that is fine.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± He figured he could pick it up during his day off. After finishing his talk with the woman, he started his scooter and drove to the next destination.


    On Friday, Xu Lian checked Xiang ChangKong¡¯s schedule, then sent him a message: Do you have a day off tomorrow? Do you want to go to the cinema?


    Their last date had effectively been canceled. To be honest, she still had regretted the fact that it fell through.


    Xu Lian had no friends, but she did like watching movies. Every time a movie she was interested in was showing, she would go see it alone. She had once seen a loneliness ranking on the internet, and one of the things on the list was watching a movie by yourself.


    (T/N: Hey! I watch movies by myself¡­.)


    Lonely? Xu Lian had never felt lonely when she watched a movie alone. But now, Xu Lian thought that watching a movie with Xiang ChangKong would be much more interesting.


    After looking at her message, Xiang ChangKong thought about it. Then he replied: I wanted to study on Saturday.


    The author has something to say:


    Xiang ChangKong: I love learning. Learning makes me happy.


    Xu Lian: ????

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    ****


    Xu Lian wasn¡¯t stupid. She had been vaguely aware that Xiang ChangKong was intentionally avoiding her. She had wanted to ask him about it but after a moment of consideration, Xu Lian just made an ¡®OK¡¯ gesture and continued on.


    The date of Xiang ChangKong¡¯s test was getting close and closer. No matter his reason for avoiding her, it was still good that he was using this time to study. Xu Lian didn¡¯t really want to distract him from that right now.


    Meanwhile, Xiang ChangKong looked down at the last message Xu Lian sent him, a complicated expression on his face. Xu Lian wasn¡¯t dumb. She probably has a lot of questions for him. But for some reason, she hadn¡¯t asked Xiang ChangKong anything yet.


    He put down his phone and opened his bedside drawer to take out the lipstick he had bought recently. After looking at it for a while, he silently put it back in the drawer.


    On Saturday, Xiang ChangKong bought a lot of food because Xiang Nuan would be coming home. When Xiang Nuan entered the house, she put down her bag and happily ran into the kitchen. Before Xiang ChangKong could even greet her, she said: ¡°Ooh! Brother, your sweet and sour pork ribs are the best!¡± She always ended up licking her fingers after the meal.


    Xiang ChangKong helplessly smiled at his sister and tried to drive her out of the kitchen. Xiang Nuan managed to snag another piece of rib and she quickly shoved it in her mouth. ¡°Ah, so delicious~ I wonder when Sister Xu Lian can eat such a dish?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s hand that held a spatula froze for a second. He then picked up the plate of pork ribs and handed it to Xiang Nuan. ¡°You go on ahead, the kitchen is smokey.¡±


    Xiang Nuan accepted the plate. She rolled her eyes and refused to leave. ¡°When are bringing Sister Xu Lian home, ah?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± Xiang ChangKong plated the side dishes. ¡°Did you get your monthly test results yet?¡±


    The smile on Xiang Nuan¡¯s face suddenly stiffened. ¡°¡­ahahahaha, I won¡¯t disturb you anymore. Cook slowly, I¡¯m going now.¡± Then she ran out of the kitchen with the plate and sat on the dinner table with a bitter expression on her face.


    Xiang Nuan only recovered from the thought of monthly exams after eating a few more pieces of sweet and sour ribs. After a while, she took out her phone and opened Weibo. She found Xu Lian¡¯s Weibo and sent her a private message.


    Xiang Nuan: Big sister, do you remember me? I¡¯m Xiang ChangKong¡¯s little sister.


    Meanwhile, Xu Lian was at a cocktail party with her mother.


    Although Xu Lian¡¯s family didn¡¯t have a big business or anything, they were still pretty rich. Before she moved abroad, Mother Xu used to show her face from time to time in wealthy social gatherings like these. This was Xu Lian¡¯s first time attending though. She didn¡¯t like going to social events, let alone to a hypocritical event like this.


    Wei YiChen was also at the party. When he saw Xu Lian standing alone in a corner, he walked over and stood next to her. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d come to something like this.¡±


    Xu Lian gave him a wry smile and forked a small piece of cake. ¡°My mom¡¯s leaving in two days, so she guilt-tripped me into this party.¡±


    Wei YiChen smiled and raised his hand to take a sip of some wine. ¡°I just heard your mom tell Auntie Liao that you got a boyfriend. It looks like the news is spreading quick.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Xu Lian was silent for a moment, then said one word: ¡°Boring.¡±


    Wei YiChen took another sip of wine and gave Xu Lian a side-glance. ¡°But you do look very good tonight. Your dress is nice.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s dress was chosen by her mother, who also threatened Xu Lian into wearing it. Xu Lian had never attended such parties, so she naturally didn¡¯t have any suitable clothes for the occasion. In the end, although she didn¡¯t like the dress her mother had chosen, she acquiesced and put it on.


    She couldn¡¯t come to the party wearing a leather dress after all.


    ¡°YiChen, come here and talk with your Uncle Nie.¡± Wei ZhenTing looked towards his son a few meters away from him. Xu Lian politely nodded towards him when they met eyes and Wei ZhenTing smiled and nodded back.


    Wei YiChen drank another mouthful of wine then said to Xu Lian: ¡°I need to go over there.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡±


    Wei YiChen walked over, putting his empty wine glass on a nearby table. Wei ZhenTing waited for Wei YiChen to come over, then whispered: ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear from your Auntie Xu that Xu Lian has a boyfriend already? You¡¯re not giving up yet?¡±


    Wei YiChen laughed and said: ¡°You too; Nie Ye already said that we aren¡¯t suitable for each other. When are you going to give up?¡±


    ¡°How is that the same. Since she doesn¡¯t have anyone definite yet, you still have a chance. Suitable or not, that can change.¡±


    Wei YiChen bit his lip and made no other comment.


    In her corner, Xu Lian had finished her plate of cake. She walked towards the buffet table to find herself another dessert. While she had promised her mother to attend the party, she actually agreed to come for another important reason- the desserts at the Grand Europe Hotel were famous for being notoriously delicious.


    Mother Xu saw Xu Lian standing alone, avoiding other people¡¯s attention and keeping to herself. When other people tried to catch her gaze, Xu Lian pretended not to see. She instead took out her phone and bowed her head, directly blocking everyone else around her.


    The corner of Mother Xu¡¯s mouth lifted. She then turned back to talk and laugh with the people around her. Xu Lian opened her WeChat and saw that Xiang ChangKong hadn¡¯t sent her any messages. She stared at Xiang ChangKong¡¯s avatar for a while, then closed the app. She opened Weibo next.


    Xu Lian saw that she had received a private message. Xu Lian opened the message, her finger hovering next to a cute cartoon avatar of a young girl.


    Xiang Nuan?


    Of course, she remembers. She opened the keyboard and replied.


    Xu Lian: Yes, I remember. What can I do for you?


    At this moment, Xiang Nuan had just finished eating. When she checked her phone and saw that Xu Lian had replied, she was a little surprised.


    Xiang Nuan: I heard from my brother that you¡¯re dating him now. Congratulations (??¨Œ?)? But I think there¡¯s something wrong with my brother today. Did you guys quarrel (,,???,,)?


    Xu Lian: Is your brother home?


    Xiang Nuan: Yes, he just went into his room. It¡¯s his day off today.


    Xu Lian: Ok, I know.


    Ok? Xiang Nuan was a little confused. What does Xu Lian know? How come she didn¡¯t know?


    Were they quarreling after all? How worrisome.


    But despite all this, Xiang Nuan still took the opportunity to leave her WeChat ID to Xu Lian so they could talk easier in the future.


    Xu Lian added Xiang Nuan to her WeChat, then tapped on Xiang ChangKong¡¯s avatar and sent him a message.


    Xu Lian: Studying?


    Xiang ChangKong: Yeah.


    Xiang ChangKong was indeed reading his textbook. But for some reason, when Xu Lian asked him, he still felt a little guilty.


    After a while, he took a photo of his open book and sent it to Xu Lian.


    The moment the photo was successfully sent, Xiang ChangKong immediately regretted it. It felt like he was admitting to his guilt, ah. Should he delete it? But Xu Lian must¡¯ve seen the picture already.


    As he continued to wonder whether he should delete the photo message or not, Xu Lian sent another message.


    Xu Lian: I don¡¯t really want to disturb you when you¡¯re studying, but I was wondering if you could pick me up right now?


    Xiang ChangKong: What¡¯s wrong?


    Xiang ChangKong was immediately worried. Did something happen to Xu Lian?


    Xu Lian: I was dragged to a party by my mom. It¡¯s really boring and painful, she isn¡¯t letting me leave.


    Xu Lian: But if you come and get me, she¡¯ll definitely let me go.


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t respond for a while. Xu Lian saw this and decided to lay it on a little thicker.


    Xu Lian: I¡¯m begging you ( ??¦ä?? )


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: Alright, I¡¯ll come get you now. Give me the address.


    Xu Lian: The banquet hall on the second floor of Grand Europe Hotel.


    Xu Lian: I¡¯ll be waiting!

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    ***


    Xiang ChangKong changed clothes and told Xiang Nuan he was going out. Xiang Nuan asked: ¡°Are you going on a date with Sister Xu Lian?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Xiang ChangKong wondered why Xiang Nuan immediately thought he was going out on a date. Well, he really was going to go see Xu Lian.


    ¡°I just have a small errand. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s no need, no need. You can stay out all night. Really!¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°What kinds of thoughts are you having?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± Xiang ChangKong reached for the front door. But Xiang Nuan chased after him and pulled him back to his room. ¡°You¡¯re dressed too casually! Go change into something else.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong helplessly sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere special.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to go see your girlfriend, how can you dress casually! And this is only your second date. Are all men like this? What pigs!¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­¡±


    Xiang Nuan opened Xiang ChangKong¡¯s closet. Looking at its neat but sparse contents, she sighed. ¡°Men¡¯s clothes are all hideous.¡±


    Xiang Nuan sighed. Men¡¯s clothes don¡¯t look good at all, ah. The colors and styles are all so simple. Compared to women¡¯s clothes, they were just drab.


    ¡°Brother, I think you need to buy new clothes.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°Men¡¯s clothes are all hideous, you just said. Even if we buy new ones, it¡¯ll still be ugly.¡±


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­.¡±


    At least they¡¯d be new, ah!


    ¡°What about the black sweater you wore last time?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°I put it in the wash. It¡¯s still wet.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­then wear this white sweater.¡± Xiang Nuan took out a folded white sweater from the closet. She then sifted through his coats. ¡°Do you only have black coats?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong looked at the one she was looking at and corrected her: ¡°That¡¯s not black, that¡¯s navy.¡±


    ¡°They all look the same!¡±


    Xiang ChangKong couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°How come you girls don¡¯t say that when looking at lipsticks? Aren¡¯t the colors similar too?¡± He still remembered the color swatch test he did at the BUNNY counter.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same.¡± With a snort, Xiang Nuan took out the navy hooded coat and threw it at Xiang ChangKong. ¡°Just change.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t want to delay anymore. So he drove Xiang Nuan out and quickly changed into the clothes she picked out. Standing in front of the mirror, he straightened his collar. He saw his bedside drawer using his mirror.


    The BUNNY lipstick was still inside. Should he give it to Xu Lian now?


    He stared at the drawer for a very long time. When Xiang Nuan began to knock impatiently at his door, Xiang ChangKong finally went over and grabbed the lipstick, putting it in his pocket.


    Xiang ChangKong opened his door. Seeing his change of clothes, Xiang Nuan was finally satisfied.


    The siblings passed by Weng ShuLi¡¯s closed door. She was taking her afternoon nap. Seeing Xiang ChangKong¡¯s gaze, Xiang Nuan told him: ¡°I¡¯ll take care of mom, don¡¯t worry. I can cook dinner myself. So be rest assured, and don¡¯t come back tonight!¡±


    Xiang ChangKong flicked Xiang Nuan on her forehead. He put on his shoes, opened the front door, and left.


    After Xu Lian finished messaging Xiang ChangKong, she looked up at the party from time to time. Wei YiChen, who was talking with some friends nearby, was watching her. One of Wei YiChen¡¯s friends asked with a raised brow: ¡°Doesn¡¯t Xu Lian have a boyfriend now?¡±


    Another friend laughed then took a sip of his wine. ¡°Don¡¯t rub salt on our brother¡¯s wound.¡±


    Several people chuckled, but Wei YiChen didn¡¯t say anything. He just continued to look at Xu Lian as he drank. But as he was watching Xu Lian, he also noticed a man¡ª¡ªJiang YueZhang.


    Jiang YueZhang had just arrived. When he entered the banquet hall, he immediately walked towards Wei YiChen, his steps quick and urgent.


    ¡°Wei YiChen, you actually drank my wine! Do you know how much that bottle cost?¡± Jiang YueZhang looked quite angry. He had spent so much time and effort into acquiring that bottle. It was so precious that he didn¡¯t want to just drink it willy-nilly. Jiang YueZhang had planned on finding a big beauty first, then drink the wine while flirting with her, eventually leading to many, many, indescribable things.


    But instead of a beauty, the wine ended up in Wei YiChen¡¯s stomach!


    Wei YiChen squinted at him, a small smile starting to form in his mouth. ¡°I knew how much that bottle cost before I drank it, ah!¡±


    ¡°You!¡± If they weren¡¯t at a fancy party, Jiang YueZhang would¡¯ve already punched him!


    One of Wei YiChen¡¯s friends leaned over and said: ¡°Brother Zhang, don¡¯t be angry. He¡¯s a lot more upset than you! After all, the woman he had been chasing for a long time got a boyfriend. A bitter tragedy of unrequited love finally ending after nine years.¡±


    This actually made Jiang YueZhang lose most of his anger. He even managed to squeeze out a sympathetic smile. ¡°One bottle of wine for nine years worth of unrequited love, I guess it really is worth it, ah.¡±


    Wei YiChen pulled the corner of his mouth. Ah, he really had a great group of friends.


    During their conversation, Xiang ChangKong had finally arrived. Xu Lian received a message from him, so she walked straight out. Xiang ChangKong was waiting outside the hotel. As soon as Xu Lian came out, he saw her.


    Xu Lian¡¯s normal style was usually handsome and cool, with mostly dark colors. But today, maybe because she had attended a party, she was wearing colors- something she rarely did. She was wearing a white top with V-neck decorated with high-end lace. She was also wearing a green retro skirt and had her hair specially coiled up. Xu Lian looked like a very elegant 18th-century noble lady.


    Xiang ChangKong froze. For a moment, he didn¡¯t know how to react. Meanwhile, Xu Lian had noticed him and walked up to him. Seeing that he hadn¡¯t said anything, Xu Lian raised her hand and waved it in front of him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    At her words, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s heart managed to start beating again. He blinked and stiffly looked away from her, his cheeks becoming hot. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, nothing. I just thought that you look different from your usual look.¡±


    Xu Lian looked down at her dress and asked: ¡°Do I look good?¡±


    ¡°G-great. Very pretty.¡±


    Xu Lian smiled at his answer. ¡°My mother chose this. I¡¯m not really used to wearing something like this, but I guess it¡¯s good.¡±


    The smile on her face completely dazzled Xiang ChangKong. He felt that her smile was brighter than the midday sun. Xiang ChangKong hastily looked away again and asked: ¡°Wearing such thin clothing, aren¡¯t you cold?¡±


    It was November now. Xu Lian was wearing the least amount of clothes in the entire street.


    Xu Lian replied: ¡°Now that I¡¯m basking in the sun, I feel warm. I¡¯m alright.¡±


    As she said this, Xu Lian raised her head. Using her hand to cover her eyes, she looked up at the sky. Today¡¯s weather was quite good. The sky was a clear blue, and the sun was peaking through her fingers, casting a light shadow over her face. She looked at Xiang ChangKong and smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go on a date.¡±


    Her proposal made Xiang ChangKong¡¯s heart beat faster. He looked at the Xu Lian in front of him and inexplicable thought¨C


    No matter what she asked of him, he would readily agree to it.


    ¡°I heard from Zhang GuoEr that there¡¯s an amusement park doing a themed event today. Let¡¯s go and check it out?¡± Xu Lian leaned closer to Xiang ChangKong, her bright red lips curving into a beautiful arc. Then, as if she was trapping prey, she reeled him in. ¡°Our last date got canceled, so today is our official first date.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong subconsciously nodded his head, his heart beating faster and faster. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°I drove here, so just wait while I get my car.¡±


    Xu Lian went to the parking lot, then drove her car over. She honked at the still Xiang ChangKong, prompting him to get into the passenger side. She waited for him to buckle his seatbelt before driving away.


    This was the first time Xiang ChangKong sat in Xu Lian¡¯s car. She didn¡¯t drive fast, but stably instead. Xu Lian commented that the amusement park wasn¡¯t in the city center. Following the GPS for about 50 minutes, they finally saw the gate of the amusement park on the horizon.


    Because today was a Saturday, the amusement park had a lot of events to draw in the crowds, causing the park to be quite colorful. Xu Lian looked around at the filled parking lot and began to worry about whether they can even find a parking space.


    ¡°There¡¯s a spot over there, but it¡¯s not very good.¡±


    Xu Lian looked at the spot and had to agree with Xiang ChangKong. The space was tiny, and the cars parked on either side of the spot were very close, testing the very limits of parking technology.


    It was probably because that it was a bad spot that it remained empty, Xu Lian gloomily thought.


    ¡°Your car should be able to fit.¡±


    Xu Lian slowly drove over to the space. With her serious expression making her look like she was about to drive into a dangerous road, Xu Lian replied: ¡°The width should be enough, I just don¡¯t know if I can properly maneuver the car inside.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong looked at Xu Lian and said: ¡°How about I do it? You can stay out of the car while I park. The doors won¡¯t be able to open too much after I¡¯ve parked.¡±


    Xu Lian looked back at Xiang ChangKong with some surprise. ¡°You have your driver¡¯s license?¡±


    (T/N: You probably don¡¯t need a full license or anything for Xiang ChangKong¡¯s scooter. Depends on the country.)


    With an ¡®ah,¡¯ Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°I got it right after my high school graduation. I¡¯ve also driven my dad¡¯s car lots of times before, so you can rest assured.¡±


    Perhaps it was due to the ¡®elite university¡¯ aura emanating out of him, but Xu Lian already blindly trusted Xiang ChangKong with most things. Even if he hadn¡¯t touched a car for several years now, she didn¡¯t doubt his skills at all.


    So Xu Lian stopped the car and gave up the driver¡¯s seat to Xiang ChangKong. Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t use the auxiliary parking system in Xu Lian¡¯s car and instead, with a hand casually draped on the wheel, accurately parked the car in the spot freehand.


    Xu Lian felt a little frustrated. She would¡¯ve liked to give him a few directions like ¡®lean to the left¡¯ and ¡®go to the right a little bit.¡¯


    The distance between the cars on either side of Xu Lian¡¯s car was a bit too narrow. When Xiang ChangKong tried to get out, he could only open the car door halfway through, causing him to squeeze out sideways. It made Xu Lian laugh as she held his hand.


    The sudden warmth on his palms made Xiang ChangKong looked down at her stupidly. Xu Lian¡¯s hand was soft, and her skin was smooth. It felt very nice to hold. Seeing him look down at their connected hands, Xu Lian asked: ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to hold hands when you¡¯re dating?¡±


    ¡°Well, um¡­.¡± Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t have the courage to look at her in the eye, but he didn¡¯t let go of her hand either. Feeling Xu Lian¡¯s slightly cold fingertips, he tightened his grip on her hand.


    There wasn¡¯t a lot of people outside the amusement park at this time. Most would¡¯ve been already inside the park. So they didn¡¯t need to queue up to buy entrance tickets. Fortunately, they managed to enter just before the scheduled performances started.


    A crowd of visitors had already gathered underneath the stage and was recording with their mobile phones. Xu Lian also took out her phone from her shoulder bag. The performance was only 15 minutes long, and afterward, Xu Lian turned towards Xiang ChangKong. ¡°Let¡¯s take a picture together.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong knew that girls usually love taking selfies (courtesy of Xiang Nuan), but Xu Lian didn¡¯t look like a person who liked taking photos. It was hard for Xiang ChangKong to imagine Xu Lian puckering her lips and taking photos while changing head angles.


    Honestly, Xu Lian doesn¡¯t really like taking selfies. Her phone doesn¡¯t even have a beauty filter. She turned on her camera, and when she changed it into the front-facing camera, she discovered that she looked like she was being observed under a microscope. You could see everything, pores and all.


    ¡°¡­.¡± Xu Lian calmly closed the camera and said to Xiang ChangKong: ¡°Give me a minute, let me download a selfie app.¡±


    There are a lot of selfie cameras in the app store. As Xu Lian browsed through the store, she noticed a familiar icon. It was the one Zhang GuoEr used, so she downloaded it. After a while, she opened the camera again and chose a suitable filter. Xu Lian nodded in satisfaction. No problems this time.


    ¡°Just stand there for a little bit.¡± Xu Lian directed Xiang ChangKong to stand beside her, right until their shoulders touched. Xiang ChangKong saw her struggling to lift her phone high enough, so he took Xu Lian¡¯s phone from her. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    He moved the phone around until he found a suitable angle. The moment he pressed the shutter, Xu Lian suddenly turned and kissed his cheek.


    This scene was successfully saved into Xu Lian¡¯s expensive phone.


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°Hehe, looks good.¡± Xu Lian took back her phone and looked at the photo on the screen. Xu Lian looked back up at Xiang ChangKong and noticed a red smudge on his cheek. Xu Lian handed a tissue to Xiang ChangKong and said: ¡°Here, wipe it.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Xiang ChangKong obviously didn¡¯t understand.


    Xu Lian raised a brow, but didn¡¯t answer. She instead reached up and wiped his cheek for him. The white tissue became stained with red. Xu Lian handed the tissue to Xiang ChangKong and said to him: ¡°Lipstick print.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    After cleaning his face, the two continued to walk. As they did so, they saw a stall selling ice cream cones. Xu Lian wanted to eat some, so she led Xiang ChangKong over to the stall to buy some. Xu Lian bit down on her ice cream, then handed it to Xiang ChangKong. ¡°Would you like to taste some? It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    Her lips were still stained with ice cream. Xiang ChangKong looked down at her and with a smile, he shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want some, you can finish it.¡±


    Xu Lian thought about it, then called out: ¡°Xiang ChangKong.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Xu Lian smiled at him, then hooked his neck down with her hand. On her tiptoes, she kissed him on the lips.


    Xu Lian¡¯s lips were still cold from the ice cream. As they softly touched his own, Xiang ChangKong could smell Xu Lian¡¯s scent and feel it shoot straight to his heart.


    For the first time, Xiang ChangKong thought that Xu Lian tasted sweet.


    Xu Lian smiled at Xiang ChangKong¡¯s expression. He looked caught off guard, and his eyes were filled with shock.


    After Xu Lian¡¯s kiss, some ice cream got transferred to Xiang ChangKong¡¯s lips.


    Xiang ChangKong licked the ice cream off the corner of his lips with a red face. ¡°We¡¯re still outside, don¡¯t be so¡­¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Xiang ChangKong had no rebuttal.


    Xu Lian took his arm and pointed to the park facilities with her hand that held the ice cream. ¡°Let¡¯s go play that.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The two played all day, right until the amusement park¡¯s last show ended, and the sky had turned dark. Worried that Xu Lian would be cold, Xiang ChangKong took off his coat and handed it to Xu Lian. ¡°It¡¯s cold at night, you might catch a cold.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡± Xu Lian accepted the coat and put it on. She could still feel the warmth from Xiang ChangKong on the jacket; It was like he was hugging her. Xu Lian smiled and put her hands inside the coat pockets. When she did this, her fingers touched a slender box in one of the pockets.


    ¡°What¡¯s this in your pocket?¡± Xu Lian took out the box she felt and saw it was a lipstick. ¡°Serenade 007?¡±


    She looked at Xiang ChangKong ambiguously. Xiang ChangKong opened his mouth, then closed it again. He did this several times before finally stammering: ¡°I bought it a while ago. I was going to give it to you this afternoon, but I forgot about it while we were playing.¡±


    Xu Lian looked at him and watched as Xiang ChangKong¡¯s ears turned red. With a smile, she asked him: ¡°Wanna go to my house?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong looked at her and saw Xu Lian¡¯s eyes were sparkling, like they were the night sky filled with stars.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Xu Lian turned around and walked towards the parking lot.


    It was still more than 50 minutes¡¯ drive from the amusement park to Xu Lian¡¯s home. When they got to her house, Xu Lian left her car keys and Xiang ChangKong¡¯s coat on the sofa. Xiang ChangKong was standing behind her. Xu Lian turned around and untied her hair, the black tresses falling down like water.


    ¡°I kissed you twice today, so I¡¯ll let you get your revenge now.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong looked at her for a moment, then walked forward and hugged her waist and kissed her lips.


    NSFW (only a little. If you want to skip, just find ***)


    He was strong, and his grip on her waist was a little tight. But he hadn¡¯t touched her like this for a long time. Xu Lian had no desire to push him away at all.


    Her strength slowly drained away as his kiss made her legs soften. Xiang ChangKong felt her go weak and gently pressed her body to the sofa behind her.


    As soon as Xu Lian touched the sofa, she immediately probed around the cushions. Just as she was about to lose all her strength, she finally managed to find the small box hidden under the cushions.


    By now, Xiang ChangKong was very familiar with this small box. He held Xu Lian¡¯s hand that was holding the box, and angrily asked: ¡°Why is this still here?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Xu Lian had always thought that the sofa was big enough, so¡­


    Xiang ChangKong was unable to speak for a while. With a sigh, he took the small box from her hands and tried to hold himself back. ¡°Your mom¡­¡±


    ¡°My mom went home. She won¡¯t be coming over tonight.¡±


    At her words, Xiang ChangKong finally let go of his hesitations and closed the distance between him and Xu Lian.


    Xiang ChangKong seemed more enthusiastic tonight compared to the previous two times they¡¯ve had sex. It was very challenging for Xu Lian. As Xu Lian hugged Xiang ChangKong, she could feel his tense muscles. But she could do nothing but say: ¡°D-don¡¯t, don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Xiang ChangKong moved and buried his face to the side of her neck. He then lifted his head and whispered into Xu Lian¡¯s ear: ¡°Then, what do you want me to do?¡±


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t answer, she couldn¡¯t answer. Her voice was already long gone.


    Xiang ChangKong hooked up his lips into a rare smile and chuckled. He gathered Xu Lian into his arms and hugged her closer to him. ¡°You can ask me again later.¡±

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    ***


    Afterward, the two lay on the sofa panting. Xu Lian was so tired she didn¡¯t want to move a finger.


    Xu Lian felt that she may have to extend her half-hour morning run just to keep up with Xiang ChangKong.


    Looking at her from the side, Xiang ChangKong raised his hand and plucked a strand of her sweaty hair. ¡°Tired?¡±


    ¡°Un¡­let¡¯s take a little break.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled. ¡°After a bit, you should go take a bath.¡±


    Xu Lian opened an eye and looked at him. ¡°Finished already?¡±


    The smile on Xiang ChangKong¡¯s face widened, and his dark eyes had a twinkle as he taunted: ¡°Do you still have the strength to continue? You were begging for mercy just a minute ago. Now you want to do it again?¡±


    ¡°Er¡­I¡¯ll recover. Just give me a minute¡­¡±


    Kissing her lips, Xiang ChangKong whispered: ¡°We played all day, aren¡¯t you tired?¡±


    During their trip to the amusement park, they played around and spent a lot of time lining up in queues. And Xu Lian had been wearing high-heeled shoes. After standing all afternoon, Xiang ChangKong figured that her legs must be hurting.


    A weak Xu Lian exhaled and sat up from the couch. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take a bath first. I feel sticky.¡±


    She picked up her clothes from the ground and put them on. Looking back towards Xiang ChangKong, she said: ¡°Go take a bath too.¡± Xu Lian¡¯s home had another bathroom next to the guest room.¡¡¡¡¡¡¡±Alright.¡±


    Xu Lian shuffled into her slippers and went into her room. She filled the bathtub with water and had a comfortable soak. When she finally came out, she saw Xiang ChangKong had already taken a shower and cleaned the living room and sofa.


    Xu Lian¡¯s sofa was made of leather. Although its color made any stains obvious, being made of leather made it easy to clean up. She looked around and saw that Xiang ChangKong was standing on the balcony. Xu Lian went into the kitchen to pick up two cans of beer, then went to the balcony.


    Xu Lian gave Xiang ChangKong a beer, then with a ¡®snick¡¯ opened her own. Taking a warm bath had stimulated her body¡¯s blood flow, so drinking a cold beer was very refreshing.


    Xu Lian let out a comfortable sigh. ¡°It¡¯d be better if we had barbecue.¡±


    Opening his own can, Xiang ChangKong lightly smiled. ¡°You really don¡¯t worry about gaining weight, do you?¡±


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t care one bit. ¡°The amount of exercise we just did was so intense, we definitely lost a lot of calories.¡±


    Hearing this, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s ears turned a little hot. After taking another sip of his cold beer, he felt better.


    Xu Lian then straightened. She turned and looked at Xiang ChangKong and asked: ¡°Have you been hiding from me these past couple days?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t speak. His eyes remained trained at the distant sky. Xu Lian asked again: ¡°Did Wei YiChen look for you?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s adam¡¯s apple moved as if he wanted to say something. The corner of his mouth lifted, and he raised his hand to rub Xu Lian¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I figured out things.¡±


    Xu Lian raised an eyebrow, curious. ¡°What did you figure out?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong only smiled in response.


    Xu Lian fiddled with the beer can in her hands and asked: ¡°Are you going to continue delivering takeout?¡±


    ¡°Un.¡± Xiang ChangKong nodded. ¡°I¡¯m my only family¡¯s source of income. If I don¡¯t work, my family isn¡¯t going to survive.¡±


    Xu Lian thought for a moment, then said: ¡°What are you going to do when you start graduate school? You¡¯re still going to continue delivering even then?¡±


    He didn¡¯t have much free time now. It should be even harder when he starts school.


    Xu Lian looked at Xiang ChangKong. His hair was softly fluttering against the night wind, and he was staring into the depths of the dark sky.


    Xu Lian took another sip of her beer. ¡°To be honest, I have money. My business is doing quite good now. It won¡¯t matter if you stop making deliveries.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong looked down at Xu Lian. There were too many emotions hidden in his dark eyes, eyes that were darker than the night. The two stayed silent for a while, simply staring at each other. After a while, Xiang ChangKong curved his mouth and asked: ¡°What, you want to raise me?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m investing in my country¡¯s aviation industry.¡± Xu Lian replied.


    Xiang ChangKong lowered his head and chuckled. He then raised his hand and rubbed Xu Lian¡¯s hair. ¡°Like you said before, there will always be a way to solve money problems.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡± Xu Lian lifted her beer but saw that it was empty. Shaking her can, she asked Xiang ChangKong: ¡°Do you want another?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong shook his head and finished his beer. ¡°No, you should go to bed early.¡±


    Xu Lian blinked. ¡°Together?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Sleep here tonight. I promise not to do anything to you.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong chuckled, then nodded.


    He had slept in Xu Lian¡¯s bed several times already, but it was always when they were doing dirty things. This was the first time Xiang ChangKong would be using Xu Lian¡¯s bed for its intended purpose.


    As they entered back into the house, Xiang ChangKong looked up at the ceiling. He asked: ¡°When did you buy this house?¡±


    Xu Lian replied: ¡°The year I graduated university. Why?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong stopped and looked down at Xu Lian. The room was dark, but Xu Lian¡¯s eyes shone brightly. Even in darkness, he could see her. Xiang ChangKong slowly said: ¡°You already have everything. What do I have that I can offer to you?¡±


    Xu Lian was silent for a while. Then she answered: ¡°Since I already have everything, you don¡¯t need to offer me anything else. You just need to love me.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong gave her a shallow smile. He reached out and touched the side of her face. ¡°How should I do that?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong had deliberately lowered his voice, and in this dark room, it had an unspeakable charm to it. Xu Lian felt like Xiang ChangKong had tickled her heart with feathers. Xu Lian couldn¡¯t help but lean closer to Xiang ChangKong, close enough that she could feel his body temperature. ¡°You really don¡¯t want to continue?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong wrapped an arm around Xu Lian and pulled her to him. He kissed her soft lips and said: ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t going to do anything to me?¡±


    ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re not allowed to do something to me.¡±


    Xu Lian wrapped her arms around Xiang ChangKong and melted into his kiss.


    The next day, Xiang ChangKong woke up at 5:00 a.m. He gently removed his hands from the still sleeping Xu Lian and got up to put on his clothes.


    Looking at her, Xiang ChangKong couldn¡¯t help but smile. After a while, he left her room.


    Xu Lian¡¯s fridge barely had any ingredients, but Xiang ChangKong figured he could still make something. He took a pot and soon managed to cook a decent porridge. After that was done, Xiang ChangKong gathered up his things and left Xu Lian¡¯s home.


    When he arrived back at his own house, it wasn¡¯t even 7:00 a.m. yet. His mother nor Xiang Nuan had gotten up yet. So, as usual, he began to prepare breakfast. Afterward, he served a bowl for himself and sat down in the living room to eat.


    Meanwhile, Xiang Nuan had wanted to take advantage of the weekend to sleep in, but her biological clock forced her eyes to open early. Just as she resolved to close her eyes and go back to sleep, Xiang Nuan hears movement outside.


    Xiang Nuan knew that Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t come home last night, he didn¡¯t!


    Haha, does he think he can just come back early in the morning and pretend that came home late?


    Putting on her pajama pants and shuffling into her slippers, Xiang Nuan rushed out of her room without even combing her hair. Xiang ChangKong, who was eating breakfast, was surprised to see her. ¡°Why are you up so early?¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡± Xiang Nuan smiled and sat down across from him. ¡°You¡¯re awake quite early too. How did you sleep last night?¡±


    Even though the person in front of him was his younger sister, having been asked such a question, Xiang ChangKong couldn¡¯t help but feel a little shy. ¡°I slept well.¡± He pushed a plate of steamed dumplings towards Xiang Nuan and said: ¡°Wang Ji¡¯s first batch of dumplings, do you want some?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Xiang Nuan had still been a little sleepy, but as the taste of steamed dumplings filled her mouth, she became full of energy.


    ¡°Then go wash up and come get breakfast.¡± Xiang ChangKong then said: ¡°But keep your voice down. Don¡¯t wake up mom.¡±


    Xiang Nuan smiled and said. ¡°Don¡¯t bother hiding things from mom. I feel that she always somehow knows everything. Since you and Sister Xu Lian are like this, don¡¯t you think its time to officially bring her back for a visit?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong had actually planned to take Xu Lian home ages ago. No matter what kind of situation his family was in, he knew he should formally introduce Xu Lian to his family. But because of that incident with Wei YiChen a few days ago, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s heart had been feeling heavy. After actually seeing her though, Xiang ChangKong had the urge to take her home.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask her if she can visit next Saturday.¡±


    ¡°Ok!¡± Xiang Nuan jumped up and happily clapped her hands. ¡°I¡¯ll go wash up, leave me some steamed dumplings!¡±


    As Xiang ChangKong laughed, he couldn¡¯t help but think: Was Xu Lian awake now too?


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t wake up until 9:00 a.m. Just yesterday, she had been thinking of extending her morning run, but her plan already died on the first day. Although she took a bath last night, she still felt a little achy this morning. She looked at the empty space next to her, then yawned and sat up.


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s clothes were gone. Xu Lian figured that he left for work. After Xu Lian washed up, she left her room and saw a thermos bucket on her dining table. There were also two covered plates next to the thermos.


    It must have been Xiang ChangKong.


    With a smile, Xu Lian sat down and opened the thermos, heat rushing to her face.


    ¡°Smell¡¯s good.¡± Xu Lian poured some of the porridge into a bowl and tasted it. She then picked up her cell phone and sent Xiang ChangKong a message.


    Xu Lian: When did you leave?


    Xiang ChangKong: Before Dawn. I didn¡¯t want to wake you since you looked so peaceful.


    Xu Lian: I saw the breakfast you made. It¡¯s delicious.


    Xiang ChangKong: I¡¯m glad you like it ????


    Xiang ChangKong: By the way, my sister wanted to invite you home for a visit. Are you free next Saturday?


    ***


    I kinda like this. Xiang ChangKong had been insecure because of Wei YiChen, and the way its been resolved isn¡¯t from some dramatic scene. Instead, when they finally managed to see each other, Xu Lian shamelessly expressed her feelings towards Xiang ChangKong (as usual), and Xiang ChangKong realized that things were alright. Xu Lian liked him no matter what.

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    ***


    Although Xiang ChangKong¡¯s invitation was a little sudden, Xu Lian wasn¡¯t surprised. Xiang ChangKong had already met Xu Lian¡¯s mother, so it stands to reason that she should visit his parents.


    Before, when Xu Lian had visited Xiang ChangKong¡¯s house, Xu Lian had realized that his family situation was a bit complicated. Therefore Xu Lian had never asked Xiang ChangKong to go to his house. But now that he had asked her to visit, it meant that he was ready now, right?


    Xu Lian: I¡¯m my own boss, I¡¯m always free.


    Looking at her reply, Xiang ChangKong couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    Xiang ChangKong: Alright. Let¡¯s do it this Saturday at noon. Shall I pick you up, or do you want to come by yourself?


    Xu Lian: I can go there myself.


    Xiang ChangKong: Alright, then I¡¯ll stay at home and prepare lunch. What do you want to eat?


    Xu Lian: Anything. More importantly, what can I bring? What does your mother like?


    This made Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes dim for a while. With the way his mother was, giving her a present was the same as not giving her anything at all.


    Xiang ChangKong: About my mother¡­I was going to find an opportunity to talk to you about her¡­


    Xu Lian: I know. The last time I visited your house, I was told she was ill.


    Xiang ChangKong: Well, you don¡¯t need to bring anything. I¡¯ll explain after you meet her.


    Xu Lian: Ok.


    But even though she said this, Xu Lian felt that she couldn¡¯t just go to his house empty-handed. She thought back to the skincare gift bag Xiang ChangKong had given to her mother. Xu Lian figured she could do the same and buy his mother some skincare products.


    Actually, this was a pretty good idea. Health care products would¡¯ve also been good, but Xu Lian didn¡¯t know whether Xiang ChangKong¡¯s mother could eat those things randomly. Skincare products would be much safer.


    With her shop closing on Thursdays, Xu Lian took the opportunity and went to the biggest department store in the city to pick out a gift set. On the way home, Xu Lian received a phone call from the florist telling her that the dried flowers she had picked out were done and that she could come have a look whenever she was free.


    After the call, Xu Lian simply turned her car and drove towards the flower shop.


    When Xu Lian inspected several different flowers, she felt that they really did smell stronger than her own home-made dried flowers and were better trimmed.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take some back and do a couple of gypsum tablets and see what happens.¡±


    The florist replied with a smile: ¡°Good, I¡¯ll pack these up for you.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    As the florist packed the dried flowers, Xu Lian approached the little girl who had been sitting nearby. ¡°Do you like to draw?¡±


    The little girl nodded as she grasped a colored crayon. ¡°Un. Oh, I¡¯ll give this drawing to you! I gave that big brother one last time.¡±


    Xu Lian accepted the paper, surprised. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she replied: ¡°Thank you. What did you draw?¡±


    The little girl giggled and replied: ¡°I drew myself bravely fighting with a dragon.¡±


    A brave hero fighting against a dragon, a classic scene. The hero would experience various adventures and in the end, would defeat the dragon and save the princess. The little girl¡¯s drawing shows the last scene with the princess being saved. It was just that the brave hero holding the sword had long hair, and the princess in the skirt looked like a boy.


    The little girl¡¯s drawing was a fresh take on a classic story.


    ¡°This¡­did the princess save the prince?¡±


    The little girl nodded with a smile.


    Xu Lian asked: ¡°Then why is the prince wearing a skirt?¡±


    ¡°Because skirts are pretty.¡± The little girl replied perfunctorily.


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­..¡±


    That makes sense.


    Xu Lian looked at the drawing and smiled. Meanwhile, the florist finished wrapping all the dried flowers. After packing everything in her car, Xu Lian waved goodbye. ¡°Goodbye, little girl. Thank you for your drawing.¡±


    When she got home, she took a picture of the drawing and sent it to Xiang ChangKong.


    Xu Lian: [picture]


    Xu Lian: Remember the little girl in the flower shop we went to last time? I passed by to get some dried flowers, and she gave me a picture. (¡ä ? ` *)


    Xiang ChangKong looked at the picture and smiled.


    Xiang ChangKong: It¡¯s very interesting ( £¾¨Œ£¼ )


    Xu Lian: I think so too ( £¾¨Œ£¼ )


    Xu Lian: I bought a present for your mother today. What time do you want me to come on Saturday?


    Xiang ChangKong: About 12:30. Lunch will probably be ready, and Xiang Nuan should be home by then.


    Xu Lian: Ok, see you on Saturday.


    Xiang ChangKong: Alright, see you Saturday.


    Finally, on Saturday, Xu Lian arrived at Xiang ChangKong¡¯s neighborhood right on time. Xu Lian parked her car on the deserted basketball court and walked towards the building she went into last time.


    Xiang Nuan knew that Xu Lian was visiting today, so as soon as school ended, she was the first one out of her classroom. She ran out of her school and caught a bus much earlier than she usually did. When she finally arrived home, she immediately yelled: ¡°Is Big Sister here yet?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°Not yet. I asked her to come at half-past twelve. Go and put your schoolbag down first.¡±


    He then finished: ¡°And go clean up your room!¡±


    Xiang Nuan nodded and went to her bedroom to clean up. Xiang Nuan was already grown up. Girls usually paid particular attention to privacy, so she doesn¡¯t allow Xiang ChangKong to help clean her room. So she usually cleaned her own room when she comes back at the weekends.


    But Xiang Nuan was lazy, so she normally only cleaned once every two weeks. That was already quite diligent for someone like her. But since Xu Lian was coming to visit today, Xiang Nuan did her best to clean every inch of her room. She even cleaned the dining table without any prompting from Xiang ChangKong.


    When Xiang ChangKong came out of the kitchen with the soup, he saw the busy figure of his sister. He found it quite funny and said: ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that, I clean the table every day. Just go sit on the sofa.¡±


    The diligent Xiang Nuan stared at him with a look of dissatisfaction on her face. ¡°Who do you think I¡¯m doing this for?! Certainly not you!¡±


    As soon as she said this, the two heard a knock on the front door. Xiang ChangKong hadn¡¯t even reacted when Xiang Nuan had already run off to open the door.


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­..¡±


    The front door was opened, and Xu Lian was standing outside.


    Xiang Nuan had only met Xu Lian once, and her impression of this Big Sister was that she was a cool, handsome, and beautiful woman. Today, Xu Lian was wearing a slightly different style as the clothes she had worn last time. Xu Lian was wearing a long white coat, a striped shirt, and jeans. Together with her loose long hair, she looked a lot softer this time compared to her usual striking style.


    She deliberately did her makeup differently, too. Her lipstick, at least, wasn¡¯t the dark, domineering red she had worn last time. It was a lot gentler this time¡­ah? The color looks a lot like Serenade 007!


    ¡°Xu Lian, you¡¯re here.¡± Xiang ChangKong had approached and moved the dazed Xiang Nuan so Xu Lian could enter. ¡°Come on in.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Do I need to change shoes?¡± Xu Lian asked.


    ¡°No, no need Big Sister.¡± Xiang Nuan rushed to answer.


    Xu Lian stepped inside with her high-heels and closed the door behind her. Xiang Nuan took Xu Lian¡¯s hand and happily exclaimed: ¡°Big Sister Xu Lian, welcome to my house!¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Lian smiled and followed her in. Like her last visit, Weng ShuLi was sitting on the sofa by herself. Xiang ChangKong and Xiang Nuan had previously told their mother that there was going to be a guest today. Although she didn¡¯t respond, they both knew that she had heard.


    When Xu Lian entered the living room, Weng ShuLi had looked at her. Weng ShuLi¡¯s eyes were as vacant as the last time they met, and it made Xu Lian a little uncomfortable, but she still greeted Weng ShuLi with a smile. ¡°Hello, auntie. I¡¯m Xu Lian. I¡¯m sorry to bother you today; Here¡¯s a gift for you.¡±


    Weng ShuLi naturally didn¡¯t pick the gift up. She just continued to stare at Xu Lian. Xiang Nuan took Xu Lian¡¯s gift and said: ¡°My mother isn¡¯t doing very well, so I¡¯ll take it to her room for you. Thank you for the gift.¡±


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t mind. When Xiang Nuan put the gift box in Weng ShuLi¡¯s room, she couldn¡¯t help but gasp. ¡°A Fleur gift set! Big Sister, you¡¯re too rich!¡±


    She secretly took a picture of the gift and sent it to her chatgroup. She didn¡¯t say anything else, but the image itself was enough to scare people.


    Studying causes baldness: My God, Xiang Nuan did you suddenly win a prize?


    Do a question for five minutes, paralyzed for an hour: Fleur (? v ?) My mom bought a small bottle of eye cream, barely enough for a baby, but you actually bought an entire set, ah! (? v ?)


    NuanNuan traveling the world: Big Sister came to my house today for lunch and gave mom this gift


    Studying causes baldness: I have nothing to say, I only hope that I will one day be able to meet this Big Sister! ( ¡ä ¨Œ ` )


    Do a question for five minutes, paralyzed for an hour: This Big Sister, please give me a dozen.©Ð©Ø©Ð©Ø©È?¦Ø?£à)


    Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t reply but hastily put her phone away and ran out of the room.


    Xiang ChangKong had already put four dishes on the table when Xiang Nuan arrived. There was obviously still some more dishes in the kitchen, but Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t help Xiang ChangKong serve the rest. Instead, she sat down beside Xu Lian and poured her a drink.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Lian accepted the cup but didn¡¯t drink. Mother Xiang hadn¡¯t moved her chopsticks yet, Xu Lian can¡¯t start first. Xiang ChangKong placed the last dish on the table and sat down. ¡°Everyone must be hungry. Let¡¯s eat first.¡±


    Weng ShuLi still hadn¡¯t moved her chopsticks. Xiang ChangKong took a piece of her favorite food and put it on his mother¡¯s bowl. ¡°Mom, have a piece.¡±


    Without saying a word, Weng ShuLi looked at him and finally moved her chopsticks and began eating. Xiang ChangKong was relieved, then turned towards Xu Lian. ¡°Go on and eat, just be careful, it¡¯s still hot.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡±


    Xu Lian was still figuring out what to eat when Xiang Nuan took a piece of sweet and sour pork and placed it in her bowl. ¡°Big Sister taste this sweet and sour pork my brother made. It¡¯s delicious!¡±


    ¡°Un, he made it for me before.¡± Xu Lian replied.


    Xiang Nuan looked at her brother for a second, then smiled at Xu Lian: ¡°Oh, what else did he cook for you?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong had made a lot of dishes for Xu Lian. Thinking for a moment, Xu Lian chose some of the more impressive ones: ¡°Boiled beef, three diced chicken, garlic shrimp with vermicelli ¡­¡±


    Garlic shrimp with vermicelli? Xiang Nuan was not happy! Her brother had never cooked such a complicated dish for her. As expected, once he was a wife, he wouldn¡¯t care about his sister. Bah!


    Xiang Nuan gave Xiang ChangKong a look as she continued to serve Xu Lian food.


    Although Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t say a single word throughout the meal, the atmosphere was warm and lively due to Xiang Nuan¡¯s efforts. Plus, the dishes Xiang ChangKong made were mostly the foods Xu Lian liked to eat. So all in all, the meal was quite harmonious.


    After lunch, Xiang ChangKong intended to wash the dishes but was stopped by Xiang Nuan for the first time ever. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m a little full, so I¡¯ll wash the dishes to help me digest. You¡­how about you go take a walk with Big Sister Xu Lian?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was now seriously doubting what exactly Xiang Nuan learned at school every day.


    After lunch Weng ShuLi went back into her room, so with nothing else to do, Xiang ChangKong asked Xu Lian: ¡°Do you want to go for a walk?¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    ***


    The last time Xiang ChangKong walked down these stairs with Xu Lian, he had shrunk to the side and clutched at the handrails for fear that he would accidentally bump into Xu Lian. Now, as he walked through the same narrow stairs with her, Xiang ChangKong felt much more relaxed and less restrained.


    He turned towards Xu Lian beside him and said: ¡°Sorry, my mother¡¯s like this with everyone. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Xu Lian shook her head. ¡°When I visited your home last time, Xiang Nuan already mentioned that auntie wasn¡¯t in good health.¡± At the time, Xu Lian thought it would be impolite to inquire about other people¡¯s illnesses, so she didn¡¯t ask. But now that her relationship with Xiang ChangKong had changed, even if she didn¡¯t ask, he would still take the initiative to tell her.


    As they exited the building, Xiang ChangKong wondered where he should take Xu Lian. His neighborhood had all the necessary things to facilitate a passable living environment, but if we¡¯re talking about a place worth strolling around in¡­


    After a while, Xiang ChangKong asked her: ¡°Where did you park your car?¡±


    ¡°Over there.¡± Xu Lian pointed towards the open court, and sure enough, her car was parked on the painted concrete.


    ¡°Do you want to drive somewhere else, or do you want to walk around here?¡±


    Xu Lian rarely came into this neighborhood and wasn¡¯t very familiar with it. ¡°Is there someplace we can walk around in?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a small park out front, but there¡¯s not much in it.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied. The park only had a few simple fitness equipment which was mostly used by the elderly and sometimes children.


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t mind. The weather today was lovely, and sitting in a park to chat and bask in the sun sounded nice. ¡°Let¡¯s go there. I don¡¯t feel like going far.¡±


    So the two set off towards the direction of the park. On the way, they happened to pass by a tea shop, so the couple ended up buying two cups of milk tea.


    Half-way through their milk tea, they arrived at the small park. The park really was quite tiny; you could see the end of the park at a glance. But there was still a good amount of people in the park. The bright sun made everyone feel warm and happy.


    ¡°There¡¯s a place we can sit. Let¡¯s go.¡± Xu Lian pointed towards an empty bench nearby and beckoned Xiang ChangKong to follow. As they neared, Xu Lian noticed a small rabbit-shaped decoration beside the bench. It was lovely. Xu Lian admired the small rabbit and was about to sit down when Xiang ChangKong stopped her. ¡°Wait, wipe the bench down first. You¡¯re wearing a white sweater, don¡¯t get it dirty.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong wiped the bench seat with his hand and found no dirt. It seems that someone had sat on the bench just moments before.


    ¡°Use this.¡± Xu Lian felt for a tissue from her bag. She took Xiang ChangKong¡¯s hand, wiped it for him, then bent down to wipe the bench seat. ¡°Alright, you can sit down now.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s face had turned a little red when Xu Lian wiped his hands. He took the tissues Xu Lian had used and went to a nearby garbage can to throw it away. When he turned back, Xu Lian was already sitting down on the bench, the milk tea straw in her mouth. Noticing that Xiang ChangKong was looking at her, she smiled.


    Xiang ChangKong felt his ears turn red. He walked towards the bench and sat down next to Xu Lian. He coughed awkwardly. ¡°Cough, you¡¯re dressed differently today.¡±


    Xu Lian replied: ¡°Well, I was going to meet with the elders. I thought it¡¯d be better to dress a bit more properly.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong coughed again and said: ¡°You look good in whatever style you wear.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s mouth lifted. She wanted to tease Xiang ChangKong but noticed a little boy running over with a remote control plane. He cheerfully yelled at the man behind him: ¡°Dad, shall we fly it here?¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± The man came up towards the boy and touched his head with a smile. ¡°Do you know how to operate it?¡±


    The boy nodded his head. ¡°Un! I remember what you taught me!¡±


    The boy ran down the lawn, put down the plane, then started fiddling with the remote control in his hands. His father was standing next to him, giving him a few pointers from time to time. Soon the plane¡¯s propellor turned faster and faster, and the toy lifted off the ground with a wobble.


    ¡°Woah, it¡¯s flying, it¡¯s flying!¡± The little boy happily shouted. His father reminded him to pay attention and not let the plane fall down.


    With the help of his father, the little boy controlled the plane competently enough to make it fly smoothly. The little boy smiled at his father. ¡°Dad, I want to fly a real plane when I grow up, just like you!¡±


    Xiang ChangKong watched the father-son pair. His lashes trembled ever so slightly, and he had to close his eyes to prevent the sudden surge of emotion from spilling out.


    Xu Lian tilted her head and glanced at him. She finished the rest of her milk tea, then looked at the father and son. ¡°Xiang ChangKong, where¡¯s your father?¡±


    The hand Xiang ChangKong had placed on the bench clenched, then slowly loosened. He pursed his lips and looked up at the plane as it flew under the blue sky. ¡°My dad¡¯s an aircraft designer. He knew all sorts of things, and when I was a kid, I liked to pester him and ask a thousand questions about planes.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡± Xu Lian gave him a faint response.


    ¡°You saw the model plane on my desk the last time you visited. That was a birthday gift from my dad. He made it himself.¡±


    Of course, Xu Lian remembered the model. Although the workmanship wasn¡¯t the most delicate, it obviously contained the strong love of its maker.


    ¡°But as I got older, my father became busier and busier with his work. My mom used to complain about it sometimes.¡±


    Xu Lian understood this. ¡°My mother does the same. When my dad gets stuck in a construction site for more than half a year, she complains incessantly. But after complaining, she would pack a bag and go and follow my dad around.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled at her. ¡°My mother couldn¡¯t afford to be that free. There was still my sister and me at home. She couldn¡¯t just leave us. Besides, my dad¡¯s job is inherently different from yours.¡±


    He continued: ¡°My father worked in an aircraft courtyard, and the aviation industry often worked in a 611 work system. Sometimes even 711. It was common for him to work until late at night, and he was always tired. If it was a normal job, I¡¯m sure other people would¡¯ve quit already, but the aviation industry isn¡¯t like that. In the end, no matter how hot-blooded or passionate someone is about their career, overwork will place a heavy burden on the body.¡±


    (T/N: I¡¯m not sure what the ¡®611¡¯ and ¡®711¡¯ means. I tried searching it up, but it¡¯s such a broad term that I got nothing. I first thought it meant a ¡®6 am to 11pm¡¯ work schedule, but then 711 was added so¡­I got nothing. It might honestly just be a typo in the raws.)


    Xu Lian frowned but didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Although my father never mentioned it, I knew. My Uncle Guo, who had visited our home countless times before for dinner, had a sudden myocardial infarction and collapsed at work. And my Uncle Sun, he had a heart attack and failed to recover. I had to read about his death in the newspaper. He was only forty to fifty years old.¡±


    Long ago, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s aunties and uncles had told him that ¡®Even if one loved the sky, a person in aviation would always die early.¡¯ They all knew what this high-intensity job would inevitably bring. But despite all this, they followed their passions and stubbornly held onto their jobs.


    Xu Lian struggled to open her mouth. ¡°Your father¡­.¡±


    ¡°My dad thought he just caught a cold. He took some medicine himself, but he didn¡¯t get better. One night, his condition suddenly worsened. My mother immediately sent him to the hospital, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t be saved.¡± Xiang ChangKong still remembered that chaotic night. When he had rushed back home from school, he saw his heartbroken mother crying on the phone. He didn¡¯t even see his father one last time.


    Xiang Nuan was in her third year of middle school back then, so Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t even dare tell her the news. It was only later, when Xiang Nuan finished her exams that he had told her. As expected, Xiang Nuan shouted at him for a long time and cried when she realized she had missed her own father¡¯s funeral.


    Xu Lian took Xiang ChangKong¡¯s hand and held it tight. Little by little, she transferred her warmth onto his cold hand.


    Xiang ChangKong curled his fingers and gripped Xu Lian just as hard. His eyes followed the model plane as he continued: ¡°In recent years, one of the planes independently developed in China successfully made its first ever flight. Photos have been published, and articles in major newspapers, magazines, and online forums had spread both here in China and abroad. Countless people have read the news.¡±


    But despite all this, the unimaginable hardship and persistence countless aviation personnel experienced to get that plane to the sky¡­.would inevitably remain unknown.


    A breeze came, bringing the scent of sunshine and grass with it. Xu Lian and Xiang ChangKong had sat on this bench for a long while now.


    The boy with the remote-controlled plane and his father were long gone. Xu Lian took a deep breath, then gently let it go. She looked at Xiang ChangKong. ¡°Is your mother¡¯s illness related to your father?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong nodded. ¡°My father¡¯s death hit her too hard, and she collapsed. Although she used to complain about my father¡¯s job before, she loved him very much.¡±


    ¡°Un¡­.¡± Xu Lian found it similar to her own mother. Although she always complained about her father and always mentioned divorce, it was obvious that Mother Xu wouldn¡¯t leave Father Xu for anything.


    Xiang ChangKong looked at Xu Lian and thought back to the times his mother complained about his father. Xiang ChangKong¡¯s smiled slowly disappeared. He understood his father¡¯s passion for his career, but he also understood his mother, who Xiang ChangKong had secretly seen shed tears because of his father¡¯s job. The thought that Xu Lian might have to experience the same things his mother did just because they fell in love made his heart ache.


    Xiang ChangKong slowly tightened his grip on Xu Lian¡¯s hand and asked her: ¡°After I enter the Aircraft Institute, I¡¯ll probably be busy¡­¡±


    Xu Lian interrupted him: ¡°I think it¡¯s necessary for people to live well and contribute to their country, don¡¯t you think so too?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong froze for a moment, realizing that she had misunderstood his words. Xiang ChangKong lowered his head and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll pay attention to my health. I¡¯ll eat on time and exercise whenever I have the time.¡±


    ¡°You should also do physical examinations regularly.¡±


    ¡°Un, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes had become warm at her words. After a while, he remembered he hadn¡¯t asked a particular question yet. His mouth sunk as he said: ¡°I¡¯ll be quite busy in the future and won¡¯t have as much time to accompany you¡­you¡¯ll probably get annoyed with me. And my work is often confidential. I won¡¯t be able to tell you how I spend my days.¡±


    Xu Lian had a small frown on her face, and she didn¡¯t say anything for a while. Xiang ChangKong became nervous when he saw her expression. He knew that his career would inevitably make his partner bear a heavy weight¡­If she wasn¡¯t willing¡­


    All he wanted was for her to be happy.


    After a long time, Xu Lian finally raised her head and looked at Xiang ChangKong in the eye. ¡°I thought about it carefully, and I think I will probably end up getting annoyed. So when that time comes, you must coax me well.¡±

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    ***


    Xiang ChangKong had never been the sort of boy that could talk sweetly. As a child, he couldn¡¯t even coax his own sister when she cried. How could he successfully coax another girl?


    Xiang ChangKong looked at Xu Lian with furrowed brows and asked: ¡°How do you want me to coax you?¡±


    Xu Lian replied: ¡°You think about that yourself.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong deliberately showed a troubled expression. ¡°That¡¯s quite hard. You look very difficult to coax.¡±


    Xu Lian shrugged. ¡°If we¡¯re looking at one¡¯s appearances, I¡¯d like to say that you look like you¡¯re very good at coaxing people.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong chuckled and said nothing. He simply held her hand a little tighter.


    Both of them sat in this small park for a little while longer, then returned to Xiang ChangKong¡¯s home. Xu Lian didn¡¯t go back upstairs and instead went to her car while Xiang ChangKong accompanied her. He planned to watch her leave before going back up.


    Xu Lian opened the car door. Before she got on, she looked back at Xiang ChangKong. ¡°Does your mom usually stay at home alone?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong nodded, his eyes darkening at the question. ¡°Her former friend comes by from time to time. They talk to her in the hopes that she would go out with them, but mom always refuses.¡±


    Xu Lian thought about it, then asked: ¡°Can I come by and see your mother sometimes? I think that if I spend more time with her, she¡¯s more likely to accept me.¡±


    She could tell that Xiang ChangKong¡¯s mother wasn¡¯t very fond of her, and Xu Lian was also a little uncomfortable with Mother Xiang¡¯s penetrating stare. But this was Xiang ChangKong¡¯s mother. Xu Lian couldn¡¯t ignore her like she usually ignored other people. Mother Xiang is also ill. In order to improve their relationship, it could only be up to Xu Lian to take the initiative and put in the effort.


    Xiang ChangKong understood what Xu Lian was trying to do. He can ignore his mother¡¯s attitude towards others, but Xu Lian was different. He wanted his mother to accept and like her.


    Xiang ChangKong took out his house key and handed it to Xu Lian. ¡°If you want to come by in the future, you can just come. I¡¯ll talk to my mother.¡±


    Xu Lian looked at the key he was offering and asked: ¡°If you give me your key, how are you going to get in?¡±


    ¡°I have a spare key at home.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied with a smile.


    Xu Lian took the key and said: ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll still call you before I visit, though.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡±


    After Xu Lian drove away, Xiang ChangKong headed back upstairs. Xiang Nuan saw her brother come back alone and was puzzled. After the siblings talked, Xiang Nuan rushed back to her room to do her homework.


    Meanwhile, Xiang ChangKong knocked on his mother¡¯s door. ¡°Mom, are you awake?¡¯


    Usually, whenever his mother took a nap, she would wake up at 2:00 p.m. But it was already almost 4:00 p.m., and she still hasn¡¯t come out yet. Was she still asleep?


    After knocking, Xiang ChangKong stood there for a while. Eventually, his mother opened the door for him. She didn¡¯t look like she just woke up. Xiang ChangKong smiled and helped her sit down.


    Weng ShuLi¡¯s room looked spacious because it was the master bedroom. The skincare products Xu Lian had given her was placed on the dresser by Xiang Nuan, but now it was pushed into a corner. It seems that she didn¡¯t like it very much.


    Xiang ChangKong looked at the forgotten gift and then turned to Weng ShuLi. ¡°Mom, today I introduced you to a girl¡­do you like her?¡±


    Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t answer, and Xiang ChangKong never really expected one. After a moment¡¯s pause, Xiang ChangKong continued: ¡°I like her very much, and I want to be with her, so I hope you¡¯ll like her too. She¡¯s a very good girl, and she¡¯s helped me a lot. I know that when you get to know her better, you¡¯ll like her too.¡±


    Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t move from where she sat. She continued to be silent, not looking at Xiang ChangKong. Xiang ChangKong stood up, smiled at his mother, and said: ¡°I¡¯ll go out first. I¡¯ll call you when dinner¡¯s ready.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know if it was because of the colder weather, but for some reason, Weng ShuLi was becoming more fond of staying in her own room ever since she had met Xu Lian. Xiang ChangKong had talked to her several times after Xu Lian¡¯s visit, but Weng ShuLi never responded. Eventually, Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t mention it again.


    Today, as usual, Xiang ChangKong was out delivering takeaways. He parked outside a bank and was taking out food from the container on the back of his scooter. Wei YiChen was in the bank, taking money from the ATM he just used. As Wei YiChen turned, he saw Xiang ChangKong walk into the bank with a plastic bag in his hand.


    Wei YiChen froze for a moment, then turned away with a ¡®ho.¡¯ Was this the so-called ¡®destiny will make enemies meet¡¯? I was only trying to get money, yet I still bump into him?


    (T/N: An idiom. It¡¯s funny cuz this is often said about lovers who have a disagreement)


    As soon as Wei YiChen stepped out of the bank, he saw a man in a suit walk past Xiang ChangKong¡¯s scooter. Like magic, the two bags of takeaway on Xiang ChangKong¡¯s scooter disappeared as the man passed by.


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Did this guy study under David Copperfield?


    (T/N: A really successful/famous magician.)


    Wei YiChen caught up to the man and stopped him. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    The man was visibly shocked, but it seems that his psychological quality was excellent because he soon calmed down and asked: ¡°I want to ask the same thing. What are you doing?¡±


    Wei YiChen glanced at the takeaway bags the man was holding and chuckled. ¡°Ha, you¡¯re dressed so well, but you¡¯re stealing takeaway? That¡¯s a bit lame, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    The man angrily replied: ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about! Get out of my way!¡± The man looked like he needed to be somewhere urgently and lifted a hand to push Wei YiChen away. But do you think Wei YiChen, this famous high school gangster, could tolerate being pushed around? If he didn¡¯t do anything, Wei YiChen¡¯s little brothers would laugh their asses off.


    Wei YiChen caught the man¡¯s wrist moments before the offending hand touched his shoulder.


    The man became even more anxious. He twisted his hand and tried to escape Wei YiChen¡¯s grip. Wei YiChen looked calm and unruffled while the man fluttered about like a chicken. ¡°Hey, hey. If you struggle any harder, you¡¯ll break your own wrist.¡±


    Meanwhile, Xiang ChangKong, who had finished delivering a takeaway, exited the bank. He immediately spotted Wei YiChen fighting with a man near his scooter. Similarly, Wei YiChen saw him. Wei YiChen shouted: ¡°Hey! This guy stole your takeout.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong blinked and looked at the suited man¡¯s hands. Sure enough, he really was carrying the two bags of takeaway he had left on his scooter.


    The man didn¡¯t wait for Xiang ChangKong to speak. With a ¡®tsk¡¯ he said: ¡°Obviously, it was you who stole the takeaway. I was the one who caught you! Yet it was the villain who complained first? Bah! Hey, takeaway brother, look at what we¡¯re wearing. Who do you think is more likely to steal takeaway of all things?¡±


    This man was wearing earrings, rings and black clothes. He doesn¡¯t look like a decent person!


    Wei YiChen looked at the suited man and sneered. ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the police station. Do you dare come?¡± Wei YiChen then raised his chin and pointed towards a CCTV camera. ¡°Did you not see the surveillance camera?¡±


    When the suited man saw the camera, he hit Wei YiChen and dropped the takeaway bags. Wei YiChen automatically reached for the bags, and the suited man took advantage of this momentary distraction and run away.


    With a frown, Wei YiChen turned around and pushed the bags into Xiang ChangKong¡¯s arms. ¡°Here, I¡¯m giving it back to you. I don¡¯t know if they can still be eaten.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong checked the takeout inside the bags. None of the food had spilled, so it should be alright. Xiang ChangKong looked up at Wei YiChen and saw that he was already straddling his motorcycle. Xiang ChangKong said to him: ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Wei YiChen wore his helmet and sneered. ¡°No need to thank me. If I knew it was your takeaway, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered.¡±


    ¡°I want to thank you anyway.¡± Xiang ChangKong insisted. ¡°My other colleagues had encountered similar thefts like this before. They had no choice but to bear the loss with their own money.¡±


    Wei YiChen regarded today¡¯s events as an eye-opener. Nowadays, thieves don¡¯t even let go of takeaway, ah.


    ¡°What kind of food do you deliver anyway?¡± Wei YiChen glanced at the container on Xiang ChangKong¡¯s scooter and noticed a book inside. ¡°Yo, you bring a book with you when you deliver food?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong pondered things for a while but ultimately replied: ¡°That¡¯s a textbook I¡¯m studying for my postgraduate entrance examination.


    Wei YiChen¡¯s eyes changed slightly, and he subconsciously asked: ¡°For flying school?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was somewhat surprised. ¡°How do you know?¡±


    Wei YiChen didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he turned on his motorcycle, coldly snorted, then drove away.


    When he had previously asked Ah Mao to investigate Xiang ChangKong, he got a comprehensive report back. Xiang ChangKong¡¯s father had died from an illness three years ago, and his mother soon good sick after that. Xiang ChangKong has a sister, and he¡¯s also the family¡¯s only source of income.


    Is that why he gave up graduate school? Ah Mao explained that Xiang ChangKong¡¯s father worked in the First Aircraft Research Institute. If Xiang ChangKong¡¯s father never died, Wei YiChen figured Xiang ChangKong would¡¯ve graduated, gotten his Ph.D., and worked in the Research Institute like his father.


    He once had to give up his dreams for his family. What made him pick up the pieces of his lost dream again? Xu Lian?


    He didn¡¯t know why, but all of a sudden, Wei YiChen got upset. He went home and shut himself in his room. He turned his speakers up to its maximum setting and began to play his air guitar.


    His broken guitar hung on the wall of his room. He strummed his air guitar and, in his excitement, knelt on the ground and let loose.


    As the green plum gradually turned red


    With it¡¯s sour and sweet blend at the tip of the tongue


    Maybe then, I can reach out and touch the rainbow


    Mother Wei looked towards her son¡¯s shut door. She didn¡¯t know what happened to him all of a sudden. Fortunately, Father Wei wasn¡¯t at home. Otherwise, they would end up fighting again.


    On the other end, after finishing all his deliveries, Xiang ChangKong received a call from Xu Lian. She had done the necessary mental preparations these past two days and was now ready to visit Xiang ChangKong¡¯s mother tomorrow.


    So she called and asked Xiang ChangKong: ¡°May I go see your mother tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Sure, what time are you coming over?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­what time do you leave tomorrow?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°I¡¯ll be doing the night shift tomorrow so probably after 10:00 a.m.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be at your house by then.¡± While Xu Lian thought it would be better to come without Xiang ChangKong there, this was her first time visiting alone. If she suddenly appeared without Xiang ChangKong acting as a buffer, Xu Lian might scare his mother. ¡°Wait for me to arrive?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ***


    Ok, I can¡¯t do it. I really dislike their mother. I mean, yeah, the love of your life died, and you¡¯re heartbroken and sad. That¡¯s fine. You¡¯re allowed to grieve. But to drag your children into it??? You¡¯re ruining your son¡¯s future, and you think you have the right to tell him how to live his life? He sacrificed so much, yet you think you have the right to do a fucking tantrum?????


    Your son is grieving his father¡¯s death too! Why is he the one putting the shattered pieces of your family back together and not you? You¡¯re the adult here! They¡¯re your children! My god, what kind of parent are you?!


    I haven¡¯t read ahead or anything, but it sounds like their mother is suffering from a horrible case of depression. And that sucks, and that¡¯s awful but goddam, I just hate what she put her own children through. Having a mental illness/psychotic break doesn¡¯t mean what you did to your children was any less horrible.


    Sorry, humongous rant. I might delete this in the future.

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    ***


    When Xu Lian arrived, she brought fruit with her. Xiang ChangKong had given her a key, but Xu Lian decided to knock first.


    Xiang ChangKong had already told his mother that Xu Lian was visiting, but his mother gave no reaction that she understood. When Xu Lian knocked, it was Xiang ChangKong who opened the front door for her. Xu Lian smiled at him. Xiang ChangKong invited her in, then said to Weng ShuLi, who was reading on the sofa: ¡°Mom, Xu Lian came to see you.¡±


    Maybe because she was currently reading, but Weng ShuLi was wearing glasses today. She raised her head from the book, look towards Xiang ChangKong and Xu Lian, then went back to her book.


    The book was bought by Xiang Nuan, who had been worried that her mother would be bored staying home alone. Weng ShuLi had never touched it all this time, but today she suddenly became interested. Quite puzzling.


    Xiang ChangKong helplessly pulled Xu Lian to sit down on the sofa and said: ¡°I¡¯ve made lunch. Xu Lian, you can eat here at noon if you want. Just heat it up.¡±


    Xu Lian nodded. ¡°Alright. You don¡¯t need to worry about me, you can go to work.¡±


    To be honest, Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t want to leave Xu Lian alone with his mother. He wasn¡¯t afraid that Xu Lian would bully his mother, but that Weng ShuLi¡¯s situation might make Xu Lian feel wronged. But Xu Lian was the one who offered to spend some time with his mother. This made him quite happy. Xiang ChangKong had also hoped that the relationship between the two could improve.


    He looked down at Xu Lian and faintly smiled. ¡°Alright. If you need anything, just call me.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡±


    When Xiang ChangKong left, Weng ShuLi was still reading. It seems that she had no intention of taking care of Xu Lian. Xu Lian put down the fruits she brought on the table, then asked Weng ShuLi: ¡°Auntie, do you like strawberries? These strawberries are from Starlight Farm. They were freshly pucked and shipped from the farm just this morning. I¡¯ll wash them for you?¡±


    Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t respond, but Xu Lian didn¡¯t care. She went into the kitchen and found a big bowl to soak the strawberries in. After washing them, Xu Lian returned to the living room and found that Weng ShuLi hadn¡¯t moved an inch.


    Xu Lian placed the bowl of strawberries on the coffee table, then curiously looked at the book Weng ShuLi was reading. The title was ¡®Actor,¡¯ written by Xing Xin.


    ¡°Auntie, do you like Xing Xin too? This novel was made into a movie, starring Mo Zhen. Have you seen it?¡±


    Weng ShuLi was silent.


    Xu Lian pushed the strawberries towards her and said. ¡°Do you want some strawberries? I just tried one, it¡¯s sweet.¡±


    Perhaps it was the aroma of the strawberries, but Weng ShuLi finally looked up to glance at the bowl. The berries looked tempting, but in the end, Weng ShuLi went back to her book.


    Xu Lian picked up a strawberry, stuffed it into her mouth, and stopped talking.


    Xu Lian wasn¡¯t the kind of person who liked talking in the first place. She wouldn¡¯t have said so much if it wasn¡¯t Xiang ChangKong¡¯s mother. Ever since she was young, Xu Lian had no friends. She didn¡¯t know how to act pleasant. She had actually broken her own record by talking with Weng ShuLi for so long.


    Xu Lian ate another strawberry and continued to quietly look at Weng ShuLi.


    As for Weng ShuLi¡¯s illness, Xiang ChangKong had already explained it to her.


    After Father Xiang died, Weng ShuLi¡¯s mental state had turned bad. Because Xiang ChangKong had been busy dealing with his father¡¯s affairs and his own school matters, he couldn¡¯t care for his mother. Unexpectedly, Weng ShuLi was taken advantage of by some people and was cheated into giving up all her savings.


    After finding out that she had been cheated, Weng ShuLi¡¯s mental state completely collapsed, and she fell ill. At the time, the family had no money, so in order to pay for her medical expenses, Xiang ChangKong had to sell their house.


    At first, Weng ShuLi became paralyzed. She couldn¡¯t take care of herself at all. The doctor checked on her several times but said that there were no problems with her bodily functions. Her inaction was most likely caused by psychological reasons. Xiang ChangKong had tried to find her a psychological expert, but Weng ShuLi refused to communicate with anyone.


    In the end, Xiang ChangKong had to give up the chance to study abroad. He had become too busy with trying to stabilize his family. He had to hire a nanny to take care of Weng ShuLi¡¯s day to day needs.


    After more than six months of treatment, though still reluctant to speak, Weng ShuLi was no able to slowly walk. For the past three years, Xiang ChangKong had unwaveringly continued Weng ShuLi¡¯s treatments, and eventually, she improved.


    However, Weng ShuLi still refused to go out or talk to them.


    Xu Lian spent the morning in Xiang ChangKong¡¯s home. Weng ShuLi never said a word to her, and Xu Lian ended up eating all the strawberries she had brought. Seeing the empty bowl in front of her, Xu Lian turned towards Weng ShuLi and smiled. ¡°Auntie, do you not like strawberries? I¡¯ll bring another fruit with me next time.¡±


    She took the empty bowl to the kitchen and rinsed it off. Then she heated up the lunch Xiang ChangKong had prepared and placed the dishes on the table. ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s time for lunch.¡±


    Weng ShuLi looked up, her gaze making Xu Lian a little uncomfortable. After staring at Xu Lian for a moment, Weng ShuLi put down her book, then walked to the dinner table.


    Xiang ChangKong had cooked taro toady. It was waxy and soft, and Xu Lian ended up eating quite a few pieces. Opposite her was Weng ShuLi, who ate her food with an expressionless face. After the two silently finished eating, Weng ShuLi returned to her room with her book. It seems that she was going to take a nap.


    Xu Lian watched her go. She tied up the table, placed all the dishes in the sink, then took her bag, and left to go home.


    She took a deep breath as she sat in her car. She was someone who didn¡¯t care for troublesome things. But Weng ShuLi was someone she had to deal with. Thinking of her illness, Xu Lian couldn¡¯t help but feel a little sad. Xiang ChangKong had to take care of both his mother and his sister all these years. It must¡¯ve been very hard for him.


    She took out her phone, wanting to call Xiang ChangKong. But when she saw the time, she dismissed the idea. It was the lunch rush, Xiang ChangKong was probably very busy at this time. Xu Lian decided to contact him later.


    When she left, she didn¡¯t go back to Starlight Park, but drove straight home, planning to go take a nap. Strictly speaking, all Xu Lian did this morning was sit down and eat some strawberries, but¡­.her heart was still somehow exhausted.


    As soon as she changed out of her clothes and was ready to lie down, she called Xiang ChangKong. She leaned against the headboard of her bed and waited for the call to connect.


    ¡°Hey.¡± Xiang ChangKong greeted. ¡°Are you still at my house?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve gone back home.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­my mom didn¡¯t make things difficult for you, did she?¡±


    ¡°No, she didn¡¯t say a word to me.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong paused, then laughed.


    Xu Lian continued: ¡°She spent the whole morning reading. I sat next to her and watched her read. Next time I visit, I think I¡¯ll bring my candle-making tools with me.¡±


    While Weng ShuLi read her book, Xu Lian could make a candle. This way, nobody would be wasting their time.

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    ***


    For better convenience, Xu Lian had specially packed a small wax melting stove into a large backpack, along with her other tools. With this, she was ready to visit Xiang ChangKong¡¯s home for a second time.


    Today was Thursday, so her shop was closed. She would usually stay home and make some candles, but Xu Lian figured it would be better to do it at Xiang ChangKong¡¯s house. She could show her face and allow her future mother-in-law to see what her job entailed.


    Xiang ChangKong had a morning shift today, so Xu Lian didn¡¯t ask him to wait for her to arrive and instead entered the home with the key he had given her.


    Weng ShuLi had different clothes today, but she was sitting in the exact same spot as last time. It seems she knew that Xu Lian was coming. Weng ShuLi raised her head when Xu Lian entered with her large backpack, but there wasn¡¯t any change in her expression.


    Xu Lian placed her backpack on the couch and smiled. ¡°Hello Auntie, I¡¯m here again.¡±


    Weng ShuLi looked at the black backpack Xu Lian had bought. She seemed interested, but in the end, she didn¡¯t ask. Weng ShuLi simply lowered her head and opened the book in her hand.


    When Xu Lian came in, she had explicitly glanced at the book Weng ShuLi was holding. It was a different book from last time. This book was the latest work from Xing Xin, titled ¡®Secret.¡¯ Xu Lian sat down in the same spot as last time and said: ¡°This book has also been made into a movie. Yao Feng Jing and Yu Yao made it.¡±


    Weng ShuLi was obviously not a fan of either of these people, because she was indifferent to Xu Lian¡¯s words. Xu Lian didn¡¯t mind. She poured herself a glass of water, then started to take out the stuff in her backpack one by one.


    The melting furnace, wax melting pot, her electronic scale, thermometers, wax blocks, gypsum, paper


    cups¡­.the small coffee table was instantly filled with Xu Lian¡¯s things. Her busy movements finally made Weng ShuLi raise her head. She looked at the strange items on the coffee table, then looked at Xu Lian.


    Xu Lian smiled at her and said: ¡°I don¡¯t know if Xiang ChangKong mentioned it to you, but I opened an aromatherapy candle shop in Starlight Park. These are the tools I use to make candles.¡±


    Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t reply. Xu Lian turned the electronic scale on, then poured some gypsum into a paper cup. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I work quietly, so I promise not to disturb your reading.¡±


    Weng ShuLi¡¯s expression finally appeared to loosen a bit. It seems that she had never met such a brazen person before. She stared at Xu Lian for a while, but Xu Lian really did start making candles, so Weng ShuLi could only go back to her book.


    Xu Lian measured the amount of gypsum, then glanced at Weng ShuLi before adding the appropriate amount of water. Weng ShuLi had wanted to use the move ¡®ignore her¡¯ to push Xu Lian back, but this sort of thing was ineffective to Xu Lian.


    After all, her greatest strength was the ability to withstand solitude.


    To her knowledge, Weng ShuLi had only started to ignore people in the last three years. Before the death of her husband, she had been a woman who cared for her family and knew how to live her life well.


    Xu Lian had heard from Xiang ChangKong that Weng ShuLi had been a dancer in an art troupe when she was young. His father had fallen in love with his mother at first sight during an art show. Weng ShuLi was pretty and danced well. When she was young, she had been pursued by many men, but it was Xiang ChangKong¡¯s father was the one who succeeded.


    After their marriage, although Weng ShuLi had divided her energy into taking care of Xiang ChangKong and Xiang Nuan, her dancing skills didn¡¯t diminish. She would go square dancing with her friends, participate in regular dance competitions with teams, and even teach others dancing in her spare time.


    Xu Lian was very different from Weng ShuLi. She had lived in self-imposed isolation for twenty-four years. No one knew how to live in solitude better than Xu Lian. If Weng ShuLi enthusiastically attempted conversation with her, Xu Lian might¡¯ve been the one to back down first, but Weng ShuLi had instead chosen ¡®ignore her.¡¯


    In this silent tug of war, Xu Lian felt like she was in an excellent position to win.


    Mixing the gypsum until it was in the most appropriate viscosity, Xu Lian dipped some black pigment onto the mixture with a toothpick. The moment the toothpick touched the gypsum, the black pigment spread into the mixture like ink on a painting.


    Xu Lian turned the paper cup to let the pigment dye a pattern onto the gypsum, and once she was satisfied, poured the gypsum into a mold. While waiting for the liquid gypsum to solidify, she placed the block of soy wax into the melting pot and put the pot on top of the preheated melting furnace.


    It was as if she was performing magic. Xu Lian didn¡¯t make much noise, but she still attracted Weng ShuLi¡¯s attention. When Xu Lian noticed Weng ShuLi¡¯s attention on her, she didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable. She just waited for the wax to heat up to the proper temperature, removing the gypsum container from its mold while she did so. When the wax was finally heated up, she poured it into the gypsum container.


    Xu Lian inserted a wax core and fixed it in place with a clip. Xu Lian pushed it aside, then asked Weng ShuLi: ¡°Does it look nice? This kind of basic candle sells quite well in our shop. It smells good too.¡±


    She only brought two scents today, and they were both the most popular scents in her store. Many of her female customers had asked Xu Lian if she sold any perfumes with the same scent.


    The air became filled with a light flowery fragrance. As Xu Lian began weighing some gypsum again, she asked: ¡°Auntie, why don¡¯t you learn to make a few candles with me? Instead of being bored at home, why not learn a craft to pass the time?¡±


    Weng ShuLi looked at Xu Lian, then went back to her book.


    Xu Lian stayed at Xiang ChangKong¡¯s home until the afternoon, making a bunch of fragrant candles, some with beehive wax, some with soy wax. When she finally decided to leave, she filled her backpack with only the candles she made. Xu Lian didn¡¯t intend to take her tools home and instead packed them into a large paper bag and placed them in Xiang ChangKong¡¯s room.


    After all, Xu Lian intended to visit often. Leaving her tools here meant that she wouldn¡¯t have to lug everything along every time she came.


    When Xu Lian exited Xiang ChangKong¡¯s room, she found that Weng ShuLi had already returned to her own room. Xu Lian walked over to Weng ShuLi¡¯s room and found her door open. She knocked on the door, and still standing outside, said: ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ll be going back. See you next time.¡±


    Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t answer, and Xu Lian didn¡¯t wait for a reply. She simply turned around and left.


    When Xiang ChangKong came back that evening, he found the paper bag full of Xu Lian¡¯s tools on his desk. With a smile, he closed the bag, then found a candle next to his textbooks.


    Compared to the many fancy candles in Xu Lian¡¯s store, this particular candle was the most basic kind of candle placed in a gypsum container. The container was hexagonal and had black paint randomly smudged on it. It looked very much like an ink landscape painting.


    After finding a box of matches, Xiang ChangKong lit the candle. It¡¯s faint light gave off the tiniest bit of warmth. Xiang ChangKong turned off the lights in his room, leaving only the small lamp on his desk to illuminate the candle. He adjusted the lighting, took a photo of the candle, then sent it to Xu Lian.


    Xiang ChangKong: Thank you for the candle. It¡¯s really nice. [picture.jpg ]


    Xu Lian: Did you take the photo on your cell phone?


    Xiang ChangKong: Yeah, why?


    Xu Lian: It looks pretty good. Then I¡¯ll ask you to take photos for me from now on. (*¡äÆH`*)


    Xiang ChangKong: I can¡¯t. (£­??)


    Xu Lian: I don¡¯t think men are supposed to say they can¡¯t?


    Xiang ChangKong:¡­


    I was suddenly taken for a drive¡­


    (T/N: An internet slang basically about porn. Like, asking someone to drive you basically means ¡®yo share your porn stash with me.¡¯ It¡¯s a slang that references sex. I find it equal parts confusing and hilarious that this slang is in here. Basically, Xu Lian was like ¡®men aren¡¯t supposed to say they can¡¯t [perform], lol¡¯ and by perform she means sexually. )


    Xu Lian: By the way, I¡¯ve recently tried making a few dishes by myself. I feel like I¡¯ve made a lot of progress, so next time you should come by and try it!


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s face heated as he replied with an ¡®alright.¡¯


    Every time he goes to Xu Lian¡¯s house, they don¡¯t just eat¡­


    Xu Lian: Goodnight ?


    Xiang ChangKong: Good night, have a good rest.


    As they both said their goodnights, Wei YiChen¡¯s business was at its peak time.


    While Wei YiChen was playing billiards in a private room with Ah Mao, a flustered waiter ran in. With a voice shaking with panic, he said: ¡°Brother Chen, Brother Mao, there are two guests outside¡­¡±


    Wei YiChen put down his billiard stick and asked: ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know. They act like they¡¯ve drunk too much, but they haven¡¯t¡­.¡± Thinking back to the two guests, the waiter thought that the situation might be more complicated than it looked. Initially, the guests weren¡¯t any trouble, and they didn¡¯t even drink much wine. But then they suddenly got excited and made a fuss.


    ¡°We¡¯ll go have a look.¡± Wei YiChen called for Ah Mao, and the pair walked out.


    The two people the waiter mentioned was a man and a woman. They definitely looked out of place in a bar, and it seems that they don¡¯t come to such places often. When Wei YiChen saw the two, they were already happily dancing in the middle of the dance floor, with half of their clothes on the ground. A crowd had gathered around them, whistling and applauding at the duo¡¯s antics.


    Wei YiChen and Ah Mao squeezed through the crowd, picked up the clothes on the floor, and then tried to drag the man and the woman off the dance floor. The man and woman were so inebriated that when they saw people trying to drag them away, they shouted: ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t pull me!¡±


    Wei YiChen and Ah Mao signaled towards their other brothers to help forcibly pull them away. The two drunkards struggled and cursed the entire time, causing other customers to watch the commotion.


    After the drunken duo was pulled away, the incident was soon forgotten by the other people in the bar. The dance floor soon changed the song, and everyone continued to drink and dance.


    Back in the lounge, Wei YiChen threw a small plastic bag at Ah Mao with a thunderous expression on his face. Ah Mao looked at the small bag thrown at him. His face twisted as he asked: ¡°Brother Chen¡­where did this stuff come from?¡±


    Wei YiChen sneered. ¡°It fell out those two people¡¯s clothes.¡±


    Ah Mao quickly knelt in front of Wei YiChen.¡±Brother Chen, this didn¡¯t come from us. We wouldn¡¯t dare touch these things! You told every single one of us that if we even looked at such things, we¡¯d get ten punches to the gut!¡±


    Wei YiChen snorted, then sat down on a nearby sofa. Ah Mao has been with him for a long time. He understood this little brother¡¯s personality. If he says it¡¯s not something from them, then those two customers bought it elsewhere.


    When he first thought of opening a bar in this street, Wei YiChen made sure he understood the rules of Qingnan Lane. This¡­.was someone on the brink of breaking the rules?


    ¡°Check out those two and see which stores they regularly visit.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Ah Mao looked down at the little plastic bag again. ¡°Uh¡­what about this thing?¡±


    Wei YiChen replied: ¡°Throw it in the toilet and flush it away! And those two people, they¡¯re not allowed to enter our store in the future.¡±


    Ah Mao quickly nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go do it now.¡±

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    ***


    In the blink of an eye, it was already Saturday. Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t wake up early to go to the vegetable market as usual but hurried to Xiang Nuan¡¯s school instead.


    Today was the parent-teacher meeting for the seniors, and when Xiang ChangKong arrived, the school¡¯s parking space was already filled to the brim. Xiang ChangKong had taken the subway for this reason.


    Xiang ChangKong stood on the field with the other parents and waited outside.


    The parent-teacher meeting was mainly divided into two parts. The first part was in the school auditorium, where all the parents in the grade would listen to the Principal¡¯s speech together. Afterward, each class would hold a small meeting in their respective classrooms.


    At this time, the students were still in the middle of class. Hearing the commotion outside, Xiang Nuan began to feel a little agitated.


    Her brother should already be outside. He was always punctual, after all.


    Her math teacher was currently asking everyone to start solving the problem on the board. But all the students were already too distracted by the upcoming parent-teacher meeting. The math teacher stood on the platform and loudly reminded them: ¡°Class hasn¡¯t finished yet, ah and your attention span¡¯s already flown away? Or maybe you all felt that the test was too easy?¡±


    Just like last year, the school organized a mock test to coincide with the parent-teacher meeting. The test was done on Wednesday, so with two days for marking, the mock exam results would be one of the topics talked about during the parent-teacher meeting.


    Although some of the test papers had yet to be handed back, all the students already knew their final score because the class representatives previously announced everyone¡¯s subject scores. When the scores of each subject were added together, one would be able to calculate whether they reached the cutoff score for their target university.


    Xiang Nuan still hadn¡¯t been able to reach her target score. There was less than a month left before the first formal examination, and everyone says that the official exams were almost the same as the college entrance exams. If she still can¡¯t reach her desired score, then does that mean she has no hope in the college entrance exams?


    (T/N: Basically, Xiang Nuan just took a mock exam for each subject. There will be a more formal mock exam in less than a month that will closely resemble the college entrance exams. The college entrance exams are the real deal, where the marks you get here will shape your future.)


    Xiang Nuan knew she wasn¡¯t as smart as her brother from a very early age, and never expected to get accepted in a top university. She was content to attend a regular school. But now, it seems that even this was only her own wishful thinking.


    At this time, Xiang ChangKong was sitting in the school auditorium with the other parents, waiting for the Principal to speak. The other parents sitting next to him noticed how young he was, and one man couldn¡¯t help but ask about it.


    ¡°Are you also a parent of Class 3?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong nodded. ¡°Sort of, my sister is in the class.¡±


    The man exclaimed: ¡°Ah, no wonder you look so young.¡±


    Soon, the Principal, Vice-Principal, and Deans all came up the stage to speak one by one. It went for so long that Xiang Nuan¡¯s class ended up finishing before the speeches.


    Classmate Shen Lin was on duty today and went up to clean the blackboard after everyone left. But when he looked back, he saw Xiang Nuan still on her seat with a sad expression on her face.


    After a moment¡¯s thought, he walked up to her and looked at the math test paper she had on her desk. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Xiang Nuan was startled. Seeing that it was Shen Lin who had talked to her, she subconsciously covered her test paper with her hands. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Shen Lin nudged his glasses back up to the bridge of his nose and said: ¡°Don¡¯t bother covering it, I already saw.¡±


    Xiang Nuan thought of her marks and turned red, her ears becoming hot. Shen Lin didn¡¯t care about her results but was curious about another matter. ¡°You did question twenty-one, but you didn¡¯t get twenty, right? Twenty-one was more difficult than question twenty, ah.¡±


    Xiang Nuan chuckled as she replied: ¡°Question twenty-one was something similar to what my brother taught me before.¡±


    It was because it was similar to something Xiang ChangKong had taught her that she decided to solve it first. She followed Xiang ChangKong¡¯s steps, and she really did end up finding the solution correctly.¡±


    Shen Lin asked: ¡°Oh? Is your brother good at math?¡±


    When it came to her brother, Xiang Nuan was immensely proud. ¡°Un, and not just math, my brother is good in all the subjects. He¡¯s even smarter than you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Shen Lin nudged his glasses again. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you get question twenty, right? Doesn¡¯t that mean there¡¯s something wrong with his teaching method?¡±


    Although Xiang Nuan secretly liked Shen Lin, hearing him talk about her brother like this made her very unhappy.¡±What are you criticizing his teaching methods? Then how about you tell Teacher Luo that he doesn¡¯t teach well!¡±


    ¡°I think a successful education is letting the students learn how to think for themselves so that even if they encounter a problem they¡¯ve never seen before, they¡¯ll be able to find their own way to solve it.¡± Shen Lin replied. ¡°That¡¯s a lot more useful than making them do a hundred questions.¡±


    Xiang Nuan huffed. ¡°I think your method is just relying on the student¡¯s own intelligence and nothing else.¡±


    Shen Lin thought for a moment, then said: ¡°How about I teach you for a month. Let¡¯s see if your brother¡¯s methods are better, or my methods are better, alright?¡±


    Xiang Nuan blinked. Shen Lin just offered her free tutoring lessons for a month. She wouldn¡¯t lose anything from such a wonderful offer, so in the end, she nodded. ¡°Deal.¡±


    While they talked, the nearby language teacher was informed that the parent-teacher meeting in the auditorium just ended. The headteacher came by to let everyone move the desks and chairs to prepare. The parents began to gather in the corridor outside the classroom.


    Usually, when the parent-teacher meeting began, the students could just leave directly. But most of the students stay in school and wait for their parents to finish before going home together.


    Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t dare greet Xiang ChangKong and instead sneaked away in the back door with her school bag.


    As she walked out of school, Xiang Nuan wore a bitter face. She had bombed last month¡¯s test too. Although Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t say anything about it, she was still upset. And now, she had failed this test too. What would her brother think when he sees her report card?


    She kicked some pebbles along the road as she walked. She didn¡¯t want to go home. She took out her phone, flipped through her contacts, and finally sent a message to Xu Lian. She wanted to ask her future sister-in-law for some guidance.


    Xu Lian was in her store at the moment. Xiang ChangKong had told her that he would be attending Xiang Nuan¡¯s parent-teacher meeting, so he wouldn¡¯t be able to cook for her when she comes by this afternoon. So when she saw Xiang Nuan¡¯s message, she thought something had happened.


    Xu Lian: Is your parent-teacher meeting over?


    Xiang Nuan: No, my brother is still in the middle of the meeting. I left school first.


    Xu Lian thought for a moment. She didn¡¯t ask Xiang Nuan why she went home alone but instead told her where she was.


    Xu Lian: I¡¯m in the store right now. Why don¡¯t you come by?


    Xu Lian: Do you have money?


    Xiang Nuan: Yes. I can take the subway.


    There was a subway station near Xiang Nuan¡¯s school that could directly go to Starlight Park without needing to do any transfers. Xiang Nuan quickly arrived at Starlight Park and found Xu Lian¡¯s store with the address Xu Lian had sent her.


    When Xiang Nuan entered the store, Zhang GuoEr, who was used to greeting the guests, subconsciously said: ¡°Welcome to MONSTER.¡±


    Xiang Nuan followed Xu Lain¡¯s Weibo, but the pictures she had posted were nothing compared to physically being in the store. She had always thought that Xu Lian was amazing for being able to open such a stylistic store in Starlight Park. Xiang Nuan curiously looked around as she said hello to Zhang GuoEr.


    Xu Lian came out of her workshop on the second floor and called out: ¡°Xiang Nuan.¡±


    Xiang Nuan raised her head and happily greeted her. ¡°Hello, Sister Xu Lian.¡±


    ¡°Come on up.¡± Xu Lian waved her hand towards Xiang Nuan, then said to Zhang GuoEr: ¡°She¡¯s here for me.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Zhang GuoEr, this pseudo-writer, immediately pieced things together. Xiang Nuan¡­her surname is the same as that little brother.


    Zhang GuoEr recalled that he had once said that he had a sister.


    ¡°Please wrap this for me.¡± One of the customers had chosen a candle and brought it to the checkout counter.


    ¡°Alright, just a moment please.¡± Zhang GuoEr took one last glance towards the second floor, then went to help the customer.


    Inside Xu Lian¡¯s workshop, Xiang Nuan put down her bag and curiously looked at Xu Lian¡¯s tools. ¡°You use these to make candles?¡±


    ¡°Un. Do you want some water?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Xiang Nuan accepted the glass of water Xu Lian had offered and picked up a candle Xu Lian had just made. ¡°Wow. This star-shaped one looks so nice.¡±


    It was dark blue, but when brought under the light, the tiny silver granules mixed in the candle glinted like stars.


    ¡°Do you like it? It¡¯s actually quite simple. How about I teach you how to do it?¡±


    ¡°Can I?¡±


    Xu Lian smiled and opened a nearby cabinet where all kinds of sundries were piled up inside. She took a glass and gave it to her. ¡°Just use this.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Lian taught Xiang Nuan how to melt some jelly wax into a pot, then gave her some paints to color a starry sky.


    ¡°The colors underneath should be darker. You can use some purple too. To closer match the night sky, you can dry paint some black.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Xiang Nuan was intently focused on her candle as if she was doing some sort of chemistry experiment. ¡°Is this alright?¡±


    Xu Lian looked at it and said. ¡°Yeah. You can do it yourself, just pay attention to the temperature. The bottom layer can¡¯t get too cold.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xiang Nuan felt that the colors were pretty much done, so she hurriedly added some gold powder and stirred the mixture evenly. Then, she poured the melted wax into the glass.


    It was a lot easier for Xiang Nuan when she started the second layer, so while she did the mixing, she began talking with Xu Lian. ¡°Big Sister, I don¡¯t want to go to university.¡±


    Xu Lian, who had been stirring another batch of wax, paused. ¡°Why?¡±


    Xiang Nuan frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t get the results I wanted in my last test. I tried really hard, and I spent every moment studying. The only time I wasn¡¯t studying was when I was sleeping¡­¡± She even shortened her cherished long hair, just so she could save a little time when washing and combing.


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t quite understand. She put down her stirring rod and asked: ¡°You don¡¯t want to go to university if it¡¯s not a high-tier one?¡± Were normal households really this tough? She must be vying for one of the top three universities¡­no wonder her mother keeps saying her university was nothing but a diploma mill.


    (T/N: If it¡¯s not a top university.)


    Xiang Nuan continued: ¡°I have never been as smart as my brother. My grades would never be called top-notch, but I always thought that I would have no trouble getting into a regular university. I had always planned to do so.¡±


    ¡°Oh. then why don¡¯t you want to attend university?¡±


    Xiang Nuan bit her lower lip. ¡°But now things are different. Since the accident with mom, my brother has carried the family all on his own. He even gave up on his studies. He¡¯s different from me. He¡¯s so smart¡­¡±


    If someone was to continue their studies, then it should be her brother.


    ¡°I know he gave up graduate school and even a job in a large company for us. He gave up everything to let me continue my studies, but I couldn¡¯t even pass my tests. Although he never said anything about it¡­I really don¡¯t know how I should face him.¡±


    Her achievements weren¡¯t worth the sacrifices Xiang ChangKong had made.


    Xu Lian was silent. She picked up her cup, took a drink, then said: ¡°I think you give yourself too much pressure. Have you ever talked about these burdens with your brother?¡±


    Xiang Nuan buried her face in her hands and shook her head. Tell her brother that she doesn¡¯t want to go to university? She couldn¡¯t even imagine how he would react.


    Xu Lian¡¯s phone suddenly rings. She grabs it and looks at the screen. It was Xiang ChangKong calling.


    ¡°It¡¯s your brother.¡±


    Xiang Nuan looked at her nervously. Xu Lian answered the call and asked: ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Xu Lian, is Xiang Nuan there? I came out of the parent-teacher meeting and saw that she left. I thought she had gone home, but when I got back she wasn¡¯t there. I can¡¯t reach her phone.¡±


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s here with me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a relief.¡± Xiang ChangKong exhaled. ¡°So, you¡¯re both coming together?¡±


    ¡°Un. I¡¯ll drive her and buy some food on the way.¡±


    ¡°No need, I can go out and buy it.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Lian finished her conversation with Xiang ChangKong, then looked towards Xiang Nuan. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you home. It¡¯s better to talk to your brother about this face to face.¡±

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    ***


    Xu Lian finished her conversation with Xiang ChangKong, then looked towards Xiang Nuan. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you home. It¡¯s better to talk to your brother about this face to face.¡±


    While Xu Lian and Xiang Nuan arrived in Xiang Nuan¡¯s home, Xiang ChangKong had already set lunch on the table.


    Xiang Nuan followed Xu Lian inside, but she didn¡¯t dare look at Xiang ChangKong in the eye. Xiang ChangKong went into the kitchen to get the rice. As he set it on the table, he said: ¡°Eat first. It¡¯s easy for food to go cold during the winter.¡±


    Having spent some time alone with Weng ShuLi twice before, Xu Lian could now face her much more comfortably than when she first met her. Xu Lian sat on the chair opposite of Weng ShuLi and smiled at her. ¡°Hello Auntie, I¡¯m here again.¡±


    Without responding, Weng ShuLi picked up her chopsticks and simply picked up her bowl and ate lunch quietly. Xiang Nuan sat opposite to Xiang ChangKong and buried her head in her bowl.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Seeing the meatball on her bowl, Xu Lian forked it up with her chopsticks and took a bite. Xiang ChangKong asked with a smile: ¡°I¡¯ll get you a spoon? It¡¯ll be easier to pick up with a spoon.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Lian watched him get up, go to the kitchen, and return with a spoon. She accepted the offered spoon and scooped up another meatball and placed it onto Xiang ChangKong¡¯s bowl. ¡°Sure enough, it¡¯s much easier to use a spoon.¡±


    Xiang Nuan silently picked at her rice.


    She was already in such a bad mood, yet they still stuff her with dog food, ah.


    After dinner, Weng ShuLi went back into her room for an afternoon nap. Xiang ChangKong cleaned up the dining table with Xu Lian. Taking the dirty plates, he told Xu Lian: ¡°I can take care of the rest, you can also take a nap.¡±


    Xu Lian was a bit sleepy. There weren¡¯t any orders she didn¡¯t need to catch up on, so she would usually rest in her store¡¯s lounge at this time of day. After a moment¡¯s thought, she replied: ¡°Then I¡¯ll take a quick nap on the sofa.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong bowed his head and stared at her, his eyes intense and beautiful. Feeling a little uneasy, Xu Lian asked: ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    Hearing that her voice had become a little strained, Xiang ChangKong raised the corner of his mouth. ¡°You can go to my room and sleep.¡±


    He said this sentence in an absolutely serious tone, without any hint of ambiguity. But even so, his words made one¡¯s pulse race.


    Xu Lian raised her head and looked at him. If they weren¡¯t in the kitchen where anyone could walk in on them¡­forget it. With a nod, Xu Lian turned around and headed towards Xiang ChangKong¡¯s bedroom.


    This was the third time Xu Lian had entered Xiang ChangKong¡¯s room. His bedroom was still the same: narrow, simple, tidy. The candle she had given him last time was half used, placed beside his lamp. She glanced at the candle, turned around, then set her eyes on his empty bed.


    Because the room was small, his bed was only a narrow single. He had white linens, but it didn¡¯t feel cold. Instead, it gave Xu Lian the urge to lie down.


    Xu Lian¡¯s hand slowly caressed the pillow, then moved towards the quilt. It was softer than she thought. It was probably very warm underneath.


    Xu Lian took off her shoes and jacket, went under the covers, and closed her eyes.


    All around her was Xiang ChangKong¡¯s scent, giving her the illusion that she was wrapped around Xiang ChangKong¡¯s arms.


    The feeling was quite addictive.


    In the kitchen, Xiang ChangKong was still washing the dishes. Xiang Nuan was in her bedroom, looking through her exercise book, not reading a single thing. Finally, she couldn¡¯t help but go to Xiang ChangKong.


    ¡°Brother.¡± Xiang Nuan stood at the kitchen threshold and called out to him. Xiang ChangKong looked back habitually, his hands still in the sink: ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Xiang Nuan immediately went tongue-tied. After hesitating for a long time, she finally managed to summon the courage to repeat what she had told Xu Lian: ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to go to university.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was quiet. Eventually, he put down the bowl he was holding, washed his hands, and turned off the tap.


    Xiang Nuan was the most nervous she had ever been. Even more nervous than the time she had told Xiang ChangKong her grades. She wasn¡¯t afraid that Xiang ChangKong would beat or scold her because, honestly, Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t have the temper to do such things. He had never even yelled at her before.


    What she was most afraid of is letting him down.


    After drying his hands, Xiang ChangKong turned around to face Xiang Nuan and asked: ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡­I just don¡¯t find it appealing to go to university. A diploma doesn¡¯t represent one¡¯s ability. University students can¡¯t even find jobs nowadays. I think it¡¯d be better if I learn a craft and earn a living. Don¡¯t you think opening a shop and being a boss like big sister Xu Lian is much better?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°Xu Lian opened a shop after graduating from university.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t that just wasting four years for nothing? I heard that a lot of the things you learn in university is useless when you actually get into the workforce.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was silent for a moment. He then raised his hand and touched the top of Xiang Nuan¡¯s head. ¡°Going to university isn¡¯t useless. Maybe the knowledge you¡¯ll learn there won¡¯t be useful for you in the future, but the experience of attending university for four years is beneficial in itself. Those four years will be a precious memory for you in the future. Yes, education doesn¡¯t represent ability, but education is a stepping stone that will allow you to enter all sorts of places. In some places, having no diploma means you wouldn¡¯t even have the qualification to submit your resume.¡±


    ¡°I¡­.¡±


    ¡°Do you really not want to go to university?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong interrupted her. It seems that he could see right through her. Xiang Nuan was speechless as she looked at her brother.


    Of course she wanted to go. Otherwise, why would she have worked so hard? High school was boring and stressful, each day a heavy weight that made her struggle to even breathe. But university would be different. It would be filled with color and give her a much more free lifestyle.


    At least, that¡¯s what she believed. She and her friends promised each other that when they get into university, they would style their hair, buy fashionable clothes, and get their nails done together. It would be the time she could be beautiful.


    As she stared at Xiang ChangKong, her nose started to tingle. ¡°I..I want to enter the workforce early, so¡­¡± You don¡¯t have to work so hard, ah. You do what you want to do.


    Xiang ChangKong rubbed her head. ¡°It¡¯s not too late to enter the workforce after university.¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t do well in my test¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen your results. You did much better than last month¡¯s test.¡±


    Xiang Nuan bowed her head. What use was that if she couldn¡¯t reach her target score?


    Xiang ChangKong looked at her for a moment, then said: ¡°Truthfully, there¡¯s something I haven¡¯t told you. I signed up for a postgraduate program.¡±


    Xiang Nuan suddenly lifted her head back up. ¡°Really? Is it a flying institute?¡±


    ¡°Un. I haven¡¯t studied in a long time, but I thought I¡¯d still give it a try.¡±


    ¡°Brother, if it¡¯s you, I¡¯m sure there will be no problems at all!¡± If one was to try and find the one person who blindly trusted Xiang ChangKong in everything, they would only need to look towards Xiang Nuan. This is great, my brother hasn¡¯t given up on his dream! Xiang Nuan was immensely happy. But then she thought about her mother. ¡°Does mom know about this?¡±


    At the mention of Weng ShuLi, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s expression also sank. ¡°Not yet. I plan to take the exam first, then tell her.¡±


    ¡°Nn!¡± Xiang Nuan approved. After their father¡¯s death, their mother will undoubtedly disapprove of Xiang ChangKong going into the same field. And with her condition¡­Xiang Nuan was afraid that their mother would oppose even more.


    Although Weng ShuLi was now in a relatively stable condition, they were afraid that any sort of intense simulation would worsen her illness again.


    ¡°Anyway, now that you¡¯ve thought things through go back and study.¡± Xiang ChangKong turned the tap back on and resumed with the dishes.


    But Xiang Nuan still hesitated. ¡°And the money¡­¡± If both she and her brother attended university, how would they pay the tuition fees and living expenses?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, I¡¯ll find a way. I won¡¯t let you go hungry.¡±


    Xiang Nuan¡¯s mouth twitched. She wasn¡¯t afraid of starving herself. But she can try applying for a student loan. She could try for a scholarship, or work while studying¡­after having such thoughts, Xiang Nuan was finally relieved.


    She finally went back to her room as Xiang ChangKong washed the last few bowls. The house became very quiet. Weng ShuLi was in her room taking a nap, Xiang Nuan was studying in her room¡­Xiang ChangKong subconsciously lightened his steps as he walked back to his room.


    In his bedroom, he saw that Xu Lian had fallen asleep. Xiang ChangKong sat on the bed beside her, a smile on his lips. While sleeping, Xu Lian didn¡¯t look anything like her usual self. She felt unguarded, with her hair loose like this. Xiang ChangKong couldn¡¯t help but reach out and touch it.


    Feels nice.


    His hand traveled up her hair and onto her face. As his finger touched her cheek, Xu Lian snuffled, but Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t move away.


    Xiang ChangKong looked down at her for a while, then slowly bent down and kissed her on the lips.


    Before he even fell in love with her, he had already been eager to kiss her, to hold her, to do all the intimate things with her.


    Xu Lian had always been the one to initiate things, so she may never know just how eager he was to have her.


    He wanted her just as much as she did.


    Xu Lian woke up after Xiang ChangKong kissed her. Her brain slowly realized what was happening, and then her hands lifted to wrap around his waist.


    She drifted closer to Xiang ChangKong and deepened the kiss.


    But she immediately backed off afterward and tried to calm her restless heart.


    This wasn¡¯t the place to do this.


    Xiang ChangKong took a deep breath and whispered in her ear: ¡°I¡¯ll take you back tonight?¡±


    His words were too suggestive, ah. Xu Lian gasped a breathy ¡®yes,¡¯ any semblance of drowsiness disappearing from expression.

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    ***


    His words were too suggestive, ah. Xu Lian gasped a breathy ¡®yes,¡¯ any semblance of drowsiness disappearing from expression.


    As Xiang ChangKong moved away, Xu Lian followed to sit up. She felt a chill towards her chest area, and when she looked down, she saw that the neckline of her shirt was open, her bra in full view.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Xiang ChangKong also noticed and suddenly remembered that he seemed to have pulled off some of her shirt buttons just now. ¡°The buttons should be on the bed somewhere.¡±


    His face was burning red as he lowered his head and helped Xu Lian find her buttons. However, Xu Lian¡¯s buttons were quite small, so despite looking for some time, they only found one.


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s head remained lowered, and his eyes averted as he said: ¡°I-I¡¯ll look for similar buttons.¡±


    Xu Lian found his red ears funny. This man, who bravely kissed her just now, was now as shy as a virgin.


    She smiled as she closed her shirt. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I should have some spare buttons at home.¡±


    ¡°Oh, ok, um¡­then let me help you sew this button on first.¡± There¡¯s no way he would let her just walk out of his room like this¡­


    Xu Lian was a little surprised. ¡°You know how to sew?¡±


    This was quite an obscure skill in men.


    Holding the one button they found, Xiang ChangKong opened his wardrobe and took out a sewing box. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just sewing a button. It¡¯s shouldn¡¯t be difficult.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Xu Lian tilted her head and asked curiously: ¡°Then, can you do a cross-stitch?¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡± Xiang ChangKong started to mutter to himself. ¡°I¡¯ve never tried, but it shouldn¡¯t be difficult. One just needs to be patient.¡±


    He pulled the broken threads off the button, and after finding a thread of the same color in his sewing box, he said: ¡°Take off your shirt.¡±


    If it had been a button on her cuff, he could¡¯ve just started sewing like this, but sewing something on the chest area was somewhat¡­sensitive.


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t think much of his request, and without further ado, she unbuttoned the rest of her shirt, pulled it off, and gave it to Xiang ChangKong.


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­¡­..¡±


    He silently accepted the shirt, then picked up his quilt and offered it to Xu Lian: ¡°Here, cover up so you don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±


    Xu Lian wrapped the blanket around her body and watched as his ears once again turned red. She couldn¡¯t help but let out a low laugh.


    Xiang ChangKong sewed very quickly. Xu Lian watched as he put the thread through a needle, pierce the fabric two or three times, then cut off the excess thread.


    ¡°Here, put it on.¡± Xiang ChangKong said.


    ¡°Un.¡± Xu Lian got out of the quilt, and composedly wore the offered shirt. With Xiang ChangKong watching her, she slowly buttoned her blouse.


    This time, because he knew what to expect and mentally prepared himself, Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t react as much. He even watched Xu Lian fasted her buttons one by one in relative calm.


    Although with only one button added to the shirt, it only went from ¡®open chest¡¯ to ¡®low-cut¡¯.


    Xiang ChangKong could still see Xu Lian¡¯s bra peeking out. With a cough, he finally raised his gaze back up to her eyes and asked: ¡°Do you want to sleep a little longer?¡±


    Xu Lian shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She had been so excited a little while ago that she was no longer in the mood to sleep.


    ¡°Then, do you want to watch some TV?¡±


    Xu Lian thought for a bit, then asked: ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°Studying.¡± There were a bunch of textbooks on his desk, open and ready. Xu Lian didn¡¯t want to disturb his studying, so with a wink, she asked: ¡°Why don¡¯t you pick out a book for me to read?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong looked through his books, then finally said: ¡°There aren¡¯t any books here that you¡¯ll be able to understand.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Alright, sorry to have troubled you.


    ¡°Xiang Nuan has some novels in her room. I¡¯ll get some.¡± Xiang ChangKong said. He left his room and came back with a pile of books which he handed to Xu Lian. ¡°Look through these. Is there anything you find interesting?¡±


    It has to be said that Xiang Nuan¡¯s books were quite eclectic. She had romance novels, suspense novels, and thrillers too. Xu Lian read the blurbs of all the books, then picked the one she was most interested in. With her back against the headboard of Xiang ChangKong¡¯s bed, she started reading.


    At the same time, Xiang Nuan and her friends were going crazy in their group chat.


    Nuan Nuan traveling the world: You might not believe this¡­but Big Sister is currently in my brother¡¯s room! And, and, my brother came just now to borrow a bunch of my books, saying that it was for big sister¡­.meow, meow?


    Studying causes baldness: hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, you¡¯re killing me.


    Do a question for five minutes paralyzed for an hour: Love between two consenting adults is quite different, ah (¡® ¨Œ ` )


    Studying causes baldness: Maybe they¡¯ve already done it? (smoking.jpg)


    (T/N: smoking.jpg is like a reaction gif/meme)


    Nuan Nuan traveling the world: No way, my brother can¡¯t be that fast!


    Studying causes baldness:¡­¡­¡­..


    Do a question for five minutes paralyzed for an hour:¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    [Nuan Nuan traveling the world deleted a message]


    Studying causes baldness: I¡¯ve already taken a screenshot.


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    After an afternoon of study, a knock on Xiang Nuan¡¯s door made her realize it was already dinner time. Xiang ChangKong came back with the books he had borrowed, and Xiang Nuan watched her brother put her books away. With a complicated expression, she asked: ¡°Brother¡­.did you actually spend the whole afternoon studying?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Xiang Nuan was feeling a myriad of emotions during the entire meal. But then, Xiang ChangKong mentioned wanting to send Xu Lian home.


    Xiang Nuan happily took over the chore of washing the dishes and winked at her brother. ¡°Brother, are you coming back tonight?¡± Of course, Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t expect Xiang ChangKong to come back at all. After all, they held back all afternoon; Xu Lian felt very sorry for them.


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s ears turned red. Flicking his sister¡¯s forehead, he said: ¡°Go to bed early. If you don¡¯t understand something in your exercises, just mark them down. I¡¯ll help you with them when I get back.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­.¡± Pretending that she didn¡¯t know her brother¡¯s plans to stay out all night, Xiang Nuan said: ¡°Then go already, go. Don¡¯t make big sister wait, ah.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡±


    When Xiang ChangKong finally went downstairs, Xu Lian was already in her car. When she saw him coming down, she honked her horn to signal him.


    Xu Lian had already driven to Xiang ChangKong¡¯s home plenty of times, so even at night, she was very familiar with the route.


    When they arrived at her house, she took off her coat and threw it on the sofa. ¡°I¡¯ll find the spare buttons for my shirt.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xiang ChangKong followed her into the bedroom, then suddenly thought of something. ¡°Do you have any sewing tools at home?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Xu Lian thought for a good long while but still ended up being unsure. ¡°There should be.¡±


    Xu Lian went into her wardrobe, opened a drawer and started rummaging through. After a while, she found the spare buttons for her shirt. Coming out of her closet with the buttons, she said: ¡°Here they are.¡±


    She placed the buttons on Xiang ChangKong¡¯s hand and said: ¡°Help me take my shirt off.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡± Xiang ChangKong¡¯s hand tightened its grip on the buttons, then slowly released. He placed the buttons on a nearby dressing table, then, like how Xu Lian slowly unbuttoned her shirt this afternoon, undid her buttons one by one.


    Xu Lian¡¯s chest rose, then fell, ever so slightly. When Xiang ChangKong finally removed her shirt off her, Xu Lian reached out to hug him. With a pull, they both fell on the big bed behind her.


    As she watched him, Xu Lian noticed Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes slowly darken. He raised a hand and gently traced her eyebrows with his fingers. When he moved down to her eyes, Xu Lian was already panting. Xu Lian unzipped Xiang ChangKong¡¯s coat and pulled it open. She looked straight into his eyes as she said: ¡°You take off your clothes too.¡±


    With a low chuckle, Xiang ChangKong raised his hands and took his sweater, his muscles flexing as he loomed over her. Xu Lian¡¯s hands couldn¡¯t help but climb up from his abdomen to his chest, similar to how he had touched her moments before.


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s voice was beginning to turn husky, and Xu Lian delighted in this slight change of Xiang ChangKong. That change was because of her.


    Feeling her enthusiasm, Xiang ChangKong bent down and hugged Xu Lian, whispering in her ear as he did so. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we have all night.¡±


    Xu Lian deliberately let out a moan, trying to seduce him. In front of Xiang ChangKong, she could never act reserved, like how a girl should be. But nevertheless, Xu Lian liked doing this with him. Especially when his body would tighten, his muscles feeling very solid and powerful underneath her hands. It made her feel like her soul was about to be torn asunder.


    Admittedly, her boldness was something Xiang ChangKong immensely enjoyed too. Xu Lian¡¯s breath underneath him, caressing his skin¡­it was something he could get addicted to. Something that made him feel very unwilling to ever part from her.


    Qing Nan street, in Wei YiChen¡¯s bar.


    Ah Mao was reporting to Wei YiChen: ¡°Those two people are often in and out of Qian Liang¡¯s territory.¡±


    Wei YiChen frowned and threw out a dart. ¡°Qian Liang.¡±


    He didn¡¯t have a very good impression of the man. Qian Liang was a frequenter of Qing Nan street, and everyone called him Brother Liang. This Brother Liang wasn¡¯t very clean, but as long as one didn¡¯t cross the line, the people of Qing Nan street wouldn¡¯t interfere with each other.


    Wei YiChen let another dart fly, then put on his coat. He said to Ah Mao: ¡°I¡¯ll be going out for a while. Watch the bar.¡±


    Ah Mao was uneasy and followed him. ¡°Brother Chen, where are you headed? I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Wei YiChen shook his head. It would be inconvenient to do things with other people as it would attract attention. ¡°I¡¯ll be back, don¡¯t follow me.¡±


    He left his bar alone and went to Qian Liang¡¯s bar first. But the bartender said that he wasn¡¯t in. Wei YiChen looked around the bar but ultimately left with a frown on his face.


    Well, he knew that Qian Liang had another nest.


    He turned seven or eight corners and into several alleys and finally stopped in front of a two-story Chinese-style building. Qing Nan street was made up of such small lanes. It was hard for ordinary people to walk through here without getting lost.


    When Wei YiChen first came here, he had lost his temper several times because of these maze-like alleys. Now though, he could walk through Qing Nan street with his eyes closed.


    Several lanterns were hanging on the small building in front of him, but they were all dark. There wasn¡¯t a single light around the area. Wei YiChen stood in front of the door for a long while. When he finally stepped forward, a figure suddenly appeared from inside.


    Wei YiChen quickly dodged the figures sudden attack, but before he could straighten, the figure put out another fist. Wei YiChen instinctively blocked the punch, but suddenly, a dagger slipped out of his opponent¡¯s sleeve and swiped towards his arm.


    The resulting sharp pain made Wei YiChen¡¯s scalp numb, and he could feel warm blood gurgling out of his wound. Wei YiChen pressed on his injured arm, looked up at the building, then shouted at the man standing at the door. ¡°Qian Liang, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±


    Qian Lian smiled and lighted the lantern he was holding. His face gradually became visible in the warm yellow light. ¡°That was just to give you a warning. Don¡¯t think you can order your subordinates to check on my affairs without me knowing.¡±


    He stepped forward and casually approached Wei YiChen. ¡°You¡¯d better not meddle, or¡­¡± He deliberately trailed off. ¡°I heard that Zhu Bing went to your girlfriend¡¯s store to make trouble?¡±


    Wei YiChen, who hadn¡¯t even called out after being injured, suddenly turned white. He stared at the man in front of him and calmly warned: ¡°She¡¯s not my girlfriend. You better not provoke her.¡±


    Qian Liang smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t really like to bully women either, ah. Everyone minds their own business Qing Nan street. Brother Chen is smart enough to understand, right?¡¯

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    ***


    Qian Liang smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t really like to bully women either, ah. Everyone minds their own business Qing Nan street. Brother Chen is smart enough to understand, right?¡¯


    Of course, Wei YiChen understood. People who had the ability to open shops in Qing Nan street would always have some sort of background- white or black.


    (T/N: they have connections. But some people have shady connections, and some people have clean connections.)


    Wei YiChen clutched at his bleeding arm as he quietly stood in place. He was like a beast holding his breath. Qian Liang didn¡¯t want to make this into a big deal and figured that Wei YiChen had been sufficiently warned enough. If he continued to goad Wei YiChen, Qian Lian would only be bitten. And then he would have no one to blame but himself.


    So with one final wink, Qian Liang placed his knife back in his clothes and returned inside the small building. When the door shut, all the lanterns extinguished, and Wei YiChen was once again surrounded by darkness.


    Wei YiChen turned around and walked away. Just then, a woman came out of the shadows and leaned against a broken street lamp. She crossed her arms and shouted: ¡°Hey.¡±


    Wei YiChen¡¯s footsteps paused, and he turned towards her.


    The woman had long hair draped over a shoulder. Because the lights were dim, he couldn¡¯t tell the color of her hair, but her face was somewhat familiar. ¡°Are you from QianMan¡¯s shop?¡±


    Zuo QianMan was a resident of Qing Nan street. She was one of the few female bosses in Qing Nan and had been here far longer than Wei YiChen.


    The woman straightened and approached him. ¡°My name is Fang QiuYun.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Wei YiChen said indifferently. Her name had nothing to do with him. After he said ¡®oh,¡¯ he turned around and continued to walk. Fang QiuYun stopped him and asked: ¡°Where are you headed?¡±


    Wei YiChen was confused as he replied: ¡°I¡¯m going back to my bar.¡±


    Fang QiuYun responded: ¡°You can¡¯t go back now.¡±


    Wei YiChen looked at her for a few moments, feeling a little strange. Wei YiChen raised a brow. ¡°Oh?¡±


    Fang QiuYun ignored the sarcasm that tinged his ¡®oh¡¯ and instead said: ¡°If you go back like this, your people will definitely run out and try to avenge you.¡±


    Wei YiChen frowned. She was right. Ah Mao was a straightforward type of person. If he sees Wei YiChen hurt, he wouldn¡¯t just sit down and do nothing. After all, they beat up Zhu Bing pretty bad. But Qian Liang wasn¡¯t Zhu Bing. If they actually try to start something, it would be bad.


    ¡°Come with me to HUG.¡±


    HUG was one of Zuo QianMan¡¯s bars and was quite famous in Qing Nan street. It had exquisite style and high prices, making it suitable for young masters and ladies who want to spend a lot of money. After Fang QiuYun said all this, she turned around and walked away, not even waiting for Wei YiChen¡¯s assent.


    Wei YiChen stood still. Although he was a little unhappy with the woman¡¯s attitude, after a moment of consideration, he followed her.


    The bar was crowded. Fang QiuYun brought Wei YiChen through the back door and straight up into the second floor.


    The second floor was much more luxurious than the first floor, making it more suitable for those rich masters with higher requirements. Fang QiuYun was leading Wei YiChen through the hall when she suddenly looked back towards him. ¡°Don¡¯t drip on the carpet. It¡¯s very expensive.¡±


    Wei YiChen was moments away from exploding. But he remembered that he was in someone else¡¯s territory and valiantly reined his temper in. He sneered at the woman. ¡°I¡¯m rich. I can afford to pay.¡±


    The sneer that was meant to be sarcastic failed to convey its intended meaning. Wei YiChen originally had a handsome face, and now that his face was pale from his injury, his cold smile was more likely to hook people than anger them.


    ¡°¡­..¡± Fang QiuYun turned away and silently continued to walk.


    She took Wei YiChen to the innermost room and opened the door for him.


    ¡°Sit down, and I¡¯ll tend to your wound.¡±


    Wei YiChen deliberately taunted: ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid my blood will stain the sofa? Isn¡¯t it expensive too?¡±


    Fang QiuYun poured him a glass of orange juice. ¡°Aren¡¯t you rich?¡±


    The corner of Wei YiChen¡¯s mouth lifted. But when Fang QiuYun handed him the juice, he was dissatisfied. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bar? Give me wine, ah.¡± His injured arm was still burning with pain, and he needed to numb his nerves with alcohol.


    Fang QiuYun promptly answered: ¡°That¡¯s a cocktail mixed with orange juice. Drink it, or don¡¯t. I don¡¯t care.¡±


    She then crouched beside Wei YiChen and rolled up his sleeves. Her movements were small, but Wei YiChen¡¯s wound was quite painful, so his lips turned white again. He turned his head away and tried to divert his attention away from the pain. ¡°Sister QianMan asked you to bring me here?¡±


    ¡°Un. She said Qian Liang wasn¡¯t someone easily dealt with.¡±


    Wei YiChen knew that. After all, Qian Liang didn¡¯t have a good reputation in Qing Nan street, yet he was still alive and well. No one wanted to wade into his dirty and muddy dealings.


    ¡°Your wound is somewhat serious. You have to go to the hospital and get some stitches.¡± Fang QiuYun simply stopped the bleeding. She put away the medicine box and said: ¡°I¡¯ll drive you to the hospital.¡±


    Wei YiChen picked up the cocktail with his uninjured hand and gulped it down. ¡°I can go by myself.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t drive with your hurt hand. Besides, you just drank some alcohol. If you drive, I¡¯ll have to call the police and report you for drunk driving.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Wei YiChen stared at Fang QiuYun for a long while, then said: ¡°I¡¯ll take a taxi.¡±


    Fang QiuYun remained unmoved. ¡°It¡¯s nighttime, and you¡¯re bleeding. No taxi would dare take you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Wei YiChen eventually conceded and got into Fang QiuYun¡¯s car. Because he was injured, even fastening his seatbelt was done by her.


    Wei YiChen thought the entire situation to be extremely humiliating. He absolutely cannot let his brothers know about this.


    As he sat on the passenger seat, he carefully looked at the woman beside him. ¡°You have a pretty face and a pretty name. How come your character doesn¡¯t match?¡±


    Fang QiuYun didn¡¯t even glance at him as she replied: ¡°Maybe it¡¯s to liven things up a bit.¡±


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    On the way to the hospital, Ah Mao called and asked where he was. Wei YiChen said that he didn¡¯t find Qian Liang and decided to go home instead. He asked them to watch over the bar, and Ah Mao agreed, not doubting him in the slightest.


    It was in the middle of the night, so there weren¡¯t a lot of people in the hospital. Wei YiChen quickly got his wound stitched up, and was out in less than an hour. When he stepped out, he saw that Fang QiuYun was still in her car, waiting for him. It was in the middle of November, and it was definitely cold. Furthermore, it was close to midnight, so the temperature was even lower. Fang QiuYun was only wearing a skirt with a blouse, a long coat, and dress shoes.


    Seeing her with her hands in her coat pockets, Wei YiChen couldn¡¯t help but think it would be warmer to jump in place rather than just stand still like she was.


    When Fang QiuYun saw Wei YiChen come out of the hospital, she asked: ¡°What did the doctor say?¡±


    Wei YiChen replied: ¡°No residual effects. They¡¯ll take out the stitches in two days.¡±


    Fang QiuYun nodded, then opened her car door. ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯ll drive you.¡±


    Wei YiChen calmly got in her car and said: ¡°Home.¡±


    Because of his injury, Father Wei ended up scolding him again, and Mother Wei grew worried. This time, Wei YiChen obediently stayed at home for a few days to recuperate.


    Two days later, Xiang ChangKong was in the middle of his lunch break and opened Moments in WeChat. He immediately saw Cheng Peng with a plaster on his leg and a pathetic expression on his face. Xiang ChangKong put down his lunchbox and sent Cheng Peng a private message: What happened?


    Ever since Cheng Peng said that he would invite him to his store to eat some skewers, they added each other on WeChat. However, they never actually talked much, and they mostly just stuck to some general greetings. What¡¯s more, Xiang ChangKong sent out very few Moments, so there was very little opportunity for Cheng Peng to talk to Xiang ChangKong in WeChat.


    This was the first time Xiang ChangKong messeged him.


    Cheng Peng: Its nothing, just some bad luck. I got into a small accident on the way to delivering a meal.


    Xiang ChangKong frowned.


    Xiang ChangKong: How are your injuries?


    Cheng Peng: I got a fracture. I just need to lie down for a while.


    Xiang ChangKong: Which hospital are you admitted to?


    Cheng Peng: Central Hospital


    Xiang ChangKong put away his phone, finished his lunch, then rode his scooter towards Central Hospital. He found Cheng Peng to be in the inpatient department and sure enough, miserably lying on a hospital bed. ¡°Little Xiang, you came!¡±


    Cheng Peng was thrilled to see Xiang ChangKong. He turned and introduced Xiang ChangKong to the woman cutting apples nearby. ¡°This is the brother I mentioned to you before.¡±


    The woman was Cheng Peng¡¯s wife. She nodded towards Xiang ChangKong and asked: ¡°Oh, this is the heavenly brother?¡±


    (T/N: the brother going up places in the future.)


    Cheng Peng: ¡°¡­..¡±


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t know that this was how Cheng Peng introduced him to other people. But, well, he didn¡¯t care. He looked at Cheng Peng¡¯s plaster covered foot and said: ¡°How can you be so careless, ah.¡±


    Before Cheng Peng could reply, his wife already spoke up: ¡°He ran through a red light, ah. He¡¯s really looking to die!¡±


    Cheng Peng knew that he was the one in the wrong. Although he couldn¡¯t help but try to defend himself, his voice was obviously quite weak: ¡°I was just trying to deliver more food¡­I was worried that I would miss the target delivery time¡­When I got there, it was still green¡­.¡± Well, for one second, it was.


    To catch up with their orders, it was common for deliverymen to violate traffic rules now and again. Cheng Peng wasn¡¯t the first, and he wouldn¡¯t be the last. He was lucky that his injuries weren¡¯t that serious. Once something bad happens¡­the consequences could be disastrous.


    Xiang ChangKong said: ¡°I know that sometimes we won¡¯t be able to meet target delivery times, and your heart will certainly feel hurried, but you shouldn¡¯t play with your life like this. Should you put your delivery, or your life first? This should¡¯ve been talked about during the company¡¯s in-work training, right?¡±


    ¡°Sigh, yes, training.¡± But the cutthroat working conditions are also formulated by the company, ah. Cheng Peng felt aggrieved.


    Cheng Peng¡¯s wife spoke up: ¡°Getting there a few seconds earlier isn¡¯t worth your leg, ah!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes, you¡¯re right. You¡¯ve been talking about it nonstop since this morning!¡±


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t stay long as he had work in the afternoon. As he walked out of the inpatient department, he saw a figure walking across the building. The person¡¯s stature and clothes¡­he looked familiar.


    ¡°Wei YiChen?¡± Xiang ChangKong stepped forward and tentatively called out. Wei YiChen looked back and was stunned to see Xiang ChangKong.


    He couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly. It really is true that destiny will make enemies meet, ah. He actually met Xiang ChangKong in the hospital.


    With a sharp laugh, he asked: ¡°Did you come here to make a food delivery?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied. ¡°One of my friends in a patient. I came to visit him.¡± He then looked at Wei YiChen¡¯s bandaged hand. ¡°What happened to your hand?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, just a small scratch.¡± Wei YiChen tilted his head away. He didn¡¯t want to talk about his injury, so he decisively changed the topic. ¡°How are you and Xu Lian recently?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong pursed his lips, but replied: ¡°Very good.¡±


    Wei YiChen laughed out loud and started walking. ¡°That¡¯s very good.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong walked beside him, his gaze falling on his injured hand once more. It didn¡¯t look like a scratch. ¡°Your hand¡­¡±


    ¡°My hand is fine.¡± Wei YiChen gave him the side-eye. ¡°Don¡¯t tell Xu Lian that you met me in the hospital today. Don¡¯t tell her that I¡¯m injured.¡±


    Seeing that Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t reply, Wei YiChen continued: ¡°I won¡¯t be visiting her for a while. You¡­.take care of her.¡±

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    ***


    Xu Lian was in her store, lining up some elk antlers on her workshop table and checking them one by one. Christmas was approaching, so she was filled with orders for several other businesses and functions. In addition to her seasonal Christmas-styled garlands, diffuser stones decorated in elk antlers were also very popular during this time.


    However, the mold she used resulted in some fragile antlers, so Xu Lian had to carefully check each one to make sure that there were no cracked antlers before gluing them to her diffusers. If she found a broken antler, she would have to spend time repairing the damage.


    Xu Lian¡¯s craftsmanship was impeccable, and she was very diligent with her work, so things like this needed to be carefully resolved.


    Xu Lian had ordered two different antler molds domestically, but both of them were easy to break. Hence, she decided to improve the quality of her future diffusers by going abroad and buying imported molds not available in China. Xu Lian had planned to wait and buy another mold before doing another batch. Although she repaired the items that needed to be repaired, she found the process too troublesome to continue.


    While she was fixing another antler, the screen of her phone lit up. Xu Lian wiped her hands and glanced at the message. It was the class leader of her high school senior year.


    The class leader had previously asked her about a class reunion. As they did this, they took the opportunity to pull Xu Lian back into the high school chat group. Back then, Xu Lian didn¡¯t immediately leave the group, but she did mute it and didn¡¯t reply to any of the messages.


    But it seems that Xu Lian¡¯s class leader was determined. They had finally got a date and time for the reunion a few days ago, and Xu Lian had messaged that she wasn¡¯t sure if she would be free and didn¡¯t fully commit to anything, refusing to come without actually refusing. But unexpectedly, the class monitor didn¡¯t give up and asked her again today.


    Class Monitor: Xu Lian, we¡¯re booking a private room tomorrow night. We need to know the number of people attending, so can we confirm your attendance?


    Xu Lian stared at the message for a long while and thought about it. In the end, she picked up her phone and replied.


    Xu Lian: ok.


    Class Monitor: Alright, I¡¯ll add you to the list. We¡¯ll see you tomorrow evening at 6.


    Xu Lian: Do you want me to pay now?


    Class Monitor: No hurry, we¡¯ll properly calculate things.


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t reply. She picked up another antler and found that it was cracked.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Xu Lian suddenly felt an urgent need to go abroad and buy some materials!


    At 6:00 p.m. that Friday evening, Xu Lian stepped in the club where the reunion was going to be held. Xu Lian figured that her fellow classmates must be doing quite well to be able to reserve a private room.


    Xu Lian looked at the message the class monitor had sent her. The class monitor actually sent the location of the room in the class group chat, but fearing that Xu Lian wouldn¡¯t see it, they also sent her a private message.


    After confirming the location once again, she approached the waitress wearing cheongsam by the door. The lady welcomed her in and guided her towards the elevator. Xu Lian didn¡¯t know which of her classmates would be attending this reunion, but she had been here before and knew that their largest private room could seat around twenty people. However, they did have connecting private rooms that, when opened, could house forty people quite comfortably.


    It seems that this kind of connecting room was what the class monitor reserved. As soon as Xu Lian approached the closed door, she heard the lively chatter inside.


    To be completely honest, she wasn¡¯t used to attending such occasions, and she had no deep feelings towards her old high school classmates. Xu Lian actually wasn¡¯t sure what she can talk about with them.


    She stood just in front of the door, hesitating. Just as she was wondering whether she should just leave, the door opened from the inside. It was one of her former classmates who had wanted to go out and gave a smoke. When he saw Xu Lian standing outside, he pocketed the cigarette that was in his hand and looked her over. After a few moments of silence, he hesitantly asked: ¡°Are you Xu Lian? I haven¡¯t seen you in years, ah. You look a lot more beautiful than our high school days!¡±


    His loud voice attracted the attention of the people inside the room, and everyone ended up looking towards the door. One by one, they recognized Xu Lian, and enthusiastically greeted her. It was too late to back out now. With no other choice, Xu Lian entered the room.


    ¡°Xu Lian, come and sit next to Du YangYang. You used to sit next to each other, right?¡±


    The class monitor pointed towards an empty seat next to a woman drinking some tea. She was a pretty lady with short hair. Xu Lian nodded; still remembered Du YangYang. After all, xu Lian sat next to her for an entire year. She went and sat next to her and took off her coat, hanging it on the back of her chair.


    Xu Lian had always been a loner, and during high school, everyone thought she was cold. They all had little to no contact with her. But now, everyone had graduated and had been exposed to society. So even though they hadn¡¯t seen Xu Lian for years, everyone felt more familiar with her compared to when they saw her every day in school. Du YangYang poured Xu Lian a cup of tea and commented that this particular tea was only available in this lounge. Meanwhile, the male classmate sitting opposite of Xu Lian started to gossip: ¡°Xu Lian, do you have a boyfriend yet? If not, why don¡¯t you consider going out with Xiao Xia? Didn¡¯t he pursue you during high school?¡±


    (T/N: Xiao Xia is actually Xiao Xu or ¡®Little Xu,¡¯ but since he¡¯s just a minor character, I changed his name slightly so people won¡¯t get confused.)


    As soon as the classmate finished saying this, everyone began to stir. Xiao Xia, who was exposed, turned red. He stammered at his friend: ¡°Hey, what about you? Do you have a girlfriend? Are you married? Have you had a baby yet? A second child?? If you say you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll die of laughter!¡±


    At this sudden change in subject, everyone began to tease the male classmate, and after a while, the topic naturally shifted to something else. Xu Lian picked up her teacup, and calmly took a sip. She had a vague impression of Xiao Xia. Everyone called him Xiao Xia in highschool. It wasn¡¯t because his surname was Xia, but simply because he looked like Teacher Xia, their geography teacher. Thus, the nickname ¡®Xiao Xia.¡¯


    Xu Lian was a little surprised. She had never paid much attention to her classmates during high school, but somehow, she still remembered all these little details even now.


    After a while though, the topic somehow shifted to Wei YiChen.


    Wei YiChen was handsome and was unbeatable in fights, so he was popular in high school. So it wasn¡¯t much of a surprise that someone would end up mentioning him.


    ¡°The last time I went to Qing Nan street for a drink, I happened to see him. He¡¯s much more handsome now than he was in high school, ah!¡±


    ¡°He opened a bar in Qing Nan street?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, his business looks like its doing well!¡±


    ¡°We should have dinner then go to Qing Nan street for a drink.¡±


    Then Xu Lian was suddenly named. ¡°I remember that Wei YiChen loved pestering Xu Lian during high school? How are you two? Are you still keeping in touch with him, Xu Lian?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t had much contact recently.¡± Xu Lian replied.


    After Wei YiChen had sent her a bunch of flowers, she had never seen him again. Honestly, Xu Lian found it a little strange. Wei YiChen usually annoyed her every other minute. He had never been this quiet for this long. He was probably either captured by his father or beaten up by others.


    Another male classmate tried to make a fuss as he pointed a finger gun towards Du YangYang. ¡°Didn¡¯t Du YangYang like Wei YiChen before? Didn¡¯t you once say that he was super handsome when he fights?¡±


    Du YangYang glared at him and said: ¡°Children like people who can fight. Adults like rich people.¡±


    ¡°Hahahahahahaha!¡± The group erupted in laughter.


    Because everyone was chattering over each other, the embarrassing questions Xu Lian thought she would have to answer never actually appeared. In fact, they didn¡¯t give her a chance to say a single sentence.


    After the meal, there was a real clamor to go to Wei YiChen¡¯s bar for some drinks. Xu Lian didn¡¯t go with them and instead left first.


    So the large group went to Qing Nan street and into Wei YiChen¡¯s bar. But unexpectedly, Wei YiChen wasn¡¯t there.


    Wei YiChen¡¯s wound was much better. He had gone out today and bought a bunch of Zuo QianMan¡¯s favorite flowers and was now heading to HUG to thank her.


    Zuo QianMan might be in her forties, but she maintained her looks quite well. She very much looked like a woman in her twenties. Tonight, Zuo QianMan was wearing a long red dress with her hair loose and cascading down her back. She sat in front of the bar with her high heels hooked against the stool and a red cocktail in her hands. When she saw Wei YiChen approach, she smiled and asked: ¡°How¡¯s your arm?¡±


    Wei YiChen replied: ¡°Almost healed thanks to Sister QianMan¡¯s blessings. Oh, these flowers are for you.¡±


    Zuo QianMan raised a brow and accepted the flowers. She turned towards the side and called out: ¡°QiuYun, put these flowers in some water.¡±


    Fang QiuYun walked out of a corridor and noticed Wei YiChen beside Zuo QianMan. Without a word, she took the bouquet and went upstairs.


    ¡°Sit down.¡± Zuo QianMan gestured towards the empty seat next to her. ¡°What do you want to drink?¡±


    Wei YiChen thought for a moment, then answered: ¡°Whiskey with some orange juice.¡±


    Zuo QianMan smiled, then nodded at the bartender. ¡°Give him a glass.¡±


    The bartender quickly mixed the drink, then placed it in front of Wei YiChen. Wei YiChen picked up the glass and took a sip. He thought that the taste was different from the glass Fang QiuYun had mixed for him before. Wei YiChen put down his drink and asked Zuo QianMan: ¡°What does Sister QianMan think about Qian Liang?¡±


    Zuo QianMan smiled and took a sip of her cocktail. ¡°Qing Nan street has developed too quickly these past few years. Some people have gotten a little forgetful. That man¡¯s not very clean, so naturally, there are people watching him.¡±


    Wei YiChen¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed. He¡¯s pretty sure that Zuo QianMan has a nephew in the police.


    ¡°The next time you want to do something, you¡¯d best consult with Older Brother Jie first.¡± Zuo QianMan said this, then left with her glass to greet some guests.


    Wei YiChen¡¯s finger slowly circled the rim of his drink. Zhao Jie, the man considered to be the boss of Qing Nan street. He runs a bar with the highest turnover rate in the entire street. If Qian Liang needed to give someone face, it would be Qian Nan street¡¯s Zhao Jie.


    ¡°Thank you, Sister QianMan.¡± Wei YiChen stood up and raised his glass towards Zuo QianMan. He gulped down his drink, put down his empty glass, then left.


    When Wei YiChen arrived at his own bar, he found out that a group of his alumni had come looking for him and hadn¡¯t left yet. Wei YiChen looked towards the group and noticed that one of the men was a classmate who had pursued Xu Lian before. What was his name? Xiao Xia?


    Beside Xiao Xia was Du YangYang. Wei YiChen had a vague impression of her and remembered that she was Xu Lian¡¯s deskmate in high school.


    Wei YiChen¡¯s heart immediately jumped. This wasn¡¯t everyone in Xu Lian¡¯s class, right? His eyes quickly swept around, and when he saw that Xu Lian wasn¡¯t in the group, he felt a little relieved.


    In the end, he was also an alumnus. Although Xiao Xia threatened him in the past, its already been years. Wei Yichen had long disregarded his former love rival. Wanting to bury the hatchet, Wei YiChen approached the group and told everyone to order some drinks. After finding out from the class monitor that Xu Lian was indeed not here, he smiled and said: ¡°Tonight¡¯s drinks are all 70% off. You all have a good time.¡±


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t go with the class to Wei YiChen¡¯s bar because, well, firstly, he probably didn¡¯t want to see her. Why would she deliver herself onto his doorstep if this really was the case? And secondly, it was Saturday tomorrow. She was going to visit Xiang ChangKong¡¯s house tomorrow and if she drank tonight and ended up with a hangover¡­Wouldn¡¯t Weng ShuLi dislike her even more?


    So Xu Lian went home early, took a bath, then went to bed.


    The next day, before she went to Xiang ChangKong¡¯s home, she drove to a nearby fruit market and bought some fresh oranges.


    This Saturday and Sunday were when the graduate students would need to go onsite to confirm their registration. She asked Xiang ChangKong about it, and he said that he could just take the Saturday evening shift and go register on Sunday morning. This would make things harder for Weng ShuLi to notice.


    Xu Lian knew that after his father¡¯s accident, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s mother would definitely resent the aviation profession. But Xiang ChangKong won¡¯t be able to hide his career for a lifetime. It would still be necessary for him to be open with his mother.


    Last Saturday, after Xiang ChangKong sent her home, he ended up not returning. It was because after the two woke up the next morning, the couple didn¡¯t hold back and ended up staying in bed for a while. This led to Xiang ChangKong not coming back home at all since he had to go straight to work from Xu Lian¡¯s place.


    It was from that point on that Weng ShuLi¡¯s attitude towards Xu Lian worsened. Before this, while Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t seem to care about Xu Lian, at least she sat down in the same room as her to read a book. But now, it appears that Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t even want to see her. Whenever Xu Lian came by, Weng ShuLi would go back into her room.


    Xu Lian couldn¡¯t help but frown. She felt that although Auntie Weng didn¡¯t say anything or seem to not care about anything, she actually understood the situation. Also, Xiang ChangKong is an adult man. Staying out at night¡­.is normal.


    Xu Lian went into the kitchen and leaned against the doorframe. She looked at Xiang ChangKong for a while, then asked: ¡°Xiang ChangKong, have you ever had a girlfriend before?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong, who was cutting vegetables, immediately froze. His heart was suddenly filled with tension at her question. Xiang ChangKong carefully put down the knife in his hand, turned to look at Xu Lian, then said: ¡°No. Why do you ask?¡±


    He heard from Cheng Peng that after a woman agrees to be with you, she would eventually ask about your exes. Cheng Peng advised that no matter how you answer the question, the outcome will always be the same- that you would be obliterated. But Xiang ChangKong thought that Xu Lian¡¯s personality wasn¡¯t like that, and he doesn¡¯t have any exes, so he had never taken Cheng Peng¡¯s words to heart.


    But now Xu Lian asked such a question out of the blue. Xiang ChangKong couldn¡¯t help but think back to that conversation with Cheng Peng.


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t ask anymore. She simply let out an ¡®oh.¡¯ ¡°No wonder your mom hates me.¡± After all, she was the first girlfriend Xiang ChangKong had brought home. She had to give Weng ShuLi time to adjust.


    A confused Xiang ChangKong asked: ¡°Why do you think so?¡±


    Xu Lian shrugged. ¡°Mother¡¯s are always a little possessive with their sons. If another woman suddenly came into the picture and wanted to monopolize her son, who she raised for more than twenty years, it¡¯ll inevitably make her unhappy. Didn¡¯t you see Auntie go into her room the moment I came in? She probably doesn¡¯t want to see me.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong pursed his lips, wanting to give Xu Lian a hug. But he was still wearing an apron, and he was afraid that he would get Xu Lian¡¯s clothes dirty. So, in the end, Xiang ChangKong kissed Xu Lian on the lips. ¡°Give her some time. She¡¯ll love you.¡±


    Xu Lian looked up at him and raised her arms to circle her hands around Xiang ChangKong¡¯s neck. ¡°What if she doesn¡¯t?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s mother is a special case. If she were a normal person, even if mother-in-law didn¡¯t like her, she can simply live separately with her husband. In this situation, she would only have to see her mother-in-law a few times a year. But Weng ShuLi¡¯s physical and mental conditions meant that she couldn¡¯t live alone.


    Xiang ChangKong said: ¡°My mother¡¯s health has been slowly improving. I believe that it won¡¯t be long before she completely recovers.¡± The previous Weng ShuLu was a kind and approachable woman. That Weng ShuLu would love Xu Lian.


    Xu Lian looked at the man before her, and her heart warmed. She went into her tiptoes and kissed Xiang ChangKong on the lips. He was slow to respond at first, but after a while, he regained the initiative and tangled his tongue with hers.


    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m back!¡± Xiang Nuan suddenly entered the house and saw Xiang ChangKong and Xu Lian kissing in the kitchen doorway.


    ¡°¡­..¡± She froze for one second, then, as if there was wind under her feet, she dashed towards her bedroom. ¡°That¡­I saw nothing!!!¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xiang Nuan slammed her bedroom door shut, her cheeks flushed red.


    Really, ah. She wasn¡¯t even the one who was being kissed; why was her heart thumping so fast.


    Xiang Nuan put down her school bag, then opened her group chat.


    Nuan Nuan traveling the world: I just entered my house and saw my brother and big sister kissing!


    Studying causes baldness: So exciting!


    Do a question for five minutes, paralyzed for an hour: Ooh, an adult love. I like! kekekeke


    Do a question for five minutes, paralyzed for an hour: Xiang Nuan, you should also try that with Shen Lin! kekekeke


    Studying causes baldness: Hahaha! You should! I noticed that you two are quite close recently~


    Nuan Nuan traveling the world: We¡¯re just studying, ok!


    Studying causes baldness: Riiight. Studying!


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­.¡±


    She had wanted to talk to her friends and cool down a bit, but in the end, they just caused her face to turn even redder.


    Kiss Shen Lin? Xiang Nuan imagined it for a moment¡­.pei, pei! What was she thinking? They were only studying!


    Xiang Nuan took out her math questions from her school bag and immediately started to work.


    When lunchtime came, Xiang Nuan spent a long time peeking out and shuffling in place before coming out of her room. When she saw Xiang ChangKong and Xu Lian sitting at the dinner table, she couldn¡¯t help but think back to the scene she had witnessed. Her face immediately flamed.


    Looking at his sister¡¯s red ears, Xiang ChangKong immediately knew what she was thinking and was also became embarrassed. Xu Lian, however, was quite calm. After she saw Xiang Nuan¡¯s red ears, all she felt was that this brother and sister were really alike.


    ¡°Eat.¡± Xiang ChangKong said dryly, then picked up his chopsticks.


    Without Xiang Nuan¡¯s usual cheerful comments, today¡¯s meal was quiet.


    After eating, Xiang Nuan cleaned the table, then immediately went back into her room. Xu Lian picked up an orange and asked Weng ShuLi: ¡°Auntie, do you want an orange? I¡¯ll cut one for you?¡±


    Weng ShuLi looked at Xu Lian but didn¡¯t answer. Xu Lian didn¡¯t care and simply picked up the fruit knife and began to peel the orange. As she did so, she began to say: ¡°I bought these oranges from the fruit market just this morning. The farmers deliver their produce every morning, so these oranges are very fresh. I just tasted one, and it¡¯s very sweet and juicy.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s kitchen skills weren¡¯t very good, but it didn¡¯t affect her cutting skills. She peeled the orange from head to tail without breaking the peel. After cutting the orange into slices, she handed the plate to Weng ShuLi. ¡°Auntie, do you want to taste some?¡±


    Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t want to taste. She had planned to go back into her room and take a nap. She stood up and ignored the oranges Xu Lian was offering. Xu Lian had just peeled the orange, so she still had the fruit knife in her hand. Weng ShuLi¡¯s actions were a little too abrupt, so she stood up, Weng ShuLi had accidentally touched the sharp edge of the knife with the palm of her hand.


    It was a small wound, but it still bled immediately.


    Xu Lian quickly put down the orange and knife, then went to check up on Weng ShuLi¡¯s hand. ¡°Auntie, how¡¯s your hand?¡±


    Weng ShuLu stared at her bloody palm and avoided Xu Lian. At that moment, Xiang ChangKong came out of the kitchen and noticed her bleeding hand. He also worried: ¡°Mom, what happened to your hand?¡±


    He took Weng ShuLi¡¯s hand and looked at the wound. Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t hide it from him.


    ¡°The wound isn¡¯t that deep. I¡¯ll get the medicine box.¡± Xiang ChangKong went to the TV cabinet and took out their medicine box. He first cleaned the wound for Weng ShuLi, then placed a bandaid on top.


    ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t let the wound get wet for two days.¡±


    Weng ShuLi took back her hand and went straight to her room. Xu Lian sat beside Xiang ChangKong and said apologetically: ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt auntie. I should¡¯ve put the knife down as soon as I finished.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong put the medicine box away, then smiled at her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I know you didn¡¯t mean it.¡± However, he clearly saw his mother¡¯s rejection of Xu Lian.


    Xiang ChangKong sat next to her and said: ¡°Don¡¯t come here for a few days. My mom¡¯s mood has become somewhat erratic, so I¡¯m afraid that she might get stimulated again and end up hurting you.¡±


    Xu Lian thought for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Ok.¡±

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    ***


    Even after she arrived back home, Xu Lian¡¯s heart was still uneasy. It didn¡¯t matter that she won¡¯t be able to visit Xiang ChangKong¡¯s home and see his mother for a while. Anyway, improving her relationship with his mom wasn¡¯t such an urgent mission. What¡¯s troubling is that tomorrow was when Xiang ChangKong needed to go to the school to confirm his application. He¡¯ll still go¡­right?


    In the end, Xu Lian couldn¡¯t help but call Xiang ChangKong after she had taken a bath. The phone rang for a while before it was picked up. The voice that came out of her phone was soft and gentle: ¡°Xu Lian, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Xu Lian felt bewitched by his gentle voice. But after shaking her head a few times, she managed to focus. ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing¡­what are you doing right now?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°I just took a bath, and I was going to study a little.¡±


    After hearing that Xiang ChangKong intended to study, Xu Lian felt a little relieved. Studying meant that he still intended to go tomorrow.


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t bother you. Don¡¯t forget tomorrow¡¯s on-site confirmation.¡±


    ¡°Nn.¡± Xiang ChangKong spoke up before Xu Lian hung up. He said: ¡°Don¡¯t worry about today; just wait a few days, and my mother will calm down.¡±


    Xu Lian smiled. ¡°Alright.¡±


    The confirmation place was in City A¡¯s University of Technology. Xiang ChangKong needed to bring his ID card and certificate. He got up early in the morning, piled up all the necessary documents, then went to the kitchen to make breakfast.


    Weng ShuLi seemed to be in a bad mood. She got up much later than usual. When Xiang Nuan came out of her room for breakfast, she knocked on her mother¡¯s door. ¡°Mom, are you awake? Brother has finished making breakfast. Do you want to come out and eat?¡±


    In winter, the temperature was lower, so things cool much faster. Xiang Nuan was afraid that the food might get cold. After she knocked, Weng ShuLi opened her door in her pajamas. She didn¡¯t look very well, and her hair was only messily tied back.


    ¡°Mom?¡± Xiang Nuan said. Weng ShuLi looked at Xiang Nuan, then walked past her to brush her teeth. Afterward, she went to the dinner table and sat down.


    Xiang ChangKong ate quickly, then went into his room to get his bag. He told Weng ShuLi: ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving for work. You guys eat slowly.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Xiang Nuan answered him as she took a bowl of porridge. Weng ShuLi, with chopsticks in her hand, looked at the bag he was carrying.


    Xiang ChangKong sometimes brought food to work, and it was usually packed in a bag. Weng ShuLi had seen this before. Recently, Xiang ChangKong had been carrying his textbooks to work, and to not attract his mother¡¯s attention, he would use the same bag to smuggle them out. Today, there were no textbooks in his bag. Instead, it was the documents he needed.


    Weng ShuLi stared at the bag right until Xiang ChangKong left.


    After breakfast, Xiang Nuan took the initiative to clean up the table. Afterward, she went into her room to study. Weng ShuLi sat alone in the living room for some time, then got up and walked towards Xiang ChangKong¡¯s room.


    Xiang ChangKong usually closed his door, but he never locks it. Weng ShuLi grabbed the door handle and turned it. The door opened with a ¡®click.¡¯


    Before, when Xiang ChangKong was still in high school, Weng ShuLi used to go into his room and clean Xiang ChangKong¡¯s room for him. After she got sick, Xiang ChangKong took over all the housework.


    Ever since she stopped cleaning, Weng ShuLi had never gone into Xiang ChangKong¡¯s room. Because they moved houses after Xiang ChangKong¡¯s father died, this was going to be the first time Weng ShuLi entered this room.


    The house was old and small. Although Weng ShuLi stayed in the master bedroom, it wasn¡¯t very spacious. But when she stepped inside Xiang ChangKong¡¯s room, she realized that her room wasn¡¯t cramped at all. She even started to doubt whether the small bed in this room could hold the tall Xiang ChangKong.


    The furnishings were simple, with few decorations. Everything could be seen at a single glance. Xiang ChangKong¡¯s textbooks were all on a small bookstand, but Weng ShuLi could see that they were all textbooks by reading the spines. When she took out a book and flipped through its pages, she found notes written on the spaces.


    He had been studying in secret.


    As Weng ShuLi put the textbook back in its original place, her eyes fell on the wooden airplane sitting on the desk. It was the model plane Xiang ChangKong¡¯s father had personally made. It would be hard for Xiang ChangKong to not get interested in planes after being exposed to his father¡¯s excitement and zeal. When Xiang ChangKong first proclaimed that he wanted to be an aircraft designer like his father, she hadn¡¯t been surprised. Though she wasn¡¯t thrilled either.


    That line of work was too tiring, too bitter. She didn¡¯t want Xiang ChangKong to live so harshly.


    But her son liked it. She saw the same enthusiasm his father had whenever she looked at Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes. When his father was young, he had the same eyes. Whenever he talked about planes, his eyes would lit up like stars.


    Although she was reluctant, Xiang ChangKong liked it so much. So she didn¡¯t stop him. Not until his father was sent to the emergency room.


    Weng ShuLi knew better than Xiang ChangKong just how hard this line of work was. She had even gone to the funeral of one of the workers before. It had been the first time she had ever gone to a funeral, and she still remembers how deathly afraid she had been. Afraid that it would be Xiang ChangKong¡¯s father next. But Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t try to persuade her son; she knew that she wouldn¡¯t be able to.


    There have always been people in this world who had experienced much heavier things in life than others.


    Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t know if what she had done was right or wrong. The only thing she knew was that she had lost her husband. She didn¡¯t want to lose her son too.


    These past few years, Xiang ChangKong hadn¡¯t mentioned aircraft even once. She really thought that he had given up¡­.but today, she learned that he had only been hiding. In the end, his spark of interest never actually died.


    What changed? Was it that woman named Xu Lian?


    After staring at the model plane for a while, Weng ShuLi finally turned around and left Xiang ChangKong¡¯s room.


    Meanwhile, Xiang ChangKong had arrived at the university. This was the first time he had come here ever since he graduated three years ago.


    To be honest, he had never been a man with a strong heart. Although he was a person who single-handedly supported his family through a devastating time¡­Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t dare come back to the university. He didn¡¯t want to meet all the teachers and classmates he used to have.


    Even when he decided to do takeaways, he made sure to do routes far, far away from the university.


    This was where his dreams began, then ended. It was a place he was all too familiar with- familiar enough that when he breathed in the fresh air, he felt his heart ache a little.


    And today, he was once again standing in front of the university gates.


    The university¡¯s students graduated batch after batch, so the only constant in this place was its students¡¯ vigor and vitality. Those who were still attending university hadn¡¯t been overwhelmed by reality. They still had the energy to look forward to their futures and dream.


    After a long pause, Xiang ChangKong walked past the gates.


    The location of the on-site confirmation was quite busy, with many people coming and going. The confirmation process wasn¡¯t too long though, and after presenting his necessary documents, Xiang ChangKong was free to leave.


    Fortunately, he didn¡¯t meet any of his teachers.


    When Xiang ChangKong left the university gates, he saw a familiar car nearby. It was Xu Lian¡¯s car.


    Xu Lian was standing in front of the car, waving at him with a smile.


    She was wearing a long black coat, a pair of high-heeled boots, and a very intense lipstick. She looked very eye-catching.


    Many of the boys passing by couldn¡¯t help but glance at her. But it seems that Xu Lian¡¯s aura was too intimidating, and they all didn¡¯t dare go up and speak to her.


    Xiang ChangKong was stunned. He walked towards her and asked: ¡°Why did you come?¡±


    Xu Lian replied: ¡°I was afraid you were going to chicken out, so I came to make sure that you went.¡± She then gestured towards his parked scooter. ¡°After I saw your scooter, I parked and waited for you to come out.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong huffed out a laugh. Xu Lian asked: ¡°Have you finished with all the formalities?¡±


    ¡°Un. I just have to take the exam now.¡±


    Xu Lian nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    After Xiang ChangKong arrived, the eyes trained on Xu Lian doubled. Although Xiang ChangKong had graduated for three years already, his clothes were still the same- that¡¯s to say, he still dressed like a university student. Complain as he might, it was ultimately his fault for not buying new clothes after so long. Plus, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s temperament was somewhat pure. Xu Lian had always felt that Xiang ChangKong was much younger than her.


    So by standing just outside of the school gates, they made the situation look like a female tycoon was hooking up with a male university student. It¡¯ll probably end up in the university¡¯s forums.


    Xiang ChangKong also felt that they were a bit too conspicuous. University students are very curious people, ah. They better change venues before they attract even more onlookers.


    He asked Xu Lian: ¡°Where are you headed?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going back to the store. You?¡± Xu Lian asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m also going to work.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s talk later, then.¡± Xu Lian got into her car, then drove away. Xiang ChangKong waited for her to leave before going to his scooter and departing.


    Back at home, Weng ShuLu was quietly sitting down in the living room. She had been motionless for hours now, but she still hadn¡¯t been able to calm down. She stood up, went into her room, and took out her cell phone from a drawer in her closet.


    This was the same phone she used all those years ago. However, she hadn¡¯t touched it ever since she had gotten ill. Because it hadn¡¯t been used for so long, the phone had long run out of power. Weng ShuLi unearthed the charger, plugged in her phone, then turned it on.


    After watching the familiar, yet unfamiliar boot screen, Weng ShuLi paused. She held her phone in her hands for a long while.


    She didn¡¯t know if her old phone number could still be used, but they had wi-fi at home, and even if her phone card didn¡¯t work anymore, she could connect to the internet. Their wi-fi password was the pinyin initials of Xiang ChangKong¡¯s name, plus the password of his phone- both of which Weng ShuLi knew. She connected to their wi-fi, then searched up the campus website for the University of Technology.


    When Xiang ChangKong attended the university, she would often go through the website because it would update every day to post news and current events.


    Today¡¯s page had information on the on-site confirmation for postgraduates. In addition to the text introduction, there were photos taken by students. From the photos, one could tell that the scene was very lively.


    Weng ShuLi immediately spotted Xiang ChangKong in the corner of one photo.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    ***


    Xiang Nuan came out of her room, intending to have lunch. But when she walked out, she realized that Weng ShuLi wasn¡¯t in the living room, and her bedroom door was closed.


    This was rare. Although Weng ShuLi hadn¡¯t left the house since she became ill, she would still spend most of her time out of her room, and would always be out when it was time to eat. Although Xiang Nuan found it strange, she guessed that her mother wasn¡¯t in a good mood because of what happened with Xu Lian yesterday.


    Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t take it to heart. She went into the kitchen, heated up their meals, then knocked on Weng ShuLi¡¯s door. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s time for lunch.¡±


    Usually, after a few seconds, there would be some sort of movement from inside. But Xiang Nuan stood by the door for a full minute and didn¡¯t hear anything. She knocked on the door again and shouted: ¡°Mom, lunch.¡±


    The room still remained silent. Xiang Nuan finally felt that something was wrong. She grabbed the door handle and slowly twisted. Like Xiang ChangKong, Weng ShuLi would close her door but never lock it.


    ¡°Mom?¡± Xiang Nuan opened the door and peered inside, but she couldn¡¯t find even a shadow of Weng ShuLi¡¯s figure.


    Her mother wasn¡¯t in her room.


    Xiang Nuan became anxious. This house only had two bedrooms, one bathroom, and one small room that was Xiang ChangKong¡¯s- a total of five rooms. Xiang Nuan went and checked each room one by one, but there was no sign of Weng ShuLi anywhere.


    Weng ShuLu usually wore slippers at home. Although her mother never went out, Weng ShuLu still had a few outdoor shoes stowed away in the shoe cabinet. Xiang Nuan rushed towards the front door and opened the shoe cabinet next to it. Weng ShuLi¡¯s shoes were all there and accounted for.


    Did she go out in her slippers?


    Xiang Nuan looked through all the rooms again. There were only five rooms in their small house; there was no place to hide.


    Now Xiang Nuan was really in a panic. She had always hoped that Weng ShuLi would someday venture out of this house, but she never expected her mother to leave without a word.


    She ran back into her room, grabbed her cell phone, and dialed Xiang ChangKong.


    Xiang ChangKong was in the middle of his shift¡¯s peak delivery times, but seeing that it was Xiang Nuan who was calling, Xiang ChangKong answered his phone. ¡°Xiang Nuan? What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    After hearing her brother¡¯s voice, all the anxiety and uneasiness in Xiang Nuan¡¯s heart gushed out. ¡°Brother, Mother is gone.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was somewhat taken aback and had to ask: ¡°What? Speak more clearly.¡±


    When Xiang Nuan spoke again, her voice trembled. ¡°I don¡¯t know when she left. I¡¯ve been studying in my room before, and when I noticed it was time for lunch, I went out. I heated up the food and called for her, but no one was in her room. I¡¯ve looked all over the house, but she¡¯s not here. I even checked the closet.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s expression gradually sank. The house they rented wasn¡¯t big. Someone as big as a person shouldn¡¯t be hard to find. If Xiang Nuan really couldn¡¯t find Weng ShuLi in the house, then she truly wasn¡¯t there.


    Xiang ChangKong comforted his sister and said: ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Mom probably didn¡¯t go too far. Go downstairs and look around.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming back right now. Take your cell phone with you so you can call me straight away if you need to.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong ended the call and immediately changed his status so that he wouldn¡¯t receive any more orders. He asked his superiors for a leave of absence, handed all his current orders to his coworkers, then hurriedly rode his scooter home.


    As he was doing this, Xiang Nuan ran downstairs to look for her mother. They¡¯ve lived in this house for two years already, but her mother had never left the building once. Weng ShuLi may not even know where they lived. Xiang Nuan circled their neighborhood first, but after failing to find Weng ShuLi, she ran towards the neighborhood gate to ask the around.


    The gate usually had aunties and grandfathers milling about, chatting, and playing chess. But since it was lunchtime, there were very few people at the door.


    However, an uncle did remember seeing Weng ShuLi when Xiang Nuan gave him a description of her. The uncle had seen Weng ShuLi leave the neighborhood and, at the time, actually thought that she was acting a little strange. The uncle explained: ¡°I saw her leave. I remember looking at her a few times because she was only wearing house slippers.¡±


    ¡°Which way did she go?¡± Xiang Nuan asked.


    After a moment¡¯s thought, the uncle said: ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure she went east.¡±


    ¡°Ok, thank you.¡± Xiang Nuan quickly walked past the gate. She didn¡¯t dare run though, because the street was filled with roadside stalls and had a variety of shops open. Tea shops, stationery store, a flower shop¡­Xiang Nuan had to peer at each shop just in case her mother went into one of them.


    As she did so, Xiang Nuan realized that her mother didn¡¯t have a phone or even any money. Weng ShuLi would also be unfamiliar with the place and would be totally clueless. A worried Xiang Nuan walked all the way to the small park, but she still didn¡¯t find Weng ShuLi. Anxious, she called Xiang ChangKong again.


    As Xiang ChangKong drove his scooter, he heard his phone ring. He parked his scooter to the side and answered: ¡°Xiang Nuan, have you found mom?¡±


    ¡°No. An uncle by the gate said that he saw her go out, but I¡¯ve walked all the way to the park and still haven¡¯t found her.¡± In the end, Xiang Nuan was only a high school student. Unable to cope, she started to cry. ¡°Brother, what happened to mom?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong heard her sobs and tried to comfort her: ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be fine. We¡¯ll definitely find her. And if we don¡¯t, we¡¯ll immediately call the police.¡±


    ¡°Ok¡­¡± Xiang Nuan wiped away her tears and, after a few more words, hung up her phone to continue her search.


    By the time Xiang ChangKong arrived home, Xiang Nuan still couldn¡¯t find Weng ShuLi. Xiang ChangKong called and asked where she was, and after picking up his sister, he drove them towards a nearby police station.


    The policemen asked for a recent photo of Weng ShuLi and a description of the clothes she was wearing at the time of her disappearance. Xiang Nuan readily gave a description of the clothes Weng ShuLi was wearing at breakfast this morning, but as for a recent photo¡­


    ¡°Is a photo from three years ago alright?¡± Xiang Nuan subconsciously tugged at the corner of Xiang ChangKong¡¯s sleeve as she asked the police uncle opposite her.


    The policeman looked up from his notepad and said: ¡°Say that again?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Xiang Nuan could only look at her brother. Xiang ChangKong explained: ¡°My mother became ill three years ago and had only slightly improved recently. She hasn¡¯t had a photo taken of her for a long time.¡±


    The policeman replied: ¡°Alright, send me the photo. We¡¯ll put it in our database so people in our network will see it. If someone finds her, they¡¯ll contact us.¡±


    Xiang Nuan had received one of those ¡®missing persons¡¯ notifications before. The police system would automatically push these notifications to nearby citizens in a target area to quickly find the missing person. As Xiang Nuan and her brother left the police station, she suddenly had a thought. ¡°Brother, why don¡¯t I ask my circle of friends to look out for mom?¡±


    ¡°Un, go ahead. I¡¯ll go try circling the area again and look for mom.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s split up.¡±


    ¡°Have you had lunch?¡± Xiang ChangKong asked.


    Xiang Nuan shook her head. ¡°I was in the middle of microwaving the food when I realized that mom was missing. Why would I think of eating at a time like this, ah.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong sighed. ¡°You have to eat lunch first. You¡¯re going back to school in the afternoon, so you need to eat something. Don¡¯t worry so much, I¡¯ll find mom.¡±


    Weng ShuLi was gone! There was no way that Xiang Nuan was in the mood to just go back to school. But after seeing Xiang ChangKong¡¯s expression, Xiang Nuan could only nod. ¡°I understand. But please let me know if you have any news.¡±


    ¡°Of course. You can rest assured.¡± Xiang ChangKong patted Xiang Nuan¡¯s head and sent her off. Once Xiang Nuan returned home, she sent out a notice to all her friends. After she had done this, Xiang Nuan went into the kitchen and looked at the dishes on the table. Too lazy to warm up the food, she simply made do and ate the food cold.


    Meanwhile, Xu Lian was taking a leisurely break. Picking up her phone, she casually looked through her notifications and saw that an hour ago, Xiang Nuan had sent something to all her friends. Unexpectedly, it was a notice saying that Weng ShuLi was missing. Xu Lian sat up and read through the message several times, and after confirming that it was indeed Xiang Nuan who sent it, called the young girl immediately.


    Xiang Nuan picked up on the first ring. ¡°Sister Xu Lian.¡±


    Her uneasy tone made Xu Lian¡¯s heart sink. The mass message was sent out an hour ago. It seems that Weng ShuLi still hadn¡¯t been found. ¡°Xiang Nuan, Auntie Weng is missing?¡±


    ¡°Un. I knocked on her door for lunch and found her gone. I already went to the police with my brother.¡±


    ¡°Where are you now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m at home. My brother¡¯s still looking for mom, but there¡¯s no news yet.¡±


    Xu Lian thought for a moment, then said: ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll go right now and help your brother look for her.¡±


    As she said this, Xu Lian was already rushing downstairs with her car keys. Zhang GuoEr had something to do today and wasn¡¯t at work, so Xu Lian directly closed her store. Once she got into her car, Xu Lian called Xiang ChangKong. The phone rang twice before he answered: ¡°Xu Lian?¡±


    ¡°Have you found Auntie Weng?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was somewhat startled at her words, but he didn¡¯t ask how she knew. Instead, he replied: ¡°Not yet, but I just talked to a shopkeeper who saw her, so I think she hasn¡¯t gone too far.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come and help you look.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xiang ChangKong paused, then added: ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Things don¡¯t need to be so formal between us, ah.¡± Xu Lian started the car and said: ¡°I¡¯m going to start driving, so I¡¯m hanging up.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong put his cell phone back in his bag after Xu Lian hung up.


    He had already driven around the area twice. Since he still couldn¡¯t find her, he may have to go further out. As if realizing something, Xiang ChangKong blinked and reached for his phone again. He wanted to call Xiang Nuan and remind her to stay alert. Maybe Weng ShuLi will walk home on her own. Just as Xiang ChangKong was about to dial Xiang Nuan¡¯s phone, he noticed someone sitting on a bench nearby.


    Xiang Nuan had already checked this small park once before. He had also gone looking in this area and hadn¡¯t found Weng ShuLi. But at this moment, wasn¡¯t that person sitting on the bench Weng ShuLi? Xiang ChangKong slowly put down his phone and walked towards her.


    Weng ShuLi was watching a father-son pair playing with a remote control plane. The little boy seemed to be very interested int he plane. Whenever the toy plane took off, the little boy would yell incessantly.


    She thought of Xiang ChangKong while she watched this scene. When Xiang ChangKong had been a child, he would shout just like this whenever he heard his father¡¯s stories.


    ¡°Mom.¡± Xiang ChangKong approached her and called out. Weng ShuLi raised her head and hesitantly looked up at the person standing in front of her.


    He was no longer that excited child in her thoughts. He had already grown so big.


    Xiang ChangKong sat down next to her and asked: ¡°Why¡¯d you come here?¡±


    Weng ShuLi turned away and didn¡¯t answer.


    Xiang ChangKong spoke again: ¡°You left so suddenly that you scared us all, ah. Especially Xiang Nuan. She got so scared she started to cry. Next time you want to go out, remember to tell her¡­¡±


    Weng ShuLi was still silent. After a while, Xiang ChangKong stood up and helped her up. ¡°You still haven¡¯t eaten¡­let¡¯s go home.¡±

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    ***


    In the small park, Weng ShuYi quietly followed Xiang ChangKong home. She took one last glance at the little boy¡¯s plane that was buzzing overhead.


    Meanwhile, the jittery Xiang Nuan heard their front door open. She rushes towards the door and sees Xiang ChangKong with their mother. Sighing in relief, she asked: ¡°Mom, where have you been? I was scared to death.¡±


    Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t answer and instead went straight into her room. Xiang ChangKong called out: ¡°Mom, do you want to have lunch?¡±


    Xiang Nuan added: ¡°Yes, you should eat. I¡¯ll go heat up the food.¡±


    Xiang Nuan went into the kitchen to get the food, but Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t intend to eat. Weng ShuLi went straight to her bed and laid down, her back facing Xiang ChangKong.


    Xiang ChangKong called out again: ¡°Mom.¡±


    Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t move.


    Xiang ChangKong frowned. As he did so, he inadvertently noticed a phone on her nightstand.


    Suddenly getting a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, a layer of sweat gathered in Xiang ChangKong¡¯s palm.


    Weng ShuLi hadn¡¯t used her mobile phone for a long time. But today, she suddenly decided to turn it on and run away from home. It seems that her actions weren¡¯t a simple accident.


    Xiang ChangKong entered the room, took Weng ShuLi¡¯s phone, and slowly turned on the screen.


    Weng ShuLu¡¯s phone had a password, but Xiang ChangKong knew the digit-password was just her birthday. Once he unlocked the phone, Xiang ChangKong looked at her web browser history.


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s heart practically stopped.


    She knew.


    Xiang ChangKong looked back up towards his mother, but couldn¡¯t say a word.


    By this time, Xiang Nuan had heated up the food and had come to look for them. ¡°Brother, do you want to eat together?¡± She turned towards Weng ShuLi and asked: ¡°Mom, you¡¯re not eating?¡±


    Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t make a sound.


    Xiang Nuan looked at her brother with puzzled eyes, silently asking what was wrong. But unexpectedly, Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t speak.


    The atmosphere had begun to feel a little stiff. But the silence was suddenly broken when Xiang ChangKong¡¯s phone started ringing.


    It was Xu Lian.


    Xiang ChangKong gave Weng ShuLi one last glance before walking towards the balcony to answer his phone. As soon as the call was connected, Xu Lian asked said: ¡°Xiang ChangKong, I¡¯m outside your house right now. Where are you? Let¡¯s meet up.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong subconsciously looked down. He looked at the street below but didn¡¯t see Xu Lian. Ah, she might be at the entrance of their neighborhood or at the basketball court where she usually parked.


    ¡°Xiang ChangKong?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong came back to his senses and said: ¡°We just found my mother. You can go back home.¡±


    Xu Lian was a little dumbfounded. She took a deep breath and leaned back onto the driver¡¯s seat of her car. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°Are you at the neighborhood gates?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m at the basketball court.¡±


    ¡°Wait for me, I¡¯ll come down.¡±


    Xu Lian blinked, then answered: ¡°Alright.¡±


    After ending the call, Xiang ChangKong went to his sister and said: ¡°Since mom¡¯s back, I¡¯m going to the police station to report. Pay attention, and don¡¯t let her run off again.¡±


    ¡°Un, don¡¯t worry, brother.¡± Today had been too frightening for Xiang Nuan. As the saying goes, ¡®fall into the moat, and you¡¯ll be wiser next time.¡¯ Even if Xiang ChangKong hadn¡¯t warned her, she would still keep a close eye on her mother.


    (T/N: Fall into the moat, and you¡¯ll be wiser next time (idiom); One only learns from one¡¯s mistakes.)


    As Xiang ChangKong walked towards the front door, Xiang Nuan asked: ¡°Brother, you¡¯re not eating?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t usually eat until 1:00 or 2:00 p.m. at work anyway. I¡¯m alright.¡± Xiang ChangKong said, then left.


    Meanwhile, on the basketball court, Xu Lian¡¯s car was currently parked under a tree. Xu Lian noticed Xiang ChangKong the same time he did and lowered her car window to wave at him.


    Xiang ChangKong circled the car to the passenger side and sat inside.


    He noticed that Xu Lian was still wearing her seatbelt. Xu Lian turned towards him and asked: ¡°Is you mother alright?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was quiet for a while. He finally replied: ¡°She knows about my application for graduate school.¡±


    Xu Lian was surprised. Judging from her previous interactions with Weng ShuLi, the woman wasn¡¯t one to use the internet or go outside. Xu Lian had always thought that as long as she didn¡¯t spill the beans, Weng ShuLi would never find out about Xiang ChangKong¡¯s studies.


    ¡°How did she find out?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong answered: ¡°She turned her old cell phone on and found the campus website of the university. There was a post about the confirmation event today, and I was in one of the photos.¡±


    Xu Lian frowned. ¡°Why would she suddenly decide to look at the university website?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong shook his head. ¡°I guess I was acting strange. I guess it¡¯s impossible for me to completely hide my actions from her, not when we live under the same roof. Besides, she¡¯s my mother. Although she¡¯s ill right now, I¡¯ve always felt that I couldn¡¯t hide anything from her.¡±


    Xu Lian would have to agree. Weng ShuLi looked closed off from the world, but Xu Lian had always thought that her heart was very clear. ¡°So, her sudden disappearance today was because of this matter?¡±


    ¡°Most likely. She¡¯s refusing to eat anything.¡±


    Xu Lian looked at Xiang ChangKong, her fingers tapping on the steering wheel. ¡°What are you going to do then?¡±


    After the hustle and bustle at noon, the streets had now become quiet. All the elders by the gate had gone to their homes to take a nap. Xu Lian had opened her car windows, and the wind was blowing in. It was almost winter, so the temperature was supposed to plunge, but somehow, Xu Lian felt hot, as if she was in the middle of summer. It made her restless.


    ¡°I have to talk to her first.¡± Xiang ChangKong closed his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t visit our house for a while.¡±


    Xu Lian looked at Xiang ChangKong, her eyes softening a little. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going first. I have to go to the police station to call off the search.¡± Xiang ChangKong opened the car door and left. Xu Lian looked at his slowly retreating figure through the rearview mirror, then called out to him through her open window. ¡°Xiang ChangKong.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong looked back towards her.


    ¡°Are you still going to take the exam?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes became even deeper. One could immediately see the profound melancholy in their depths. ¡°I need to discuss it with my mother first.¡±


    Xu Lian sat in her car long after Xiang ChangKong left.


    She had never smoked and even regarded cigarettes with some disgust, but right now, she wanted to try.


    She thought back to her high school days. Wei YiChen had never smelled like smoke, but he used to secretly smoke a few cigarettes. He had once smoked in front of her to show off, but Xu Lian beat him up instead. After that incident, Wei YiChen had never smoked again. Well, maybe he did, just not in front of her. In short, he no longer dared to smoke in front of her.


    She can¡¯t smoke, but she likes to drink. She can still drink some alcohol.


    When it comes to drinking in A City, QingNan street was the place to go. No other bar could compare to the shops there. The befuddled Xu Lian decided to drive straight to QingNan street, but when she got there, all the bars were closed. It was only when she saw their shut doors that Xu Lian realized that bars were only opened at night.


    It was currently 2:00 p.m. The only bar that would open for her was Wei YiChen¡¯s.


    She had been to Wei YiChen¡¯s bar on its opening night, so she knew where it was. Xu Lian drove over, parked outside the bar, grabbed her bag, and got out of the car.


    The bar door was closed, but it wasn¡¯t locked. Xu Lian pushed the door open and walked straight in.


    The place was quite different in the afternoon. There were no people singing and dancing, no dazzling lights.


    A man sitting by the bar and playing with his mobile phone looked up when he heard the door open. After seeing Xu Lian enter, he immediately stood up and said: ¡°Excuse me, miss, we¡¯re not open yet.¡±


    Xu Lian looked at him.


    The man¡¯s hair was neatly trimmed into a crew cut. It was a bit eye-catching, but this clean style should be what Wei YiChen¡¯s little gangsters are trying to emulate.


    He even said, ¡®Excuse me, miss.¡¯


    ¡°Sister Xu Lian?¡± On the other side of the bar, Ah Mao, who instantly recognized Xu Lian, uttered with shock. With his voice going high, he said: ¡°You¡­are you looking for Brother Chen?¡±


    How rare! Brother Chen had been pursuing her for so many years¡­has she finally realized Brother Chen¡¯s charm?


    ¡°This is a bar. I¡¯ve obviously come to drink.¡± Xu Lian replied. ¡°Do you have any spirits?¡±


    Ah Mao gulped. ¡°You¡­you want alcohol. Ah, yes, there¡¯s definitely a few bottles around here. Just a moment.¡±


    Ah Mao ran to the backroom and woke up Wei YiChen, who had been sleeping on the sofa. ¡°Brother Chen, Brother Chen. Wake up! Sister Xu Lian is here!¡±


    The dreaming Wei YiChen was interrupted, so his temper rose. He let out a stream of curses as he groaned: ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Sister Xu Lian, ah!¡±


    Wei YiChen jumped out of the sofa and ran out. Ah Mao hurriedly caught up to him and began to nag: ¡°Brother Chen, you just woke up, ah. Wash your face first!¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, here¡¯s some gum. Make sure your breath smells nice!¡± Ah Mao pulled out a stick of gum from his pocket.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Wei YiChen paused and swept his sharp eyes over Ah Mao¡¯s body. The hair in Ah Mao¡¯s arms rose, and he nervously took a step back. But before he could lower his hand, Wei YiChen took the offered gum.


    He opened the wrapper, threw the gum in his mouth, then walked on.


    Ah Mao: ¡°¡­.¡±


    That¡­.you¡¯re not going to wash your face? In case of drool.


    Wei YiChen came out to the main floor and saw Xu Lian sitting alone on the bar. She had her elbows on top of the bar and a hand supporting her head. She looked like she was in a trance.


    Wei YiChen walked over and sat down beside her. ¡°It¡¯s rare for you to come to see me on your own initiative.¡±


    Xu Lian blinked. She turned towards Wei YiChen and smiled. ¡°You think too much. I¡¯m here to drink. Everyone else¡¯s bar was closed except yours.¡±


    Wei YiChen laughed. ¡°My bar is also closed¡­¡± As he said this, he noticed Xu Lian¡¯s expression. Wei YiChen decided to quickly add another part to his sentence: ¡°But my door is always open for you.¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s stop talking and start. Wheres the alcohol?¡±


    Wei YiChen glanced at Ah Mao and said: ¡°Give her a cup of orange juice.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Xu Lian sighed. ¡°I can drink orange juice anywhere. Do you think I specifically went to QingNan street just to drink some juice?¡±


    Wei YiChen replied: ¡°Drinking hurts the body. It¡¯s better for girls to drink less. Besides, you drove here. You can¡¯t drive after drinking, ah. Otherwise, I¡¯ll call the police and report you for drunk driving.¡±


    Xu Lian was a little shocked. Where did this hooligan learn such things, ah.


    ¡°I can take a taxi.¡± Xu Lian replied.


    Wei YiChen ignored her and gave Ah Mao a glare. ¡°What are you still doing here? I asked you to pour her a glass of orange juice.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes!¡± Ah Mao hurriedly got some juice and placed the glass in front of Xu Lian.


    Xu Lian motionlessly stared at the glass for a long time. Ah Mao felt very stressed at her inaction. His initial desire to watch this exciting drama unfold withered and died. In the end, Ah Mao escaped back into the lounge. Wei YiChen looked at Xu Lian and asked: ¡°Did you quarrel with Xiang ChangKong?¡±


    In his heart, Wei YiChen actually thought that such a thing was impossible. Xiang ChangKong had never gotten angry with Wei YiChen in the few moments they met each other. If Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t quarrel with him, how could he fight with Xu Lian?


    Xu Lian finally picked up the glass and drank a mouthful of juice. ¡°Wei YiChen, when your dad broke your guitar, did you get angry?¡±


    Xu Lian figured that Wei YiChen must¡¯ve been furious. Otherwise, why would he deliberately try to annoy his father every chance he gets?


    Wei YiChen didn¡¯t reply, so Xu Lian asked another question: ¡°How does it feel to have your dreams crushed?¡±


    Xu Lian had always been individual-centered. She wasn¡¯t the type of person who would thrive in a company environment. At school, she can choose not to make any friends, or choose not to attend parties. But if she started working in a company, Xu Lian would be unable to ignore her colleagues, nor could she skip the company¡¯s gatherings.


    So from the very beginning, Xu Lian had planned to open a small store on her own after she graduated. Her parents were also very supportive of this. Therefore, she had never experienced the feeling of having her dreams crushed. Of course, opening a store had never been a dream of hers. It was only to make some sort of living. Her father said that they would gladly raise her, but Xu Lian didn¡¯t have the face to mooch off her parents forever. As for what kind of store she wanted to open, Xu Lian had no idea. It was only in her final year of university that she decided. During that time, one of her father¡¯s colleagues gifted him a set of aromatherapy candles from abroad.


    The candle looked pretty, smelled nice, and was calming. That was it.


    After a brief discussion with her father, she was given enough financial support, and in the end, MONSTER was open for business.


    She was the first person to open such a store in China. At the time, she couldn¡¯t find a teacher who could make incense candles in the entire country, so she traveled abroad to study. Her teacher ended up being a Korean man who could speak English no better than she could. They communicated with each other with their poor English, and in the end, the two-month course was successfully finished with the help of pictured instructions.


    Her father was the one who found her shop location. In Starlight Park, the rent here was no less than that of the Starlight Department store. There was a good flow of people in the area, and many of them were travelers that liked to buy souvenirs. But for the first few months, Xu Lian¡¯s business wasn¡¯t good. She couldn¡¯t even earn enough for her month¡¯s rent. Later, Sugar Honey Heart¡¯s boss discovered her store and posted pictures of her products on their Weibo. Overnight, MONSTER became the new hot thing on the internet.


    But Xu Lian had always felt that her success couldn¡¯t be entirely attributed to her good luck. After all, if it wasn¡¯t for all the beautiful things she made, people wouldn¡¯t have forwarded her photos. She was satisfied with her own actions and efforts in making her business succeed.


    Ever since then, she had gotten more and more orders. All of this she could do herself. Although she was working in an isolated space, and other people might sometimes comment that she didn¡¯t fit in with others, Xu Lian had always felt that her life had been going pretty smoothly.


    So how did having your dreams crushed feel like? Hatred? Desperation?


    How was Xiang ChangKong feeling these past few years?


    He didn¡¯t know why, but Wei YiChen suddenly felt like having a drink.


    Wei YiChen got up and walked behind the bar. He took out a bottle of alcohol and poured some onto a glass. He took a sip, then replied: ¡°You don¡¯t feel much, ah, because you won¡¯t be able to feel anything at all.¡±

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    ***


    Xu Lian quietly sat on the bar for a while. Then, she suddenly reached out and grabbed the alcohol Wei YiChen was holding.


    However, Wei YiChen¡¯s reaction was quick. He immediately moved his hand and hid the bottle behind the bad. Xu Lian stared at him. Wei YiChen looked back with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve met Xiang ChangKong before. He told me he was preparing for the postgraduate entrance exams.¡±


    He knew about Xiang ChangKong¡¯s situation because he got Ah Mao to investigate. And now, Xu Lian suddenly talked about dreams. It was obvious to Wei YiChen that something had happened with Xiang ChangKong¡¯s studies.


    Xu Lian picked up her orange juice and gulped it down like a vodka shot. She didn¡¯t stop until the glass was totally empty. ¡°He might not take the exam.¡±


    Wei YiChen leaned and put his elbows on top of the bar. ¡°Why?¡±


    According to Ah Mao¡¯s report, Xiang ChangKong had initially given up the chance to study abroad because his father passed away, and his mother became ill. At the time, his younger sister was in her third year of middle school. In a situation like that, it would be impossible for anyone to just happily hop on a plane abroad. Xiang ChangKong had been forced to give up on his studies. But now, he had a chance to continue his studies. Why give up?


    ¡°Do you know the current situation with China¡¯s aerospace industry?¡± Xu Lian asked.


    ¡°¡­.¡± Wei YiChen was silent for a while, then asked: ¡°Do you think I¡¯d know anything about that particular subject?¡±


    Xu Lian handed him her empty glass and said: ¡°Pour me another one.¡±


    Wei YiChen obediently poured her another glass of orange juice and placed it in front of her. Xu Lian took a huge gulp, and when she was finished, there was only a third of juice left. ¡°Xiang ChangKong said that they work on a 611 system. Do you know what 611 means? That¡¯s six days a week, eleven hours a day. And that doesn¡¯t count the overtime they have to do. The stronger your ability is, the more intense your workload. The higher the welfare benefits, the more likely you are of premature death. They lose young people more and more as the industry develops.¡±


    Wei YiChen was shocked. He asked: ¡°Xiang ChangKong¡¯s father was¡­¡± Wei YiChen didn¡¯t go on.


    ¡°Un, something like that.¡± Xu Lian took another gulp. It was like she was an alcoholic. ¡°They¡¯ve made great contributions to the country, but their families¡­probably thought that the price wasn¡¯t worth it.¡±


    She didn¡¯t know the feelings of other families, but Auntie Weng¡­she would probably prefer if Xiang ChangKong delivered takeout for the rest of his life. She most likely didn¡¯t want him to have anything to do with planes.


    Xu Lian looked at Wei YiChen. ¡°If you were a family member, would you support them or not?¡±


    Wei YiChen was silent. He couldn¡¯t help but bring out the alcohol and drink a glass. Xu Lian didn¡¯t reach for the bottle and patiently waited for his reply.


    Wei YiChen finished his drink and asked: ¡°Xiang ChangKong¡¯s mother doesn¡¯t approve?¡±


    ¡°Un.¡±


    ¡°And you?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Xu Lian smiled. She had seen Wei YiChen¡¯s depressed appearance before and had seen the same sadness in the depths of Xiang ChangKong¡¯s melancholic eyes. They were both brilliant rays of starlight that were gradually fading away, struggling to shine as they were being overtaken by the dark of the night. Xu Lian could understand Weng ShuLi¡¯s thoughts, but she could never agree with her actions. There are people in this world who were willing to be plain their whole lives, but there were also people who would rather burn as a brief but dazzling existence.


    Xiang ChangKong was undoubtedly the latter. And she would stand by him and support him.


    ¡°I want the people that I like to do what they like.¡±


    You only have one life. It doesn¡¯t matter how long you have, just don¡¯t leave any regrets.


    Wei YiChen smiled. ¡°Then why did you ask me? You don¡¯t have to worry too much about his mother. I¡¯m sure that to Xiang ChangKong, your words are just as meaningful as his mother¡¯s. As long as you continue to support him, there¡¯s hope.¡±


    Xu Lian felt that after all those years of friendship, Wei YiChen finally said something that managed to move her.


    (T/N: I¡¯m not sure how to word it right, but basically, after years of pursuit and corny love phrases, this was the one sentence that made Xu Lian feel something. Not that her heart thumped for him, but that it was the one line that moved her.)


    After drinking two glasses of orange juice, Xu Lian was ready to leave. She put down her glass, picked up her bad, and said: ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving first. You were the one who offered me the orange juice, so I won¡¯t be paying for it.¡±


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­..¡±


    You really know how to nitpick, ah.


    Wei YiChen looked at Xu Lian¡¯s retreating figure and, with one hand on the bar, called out: ¡°Xu Lian.¡±


    Xu Lian turned her head back and asked: ¡°The dignified owner of this bar can¡¯t even afford to let go of two glasses of orange juice?¡±


    Wei YiChen chuckled. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. It¡¯s just that¡­if it¡¯s nothing important, don¡¯t visit the bar for a while.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s eyes suddenly turned sharp as she looked at Wei YiChen¡¯s face. Just an hour ago, Xiang ChangKong had said the same thing.


    What¡¯s going on? One by one, people are telling her not to look for them? Haha, do you think I want to find you?


    Without another word, Xu Lian turned around and walked out of Wei YiChen¡¯s bar.


    Wei YiChen saw Xu Lian¡¯s expression just now and was a little frightened by it. She was probably going to ignore him for the next six months. But, well, that was good. The less contact Xu Lian had with him, the safer it would be for her.


    Xu Lian left QingNan street and drove straight home to sleep. She didn¡¯t wake up until 6:00 p.m. Xu Lian got up, cooked a bowl of noodles for herself, then turned her computer on to check on some orders.


    The ingredients required to make aromatherapy candles are hard to come by, even if she looks abroad. Most of them can only be bought in specific places, and these shops are quite hard to find. It was thanks to her Korean teacher that she even found her suppliers. Xu Lian also paid attention to current trends, so the ingredients would change from time to time. She strived to buy new molds or patters from foreign countries whenever possible.


    She had already decided to go abroad and purchase some elk antlers, but Xu Lian figured that she might as well buy some other things. While she was surfing the internet, Xu Lian came across a store that recently put out an aircraft mold. They weren¡¯t very big, but they were quite cute. She selected the mold and included it in her purchase order.


    Xiang ChangKong should like it.


    Xu Lian was so absorbed in her order that her noodles ended up lumpy. In the end, Xu Lian ordered takeout. Fortunately, Xiang ChangKong wasn¡¯t on duty tonight.


    Meanwhile, in Xiang ChangKong¡¯s home, Weng ShuLi hadn¡¯t eaten yet. Xiang Nuan had already left for school, so Xiang ChangKong was the only one at home to guard his mother.


    Weng ShuLi was no longer young. Moreover, she had been seriously ill before. Xiang ChangKong was very worried that Weng ShuLi¡¯s body wouldn¡¯t be able to bear the strain if she continues refusing to eat. Thinking that Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t have the appetite, Xiang ChangKong had specially made her favorite chicken porridge for dinner tonight. He even added some other small dishes that Weng ShuLi liked to eat.


    When the meal was ready, Xiang ChangKong knocked on Weng ShuLi¡¯s door once more. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s getting late. Come out and have some food. I cooked your favorite chicken porridge, ah.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong stood outside the door for a long while, but Weng ShuLi still didn¡¯t answer. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Xiang ChangKong whispered as he leaned against the door.


    Weng ShuLi laid in bed all afternoon, but she didn¡¯t sleep. The father and son pair she saw in the park was still on her mind.


    The little boy looked around seven or eight years old. He was still clumsy at handling his toy plane. Once, the toy plane landed near her, and the little boy stumbled after it. Weng ShuLi looked at the small plane lying on the grass, its propeller still turning. She bent down and picked it up.


    ¡°Thank you, grandma.¡± The child thanked her with his sweet voice, ran back to his father, and continued to play with his toy.


    The little boy looked so much like Xiang ChangKong.


    The figure of the father and son pair gradually overlapped with the silhouettes of Xiang ChangKong and his father. Weng ShuLi could faintly hear Xiang ChangKong¡¯s young voice saying that he would grow up to be just like his dad.


    If that little boy grew up and found out that he wouldn¡¯t be able to fly anymore, then he will be very disappointed.


    ¡°Mom, can you please eat?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s voice sounded from the door. Weng ShuLi heard it, but she didn¡¯t answer.


    She knew that Xiang ChangKong hadn¡¯t been happy all these years¡­but at least he was living well.


    He knocked on the door one last time, then left. Xiang ChangKong sat on the dinner table alone, the hot porridge gradually turning cold.


    Even after the dark night completely shrouded the city, Weng ShuLi still didn¡¯t come out.


    Xiang ChangKong took out his phone and called Xu Lian.


    As soon as Xu Lian came out of the bathroom, she heard her phone buzz. Xu Lian subconsciously thought that it was Xiang ChangKong calling her, and she stepped forward.


    It really was him.


    So Xu Lian answered the phone. ¡°Xiang ChangKong?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong had battled with himself for a long time before he managed to call Xu Lian. He even thought of seven different conversational topics before picking up the phone. But now that it was happening, Xiang ChangKong still didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Xu Lian listened to the silence on the other end of the phone and sat down on her small sofa. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking? What happened to Auntie Weng?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong managed to utter two words. ¡°Xu Lian.¡±


    His voice sounded so dry, as if he was in the middle of a desert.


    Xu Lian softly replied: ¡°Un. I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°I¡­Maybe I shouldn¡¯t take the exam.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s eyes drooped. ¡°Auntie Weng still refuses to eat?¡±


    ¡°Un. I think she¡¯s really angry. She holed up in her room all afternoon and refuses to eat or drink anything. She¡¯s already in poor health¡­.¡±


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t reply. Xiang ChangKong could barely hear her breathing. The hand holding his phone gradually tightened, the knuckles whitening. ¡°We should part ways.¡±


    Was this despair? Xiang ChangKong thought that he had experienced despair when his father died and his mother became ill. He thought he understood what it was when he had to give up on his dream. But now, Xiang ChangKong knew. Despair wasn¡¯t darkness. Despair was when the darkness suddenly lit up, but then plunged back into nothingness.


    If he didn¡¯t do his postgraduate studies, then Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d do in the future. He couldn¡¯t give Xu Lian any sort of guarantee.


    After Xiang ChangKong said those words, the phone call seemed even quieter. Xiang ChangKong sat alone in the room, feeling like the only person left in the entire world.


    Then, Xu Lian¡¯s voice suddenly sounded out from the phone. ¡°Xiang ChangKong, what did you just say?¡±


    With clenched hands, Xiang ChangKong repeated: ¡°Let¡¯s separate.¡±


    ¡°Separate? Are you saying we should break up?


    ¡°Un¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re breaking up with me?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s mouth flattened into a line. He didn¡¯t answer.


    Xu Lian asked: ¡°Xiang ChangKong, are you at home?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Are you going out later?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Alright. You wait there.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s heart jumped.


    The author has something to say:


    It took me longer than expected to write this chapter.


    To our beloved male lead¡­.I¡¯m afraid that Big Sister Xu Lian is on her way to knock some sense into your dog head.


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡­..

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    ***


    In this city, the streets were usually more lively at night than during the day. The cold temperatures of the winter season can¡¯t fend off the enthusiastic men and women looking for some beer and merriment after a hard day¡¯s work. Several food stalls were put up on the streets, causing Xu Lian to slow down her car as she slowly drives to Xiang ChangKong¡¯s neighborhood.


    Xiang ChangKong made the right decision when he refused to let Xiang Nuan have the bedroom that faced the main street. Xu Lian didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be this noisy at night.


    Xu Lian had come to Xiang ChangKong¡¯s home several times by now, so the guard at the gate knew her. When he saw Xu Lian¡¯s car, he didn¡¯t ask and simply let her in. However, it wasn¡¯t easy to find a parking spot at this time of night.


    Because there weren¡¯t any specific markers in the basketball court parking, the residents basically parked at random. There were a few spaces, but they looked too tight to properly park. Xu Lian thought back to her previous date with Xiang ChangKong in the amusement park. They encountered a similar situation back then, but Xiang ChangKong was there to skillfully park her car into the tight space.


    Now, she didn¡¯t have Xiang ChangKong to help her. Moreover, it was in the middle of the night, so it was pretty dark. Xu Lian slowly moved little by little, heavily relying on her parking assist system.


    After Xu Lian managed to successfully park her car, she sighed in relief. She got out of the car, took her bag, then headed to Xiang ChangKong¡¯s home.


    There were no elevators in old buildings such as this. Xu Lian¡¯s high-heeled shoes clanged on the metal stairs and echoed on the empty corridor. Xiang ChangKong heard Xu Lian even before she knocked on their door.


    Xiang ChangKong went to the front door, intending to open it for her, but his hand paused halfway. The footsteps got closer and closer, then finally stopped outside the door.


    Xu Lian raised her hand and knocked on the door. ¡°Xiang ChangKong.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong stood on the other side of the door hand on the handle. He didn¡¯t move for a long time.


    Xu Lian continued to knock outside. ¡°Xiang ChangKong, open the door. I know you¡¯re in there.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong licked his dry lips, then slowly opened the door.


    Xu Lian looked at him. His hair was a little damp. It seems that he washed his hair just moments before.


    ¡°Xiang ChangKong.¡± The two stood there for a moment, separated by the door frame. Then, Xu Lian broke the silence and said: ¡°You said you wanted to break up with me, right? Say it again to my face.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong remained silent. He couldn¡¯t open his mouth.


    Xu Lian waited for a few seconds, then pushed him to the side, entering the house. Xiang ChangKong watched her go inside, then shut the front door. He followed her, calling out: ¡°Xu Lian¡­¡±


    Xu Lian marched straight to Weng ShuLi¡¯s door. She stopped, looked at Xiang ChangKong, then asked: ¡°Is your mother still inside?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Xu Lian knocked twice, then turned the door handle. The door was unlocked, so Xu Lian entered the bedroom easily.


    Weng ShuLi lay motionlessly on the bed, her back to the door. Xu Lian went around the bed, her high-heels clicking on the floor, like she stepping on people¡¯s hearts.


    Weng ShuLi¡¯s eyes remained closed. She didn¡¯t look at Xu Lian.


    Xu Lian stood by the bed and looked down on her. She said: ¡°Auntie Weng, this is Xu Lian. I know you¡¯re not asleep. Listen to me. I know you¡¯re grief-stricken that Uncle is gone. I know you feel cheated. But you¡¯re also an adult. Moreso, you¡¯re Xiang ChangKong¡¯s mother. It¡¯s been three years. Three whole years, and you¡¯re still reluctant to go outside? How long are you going to be sick? Do you plan on depending on your son for a lifetime? He¡¯s your son, not your prisoner. He¡¯s not living in a home, he¡¯s living in a cage.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong stepped forward, wanting to stop her. ¡°Xu Lian, don¡¯t say that¡­¡±


    ¡°And you.¡± Xu Lian suddenly looked at Xiang ChangKong. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel horribly sad? For your mother, your sister¡­for this family, you gave up your studies. You gave up your dreams. You¡¯re giving up everything. In my opinion, you¡¯re acting like a coward. Don¡¯t use this situation as a shield. How many times have you gone back to your university this past couple of years? Do you dare face your teachers? Do you dare meet up with your classmates? You¡¯re just running away. You say you¡¯re doing this for your sister, but what does your sister actually want? Have you asked? Do you know how much pressure you¡¯ve given her?¡±


    After Xu Lian said her barrage of questions, the room became deathly silent. It was like all the air had been sucked out of the house. Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t know how to answer her questions.¡±


    Xu Lian looked back down at Weng ShuLi. ¡°Auntie Weng, I understand that you¡¯re worried that Xiang ChangKong might end up like his father. But do you really think what you¡¯re doing is right? Is this how you love your son? This isn¡¯t love. This is imprisonment.¡±


    Then, Xu Lian walked out of the room. She didn¡¯t look back, and she banged the door as she left. It was as if she had never been here in the first place.


    Xiang ChangKong stood there for a while, then left Weng ShuLi¡¯s bedroom. The food he had heated up was cold again. Xiang ChangKong sat on the table and ate by himself. He didn¡¯t call out to Weng ShuLi anymore. After washing the dishes, he took a shower then went into his room.


    He took a day off today, but he felt even more tired than if he had gone to work. Xiang ChangKong leaned against the headboard of his bed and stared at the two planes on top of his desk.


    One was his father¡¯s wooden airplane, the other was the paper airplane Xu Lian had given him.


    He didn¡¯t know if it was because the door and windows were closed, but Xiang ChangKong felt very stuffy. So stuffy that he couldn¡¯t breathe. So stuffy that he was starting to hallucinate. Everything around him turned into a huge whirlpool, dragging him down, down, down. He desperately tried to struggle against it, but it was in vain. He wanted to hold something, anything.


    When Xiang ChangKong came back into his sense, he was holding the paper airplane Xu Lian had given him.


    He unfolded the plane and read the words inside.


    ¡®Death doesn¡¯t hurt. It¡¯s living that¡¯s painful.¡¯


    Xu Lian¡¯s words were ominous, but her handwriting was beautiful and neat. The characters written in a row made his eyes ache.


    Xiang ChangKong thought that he might really be a coward.


    He took his phone from the bedside table and tapped on Xu Lian¡¯s WeChat.


    Xu Lian had just finished taking a bath. It was in the middle of winter, but Xu Lian was sweating when she arrived back home. After she finished drying her hair, she sat in front of her dresser mirror and looked at herself.


    She had said all that she wanted to say in rapid-fire, like a machine gun. Xu Lian had been exhilarated the entire ride home, but now that she had calmed down, she thought back to all the words she had said with trepidation. Was it too much?


    She had accused Xiang ChangKong and Weng ShuLi of many things, but part of it was just her venting. If Xu Lian had been in the same position as them, she honestly didn¡¯t know if she would¡¯ve done better. She would¡¯ve probably given up too, for the sake of her family.


    Then, her phone pinged. She opened her WeChat and saw that it was Xiang ChangKong.


    He was typing something.


    Xu Lian was stupefied. She watched Xiang ChangKong¡¯s profile picture, waiting for the ¡®typing something¡¯ icon to change. But after then minutes, there was still no message.


    Xu Lian suddenly smiled.


    She waited a little longer and finally received a message. However, it was only two words.


    Xiang ChangKong: Xu Lian.


    Xu Lian¡¯s heart thumped, but she didn¡¯t immediately reply.


    After a few more minutes, Xiang ChangKong sent her another message.


    Xiang ChangKong: What happened today¡­I was in the wrong. I apologize.


    Xiang ChangKong: Are you free tomorrow? Can we meet?


    Xu Lian: Busy tomorrow.


    There was no reply from Xiang ChangKong for a while. Xu Lian¡¯s eyes were glued to her phone screen.


    Xiang ChangKong: What about the day after tomorrow?


    Xu Lian: Busy.


    Xiang ChangKong: When will you be free?


    Xu Lian: Whenever you ask me out, that¡¯s when I¡¯ll be busy.


    Xu Lian straightened, her lips pursed.


    Xu Lian: Xiang ChangKong, we¡¯ve broken up ( ^¨Œ^ )


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s fingers began to tighten its grip on his phone, and slowly, his surroundings began to darken again. This time, it wasn¡¯t a whirlpool, but the ocean. The air seems to have turned into seawater, pounding on his body, on his face. He was a drowning man, dying in the middle of merciless waters.


    He needed hold onto something. He wanted¡­her.


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s fingers flew on the virtual keyboard of his phone. He was so fast that it looked like his fingers knew what to type even before his brain could process it.


    Xiang ChangKong: Then, can I pursue you again?


    Xu Lian silently looked down at the message on her phone. After a long while, she finally typed.


    Xu Lian: Depends on my mood.


    Gradually, the suffocating waters receded. Xiang ChangKong felt that he finally had something to grab onto.


    Xiang ChangKong hadn¡¯t pursued anyone before. The only time he had fallen for someone was with Xu Lian, and she was the one who took the initiative. He didn¡¯t know how to pursue Xu Lian, but he was eager to see her again.


    The next morning, he got up early as usual and went into the kitchen to make breakfast. Weng ShuLi¡¯s door was still closed. Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t call her, but he still prepared breakfast for her.


    At noon, he took out a long-unused heat preservation lunchbox and packed some food. Xiang ChangKong went to StarLight Park with the specially prepared lunch for Xu Lian.


    Zhang GuoEr was on the first floor of MONSTER when she saw Xiang ChangKong come in. She was a little startled but nodded towards him nonetheless. Xiang ChangKong greeted her and asked: ¡°Hello. Is Xu Lian in?¡±


    Zhang GuoEr replied: ¡°The Boss is currently abroad. Didn¡¯t she tell you?¡±


    Judging by Xiang ChangKong¡¯s stunned silence, Zhang GuoEr figured he didn¡¯t.


    Zhang GuoEr explained: ¡°She said she would be back in three days.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thank you.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied.


    Xiang ChangKong left the store, took out his phone, and opened WeChat. Sure enough, Xu Lian posted that she was going abroad. Xiang ChangKong clicked on the comments, intending to post something¡­but in the end, he simply liked the post.


    Xu Lian was currently in the middle of shopping. Her schedule was very tight, and she was busily buying several things for both herself and others. Carrying a big bag over her shoulder, she went into a random cafe for some lunch. She leaned on the sofa and took out her phone, intending to check her messages.


    She added a lot of customers in her WeChat, so there were quite a few comments in her posts. She clicked on her most recent post and saw that Xiang ChangKong had liked it.


    Xu Lian chuckled and put down her phone.


    While Xu Lian spent the entire day roaming the streets, and Xiang ChangKong did the same, delivering takeout. When he came home in the evening, he saw that Weng ShuLi had eaten all the food Xiang ChangKong had left. Not only this, Weng ShuLi even washed the dishes.


    Xiang ChangKong went into the living room and found Weng ShuLi sitting on the sofa alone, looking at a photo album.


    ¡°Mom.¡± Xiang ChangKong called out to her, then looked at the album in her hand.


    It was an album containing his childhood pictures. She was currently on a photo of him and his father.


    Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t look up and kept looking at the photo in the album. The photo showed a bright-eyed boy playing in a small park with his father.


    Xiang ChangKong thought that she would ignore him as usual, but Weng ShuLi suddenly spoke: ¡°When you were a child, your eyes were dazzling.¡±


    Maybe it¡¯s because she hadn¡¯t spoken in a long time, but Weng ShuLi had to exert great effort for just this one sentence.


    Xiang ChangKong was dumbstruck. He hadn¡¯t heard Weng ShuLi¡¯s voice in a very long time. He crouched in front of his mother and held her wrinkled hand. ¡°Mom?¡±


    Weng ShuLi slowly lifted her head and looked at him. How long has it been since she genuinely saw him? Her son seemed stronger and more tanned than before. Although they see each other every day, she¡¯s never paid attention. She looked at her son for a long time, then gently smiled. ¡°Your eyes right now are beautiful. They¡¯re less angry too.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong couldn¡¯t help but smile, his eyes gradually turning red. Weng ShuLi raised her hand and touched his hair. ¡°These past three years have been hard on you.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong shook his head and said: ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Weng ShuLi patted him on the back, similar to when he had been a child.


    Their mother finally spoke again. The first thing Xiang ChangKong had done was to contact his sister. Xiang Nuan had just finished studying and was in the corridor with her friends when she received the call. Her cries were so loud it echoed in the corridors, startling everyone in the immediate vicinity.


    After talking with his sister, Xiang ChangKong went to Xu Lian¡¯s WeChat once more. Xu Lian had just sent another update. It was a photo of an airplane mold she had bought. A finished product was beside the mold.


    Xiang ChangKong had a lot of things to say to her. He stared at the photo for a while, then finally decided to just like it.


    He¡¯ll tell her face-to-face.


    Despite her account being her store¡¯s main account, Xu Lian wasn¡¯t very good at putting regular updates. Whether it was her Weibo or WeChat, Xu Lian very rarely posts things. But somehow, when she flew to South Korea, her account suddenly became very active. Not only did she take photos, but she also took pictures of random things like flowers on the side of the road.


    (T/N: She¡¯s sending it on her WeChat moments. So she¡¯s sending timed posts to her circle of friends.)


    Xu Lian was extremely busy during her three-day trip, and in a blink of an eye, it was suddenly time to go home. On the day of her departure, Xu Lian took a picture of her airline ticket. She didn¡¯t mosiac her flight information.


    After the plane landed in A City International Airport, Xu Lian dragged her luggage along and followed the flow of people towards the exit. There were a lot of people waiting outside. Xu Lian lugged her heavy suitcase and looked around.


    ¡°Xu Lian.¡±


    She hears a familiar voice coming from behind. Xu Lian turned around.


    Standing in a crowded hall was a smiling Xiang ChangKong. When their eyes met, Xiang ChangKong lifted his hand and threw a paper plane towards her.


    The airport hall was crowded, with people coming and going without pause. However, amongst the sea of people was a paper plane gliding past, strangely navigating through the crowd with ease.


    Just as it was about to crash, Xu Lian reached out and caught it.


    Xiang ChangKong walked towards Xu Lian and stopped in front of her. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡±


    ¡°Un.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­I wonder if you¡¯re free today?¡±


    ¡°I believe so.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled and took the large suitcase she was holding. ¡°Let me push it.¡±


    Xu Lian stared at his retreating back as he dragged Xu Lian¡¯s suitcase towards the exit. She then looked down at the paper plane in her hands.


    It wasn¡¯t the one she had folded for him.


    Xu Lian slowly unfolded the paper plane, and sure enough, there was something written inside.


    ¡°High above the clouds, there are dreams; Below the clouds, there¡¯s you.¡±

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    ***


    Xu Lian put the paper plane in her handbag and walked out of the airport with Xiang ChangKong.


    There were a lot of neatly arranged taxis parked outside the building. Xiang ChangKong dragged Xu Lian¡¯s suitcase along and asked: ¡°Is your car in the airport?¡±


    ¡°No, I came by taxi.¡± Xu Lian looked up at him, then coughed. ¡°I thought about your question just now. I¡¯m really tired after running around buying things abroad, so I just want to go home and rest. Let¡¯s talk next time.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong bit his lip, feeling a little lost. However, Xu Lian was right. She had been working hard abroad these past couple of days. He¡¯s seen all the moments she had posted online. Eventually, Xiang ChangKong nodded and said: ¡°Alright. Have a good rest today.¡±


    So Xiang ChangKong flagged down an empty taxi and opened the backseat door for her. ¡°Get in, I¡¯ll stow your suitcase away.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s suitcase was 28 inches long and was filled with the treasures she acquired from abroad, so it was cumbersome. Xiang ChangKong helped Xu Lian put her luggage in the trunk of the taxi, then went back to the door to talk to her.


    Xu Lian was sitting in the back seat. Xiang ChangKong looked like he wanted to tell Xu Lian something, but in the end, he kept his mouth closed and didn¡¯t attempt to get in the taxi. Xu Lian suppressed the smile threatening to break out, and said: ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong stammered: ¡°Ah, I-I have to go to work.¡±


    ¡°Well, then come in. Don¡¯t delay the people behind us.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong hesitated for a second, then stooped down to get in the car. After telling the driver the address, the car descended into silence. Xiang ChangKong seemed a little nervous, with his hands squeezed into fists on his knees.


    But Xu Lian didn¡¯t speak, seemingly unaware of the awkward atmosphere. In the end, Xiang ChangKong glanced at Xu Lian and said: ¡°Xu Lian.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°My mother is willing to talk again.¡±


    Xu Lian froze for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°Un¡­Thank you.¡±


    Xu Lian smiled. ¡°What are you thanking me for? You were the one that took care of her all these years. It¡¯s just that you were a little too tolerant and accommodating.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Xiang ChangKong then said: ¡°And I decided to take the postgraduate exam.¡±


    Xu Lian wasn¡¯t surprised. The words Xiang ChangKong had written on the paper plane indicated that he had made a decision. She asked him with a smile: ¡°And your mother agreed?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t told her yet. She just started to talk; I didn¡¯t want to push her too hard.¡± Xiang ChangKong explained. ¡°I¡¯ll tell her in a couple of days.¡±


    ¡°What if she still doesn¡¯t agree?¡± Xu Lian asked.


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°I believe that I can persuade her. My mother isn¡¯t an unreasonable person.¡± If Weng ShuLi still insisted on opposing him, Xiang ChangKong can only find some other way to get her to slowly accept his decision. Xu Lian was right. He didn¡¯t want to run away anymore. He doesn¡¯t want to stay a coward for the rest of his life.


    ¡°And¡­¡± As Xiang ChangKong continued, his mood became tense once more. He closed his fist and solemnly turned towards Xu Lian. ¡°I want to apologize again for what I said to you before. I was wrong.¡±


    Xu Lian looked at him and casually asked: ¡°Where were you wrong? Are you talking about our break up?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I was partly at fault?¡±


    ¡°No, no, you did nothing wrong.¡± He was the bad one. Xiang ChangKong lowered his eyes and whispered: ¡°Xu Lian, I¡¯m a man. Back then, I worried that I wouldn¡¯t be able to give the person I like a good life. I thought the least I could do was to save you from a lifetime of hardship.¡±


    He was barely able to take care of himself. How could he even think about falling in love? And don¡¯t even mention marriage. Any ordinary girl would be afraid to consider him, let alone someone like Xu Lian. The last thing Xiang ChangKong wanted to do was drag Xu Lian down.


    The car was silent once more. After a long time, Xu Lian asked: ¡°And now? Are you still afraid?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes became gentle and warm as he gazed into her eyes. ¡°Now, I believe that loving someone means striving to become a better person for them. But¡­are you willing to wait for me?¡±


    Just give me a little time.


    Xu Lian could no longer keep up her indifferent facade. She turned away to look out the window, as she didn¡¯t want Xiang ChangKong to see her expression. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong saw her expression reflected on the glass window and couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    The taxi driver first dropped Xiang ChangKong off at the station, then took Xu Lian home.


    Xu Lian ate on the plane, but it wasn¡¯t very filling. However, when she finally arrived home, Xu Lian wanted nothing more than to take a bath and sleep. She didn¡¯t even bother to tidy up. Maybe she just walked too much these past few days, but Xu Lian ended up sleeping for hours. She only woke up because her cellphone started ringing.


    The caller was an unknown number. Xu Lian stared at the screen. After a while, she picked up: ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Hello? is this Miss Xu Lian? Your order has arrived, please open the door.¡±


    Xu Lian was confused. Did she manage to order some takeout while sleepwalking?


    ¡°Just a moment.¡±


    Xu Lian put on her coat, shuffled into some slippers, and went to open her front door. Sure enough, when she opened her door, there was a takeout brother outside.


    ¡°Here¡¯s your order, have a wonderful meal.¡± The little brother handed the bag to Xu Lian, then hurried away. Xu Lian put the food on her dining table and looked inside the containers.


    Two dishes, one soup, and a bowl of warm white rice. It was all of her favorite dishes.


    Excluding her parents, there was probably only one person who understood her tastes so clearly.


    Xu Lian picked up her phone and messaged Xiang ChangKong.


    Xu Lian: Did you order takeout for me?


    Xiang ChangKong: Ah, I figured you would want to take a nap as soon as you got home. So I thought I would buy you dinner and wake you up at the same time.


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­.¡±


    What an accurate guess. Are all smart people this good at guessing things?


    Xiang ChangKong: What¡¯s wrong? Is the food not to your taste?


    Xu Lian: No, I just didn¡¯t want to eat anything from unknown sources, so I figured I¡¯d ask.


    Xiang ChangKong: The restaurant has good reviews, and I often deliver food from this place. Their food tastes delicious.


    Xu Lian: But isn¡¯t it more convenient if you delivered it yourself?


    Xiang ChangKong: I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t want to see me.


    After Xiang ChangKong sent this message, he immediately followed up with another: I¡¯ll bring you some lunch at noon tomorrow.


    Xu Lian: You think I want to see you tomorrow?


    Xiang ChangKong: Should I wear a mask?


    Xu Lian smiled.


    After finishing the food Xiang ChangKong had ordered for her, Xu Lian dragged the big suitcase she had abandoned in the living room and began to put things away.


    Xu Lian lamented the fact that she wasn¡¯t able to have fun and play during her visit to South Korea. She just ran around, carrying numerous bags of shopping. Xu Lian resolved that the next time she went shopping, she would find someone to carry her bags for her.


    The next morning, Xiang ChangKong got up early to prepare breakfast. However, when he went out of his room, he heard something moving in the kitchen. Xiang ChangKong stood by his bedroom door and listened for a while. Someone was cooking.


    Xiang ChangKong walked into the kitchen, and sure enough, someone got up even earlier than him and started cooking.


    ¡°Mom?¡± Xiang ChangKong called out in surprise when he saw Weng ShuLi. ¡°Why did you get up so early?¡±


    Weng ShuLi had a spoon in her hand and was stirring some porridge in a pot. She said: ¡°I thought I¡¯d make breakfast for you.¡±


    These past couple of days, Xiang ChangKong would take the time and have a good chat with Weng ShuLi every day. After a while, Weng ShuLi managed to talk more and more smoothly. She looked at Xiang ChangKong and said: ¡°Go and wash up. I¡¯m almost finished here.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was worried about her body, but after some thought, he smiled at her and replied: ¡°Alright. Take your time.¡±


    Weng ShuLi used to be quite a good cook, but she hadn¡¯t cooked anything in recent years. She was a little rusty, but it didn¡¯t affect the overall taste. After three years, Xiang ChangKong was finally going to taste his mother¡¯s cooking again. His heart didn¡¯t know what to feel.


    ¡°Well? I haven¡¯t lost my touch?¡± She didn¡¯t know if it was because she ate Xiang ChangKong¡¯s cooking for the past three years, but Weng ShuLi felt that her cooking wasn¡¯t as delicious as her son¡¯s.


    ¡°No, mom¡¯s food is the best.¡± Xiang ChangKong answered.


    Weng ShuLi couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°When did you get so eloquent? Is it because you¡¯re finally dating someone?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong became somewhat bashful, but then Weng ShuLi¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°ChangKong, I didn¡¯t have a very good attitude towards Xu Lian before. See if you can invite her to come home sometime, I¡¯ll cook dinner as an apology.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mom. Concentrate on recuperating first and just take things slowly.¡±


    Weng ShuLi smiled. ¡°I stayed home all these years, ah. And it¡¯s not like I¡¯m doing any heavy lifting. Although my physical strength isn¡¯t what it used to be, I can still cook a meal.¡±


    She looked at Xiang ChangKong and saw that he had bowed his head to drink his porridge instead of replying to her. It was quiet for a moment, then Weng ShuLi asked: ¡°Did something happen with you and Xu Lian?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong lightly replied: ¡°Un, I mentioned breaking up with her, and Xu Lian hasn¡¯t forgiven me for it.¡±


    Weng ShuLi was stunned. But she didn¡¯t ask why Xiang ChangKong tried to break up with Xu Lian.


    She knew it was because of her.


    Xiang ChangKong put down his bowl and looked at his mother. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve decided to take the postgraduate exam. I¡¯ve also decided to pursue Xu Lian again. I don¡¯t know if I can give her a good life, but I¡¯m going to do my best.¡±


    After he said this, Weng ShuLi put down the spoon she was holding and looked at her son. After a long while, she said: ¡°Do what you want to do. Mom can¡¯t and won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    Although Xiang ChangKong had strengthened his resolve, he hadn¡¯t expected Weng ShuLi to accede so easily. He had heard her heart-breaking cries outside the operating room. His father¡¯s tragic end had hit Weng ShuLi hard, and Xiang ChangKong hadn¡¯t expected her to willingly chance it a second time.


    ¡°Mom¡­¡±


    Weng ShuLi looked at him in the eye and smile. ¡°To be honest, I really don¡¯t want you to walk the same road your father did. This line of work is really tough. But then, I think about Xu Lian¡¯s words. She¡¯s right; I shouldn¡¯t imprison you. I don¡¯t want you to regret your life when you grow old, especially if its a regret your mother caused.¡±


    Years ago, she taught some children in her dance group. The children loved to dance, but some of their parents were strongly opposed to it. There was a little girl who secretly took her class, but in the end, she was discovered, and her parents literally dragged her away from class.


    She had once tried her best to urge the parents to understand their children, but somehow, she had become the very thing she had tried to oppose.


    ¡°Mom doesn¡¯t want the memories of your mother to end up being filled with hate.¡±

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    ***


    Because he was planning on sending Xu Lian some lunch, Xiang ChangKong went back into the kitchen after breakfast. Weng ShuLi went with him and said: ¡°I can make lunch by myself. I haven¡¯t been active for a long time, so I want to slowly regain strength by cooking.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong felt a little embarrassed as he replied: ¡°I promised Xu Lian that I would make her lunch today.¡±


    Weng ShuLi immediately understood. With a smile, she reminded him: ¡°Pursuing girls require some patience.¡±


    ¡°I know, mom.¡± Xiang ChangKong poured some stock into a pot and said: ¡°The kitchen is going to get filled with smoke so you should go and rest in the living room.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Weng ShuLi went into the living room, then picked up her cellphone. Her previous number had long been useless, so she had asked Xiang ChangKong to help her get a new one worth several hundred yuan. The change in providers hadn¡¯t removed all her saved contacts though. Now, as Weng ShuLi scrolled through the familiar names, her heart couldn¡¯t help but tremble.


    She had ignored too many things these past three years. Although Father Xiang is gone, there were still so many people alive beside her. So many of her friends from the dance group persisted in visiting her these past few years, but she had never given them any face. In retrospect, Weng ShuLi was too ashamed to see them.


    Weng ShuLi typed up a text message and sent it to everyone she knew.


    She told them that she was ready to dance again.


    Meanwhile, Xiang ChangKong had finished cooking and was putting the food in some insulated lunchboxes. Soon afterward, he left the house with a textbook in his hands. Xiang ChangKong no longer needed to avoid Weng ShuLi¡¯s gaze.


    Zhang GuoEr noticed that Xu Lian had been absent-minded all morning. Due to her three-day shopping spree abroad, Xu Lian should be busy making orders right now. But now, although orders were being made¡­Xu Lian was acting differently!


    But soon, Zhang GuoEr found out what Xu Lian had been waiting for.


    It was takeout- and not any ordinary takeout, but food that was filled with love.


    When Zhang GuoEr saw the extremely familiar lunchbox in Xiang ChangKong¡¯s hands, she understood.


    The moment Xiang ChangKong entered the store, Xu Lian had suddenly become so engrossed with her work. So engrossed that she didn¡¯t seem to notice Xiang ChangKong come in. Zhang GuoEr forced the ends of her mouth to flatten and greeted Xiang ChangKong: ¡°Hello, brother. Are you delivering takeout for Boss again today?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong gave her a slight smile. Looking a little shy, he replied: ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Seeing his timid appearance, Zhang GuoEr tactfully said: ¡°Oh, you know that Boss has been abroad for three days. Orders have been piling up since then, so she¡¯s very busy right now.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Xiang ChangKong handed the lunchbox to Zhang GuoEr and said: ¡°Then, please help me pass this to her when she comes down later.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr accepted the lunchbox full of dog food, then grinned at Xiang ChangKong. ¡°Alright! No problem.¡±


    Looking up at the busy Xu Lian, Xiang ChangKong couldn¡¯t help but feel a little uneasy. ¡°Please remind her to eat lunch.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr replied: ¡°Yep, no problem.¡±


    With this, Xiang ChangKong finally felt at ease and left.


    As soon as his scooter left, Xu Lian came downstairs. Zhang GuoEr grabbed a pen and her notebook, then looked at Xu Lian. ¡°Boss, what are you planning? Please tell me so I can learn.¡±


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t answer her. Instead, she took the lunchbox Xiang ChangKong had left, then went in the break room to eat. Zhang GuoEr went with her and said: ¡°Boss, it¡¯s fine for a girl to act high-maintenance when being pursued, but if she overreaches, it¡¯ll frighten the other person away.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s hand that was about to grab a spoon paused at her words. She turned to Zhang GuoEr and said: ¡°Rest assured, my driving is very steady.¡±


    (T/N: She knows how to handle it.)


    Zhang GuoEr: ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    No, Boss. What kind of car are you talking about? The world of adults is quite colorful, ah.


    (T/N: Driving can be a euphemism for sex lol.)


    Afterward, Xiang ChangKong would deliver lunch for Xu Lian every day. When it rained on Friday, Zhang GuoEr thought that Xiang ChangKong would skip the day, but to her surprise, he still arrived at the store on time.


    Xiang ChangKong removed his transparent raincoat when he entered the store and placed it in the wooden crate placed by the door for umbrellas. Xu Lian had put it there to make things more convenient for customers whenever it rained.


    The rain was a little heavy today, so the hair in Xiang ChangKong¡¯s forehead was wet. Xu Lian didn¡¯t stay upstairs this time and was standing beside Zhang GuoEr near the cash register.


    Rainy days were always inconvenient. Even if you wear a raincoat, some parts of your body would still inevitably get wet. Fearing that he might track water on Xu Lian¡¯s floor, Xiang ChangKong stayed by the door.


    Xu Lian grabbed the paper towels by the cash register and offered Xiang ChangKong a few. ¡°Wipe it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Xiang ChangKong accepted the paper towels, but instead of wiping his face, he gave Xu Lian the lunchbox in his hands first. It was only when Xu Lian took the lunchbox that he dealt with the rain on him.


    Xu Lian stood in front of him and stared. She couldn¡¯t help but ask: ¡°Do you still deliver meals when it rains?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled and replied: ¡°There are usually more orders during rainy days. But our system automatically extends delivery times for weather like this.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­.¡± Xu Lian¡¯s finger circled the waterproof bag she was holding. ¡°Be careful on the road.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡± After a moment¡¯s pause, Xiang ChangKong hesitantly asked: ¡°Are you free tomorrow?¡±


    Tomorrow was Saturday. Xiang ChangKong knew that Xu Lian usually took the day off on Saturdays.


    Naturally, Xu Lian knew that he knew this about her. She didn¡¯t answer him immediately but instead asked: ¡°What¡¯s going on tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Well, my mother asked me to invite you to dinner tomorrow. She¡¯ll be cooking.¡±


    Xu Lian was a little surprised. Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t even look at her before. How come she wanted to cook for her all of a sudden? But then, Xu Lian remembered that Xiang Nuan would be home from school tomorrow. She figured that Weng ShuLi wanted to cook for her daughter.


    Thinking of Zhang GuoEr¡¯s advice to her a few days ago, Xu Lian felt that it was time to soften up. ¡°I¡¯m free tomorrow.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s mouth involuntarily curled up into a smile. He asked: ¡°Then I¡¯ll come pick you up tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll drive there myself. 12:00 p.m.?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr watched as the two talked. Eventually, Xiang ChangKong wore his raincoat and walked back out into the rain.


    Zhang GuoEr picked up her pen and wrote in her notebook: ¡®Wind, rain or shine, you can count on the dog food to arrive right on time.¡¯


    Early Saturday morning, Xiang ChangKong went to the vegetable market to buy ingredients. Unlike his usual Saturdays, Xiang ChangKong concentrated on buying all the foods Xu Lian liked to eat. When he came back home, Weng ShuLi put on her apron and began to cook. Xiang ChangKong wanted to help his mother, but after a call from Xiang Nuan¡¯s homeroom teacher, Xiang ChangKong had to go to Xiang Nuan¡¯s school instead.


    The teacher didn¡¯t explain on the phone, so Xiang ChangKong was worried the entire time it took to arrive. Xiang Nuan was usually an obedient student, so he wouldn¡¯t be called for misconduct. Was it her grades?


    When Xiang ChangKong arrived at her school, he went straight to the teacher¡¯s office. Xiang Nuan wasn¡¯t in the office. Instead, there were two women, one of whom was wearing a fashionable dress. Xiang ChangKong had a good memory and remembered seeing the woman in a parent-teacher meeting he had previously attended.


    Teacher Cai, Xiang Nuan¡¯s homeroom teacher, ushered him inside. Xiang ChangKong greeted her first: ¡°Hello Teacher Cai.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Mr. Xiang.¡± Teacher Cai nodded to him, then introduced the other woman: ¡°This is Shen Lin¡¯s mother. I invited you here today to talk about Shen Lin and Xiang Nuan.¡±


    Xiang Nuan had never mentioned a person named Shen Lin to him before. For a moment, Xiang ChangKong couldn¡¯t respond. ¡°What happened to them?¡±


    Teacher Cai explained: ¡°Several students have been commenting that Shen Lin and Xiang Nuan are getting quite close recently. Shen Lin¡¯s mother was worried about the matter and wanted to talk about it.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong began to understand. Xiang Nuan and Shen Lin were crushing on each other?


    Sure enough, Shen Lin¡¯s mother started to speak. ¡°Our Shen Lin¡¯s academic performance is one of the best in his grade. He¡¯ll certainly be admitted to a prestigious university in the future, ah. Your family¡¯s Xiang Nuan might have a crush on my son, and I¡¯m afraid it might distract him. You look too young to be a parent; I hope you can pass this matter on to your parents. This is very serious, and I¡¯d like them to pay more attention to their daughter.¡±


    Most of the teachers were in the middle of class, so the teacher¡¯s office was quite empty. There were only one or two teachers on their desks. However, Shen Lin¡¯s mother was obviously angry about the situation, so her voice was quite loud. It caused the other teachers to look in her direction.


    Teacher Cai tried to smooth things out. ¡°This is Xiang Nuan¡¯s brother. Their family situation is a bit special, so her brother usually attends the parent-teacher meetings.¡±


    After Teacher Cai said this, Shen Lin¡¯s mother seemed to vaguely recognize Xiang ChangKong. Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t respond to the woman¡¯s tirade and instead turned to Teacher Cai. He asked: ¡°Has Xiang Nuan and Shen Lin been informed on this matter? What did they say?¡±


    ¡°When it was only a rumor among their classmates, I talked to both of them about it. They said that they were only studying.¡±


    ¡°Ah, it must be that girl that taught him to say this. Shen Lin had never lied before! Now she¡¯s led my son astray.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong finally looked at the woman. ¡°How can you be so sure that they aren¡¯t studying?¡±


    Shen Lin¡¯s mother unhappily replied: ¡°Didn¡¯t you see their test results last week? Shen Lin had always been number one, but this time, he fell to third place.¡± If it wasn¡¯t for that, she wouldn¡¯t be this anxious.


    Xiang ChangKong said: ¡°This kind of result is normal. No one can guarantee first place every single time. Besides, other factors can affect your son¡¯s performance- it isn¡¯t necessarily caused by young love.¡±


    ¡°Normal? You think everyone¡¯s results are the same?! Shen Lin is going to be admitted to a prestigious school! What university did you go to?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong pursed his lips, then answered: ¡°A University.¡±


    Shen Lin¡¯s mother was stunned. She didn¡¯t know if she heard wrong, or if the man in front of her was talking nonsense.


    Teacher Cai once again tried to smooth things out. ¡°Mr. Xiang really did graduate from A University of Technology. He even got first place in the college entrance exams and was featured in the newspapers.¡±


    Whether small or large, several newspapers really did write about Xiang ChangKong that year. The articles were mostly about the awards he had won and his scores in previous exams.


    Shen Lin¡¯s mother no longer spoke, but her heart was still somewhat skeptical. After all, her son will also likely get first place and be admitted to A University.


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t continue to talk about his education and instead said: ¡°I know that as a parent, you¡¯re very worried about your child¡¯s achievements. But no matter how excellent of a student he is, no one can get first place every single time. After all, other students are also improving. There are also many other factors that affect their grades. If you have such a big reaction to your son falling to third place, you¡¯ll add significant pressure to him, and this might affect his grades on the next exam. As a parent, you should do your best to encourage him instead of blindly blaming him.¡±


    Teacher Cai tried to reassure the woman. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been trying to tell you. Although Shen Lin¡¯s ranking went down, his total score hadn¡¯t lowered much. In fact, Xiang Nuan¡¯s score improved a lot this time.¡±


    After hearing that Xiang Nuan¡¯s grades had improved, Shen Lin¡¯s mother became even more unhappy. It was like Xiang Nuan¡¯s grades were at her son¡¯s expense.


    Teacher Cai finally concluded: ¡°Since both children said that they were only studying, I¡¯d like to believe in them. Let¡¯s believe that both are responsible children that will do their best for their future. As their guardians, you should find ways to help and care for them, not stress them.¡±


    When the meeting finally concluded, it was almost time for Xiang Nuan to leave school. After seeing the time, Xiang ChangKong decided to just wait for his sister and stood outside her classroom.


    When the school bell rang, Xiang Nuan was the first one out of the classroom. She knew that Shen Lin¡¯s mother had come to school to talk with her brother. When she saw Xiang ChangKong standing outside, Xiang Nuan suddenly felt aggrieved. She called out: ¡°Brother¡­.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong walked up to her and rubbed her head. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Let¡¯s talk at home.¡±


    Students who were leaving the classroom curiously looked toward Xiang ChangKong. A girl even grabbed her phone and boldly took a picture of him.


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­..¡±


    Xiang Nuan stepped in front of Xiang ChangKong and tried to block the girl¡¯s camera. ¡°Hey! No taking photos of my brother!¡±


    The girl winked. ¡°Hey, at least I didn¡¯t do it on the sly. I took a photo in a fair and just way.¡±


    Xiang Nuan wrinkled her brows and led Xiang ChangKong away, wanting to leave. However, when they turned, she saw Shen Lin come out of the classroom.


    Xiang ChangKong was keenly aware of his sister¡¯s sudden change and followed her gaze to see a boy.


    Was this Shen Lin?

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    ***


    Shen Lin¡¯s temperament was nothing like his domineering mother. His face was white and gentle, and he had a pair of glasses perched on his nose. When he saw Xiang ChangKong, he looked as if he wanted to say something. However, Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t wait for him to speak. She grabbed Xiang ChangKong and descended down the stairs.


    When the left the building, Xiang ChangKong glanced at Xiang Nuan and asked: ¡°Was that Shen Lin?¡±


    ¡°Un.¡± Xiang Nuan asked her brother: ¡°What did Teacher Cai and Shen Lin¡¯s mother tell you?¡±


    ¡°They said you and Shen Lin fell in love with each other.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Xiang Nuan really hated those gossipy classmates of hers. Usually, as long as two people stand together long enough, people will start fooling and teasing the two for being lovers. Even Shen Lin and her were implicated. But Shen Lin¡¯s mother attached great importance to Shen Lin¡¯s school situation. When Shen Lin dropped two places in the weekly exams, his mother felt like the sky was falling.


    Xiang Nuan ended up on the wrong side of her gun.


    (T/N: Xiang Nuan ended up being the one blamed)


    ¡°We aren¡¯t in love, ah. He was just helping me with my studies.¡± Xiang Nuan tried to explain. ¡°After the last exam, he said he¡¯d help me, just to see if he teaches better or if you teach better.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t understand. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve ever heard of him.¡± His meaning was, how can Shen Lin suddenly think of competing with him if they¡¯ve never met?


    Xiang Nuan¡¯s lip curled. ¡°After the last mock exam, I mentioned that you were helping me study. It¡¯s probably the instinctual hostility between two top students that led him to try and teach me instead.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let him tutor me anymore.¡± She didn¡¯t dare say that she had made progress in her studies, but it was true that she used some of Shen Lin¡¯s study time for her own gain. Although Shen Lin didn¡¯t have a crush on her, maybe his drop in ranking really was due to her distracting him.


    Xiang ChangKong looked at his sister for a brief moment. He asked: ¡°Then why?¡±


    Xiang Nuan replied: ¡°If he falls two more places in the next exam, I¡¯m pretty sure his mom will just stab me directly.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong laughed. In a rare teasing tone, he asked: ¡°So you really don¡¯t have a crush on Shen Lin?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Like a cat who had its tail stepped on, Xiang Nuan jumped. ¡°I just want to concentrate on my studies right now! I don¡¯t want to fall in love with anyone!¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s smile gradually disappeared as he stared at Xiang Nuan. He earnestly asked: ¡°Xiang Nuan, have I been putting too much pressure on you?¡±


    Xiang Nuan was surprised. She never expected him to ask such a thing.


    ¡°After your last mock exam, you mentioned that you didn¡¯t want to go to university.¡± At that time, Xiang ChangKong should have realized that something was going on. Who would give up college after one or two low scores?


    Xiang Nuan habitually kicked a pebble on the road, then stiffly replied: ¡°I was afraid of disappointing you. You¡¯re obviously much smarter than me, but you left your studies just to give me the opportunity to go to university. If I can¡¯t even pass one mock exam, doesn¡¯t that mean you sacrificed your life for nothing?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong never thought he had pressured his sister this much. Even if Xiang Nuan could only get into the lowest university in the entire country, Xiang ChangKong would¡¯ve still sent her to there. He just wanted her to receive the education most people would receive. It wasn¡¯t a loss to him, let alone a sacrifice.


    ¡°You think too much.¡± Xiang ChangKong raised his hand and rubbed Xiang Nuan¡¯s head.


    Xiang Nuan looked up at him and asked: ¡°Do you know what I wished for during my last birthday?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me you weren¡¯t allowed to say it?¡±


    Xiang Nuan smiled and said: ¡°It already came true! My wish was for my brother to be able to do what he wants. I¡¯m delighted that you can continue your studies.¡±


    Initially, Weng ShuLi¡¯s sudden disappearance worried her. She was scared that Xiang ChangKong¡¯s plans to take the postgraduate exams would be interrupted because of this. Unexpectedly, the situation ended with their mother finally speaking again.


    ¡°Mom¡¯s cooking dinner today. You have the great fortune of eating delicious food tonight.¡± Xiang ChangKong told her.


    Xiang Nuan smiled and whispered: ¡°Let me tell you a secret: I think your cooking is better than Mom¡¯s!¡±


    ¡°Oooh, I want to tell Mom you said that. You might not even have anything to eat at noon.¡± Xiang ChangKong chuckled.


    ¡°Hey! Why are you like this?¡± Her brother used to be such a pure boy!¡±


    It must be due to the smelly lovestruck odor that he¡¯s emitting!


    While Xiang ChangKong and Xiang Nuan were heading home, Xu Lian had already arrived. Standing at the door of Xiang ChangKong¡¯s home, Xu Lian looked down at her watch. It was 12:00 p.m. sharp.


    After a while, Weng ShuLi, who was wearing the apron Xiang ChangKong usually used, opened the door.


    This image was so different from their first meeting that Xu Lian couldn¡¯t get used to it for a while. Weng ShuLi was similarly surprised and failed to immediately react. Eventually, Weng ShuLi snapped out of her daze and remembered to greet her guest: ¡°Xu Lian, come in, come in.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Xu Lian entered the house and realized that Weng ShuLi was at home alone. Weng ShuLi followed her into the living room and said: ¡°Xiang Nuan¡¯s teacher asked Xiang ChangKong to go to her school today. They¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    ¡°What happened to Xiang Nuan at school?¡± Xu Lian asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; the teacher didn¡¯t say anything on the phone. We¡¯ll know when they come back.¡± After she finished saying this, the room descended into silence. Weng ShuLi stood in the living room with Xu Lian, feeling awkward. She eventually pointed to the sofa and said: ¡°Sit down first. They should be here any minute now.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Lian sat down on the sofa and noticed some oranges on the tea table. She couldn¡¯t tell whether these oranges were the ones she bought last time, but at the sight of them, Xu Lian couldn¡¯t help but remember the time she accidentally hurt Weng ShuLi.


    ¡°Auntie, how¡¯s your hand?¡± Xu Lian asked her.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it was just a small wound.¡± Weng ShuLi replied.


    After this brief conversation, the living room was silent once more.


    In the past, when Xu Lian visited to spend time with Weng ShuLi, this kind of silence had never been awkward.


    In the past, the two of them would sit quietly together for an entire afternoon, but it had never been awkward. But now, it¡¯s only been a minute, and Weng ShuLi was already feeling nervous. She turned to Xu Lian and said: ¡°I heard that Xiang ChangKong tried to break up with you¡­.he, he definitely wasn¡¯t being sincere when he said this. I can plainly see that he likes you very much.¡±


    Xu Lian slightly bowed her head. She didn¡¯t reply.


    Weng ShuLi continued: ¡°I don¡¯t have the right to ask you not to blame him, but you know our family situation. Even I don¡¯t think we deserve you.¡±


    ¡°Auntie.¡± Xu Lian interrupted her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but I personally believe it¡¯s not a matter of worth. What matters is whether you like someone or not.¡±


    These words may sound reasonable at first, but Weng ShuLi was someone who had experienced great hardship. She understood that these kinds of words were usually only said by people who had better conditions in life. To Weng ShuLi, there will always be a tinge of fear whenever you fall for someone.


    And the better the person, the stronger the fear.


    However, this fear can also make people braver.


    Weng ShuLi smiled and said to her: ¡°I hope you two can be happy.¡±


    For a moment, Xu Lian wondered if she was being tricked. Before she could forgive Xiang ChangKong, his mother was already blessing them, ah.


    But Weng ShuLi was being so reasonable that Xu Lian could only accept her blessing.


    The two sat in the living room, saying very little. Fortunately, Xiang ChangKong and Xiang Nuan soon arrived. When Xiang Nuan saw Weng ShuLi, she immediately pounced. ¡°Mom, quickly, say something to me!¡±


    Weng ShuLi helplessly held her daughter and said: ¡°Alright, alright. You¡¯re already a big girl, ah. Why are you still as coquettish as when you were a child?¡±


    Xiang Nuan only hugged her tighter.


    Weng ShuLi told her: ¡°The apron I¡¯m wearing is oily, ah. Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting stained?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Sure enough, Xiang Nuan released her and hurriedly wiped her face.


    Weng ShuLi smiled, then stood up. ¡°I still have a few dishes to fry. Dinner will be ready soon.¡± She was afraid that the food would go cold, so she didn¡¯t immediately cook everything. Now that everyone¡¯s here, Weng ShuLi went back into the kitchen to finish cooking.


    Xiang Nuan looked at the sitting Xu Lian, then at the standing Xiang ChangKong. Xiang Nuan tactfully said that she would put her schoolbag in her room, and didn¡¯t come back out.


    Xiang ChangKong and Xu Lian were the only ones left in the living room. The atmosphere was no better than when Weng ShuLi and Xu Lian were alone just a few minutes ago.


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t take the initiative to talk to him, so Xiang ChangKong went to the other side of the sofa and picked up an orange. ¡°Do you want to eat one? I¡¯ll cut it for you.¡±


    Xu Lian replied: ¡°No, dinner will be ready soon, so it¡¯s better to eat it later.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, fruit tastes best after dinner.¡± Xiang ChangKong said. He put the orange back.


    After he had done so, he silently looked at Xu Lian. Xu Lian wasn¡¯t able to endure Xiang ChangKong¡¯s expression, and after struggling for half a minute, she coughed and finally spoke: ¡°Why was Xiang Nuan¡¯s teacher looking for you?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s mouth imperceptibly hooked up. ¡°Her teacher told me that Xiang Nuan was dating a classmate of hers.¡±


    ¡°Dating?¡± Xu Lian didn¡¯t expect that. Xiang Nuan looked like a lovely child. She didn¡¯t look like a student who would start dating so early.


    ¡°It was just a misunderstanding.¡± Xiang ChangKong explained. ¡°Xiang Nuan already made it clear to me that the only thing she loves right now was studying.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Why does she feel like Xiang ChangKong¡­has thicker skin than before? Maybe he¡¯s in a good mood because of his mother¡¯s recovery?


    (T/N: Thin skin means you¡¯re easily embarrassed, thick skin basically means you¡¯re more shameless/bold/unabashed.)


    ¡°I want to thank you.¡± Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes were warm as he looked at Xu Lian. ¡°I talked with Xiang Nuan, and it turns out I really did put a lot of pressure on her. You were right.¡±


    ¡°Well, as long as you know.¡± Xu Lian replied.


    Xiang ChangKong lowered his head, then smiled.


    Weng ShuLi walked out of the kitchen to serve the dishes, and Xiang ChangKong stood up to help his mother set the table. Xu Lian also stood up and walked to Xiang Nuan¡¯s room. She knocked on the door and called out: ¡°Xiang Nuan, dinner¡¯s ready.¡±


    ¡°Alright, coming!¡± Xiang Nuan put down her phone and trotted out, giggling. Amused, Xu Lian asked: ¡°I heard from your brother that you have a crush on one of your classmates?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Xiang Nuan¡¯s face turned bright red. ¡°This house doesn¡¯t do crushes!¡±


    Xu Lian couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡± Xiang Nuan winked at her. ¡°So, Sister Xu Lian, you¡¯re my brother¡¯s first love.¡±


    (T/N: In the raws, when they talk about Xiang Nuan¡¯s situation, they call it ¡®puppy love.¡¯ Basically, immature love. I decided to translate it as a ¡®crush.¡¯ Here in these last few lines, Xiang Nuan basically says so Xu Lian that their household doesn¡¯t do superficial feelings/dating. Therefore, Xu Lian, being the first person Xiang ChangKong ever dated, was also the first person he fell in love with.)

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    ***


    This meal was probably the liveliest meal Xu Lian had ever had in Xiang ChangKong¡¯s home. Not only was Xiang Nuan more talkative than usual, but even Weng ShuLi, who had never said a single word before, spoke a few words.


    The food satisfied everyone. After dinner, Xiang Nuan took the initiative to run towards the kitchen to wash the dishes. Weng ShuLi, in line with her usual schedule, went back to her room to sleep. In the end, Xu Lian and Xiang ChangKong were left in the living room together.


    Xiang ChangKong picked up an orange and once again asked Xu Lian: ¡°Do you want to eat one?¡±


    Xu Lian looked at the orange he was holding. It was yellow and seemed quite sweet. Xu Lian simply smiled in response to his question. Xiang ChangKong smiled back, then began to peel the orange for her. Xiang ChangKong had plenty of experience in wielding the knives, so peeling an orange was easy for him. The orange peel slowly elongated, until finally, the orange was peeled in a single, unbroken stroke. The sweet smell of the orange soon permeates the air.


    Xiang ChangKong peeled two oranges, placed them on a fruit plate, then pushed the plate towards Xu Lian.


    Xu Lian looked at the plate, then picked up a slice. It was as sweet as she imagined it to be.


    After eating the orange, Xu Lian wiped her hands on a paper towel and said: ¡°I have to go back to the shop. I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t expect her to leave so soon. Stunned, he subconsciously said: ¡°Don¡¯t you want to sit and rest for a little while longer?¡±


    ¡°No, I went abroad recently, so I have a long list of orders I need to catch up on.¡± Xu Lian stood up and put her bag on her shoulder. Xiang ChangKong followed her and also stood up. After a moment, he said: ¡°Then I¡¯ll send you downstairs.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡±


    They went out together. When they walked out of the kitchen doorway, Xiang Nuan saw them and asked: ¡°Brother, are you going out with Sister Xu Lian?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong changed into a pair of shoes and called out: ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sending her down.¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright!¡± Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t forget that when her brother sent Xu Lian back last time, he didn¡¯t come back until the next day!


    Xiang ChangKong knew what she was thinking, but he could only awkwardly turn and open the front door for Xu Lian. He told her: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The two had passed this narrow corridor many times, but this was the first time Xiang ChangKong had felt so awkward. Xu Lian didn¡¯t speak, and Xiang ChangKong was busy struggling to find an interesting topic to break this atmosphere. But before he could think of anything, Xu Lian, who had been walking beside him, suddenly tilted and fell onto him. Shocked, Xiang ChangKong steadied her and asked: ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong put a hand on her waist and looked down. They were so close together that Xiang ChangKong could feel her breath.


    Xu Lian that felt the hand on her waist was boiling hot. She quickly straightened and said: ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just twisted my foot a little.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong released his hold on her but was still a little uneasy. ¡°Ah¡­the heels of your shoes are high. Be careful when you walk.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡±


    After this brief episode, the two continued to walk downstairs in silence. However, Xu Lian felt that she could hear a thundering heartbeat during their entire journey to her car. She didn¡¯t know who¡¯s heartbeat it was.


    Xu Lian got in her car, while Xiang ChangKong stood outside and watched her fasten her seatbelt. He raised his hand and tapped on her window. Xu Lian lowered the window and asked: ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled and said: ¡°I¡¯ll still bring you a meal tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Drive carefully and take breaks during work.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Xu Lian adjusted the position of her seatbelt, deliberately avoiding Xiang ChangKong¡¯s gaze. ¡°Study well.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s smile deepened, and he nodded. ¡°Yes, I study every day.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯ll be leaving then.¡± Xu Lian closed her car window and drove away.


    As she left the gates of his neighborhood, Xu Lian breathed out a sigh. She didn¡¯t know if it was because she just hadn¡¯t been so close to Xiang ChangKong in a while, but¡­a simple hand on her waist actually caused her to go soft. When Xiang ChangKong leaned towards the window to talk to her, his proximity made her heart thump loudly.


    When she was in high school, al;l her fellow classmates would say that she was frigid. Even Wei YiChen once told her that she had a cold personality¡­now, she wants to tell each and every one of them: You were wrong!


    Xiang ChangKong stood on the basketball court until Xu Lian¡¯s car was no longer in his sights. When he arrived back home, Xiang Nuan was very surprised. ¡°Brother? Did you forget something?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Xiang ChangKong changed back into some slippers and said: ¡°I said I was sending her downstairs.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s gone already, so I came back, ah.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Xiang Nuan was speechless. Eventually, she managed to choke out: ¡°Brother, is your body alright?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xiang Nuan saw his expression and tried to encourage him: ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! There will be plenty of opportunities in the future!¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Although Xiang Nuan had seen him and Xu Lian kiss before, Xiang ChangKong was sure he hadn¡¯t taught her these kinds of things before.


    ¡°After washing the dishes, come and bring your test papers to my room.¡± Xiang ChangKong dropped this sentence, then walked to his room.


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­.¡±


    The following week, Xing ChangKong brought lunch to Xu Lian every day. On Friday, he had wanted to ask Xu Lian to have dinner in their home, but he suddenly got a call from their landlord.


    The landlord said they received news that their old building was set to be demolished by the city and that Xiang ChangKong could no longer rent the place. In the end, the landlord asked that he find another play to stay as soon as possible.


    The rental contract Xiang ChangKong had signed hadn¡¯t expired yet, so the landlord said that they would compensate them for the remaining rent amount. This type of demolition wasn¡¯t anything uncommon, and Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t want to put their landlord in an awkward position. So, in the end, he agreed. When Xiang ChangKong went home that day, he heard some of his neighbors talking about the impending demolition. Auntie Liu from next door stopped him and asked if he knew about it.


    Xiang ChangKong nodded in reply and told her about his conversation with their landlord. Auntie Liu had a pretty good impression on Xiang ChangKong and Xiang Nuan, so she offered to help them look for a new place. Xiang ChangKong thanked her, then went home.


    Inside, Weng ShuLi had also heard the rumblings of trouble. So when Xiang ChangKong arrived, she immediately asked about the situation.


    ¡°Mother, you don¡¯t need to worry. I¡¯ll find us another place to rent.¡±


    Since Xiang ChangKong said this, Weng ShuLi didn¡¯t ask again. Anyway, there should be plenty of other rental houses in the market.


    There were several houses available, but after looking at many different apartments for several days, Xiang ChangKong felt unsatisfied. Either the rent was too expensive, or the house was too far away. While he was still looking, Xu Lian took the initiative to send him a message.


    Xu Lian: Are you studying right now?


    This was the first time Xu Lian had ever texted him since they broke up. These five words instantly cleared the fog in Xiang ChangKong¡¯s heart.


    Xiang ChangKong: I¡¯m looking for a house. The place we¡¯re currently living in is about to get demolished, so we have to move.


    Xu Lian: When are they demolishing it? Have you found a place yet?


    Xiang ChangKong: Not yet. We¡¯re not in any real hurry. Our landlord said we can move anytime before the end of this month.


    Xu Lian had a thoughtful expression on her face as she looked down at her phone. She texted: Alright. Concentrate on your studies; I¡¯ll help you find a place.


    Xiang ChangKong chuckled. It seems that she¡¯s apprehensive about his studies. Truthfully, while he previously told Xu Lian that the postgraduate exam questions would be simple, the exam wasn¡¯t that easy.


    Xiang ChangKong: Well, I¡¯ll be troubling you. ^_^


    Xu Lian raised a brow. So Xiang ChangKong uses emojis now.


    Xu Lian closed the messaging app, opened her computer, then went into a house rental website.


    She had never rented a house before, so this would be the first time she ever visited this type of website. It wasn¡¯t long before the never-ending houses, and dense words gave her a headache. In the end, she thought about it and narrowed the search down to her neighborhood.


    She really found one. What¡¯s more, it was in the same neighborhood as her.


    Xu Lian dialed the number on the website and briefly chatted with the landlord.


    Just as Xiang ChangKong was about to sleep, he received another message from Xu Lian: I found a house in central.


    Xiang ChangKong delivered plenty of orders in Starlight Park, and what¡¯s more, Xu Lian lived in the district. So he was plenty familiar with the real estate there.


    Xiang ChangKong: Where you live?


    Xu Lian: Yes. Building 6, 2102.


    Building 6, 2102. Looking at these numbers, an image of the building immediately popped up in Xiang ChangKong¡¯s head. The apartments in Building 6 were two-bedroom, one-room houses. It was very different from the high-rise villa apartment that Xu Lian had in Building 8. Building 8 was a tall building with two elevators and 311 apartments. But while Building 6 couldn¡¯t compare,


    Building 6 wasn¡¯t next to the main street and had a garden and pavilions in front.


    Xiang ChangKong: Your neighborhood is quite expensive, isn¡¯t it?


    Xu Lian: I¡¯ve already talked with the landlord. The price is ok. The place is well decorated and already has all kinds of household appliances.


    Xu Lian: And I¡¯m nearby. I can take care of your mother if anything happens in the future.


    Xu Lian seriously thought about it. When Xiang ChangKong moves out in the future, it would be worrisome to have Auntie Weng live alone. If Auntie Weng lived in a safe community nearby, they could keep an eye on her and visit her.


    Xiang ChangKong: Are you voluntarily tying yourself to me? You¡¯re already planning our future cohabitation plans?


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­.¡±


    I thought he had a high IQ, ah? Haven¡¯t he ever heard of the phrase ¡®even if you see through their intentions, don¡¯t lay it bare¡¯?


    Xu Lian was in the middle of being embarrassed when Xiang ChangKong called her. Xu Lian listened to her phone ring for a long while, then picked up: ¡°What is it?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s silky voice sounded from the phone speaker as he chuckled. Unexpectedly, it sounded extremely sweet to Xu Lian.


    Xiang ChangKong said: ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just wanted to hear your voice.¡±


    Xu Lian felt her ears start to burn. She pretended not to hear his words and said: ¡°The landlord said you can go see the house at any time. If you like it, then you don¡¯t have to worry about the rent. I can pay part of it.¡±


    The other end of the phone was quiet for a while. In the end, Xiang ChangKong sighed and said: ¡°Xu Lian. Do you really intend to keep me?¡±


    (T/N: Keep me as in a mistress sort of way. Like Xiang ChangKong is a ¡®kept man.¡¯)


    Xu Lian promptly replied: ¡°This, this is just me investing in my country¡¯s aviation industry. You have to repay me in the future, ah.¡±


    Low laughter came out from her phone. Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t say anything else, so Xu Lian continued: ¡°Are you going to look at the place?¡±


    ¡°Un. I¡¯ll go tomorrow afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll tell the landlord.¡±


    After the matter was finalized, the conversation went quiet. Xu Lian was trying to think of a way to end the call when Xiang ChangKong whispered softly: ¡°Xu Lian, I really want to kiss you right now.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s grip on her phone unconsciously tightened. Her mouth flattened, and she said: ¡°Don¡¯t think you can act like a rouge over the phone. I still haven¡¯t forgiven you, ah.¡±


    Then she quickly ended the call.


    Her heart was beating fast, as if every word Xiang ChangKong had just said was a kiss on her body.


    The author has something to say:


    In the next chapter, an important supporting character will step onto the stage once more. They can¡¯t wait any longer¡­


    After all, it¡¯s been ages since we¡¯ve seen them, ah¡­


    Also-


    Readers who have read my previous books must think that this novel doesn¡¯t feel like any of my earlier works. This novel was an attempt of mine. Although the attempt wasn¡¯t very successful since there are fewer readers this time¡­


    When I wrote this novel, I wasn¡¯t in a very good state of mind because my income isn¡¯t in a good place. As a full-time author who lives on contributions, I¡¯ve always lived with the anxiety of starving [covers face]


    Especially when I started the mother storyline. Readers would leave messages saying, ¡®I hate this mother so much. I¡¯m abandoning this story¡¯ or ¡®I really can¡¯t stand this mother. I¡¯ll see you in the next story¡¯.


    In the end, I couldn¡¯t write the mother storyline in detail and had to abandon that thread. I thought that if I wrote this arc slowly, there would only be a few readers left in the end.


    I¡¯ve been rethinking my position lately. My friends say that short novels are beginning to drop out of the current online trend. It¡¯s true that stories nowadays are getting longer and longer. I¡¯ve been writing books that have 200,000 words, but I can¡¯t even make it to most of the lists in jjwxc.


    I wanted to adjust my situation, so I opened another quick transmigration novel if you want to have a look.


    Finally, I want to thank all the readers who have been following this story. It¡¯s only because you¡¯re still subscribed to this novel that I keep updating. Thank you very much QAQ

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    ***


    They were now entering December, so the temperature dropped a lot. Xu Lian didn¡¯t forget to wear a coat before going out today.


    She made an appointment with the landlord at 2:30 p.m., so she left her home ten minutes ahead of schedule. When she arrived at Building 6, she still had five minutes to spare. Xiang Changkong was already waiting in front.


    He stood alone and his head was slightly bowed, so his black hair hung over his face. Xiang ChangKong looked neat and easy-going, but somehow, he had this presence that made people unable to ignore him.


    Xu Lian stopped and watched him for a moment, then approached him. ¡°How long have you been waiting here? Why didn¡¯t you call me when you arrived?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong raised his head and gave her a natural smile. ¡°I just got here. It¡¯s almost time to meet up, so I thought you¡¯d be arriving soon.¡±


    Xu Lian put her hands in her coat pockets. ¡°Well, I called the landlord before I left my house. He¡¯s waiting for us upstairs.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The two walked side by side into the building. Xu Lian took advantage of their brief elevator ride to tell Xiang ChangKong about the apartment block. ¡°This apartment building is only two years old, so everything is still relatively new. The property is good, and the owner is credible. There are volleyball courts and tennis courts in the community and it¡¯s said that the indoor swimming pool will be finished soon.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong patiently listened to Xu Lian¡¯s explanation, then smiled. ¡°I often come to this neighborhood to deliver takeout, so I might actually be more familiar with this place than you are.¡±


    (T/N: If you¡¯re confused, basically, the neighborhood is a bunch of apartment buildings. In between the buildings, there are tennis courts, etc. All the buildings together make up one community.)


    Xu Lian raised a brow. ¡°Is that right? Then what are the apartment types in this building?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong gave her a wry smile at Xu Lian¡¯s obvious taunt. He replied: ¡°I told you before- We can only deliver food up to the customer¡¯s door. We can¡¯t actually enter their house.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Xu Lian¡¯s eyes turned meaningful as she said: ¡°But back then, you didn¡¯t stay outside.¡±


    ¡°You told me that since it was midnight, I was already off work.¡±


    ¡°I just offered. You stepping into my home means you wanted to come in.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Xiang ChangKong¡¯s face suddenly turned red, and he looked away. Xu Lian didn¡¯t understand his reaction, but after thinking about what she had just said, she realized something.


    An imperceptible smile graced her face. She didn¡¯t realize that the studious and talented Xiang ChangKong could have such a dirty mind.


    When they arrived on the 20th floor, they both left the elevator without a word. They turned right, then stopped at apartment 2122. Xu Lian pressed the doorbell.


    The landlord soon answered the door. When they entered the apartment, Xu Lian noted the wooden floor and the tasteful decor. The landlord took out two pairs of indoor slippers for them to put on.


    It seems that numerous people had already viewed the apartment. The slippers the landlord gave them looked a little used.


    The view on the 20th floor was good. Although the landscape was somewhat crowded, you can still see the sky in the distance. The 16 buildings in the community were deliberately staggered in a way that allowed residents to have sunshine and space.


    The balcony was also bigger than that of Xiu Lian¡¯s. Xiang ChangKong walked onto the balcony and looked up at the blue sky.


    Xu Lian went towards him and looked out at the scenery. ¡°The view here is good.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡± Xiang ChangKong lightly replied. His voice was so faint that Xu Lian felt like the wind could carry it away.


    The landlord knew that Xu Lian was also living in the neighborhood, so he was enthusiastic. He said: ¡°Why don¡¯t we looked at the bedroom again? Although the apartment is only a little over 90 square meters, the living room and bedroom are designed to look very spacious. They designed the area to have high utilization.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xiang ChangKong and Xu Lian turned and followed the landlord to the bedroom. The master bedroom was equipped with a large bed and a small cloakroom on the side. It was made by the landlord himself. The side bedroom was much smaller in comparison, and it didn¡¯t have a cloakroom, but it had a bay window so the view was nice.


    After looking through the house, Xu Lian and Xiang ChangKong felt satisfied with the place. Xiang ChangKong asked the landlord: ¡°How much is the rent here for a month?¡±


    The landlord smiled and said: ¡°I talked to Miss Xu on the phone yesterday about this. As you can see, this apartment is still quite new,. What¡¯s more, the environment is peaceful, and the facilities are also good. I wanted the rent to be 3200 yuan per month, but since Miss Xu is a neighbor and our meeting feels auspicious, I¡¯ll make it 3000 yuan per month.¡±


    The house Xiang ChangKong was currently renting was 1800 yuan a month. By contrast, this apartment was much more expensive. It really stretched his budget.


    While the walked through the house, Xu Lian could tell that Xiang ChangKong liked the place. The only problem was the rent. So Xu Lian looked at Xiang ChangKong and said: ¡°We agreed on the rent yesterday. If you like, we can make the down payment right now.¡±


    The landlord also went along with her. ¡°That¡¯s right. To be honest, the price I¡¯m giving you really is a good deal. A lot of people already toured the apartment so if you hesitate, another person will most likely snatch it¡­¡±


    After some thought, Xiang ChangKong said: ¡°But there¡¯s another problem. This apartment only has two rooms. I also have a younger sister¡­¡± Xiang Nuan may be at school most of the time, but she still can¡¯t live without her own room.


    The landlord became confused. He looked towards Xu Lian, then asked: ¡°I thought you and Miss Xu were planning on living together?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xu Lian dryly coughed, then told the landlord: ¡°Yes, we¡¯re planning to live together.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Oh¡­.so it¡¯s not that Xiang Nuan doesn¡¯t have a room, but it was him who didn¡¯t have a room.


    In the end, the house was settled. The landlord told them that when the contract was ready, he would call Xu Lian. Xu Lian and Xiang ChangKong said their goodbyes, then took the elevator down together.


    The elevator ride was very quiet, and Xiang ChangKong¡¯s jaw was a little taut. When the elevator passed the 17th floor, he couldn¡¯t help but say: ¡°Are you really going to let me move into your place?¡±


    Maybe it was because the landlord wasn¡¯t here, but Xu Lian didn¡¯t feel quite as embarrassed this time. She glanced at Xiang ChangKong and explained: ¡°Xiang Nuan comes home on Saturdays every week and only stays for one night. It¡¯s not very cost-effective to rent a three-bedroom house. Anyway, I have an empty spare bedroom. You can discuss it with Xiang Nuan to see who moves in with me. I won¡¯t charge rent.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Xiang ChangKong figured it wouldn¡¯t be much of a discussion. If he asked Xiang Nuan about this, she¡¯ll definitely push him to move in with Xu Lian.


    Since he didn¡¯t reply, Xu Lian continued: ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, or if you feel wronged, then you can set up a bed in the living room? Either way, it¡¯ll be much better than your current tiny bedroom.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Xiang ChangKong coughed, then said: ¡°I¡¯ll ask her tonight.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    When they left the elevator, the found that it was raining. The rain was quite torrential. The raindrops were dense, making it hard to see through it. Xu Lian frowned, then said: ¡°Why is it suddenly raining so hard, ah?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong suddenly remembered that the weather forecast said there was going to be rain today.


    They waited under the eaves for a while, but Xu Lian soon grew impatient. She looked at Xiang ChangKong and suggested: ¡°My place isn¡¯t far. We should run; It¡¯ll only take a minute or two.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong thought about it. If they went, Xu Lian could immediately take a bath. Since she wouldn¡¯t get cold, he nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    After seeing him agree, Xu Lian was about to step into the rain but was quickly stopped by Xiang ChangKong.


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t understand. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong took off his coat and spread it over Xu Lian¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You can still keep out some of the rain if you hold this up. It wouldn¡¯t be good if your clothes and bag get completely soaked.¡±


    Xu Lian looked down and saw his black coat covering her tightly like a solid wall. It was like she was like in a protective embrace. She looked back towards Xiang ChangKong and said: ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of your own clothes getting soaked?¡±


    ¡°My clothes don¡¯t matter.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied with a smile. ¡°Your clothes look so beautiful, ah. Won¡¯t you feel distressed if they get wet?¡±


    He had a little sister, so he was somewhat knowledgable about how a woman cares for their clothes.


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t answer and instead moved to the side. She raised a hand and lifted one corner of his coat, then said: ¡°Squeeze in. I¡¯ll also get distressed if you end up drenched.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong was startled. Then, his eyes grew bright, as if clouds had parted.


    ¡°Alright.¡± He said one word, then bent down to get inside the coat. With their shoulders touching, Xiang ChangKong held the other corner of the coat and asked: ¡°Ready?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Then on three.¡±


    ¡°Ok.¡±


    ¡°One, two, three!¡± After Xiang ChangKong said this, the two ran out together. The tops of their heads were hit with droplets and their feet splashed into puddles.


    After he saw that it was raining, the landlord had come downstairs to give them some umbrellas. But by the time he arrived, he saw the two running together underneath a coat.


    He silently retreated.


    It seems that they didn¡¯t need it anymore. Ah, it¡¯s nice to be young.


    Building 6 and Building 8 weren¡¯t that far away from each other. Like Xu Lian said, it only took a minute to run between them. When they arrived at Building 8, they hid under the eave and wiped the rain from their bodies. Noticing that Xiang ChangKong was a lot more soaked than her, Xu Lian said: ¡°Follow me up and take a bath.¡±


    ¡°No need. Just lend me an umbrella.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any umbrellas.¡± Xu Lian told him.


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Come on.¡± Xu Lian walked inside the elevator. Xiang ChangKong hesitated, but in the end, he went in the elevator before the doors closed shut.


    Xiang ChangKong coat was completely drenched, so Xu Lian placed it in her washing machine as soon as the entered her home. Xu Lian then looked for her father¡¯s extra clothes. After looking for a very long time, she finally found a pair of her father¡¯s pajamas and handed it to Xiang ChangKong. ¡°This is my dad¡¯s. Just make do with this for the time being.¡±


    Then, she handed Xiang ChangKong a clean towel.


    Xu Lian¡¯s apartment had two bathrooms. She planned to use the one in her bedroom, while Xiang ChangKong was assigned to the bathroom next to her guest bedroom. Xiang ChangKong accepted the towel and pajamas, then thanked her. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I¡¯m going now, so you go take a shower too.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong went into the bathroom and started the shower.


    This wasn¡¯t the first time Xiang ChangKong took a bath in Xu Lian¡¯s home. But every time he took a bath, it was because of of¡­well¡­


    His heart suddenly heated up. Xiang ChangKong lowered the temperature of the water, hoping to ease the heat in his body. When he finished, Xu Lian was still in the bathroom. Xiang ChangKong wasn¡¯t surprised. Girls usually like to take their time.


    Xiang ChangKong wore the clothes given to him, then went to the washing machine. When he peered inside, he noticed that in addition to his coat, Xu Lian¡¯s shirt and jeans were inside. He studied the machine, then turned it on to wash their wet clothes together.


    By the time the clothes finished, Xu Lian came out of the bathroom. She was also wearing pajamas, and her hair was wrapped in a towel on top of her head. She looked at the finished laundry, then went into the kitchen to grab two cans of beer. ¡°I could¡¯ve washed it myself.¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t matter.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied. ¡°I was free anyway.¡±


    Xu Lian smiled, then offered him a can. ¡°You want one?¡±


    ¡°Un.¡± Xiang ChangKong accepted the beer. He pulled the tab, then took a swig. Xu Lian also drank. As she lifted her head, the few drops of water along her neck slipped down to her clavicle, then disappeared into her collar.


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes followed the drop of water, his adam¡¯s apple inadvertently moving as he did so.


    Xu Lian drank the beer, feeling satisfied. But when she looked back down, her gaze connected with Xiang ChangKong.


    His eyes looked darker than usual. Xu Lian had seen this expression on him several times, so she almost immediately understood his thoughts.


    In the next second, Xiang ChangKong pushed her against the wall, his warm breath caressing the side of her neck. She hadn¡¯t been this close to him for a long time. His masculinity completely covered Xu Lian, making her feel strange.


    both of them were only wearing pajamas, so their temperatures passed through their thin clothes.


    Xu Lian¡¯s body, which had just come out of a bath, had an indescribable scent, bewitching Xiang ChangKong.


    The changes in his body were communicated to Xu Lian, and the two of them gradually lost themselves to passionate kisses. Xu Lian managed to come back to herself and attempted to push him away, but Xiang ChangKong held her tighter. He whispered into her ear: ¡°Don¡¯t push me away, Xu Lian, don¡¯t push me away.¡±


    Xu Lian couldn¡¯t move, but her hand was still placed on his chest. She could feel his heart beating wildly underneath her fingers.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to push you away. I just wanted to change locations.¡±


    His arm around her waist, Xiang ChangKong asked: ¡°Where to?¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s breath quickened and she had difficulty replying. ¡°Bedroom.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong lifted Xu Lian and brought her back to her room.


    The two were enthusiastic. Xu Lian pinched him, but still actively cooperated with his movements. However, once they were on top of the bed, she suddenly pushed him hard. Forced to stop, Xiang ChangKong looked at her incomprehensibly. Xu Lian gasped and said: ¡°Xiang ChangKong, you told me not to push you away. In return, you shouldn¡¯t push me away.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s desire filled eyes gradually brightened. He hugged Xu Lian once more and kissed her tenderly.


    With this kiss, he solemnly replied: ¡°Alright.¡±

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    ***


    When Xu Lian dazedly opened her eyes, the sounds of splashing in the bathroom stopped. Xiang ChangKong soon came out in his pajamas and was wiping his hair with a dry towel. Seeing Xu Lian¡¯s drowsy expression, Xiang ChangKong smiled and sat next to her. ¡°You¡¯ve woken up?¡±


    ¡°Un¡­¡± Xu Lian felt a little tired and also somewhat sore. She didn¡¯t want to move. Xiang ChangKong gently touched her hair and said: ¡°Take a bath. I¡¯ll go fill the tub for you.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to cook. What do you want to eat?¡±


    Xu Lian thought for a while, then said: ¡°I don¡¯t think there are any ingredients in the fridge.¡± These past few days, she had been relying on the food Xiang ChangKong was sending to her. She hadn¡¯t bought vegetables for a long time.


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°It¡¯s alright. The rain has stopped so I can go to the supermarket downstairs and buy some.¡±


    Xu Lian lazily answered, then Xiang ChangKong went back into the bathroom to fill the bathtub. After a while, he came back into the room and called Xu Lian to take a bath. Xu Lian involuntarily rose from her comfortable position and went in with a towel.


    Xiang ChangKong put their laundered clothes outside to dry, then went downstairs to buy food. There was only one supermarket nearby, but the recently opened market was a vegetable store connected to Starlight Farm. Starlight Farm¡¯s products were more expensive than the other supermarkets, so Xiang ChangKong chose to go to another supermarket despite it being a little further away.


    The environment of this neighborhood was great, but most of the stores nearby were partial to the Starlight brand. The nearest vegetable market not connected to Starlight was more than ten minutes away by car. After moving here, it wouldn¡¯t be as convenient to buy things compared to his previous home.


    The area around Starlight Park had been developing ever since Starlight Park was constructed. The community of apartments was very new, but there were almost no support facilities around it. It only had one supermarket. But residents living in such remote places usually had cars, so it wasn¡¯t too much trouble for them.


    Fortunately, he still had his battery scooter.


    Xiang ChangKong went to the supermarket to buy some things, then went to another nearby vegetable market to buy vegetables before going home.


    He carried the bags up the building and opened Xu Lian¡¯s front door with her key. It seems that Xu Lian was still in the bath since the room was so quiet. He put the food in the kitchen, then went to the bedroom to knock on the bathroom door. ¡°Xu Lian, did you fall asleep again? Wake up, the water¡¯s probably gone cold.¡±


    Xu Lian really did fall asleep in the bathtub, and Xiang ChangKong¡¯s knock woke her up. She sat up and looked towards the closed door. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡±


    ¡°Un. I¡¯m going to cook now. You can eat after you wash up.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡± Xu Lian stretched her neck then turned on the shower.


    Xiang ChangKong¡¯s calculations were entirely accurate. Xu Lian came out of the shower just as he placed the last dish on the table. At first, Xu Lian felt too tired to be hungry, but when she smelled the delicious food, her stomach suddenly grumbled.


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­¡±


    She was actually this hungry?


    Xiang ChangKong heard her little grunt and smiled. He helped Xu Lian to the chair then placed some chopsticks into her hand. ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, then you should eat. Do you want some soup?¡±


    ¡°Un.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong took her empty bowl then poured some soup for her.


    Xu Lian thought how comfortable it was to be served like this.


    Ah¡­becoming corrupt is so easy.


    After dinner, Xiang ChangKong naturally washed the dishes. Xu Lian said she was going to buy a dishwasher before, but she had completely forgotten all about it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember to look at some dishwasher machines tomorrow.¡± Xu Lian hammered her aching waist then walked towards Xiang ChangKong.


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t mind washing the dishes since he had been doing a lot of housework for the past few years. He told her: ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Go sit down and rest; don¡¯t mind me.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±Xu Lian took two steps towards the living room, then looked back towards Xiang ChangKong. ¡°Are you leaving after you¡¯ve washed the dishes?¡±


    ¡°Well, I have to go back and pack my things for the move. Oh, I also have to call Xiang Nuan.¡±


    Xu Lian thought about it and nodded. Then, she went back to her room, feeling exhausted. She figured she wouldn¡¯t be able to live if this continued until next month.


    But while she thought like this, Xu Lian still picked up her phone and sent a message, asking if those little red boxes were still available.


    Xiang ChangKong used the last box today. She had to re-stock.


    After she dealt with the matter, she safely went back to sleep.


    Meanwhile, when Xiang ChangKong returned home, Weng ShuLi had already cooked dinner. When she saw her son come back, she asked: ¡°You¡¯re back? Have you eaten?¡±


    ¡°I already ate.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied.


    Weng ShuLi then asked: ¡°How¡¯s the house?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a nice apartment, but it only has two rooms. I have to discuss the living arrangements with Xiang Nuan.¡±


    Weng ShuLi thought for a moment, then said: ¡°She can stay with me, but she¡¯s getting older. I¡¯m afraid she wouldn¡¯t want to live with me.¡± Even if Xiang Nuan was still a child, she still should have her own private space.


    Xiang ChangKong smiled and explained: ¡°Well, Xu Lian said she had a spare room at her place. Xiang Nuan can stay there if she wants, and if she doesn¡¯t, well, we can put a bed int he living room.¡± After all, he and Xu Lian haven¡¯t married. Xiang ChangKong felt that it wasn¡¯t very appropriate for him to move in like this.


    He waited until Xiang Nuan¡¯s school was over, then called her to talk about it. And as he guessed, Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t even need a second to think about it before she replied: ¡°Brother, why sleep in the living room when you can just live with big sister Xu Lian?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong embarrassedly replied: ¡°We haven¡¯t gotten married; it wouldn¡¯t be suitable.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Xiang Nuan was speechless. You¡¯ve already done this and that, ah. It¡¯s a little late for you to think about such things. She didn¡¯t want her brother to sleep in the living room, so she said: ¡°Then I¡¯ll move with big sister Xu Lian first. Brother, you should hurry up, ah. The earlier you get things sorted, the earlier I can give you my room in big sister¡¯s house.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xiang Nuan was actually a little curious about Xu Lian¡¯s home. She had seen Xu Lian¡¯s beautiful decorated store, so she figured that Xu Lian¡¯s house would be just as lovely. Xiang Nuan wondered what kind of home a beautiful and independent big sister like Xu Lian had.


    With this kind of expectation in their hearts, Saturday was finally ushered in. When Xiang Nuan came home, the place was filled with packed boxes. Xiang ChangKong and Weng ShuLi had packed some things, but they waited for Xiang Nuan to clean up her own stuff.


    After having lunch, Xiang Nuan began to pack and move to Xu Lian¡¯s home. Xiang ChangKong had already told Xu Lian that Xiang Nuan was moving in, and Xu Lian had long guessed that this would be the case.


    Since Xiang Nuan spent most of her time in school, she didn¡¯t have a lot of things she needed to pack. This move also had very little impact on her. Xu Lian simply tidied up the guest room a bit and transferred the small number of personal belongings she had back into her own room. Then, she went downstairs to the entrance to wait for Xiang Nuan.


    Moving was never easy. There were too many things to move, so for today, it would only be Xiang Nuan who would be moving. Xiang ChangKong helped Xiang Nuan bring up her things first, and planned to gradually move the rest of their stuff in the new house after Xiang Nuan went back to school.


    As soon as Xiang Nuan entered the neighborhood, she became excited. ¡°It¡¯s so great here! Although it¡¯s a little far from the city, it¡¯s quiet.¡±


    Xu Lian agreed with this very much. It was the main reason why she chose this place. Apart from it¡¯s close proximity to Starlight Park, she enjoyed its quiet surroundings.


    Of course, being quiet also meant it was sparsely populated.


    Worried that Xiang Nuan would be inconvenienced by its lack of facilities, Xu Lian tried to pitch her home to her. ¡°Although I¡¯m a bit biased, I think the area has a lot of potential. There¡¯s a subway entrance nearby, making it convenient to travel. The area relies heavily on Starlight Park, but the government is focusing on expanding the area, so after all the construction is finished, we wouldn¡¯t need to go as far as downtown for necessities.¡±


    Xiang Nuan laughed. ¡°Big sister Xu Lian, is that the pitch they used to cheat you into buying your home?¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Truthfully, Xu Lian was aware that while those future projects seemed nice, half of those plans weren¡¯t even finished. Moreover, such a massive project could only be completed after ten years.


    Xiang Nuan walked ahead, while Xu Lian and Xiang ChangKong were a little ways behind. Xiang ChangKong said: ¡°The flying institute is also in the area, so I¡¯ll be able to work nearby in the future.¡±


    The flying institute was even further than Starlight Park, but they were both in the same direction, and there wasn¡¯t a district in between the two, making it somewhat convenient.


    Xu Lian smiled and nodded in response.


    When they arrived at Xu Lian¡¯s house, Xu Lian took out the slippers she specially prepared for Xiang Nuan. Xiang Nuan looked at the fluffy slippers beside her feet and couldn¡¯t help but feel moved. ¡°What lovely slippers! Thank you, big sister Xu Lian!¡±


    Xu Lian smiled. This little girl is so cute, ah, getting so happy over a pair of slippers. Xu Lian couldn¡¯t help but rub the top of Xiang Nuan¡¯s head and say: ¡°That¡¯s good. Come in and have a look around.¡±


    After entering the house, Xiang Nuan happily sighed at Xu Lian¡¯s tasteful decorations. She then went and looked at her room, noticing that the decor beautifully matched the aesthetics in the living room. There was even a small bay window in her room that instantly captured her heart. After a brief turn, Xiang Nuan went to check Xu Lian¡¯s bedroom.


    Xu Lian¡¯s vanity was filled with various bottles and jars of different heights, then a single tube of lipstick. Xiang Nuan couldn¡¯t help but exclaim at the sight. Xiang ChangKong followed her in, worried that Xiang Nuan would mess up Xu Lian¡¯s things. Seeing his sister¡¯s eyes shining, he couldn¡¯t help but follow the direction of her gaze.


    Truthfully, he was also a little curious about the things on Xu Lian¡¯s vanity.


    He asked Xiang Nuan: ¡°Do you know what those are?¡±


    Xiang Nuan replied: ¡°Those are hundreds of yuan, ah.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xu Lian walked over and asked: ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    The brother-sister pair turned back and looked at her at the same time, then simultaneously said: ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­.¡±


    After Xiang Nuan was settled, Xiang ChangKong signed the contract with the landlord and paid one year¡¯s worth of rent. After that, Xiang ChangKong and WengShuLi moved some of their things over and did a big cleanup.


    Although it was only a rental, the move still deserved a proper housewarming. Xiang ChangKong took advantage of Xiang Nuan¡¯s presence and made a big feast in their new home.


    Xu Lian ate a wonderful, hearty meal. Xu Lian also unveiled the dishwasher that she had bought for them as a congratulatory gift. Xu Lian explained that she had planned on buying a dishwasher and ended up buying two when the salesperson offered a 20% discount on the two machines.


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t find her words very convincing. After all, who would buy two dishwashers for one house?


    But the dishwasher was a good brand, so it still ended up the new house.


    The temperatures were getting increasingly lower, and the year was gradually drawing to a close.

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52


    ***


    Xiang ChangKong had to work late on Christmas day, so he wasn¡¯t able to spend time with Xu Lian. Xu Lian didn¡¯t have the habit of celebrating Christmas either, so she didn¡¯t mind. For her, the only noteworthy thing happening on Christmas was that orders in her store skyrocketed, and her workload grew excessively.


    Xu Lian helping Xiang ChangKong move, coupled with the sudden influx of Christmas orders, made Xu Lian quite tired. Since Xiang ChangKong was busy with work, she usually goes home early and sleeps early.


    In contrast to this, QingNan lane, the most famous bar street in the city, was lively. It was a place for all-night revelries in regular days, let alone Christmas. Tonight, many people were coming and going. Wei YiChen spent some time helping out in his store, but eventually, he told Ah Mao to watch his bar and left.


    After leaving his bar, Wei YiChen took a turn and went to Zhao Jie¡¯s pub. Zhao Jie was a pivotal figure in QingNan lane, so Wei YiChen wanted to ask him about Qian Liang¡¯s affairs.


    Zhao Jie already expected this, so he specially sent his people to wait for Wei YiChen outside his pub. After they saw Wei YiChen approach, Zhao Jie¡¯s men took him directly into a room like some sort of courier package. Zhao Jie¡¯s men didn¡¯t follow Wei YiChen in the room but instead stood outside the door as a guard. The only other person in the private room was Zhao Jie, who was sitting in the middle of a huge sofa.


    When Wei YiChen first laid eyes on Zhao Jie, he felt that the man wasn¡¯t an ordinary pub owner. This was because Zhao Jie dressed and looked like a typical librarian.


    The man looked too cultured and graceful to own a pub.


    However, after experiencing years of owning a bar himself, Wei YiChen understood that you can¡¯t judge a book by its cover. In fact, wasn¡¯t Xiang ChangKong the same? Who would¡¯ve thought that he was a talented student who graduated from the University of Technology? As an aircraft designer no less.


    ¡°Brother Jie.¡± Wei YiChen took the initiative to say hello to the man sitting across from him. Zhao Jie nodded his head in reply, then said in a very gentle voice: ¡°I heard from QianMan that you were hurt by Qian Liang¡¯s people. How¡¯s your injury?¡±


    Wei YiChen smiled and said: ¡°It¡¯s alright, thanks to Sister QianMan¡¯s help.¡±


    Zhao Jie smiled back, but soon got straight to the point. ¡°is your visit today related to Qian Liang¡¯s affairs?¡±


    Wei YiChen didn¡¯t avoid the topic and replied: ¡°QingNan street has rules and while this isn¡¯t the first time Qian Liang has broken them, he¡¯s becoming more and more rampant these days. It¡¯s gotten to the point that even my customers are getting affected.¡±


    Scam girls, nightclubs¡­these were somewhat sensitive topics. These were words the average person usually shied away from in daylight. However, recently, Qian Liang was trying to court disaster by employing these dirty tactics. Wei YiChen wanted to stop Qian Liang now, lest he implicates the entire QingNan lane.


    (T/N: scam girl/woman who lures men to an exorbitantly priced bar)


    Zhao Jie poured Wei YiChen a glass of wine, then took a sip from his own glass. ¡°QianMan also mentioned this to me. Ordinarily, anyone doing business in QingNan lane tends to mind their own business, but like you said, we all comply with the rules. We certainly disagree with Qian Liang¡¯s bad etiquette. It seems that Qian Liang is getting too carried away after experiencing so much sweetness recently. I¡¯ll have to come forward and remind him.¡±


    This was why Wei YiChen came to visit him today. Last time he confronted Qian Liang himself but suffered a loss. He could no longer act so hasty.


    Truthfully, he wasn¡¯t scared of Qian Liang. After all, he had been wandering through the underbelly of this city for many years now. The knife wound inflicted on him was nothing. He was more afraid that, like Zhu Bing, Qian Liang would go make trouble with Xu Lian.


    ¡°Since Brother Jie said this, then I can rest assured. If there¡¯s something I can do, please don¡¯t hesitate to tell me.¡± Wei YiChen picked up his wine glass, lightly tapped it against Zhao Jie¡¯s glass, then drank it all in one breath.


    After leaving Zhao Jie¡¯s pub, Wei YiChen found that it was snowing. He remembered that Xu Lian liked the snow. Xu Lian was typically so cold-blooded and uninterested, but Wei YiChen remembered the first time he saw her smile. It was during a cold winter day during their senior year of high school.


    At the time, he thought- her smile was so beautiful. It was such a shame that Xu Lian didn¡¯t like to laugh.


    ¡°Wei YiChen.¡±


    A woman standing in front of the pub suddenly called out to him. Wei YiChen turned away from the falling snow and looked towards the woman.


    Oh, it was the woman Wei YiChen met in Zuo QianMan¡¯s bar: Fang QiuYun.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Wei YiChen put his hands in his coat pockets and walked towards her with a half-smile.


    Fang QiuYun replied: ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so interested in girls.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Wei YiChen didn¡¯t react to this provocation and instead asked: ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Fang QiuYun smiled and said: ¡°When you were looking at the snow, you looked especially feminine.¡±


    (T/N: Like, he was looking at the snow the same way a girl would look at the snow.)


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Wei YiChen threw her a cold stare and didn¡¯t bother replying. As he started to walk away, Fang QiuYun laughed and called him again: ¡°Wei YiChen.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Wei YiChen looked back at her impatiently. ¡°What is it? Is snow exclusively for women? Men can¡¯t watch the snowfall?¡±


    The corner of Fang QiuYun¡¯s mouth quirked up. She looked at him and said: ¡°Is your injury all better?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Fang QiuYun subconsciously glanced at his arm. ¡°You better not provoke Qian Liang. He¡¯s crazy. He has no morals and is capable of anything.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your reminder.¡± Wei YiChen turned away. As he walked off, he raised his hand and waved at her.


    Fang QiuYun watched him leave. Just before he turned the corner, a cold snowflake fell on his face.


    Ah, the snow really is beautiful.


    She smiled, then turned and went back inside the pub.


    When Xu Lian got up the next day, the first thing she did after she found out that it snowed last night was to post a picture of the snow and share it to her circle of friends. Xu Lian was very annoyed that she missed this year¡¯s first snowfall. She pressed on Xiang ChangKong¡¯s icon to open their conversation and sent him a message.


    Xu Lian: Did you know that it snowed last night?


    Xiang ChangKong: Yes, I was outside last night.


    Xiang ChangKong: [photo][photo] doesn¡¯t it look nice?


    The pictures he sent were, of course, photos of the snow he took last night.


    Xiang ChangKong: The streets were pretty busy last night.


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xu Lian [goodbye.jpg]


    (T/N: Like a reaction photo.)


    Xiang ChangKong: What¡¯s the matter?


    Xu Lian: ( ?¨Œ?) I didn¡¯t see the snow because I went to sleep early yesterday.


    Xiang ChangKong: You sleep too early. (¡® ¨Œ ` )


    Xiang ChangKong: Do you like the snow?


    Xu Lian: Un. It usually doesn¡¯t snow in City A. It¡¯s mostly just really light snowfall.


    Xu Lian: Aren¡¯t you usually outside? Next time it snows, please let me know as soon as possible!


    When Xiang ChangKong read her message, he couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Xu Lian actually had a somewhat childish side to her.


    Xiang ChangKong: Alright.


    As soon as Christmas passes, one would need to prepare for the new year. These days, Weng ShuLi had been practicing dancing at home. She was trying to get back to her previous level.


    Dancing was the kind of skill that would become rusty if one didn¡¯t practice for a long time. Fortunately, Weng ShuLi had a good foundation and managed to recover quite well. After contacting her sisters from her previous dance group and meeting up with them several times, Weng ShuLi figured that she was in pretty good health now. Weng ShuLi decided to go back to work and teach children to dance again.


    Her plans were slowly taking shape, but her work changed from teaching children to teaching elderly uncles and aunts. Nevertheless, Weng ShuLi wanted to work, and reception was good as the uncles and aunts liked her very much. By January next year, Weng ShuLi will be able to formally teach.


    Next year was going to be a new beginning.

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53


    ***


    It was now January, and Xiang ChangKong¡¯s postgraduate exams were just around the corner. While the test taker himself didn¡¯t feel much pressure, Xu Lian and Xiang Nuan were very nervous for him. Especially Xiang Nuan, who often called for Xiang ChangKong to study alongside her whenever she came home. Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t know if he should cry or laugh at Xiang Nuan¡¯s actions.


    Weng ShuLi was, surprisingly, the calmest person other than Xiang ChangKong. She knew that her son was smart, and she still remembered Xiang ChangKong¡¯s results when he took the college entrance exams. In fact, Weng ShuLi was much more concerned about Xiang Nuan¡¯s upcoming college entrance exams.


    She recently started work and had to put more of her attention to her job. Weng ShuLiu¡¯s job this time was to teach retired old men and women how to dance in a nearby recreation center. It had excellent benefits, and she also has vacation time during the summer and winter holidays.


    Xiang Nuan had pulled Xu Lian to secretly visit Weng ShuLi¡¯s workplace once. When Xiang Nuan was young, she would often see her mother dance onstage. Now, years later, she only had some fragmentary and fuzzy memories of this. But while Weng ShuLi was no longer dancing on a grand stage, Xiang Nuan¡¯s old memories still overlapped with the current Weng ShuLi.


    In the year her father died, Xiang Nuan really believed that she would never see her mother dance again. So now, as she watched Weng ShuLi spin, skip and bend, Xiang Nuan thought it wonderful.


    ¡°Your mother dances very well.¡± Xu Lian peered through the door and whispered to Xiang Nuan.


    Xiang Nuan proudly puffed out her chest, as if she was the one being praised. ¡°Of course! You know, my mother was the best and most beautiful dancer before! My father fell in love at her at first sight, ah.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Xu Lian privately thought that the man sounded quite superficial.


    They watched the class from outside for a while, then quietly left. They didn¡¯t want to disturb Weng ShuLi.


    Maybe it was because the New Year really did bring about a new mood, but after getting discharged from the hospital, Cheng Peng began to look for a suitable place to open his shop- and pulled Xiang ChangKong into helping him.


    (T/N: if you forgot, Cheng Peng is the co-worker of Xiang ChangKong in the delivery service. He was the one who broke his leg.)


    The reason Cheng Peng chose Xiang ChangKong was very simple: it was because Xiang ChangKong was the most educated of all his friends. Roping in the most intelligent person he knew meant that he certainly won¡¯t lose out.


    But in fact, Xiang ChangKong had no experience in something like selecting shop space. He felt that Xu Lian would be much more knowledgable in this area.


    ¡°Honestly, I think my neighborhood is much more suitable. It has great foot traffic, and the rent isn¡¯t expensive!¡± After visiting two different places, Cheng Peng began to miss his own lively community.


    Xiang ChangKong asked: ¡°Then why not directly rent a space there? It¡¯ll be much closer and more convenient for you.¡±


    Cheng Peng sighed. ¡°My wife thinks there are already too many small snack stores in our area and that it wouldn¡¯t be easy for us to open one there. She also thinks that most of the stores in the neighborhood do their business too casually. She likes our shop to be somewhat flashy¡­do you know Xiang Piao Shi Li? The owner of that shop is especially handsome, and they even had a ribbon-cutting event during its opening day! My wife is pushing for me to learn from people like that, ah. She says that since we¡¯re opening a store, we should try to at least have a good style. Honestly, I think she just finds that owner to be handsome!¡±


    (T/N: Xiang Piao Shi Li translates to ¡®sweet-smelling aroma traveling for five kilometers¡¯. That¡¯s such a long restaurant name lol so I just left it in Chinese.)


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°The tiny BBQ stores in our neighborhood are like that, ah. Nevermind the food, as long as there¡¯s a pretty face, business will boom!¡± Cheng Peng quarreled with his wife about this several times, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t win. He could only run away and obediently look for other commercial places to rent.


    Xiang ChangKong thought about their previous neighborhood. It had plenty of stores, and because it was near residential buildings, everyone was familiar with each other and paid less attention to the beauty and aesthetics of their shops. Xiang ChangKong said: ¡°Truthfully, even if your store has a good style, the most important thing when it comes to small snack shop is hygiene, followed by taste.¡±


    ¡°That one empty spot in our neighborhood could easily be decorated stylishly, ah.¡± Cheng Peng mumbled.


    Xiang ChangKong told him: ¡°Perhaps she thinks that your community¡¯s geographical location specifically has no style.¡±


    (T/N: your neighborhood specifically has no style, it has nothing to do with the store.)


    ¡°¡­¡± Cheng Peng was silent for a while, then said: ¡°The boss of Xiang Piao Shi Li is what pulls customers, ah.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled. ¡°Their snack store is decorated in a very distinctive and simple style. Also, their boss isn¡¯t often in the store.¡±


    Cheng Peng¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You eat there?¡±


    ¡°Un, their food tastes pretty delicious.¡±


    Cheng Peng: ¡°¡­¡±


    Ah, he shouldn¡¯t have invited this traitor for skewers! Who knew that Xiang ChangKong was colluding with the enemy!


    The third commercial space they visited was the worst one- it was why Cheng Peng chose to leave it for last. It wasn¡¯t that the location was terrible, or the space was lousy- quite the opposite, actually. It was so good that Cheng Peng was sure that he wouldn¡¯t be able to afford such a store unless he worked for several more years.


    The space was located in a business district near QingNan street. QingNan street was practically the landmark of City A¡¯s nightlife. Its bars would always be filled, and most of their customers were wealthy clients and celebrities. QingNan street¡¯s high-end bars were places ordinary people couldn¡¯t afford.


    What¡¯s more, because of QingNan street, the area around it increased in value. So the value of this particular commercial space was evident.


    ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t have come and looked at this kind of place.¡± Cheng Peng initially wanted to visit this store just to get a feel of the place. But after looking at all the rental prices for spaces near QingNan street, Cheng Peng was full of awe. He looked at Xiang ChangKong and asked: ¡°Do you come here to drink at night?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°No, I only come here during the day for deliveries.¡±


    Cheng Peng shook his head. ¡°I used to do deliveries here at night. So many luxury cars would be parked outside the bars that it was more spectacular than most car shows! If your car is even just the littlest bit inferior, it would be so obvious because it would be surrounded by such expensive cars.¡±


    As a native of City A, Xiang ChangKong naturally knew such information. The rows of luxury cars in QingNan street used to be in the newspaper, after all. Cheng Peng sighed and asked him: ¡°By the way, which area is your girlfriend¡¯s store in?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°Starlight Park.¡±


    Cheng Peng: ¡°¡­¡±


    Another awe-inspiring street.


    ¡°Why are there so many rich people in City A, ah!¡± Cheng Peng complained.


    Xiang ChangKong tilted his head. ¡°Isn¡¯t that normal?¡±


    Cheng Peng: ¡°¡­¡±


    Yes, fine. He was the one who wasn¡¯t worthy. He was the one who was too poor for City A.


    ¡°Sigh, I think the space in our neighborhood is the best. I¡¯ll have to discuss this with my wife later today.¡± He decided to try and persuade his wife once more by telling her the expensive rent of this place. He must also show just how cute the space in their neighborhood was, ah.


    Xiang ChangKong smile. ¡°Yes, I think so too. Although the surrounding stores would be incompatible to the aesthetics your wife wants for your store, I think it would still be worth it.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, having a distinctly different style means we can stand out from our competitors.¡± Cheng Peng patted Xiang ChangKong¡¯s shoulder, then asked him: ¡°Why don¡¯t you come home with me and try me and my wife¡¯s dishes? I¡¯ve dragged you along all day; let me treat you to a delicious meal.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong thought about all the reading he still needed to finish for his upcoming exams and refused. ¡°I have to take the postgraduate exams soon, so I have to study. I¡¯ll gratefully accept your offer after I finish the exams, though.¡±


    ¡°Ok, no problem.¡± Cheng Peng knew that Xiang ChangKong was going to be taking an exam soon and didn¡¯t want to disturb him during this critical period. Instead, they made an appointment to meet up another time.


    Because the two men lived in different directions, Cheng Peng and Xiang ChangKong decided to part ways here. There was a subway entrance in this business district, but Xiang ChangKong would have to switch train lines if he wanted to get off at Starlight Park. So Xiang ChangKong decided to simply walk to QingNan street and take the subway there so he wouldn¡¯t need to transfer.


    QingNan street had a multitude of narrow and winding alleyways that stretched to different directions. It would be challenging for someone unfamiliar with the place to navigate it¡¯s complicated trails successfully. Since Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t want to take any detours, he planned to use the shortest, most straightforward route to the subway entrance in QingNan street. Xiang ChangKong had only been in QingNan street a few times, but his ability to remember roads was quite powerful, so he wasn¡¯t particularly worried.


    It was currently in the middle of the afternoon, so all the bars were quiet. Right now, the usually lively bars weren¡¯t much different from regular shops. Though there was one key aspect that showed obvious disparity- the names on the signs around Xiang ChangKong were a little more¡­eccentric that what a typical general store would have.


    Xiang ChangKong heard from Xu Lian that Wei YiChen had a bar in QingNan street, but he didn¡¯t know the name of it. At the thought of Wei YiChen, Xiang ChangKong couldn¡¯t help but think back to their last meeting in the hospital. At the time, Wei YiChen¡¯s wound didn¡¯t look shallow.


    As Xiang ChangKong walked out of the alley, he saw a group of people standing in front, surrounding a man that looked like Wei YiChen.


    Xiang ChangKong frowned and carefully looked at this scene. It wasn¡¯t a person that looked like Wei YiChen, but Wei YiChen himself.


    Just as he determined the identity of the man, the group suddenly started fighting. Xiang ChangKong felt that the situation was perilous for Wei YiChen because it was apparent to any outsider that all the other people weren¡¯t on Wei YiChen¡¯s side.


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t know why they were brawling, but even if Wei YiChen could fight, it would still be impossible for him to fight so many people all by himself.


    Wei YiChen was currently cursing up a storm.


    He had previously asked Zhao Jie to come forward and warn Qian Liang about his actions. Zhao Jie agreed to his request and reminded Qian Liang about the rules of QingNan street, which actually seemed to have worked. These past few days, Qian Lian confined himself in his small stronghold, so Wei YiChen thought the matter was over. But who knew that Qian Liang would do something risky and try to make a move on him!


    Wei YiChen berated Qian Liang in his mind. He doesn¡¯t dare provoke Zhao Jie, so he decided to take out his anger on me?!


    Truthfully, Wei YiChen expected the story of him going to Zhao Jie to reach Qian Liang¡¯s ears. After all, there were so many people in the bar that night. It would be more strange for Wei YiChen if Qian Liang didn¡¯t find out about his visit. But Wei YiChen didn¡¯t think that Qian Liang would join forces with Zhu Bing to screw him over. They even used Fang QiuYun¡¯s name to trick him into coming to this deserted place.


    What did Fang QiuYun have to do with him? Wei YiChen wondered: Did he have a brain fart when he decided to diligently come over like an idiot?


    Wei YiChen didn¡¯t know why, but the night Fang QiuYun brought him to the hospital flashed through his mind. She had stood in front of the car and waited for him in the cold, windy dark. Her lone figure looked fragile.


    Forget it. It seems that in this lifetime, women will be his downfall.


    Zhu Bing made trouble with him because the woman Zhu Bing liked approached him. Then, Zhu Bing smashed Xu Lian¡¯s store, implicating him once again. Even now, Qian Liang learned to threaten him with not just Xu Lian, but also Fang QiuYun.


    He never even touched any of these women, ah! Isn¡¯t this a huge loss for him?!


    ¡°I say¡­Qian Liang, can you use another excuse other than women for once?¡± Wei YiChen complained.


    Qian Liang smiled as he replied: ¡°But it¡¯s an especially useful reason when dealing with someone like you, ah. Brother Chen, don¡¯t you know that you¡¯re famous in QingNan street for being especially affectionate to women?¡±


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­.¡±


    What affectionate?! He was still a single dog, ah! Who would believe such nonsense?!


    While Wei YiChen was distracted, Qian Liang¡¯s henchmen tried to punch him again. There wasn¡¯t any semblance of mercy in the punch. Wei YiChen dodged the fist that headed to his face but was still hit on the stomach. Wei YiChen staggered back two steps with a frown.


    The thugs surrounding him didn¡¯t give Wei YiChen time to relax. Before he could properly stand up, another fist was headed his way.


    Just as the punch reached Wei YiChen, the thug¡¯s shoulder was suddenly grabbed. The thug subconsciously turned to look in that direction and instantly got a fist to the face.


    Wei YiChen was surprised. He looked at the person who just helped him and exclaimed: ¡°Xiang ChangKong, why are you here?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong took off his coat for more mobility, then looked at the enemies that surrounded him. ¡°I was just unlucky and happened to pass by.¡±


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong tilted his head towards Wei YiChen and laughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the third fight I would have in my entire life would be because of you.¡±

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    ***


    Xiang ChangKong tilted his head towards Wei YiChen and laughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the third fight I would have in my entire life would be because of you.¡±


    Qian Liang had a lot of men, and honestly, there wouldn¡¯t be much of a difference if Xiang ChangKong joined the fight. Wei YiChen was good at fighting, but no matter how skilled he was, two fists would find it difficult to beat four hands. Xiang ChangKong had good physical fitness and decent strength, but he lacked any sort of fighting experience. When it came to fighting, Wei YiChen¡¯s philosophy was ¡®practice makes perfect.¡¯


    The two underdogs suffered a lot. Qian Liang stood on the side and indifferently watched the show, but he never personally raised a hand.


    After a blow to his chin, Wei YiChen angrily kicked his attacker in the gut- he remembered that this was the man who cut his arm with a knife back then.


    With this past grudge added to his current hatred, Wei YiChen¡¯s eyes turned red. Another enemy tried to lock Wei YiChen into a death-grip, but Wei YiChen turned around and broke free.


    This thug had been kicked by Wei YiChen was also mad at him. He rushed towards Wei YiChen and pulled out a familiar object from his pockets- it was a knife.


    Xiang ChangKong beat up the two men next to him and turned around, just in time to see a man with a knife run towards Wei YiChen¡¯s back. Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he warned Wei YiChen with a shout: ¡°Be careful!¡±


    Wei YiChen didn¡¯t even have time to turn around before the man was already upon him. Using his fast reflexes, Xiang ChangKong flew towards Wei YiChen and, like a basketball defender, blocked the thug with his body.


    The man with the knife stabbed the person in front of him, regardless of who it was. Xiang ChangKong was quick and managed to grasp the hand that held the knife, but the thug was too strong. The tip of the knife still plunged into Xiang ChangKong¡¯s abdomen.


    All of this happened in less than a second. By the time Wei YiChen looked behind him, the knife was already in Xiang ChangKong¡¯s abdomen, and blood was already bubbling out.


    Wei YiChen¡¯s head exploded, and his brain shut down.


    Extremely furious, Wei YiChen¡¯s strength abruptly shot up. He pressed the thug who stabbed Xiang ChangKong down to the ground, then punched him in the face.


    Clutching at his wound, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s complexion was beginning to turn pale due to blood loss.


    Qian Liang¡¯s men saw that Xiang ChangKong was injured. They were all here for Wei YiChen, so once they saw that Xiang ChangKong would no longer be an obstacle, they ignored him and ran to Wei YiChen.


    As he tried to endure the severe pain in his abdomen, Xiang ChangKong kicked the knife that had fallen from him towards an inconspicuous corner. He was afraid that someone would pick it up and use it again.


    ¡°Brother Chen!¡± A sudden shout from the alley was like thunder in the chaos. Xiang ChangKong raised his eyes and gazed towards the mouth of the alley.


    Xiang ChangKong recognized the person running towards them to be one of Wei YiChen¡¯s buddies. He remembered that he had seen the man in Xu Lian¡¯s store.


    The man was none other than Ah Mao. When Wei YiChen ran out of the bar earlier to go find Fang QiuYun, Ah Mao had asked him what his relationship was with Fang QiuYun. Of course, Wei YiChen didn¡¯t say anything because he had no relationship with Fang QiuYun.


    Of course, Ah Mao didn¡¯t believe him.


    After Wei YiChen left, Ah Mao asked two other brothers to go with him and spy on their Boss.


    Fang QiuYun saw them sneaking around near the door of her bar and simply came out and asked them what they were up to. Ah Mao was embarrassed that he had been caught, but when he noticed that Wei YiChen was nowhere to be found, he became confused.


    Ah Mao and Fang QiuYun immediately had a bad feeling and quickly ran around to search for Wei YiChen.


    Unexpectedly, it turned out that Qian Liang had lured Wei YiChen out.


    The anxious Ah Mao saw the situation and immediately led his two brothers to fight with Qian Liang¡¯s men. Fang QiuYun saw the injured Xiang ChangKong and immediately rushed towards him. She frowned and asked: ¡°How are you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Xiang ChangKong¡¯s forehead was already covered in sweat, and his body could no longer keep him upright. Fang QiuYun quickly helped him sit down, then took off her coat to press it on Xiang ChangKong¡¯s wound. Last time, Wei YiChen only got slashed in the arm and still had to go to the hospital. Xiang ChangKong, who had been stabbed in the abdomen, was clearly in much worse condition. Fang QiuYun quickly called emergency services, then ran towards the nearest open bar to get some medical supplies. She wanted to try and stop the bleeding before the ambulance came.


    Xiang ChangKong was left alone to lean against the wall. His gaze was becoming blurry, and the chaotic scenes in front of him had gotten distorted. Even his hearing was beginning to fuzzy. Suddenly something cold fell on his face. This unexpected chill made Xiang ChangKong¡¯s drowsy mind focus.


    With some effort, Xiang ChangKong opened his eyes and looked up.


    It was snowing.


    No wonder he felt so cold.


    As if he suddenly remembered something, Xiang ChangKong took his cellphone out of his pocket with difficulty. The screen was cracked, but fortunately, the phone still worked. Xiang ChangKong covered his wound with one hand and opened Xu Lian¡¯s WeChat with the other.


    Xiang ChangKong: Look out the window, it¡¯s snowing.


    Xu Lian was currently in her workshop, making candles. When she saw Xiang ChangKong¡¯s message, she got up and looked through the glass.


    It really was snowing.


    ¡°Boss, boss! It¡¯s snowing! Come out and see.¡± Zhang GuoEr, who was downstairs, also saw the falling snow and excitedly called out to Xu Lian.


    Xu Lian walked downstairs and took a photo of the floating snowflakes with her cellphone.


    She added a few filters, then sent it to Xiang ChangKong.


    Xu Lian: [picture]


    Xu Lian: The snow looks beautiful.


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t get a reply from Xiang ChangKong. The next time she received news about Xiang ChangKong, it was to inform her that he was in the hospital.


    Weng ShuLi had called her, saying that Xiang ChangKong was injured and had been rushed to the hospital. Xu Lian dropped all her unfinished work, and for the first time in her life, rushed to a hospital.


    The hospital was crowded. In addition to Weng ShuLi, Wei YiChen and Wei YiChen¡¯s mother was also standing in the corridor.


    On the way to the hospital, Xu Lian had learned from Weng ShuLi the sequence of events that led to Xiang ChangKong¡¯s injury and that Xiang ChangKong had been hurt because of Wei YiChen. When Xu Lian saw Wei YiChen, he was full of injures, and his face had gauze around it. But Xu Lian wasn¡¯t the least bit sympathetic. She coldly glanced at him, then asked Weng ShuLi: ¡°Auntie Weng, how¡¯s Xiang ChangKong?¡±


    Weng ShuLi told her: ¡°He was stabbed in the abdomen with a knife. Fortunately, the wound isn¡¯t deep, so none of his organs are hurt. The doctor said that he could be discharged from the hospital after a few days¡¯ rest.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go in and see him.¡± Xu Lian nodded, then went into Xiang ChangKong¡¯s room.


    Xing ChangKong was in a single room, thanks to Wei YiChen paying for his medical expenses. Xiang ChangKong was currently lying down on the hospital bed, eyes closed. When he heard the door open, he opened his eyes and turned his head.


    ¡°Xu Lian¡­¡± Xiang ChangKong tried to sit up, but his wound was jostled, causing him pain.


    Xu Lian quickly pressed him down and sat on the chair next to the bed. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled. Although his face was a bit pale, his eyes were still bright and lively. ¡°It¡¯s nothing; just a small wound.¡±


    Xu Lian frowned. ¡°Getting stabbed with a knife is a small wound?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t really stabbed, just pricked. The wound really isn¡¯t that deep.¡± Xiang ChangKong was afraid of worrying Xu Lian, so he tried his best to pacify her. ¡°The doctor said it wasn¡¯t a serious problem. Think about it this way: whenever women give birth, some of them get stabbed in the belly for a cesarean section. That¡¯s a real knife wound, ah. Compared to that, my wound is much less serious.¡±


    Xu Lian remained silent, but her expression was much more relaxed compared to before.


    Seeing her unwillingness to speak, Xiang ChangKong muttered to himself: ¡°Speaking of, women really are amazing, ah.¡±


    After a while, Xu Lian opened her mouth and asked: ¡°What exactly happened today? I thought you were going to go looking at commercial spaces with your friend?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­well, we just happened to visit a space that was near QingNan street.¡±


    Xu Lian really didn¡¯t know what she owed Wei YiChen in her last life. First, he got her shop vandalized, and now, he managed to send Xiang ChangKong to the hospital. ¡°Are you and Wei YiChen familiar with each other?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°We aren¡¯t¡­to be honest, I hated him because he was always around you¡­¡±


    ¡°Then why did you help him?¡±


    ¡°After I crossed paths with him a few more times, I realized that he was a pretty nice guy. He helped me before.¡±


    Xu Lian was slightly incredulous. ¡°He helped you?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled and said: ¡°I was delivering an order, and someone stole the takeaway that I had placed in my scooter. He helped me catch the guy.¡±


    Xu Lian said nothing as she digested this surprising piece of information.


    She looked at the bruise on Xiang ChangKong¡¯s face and said: ¡°Do you have any more injuries?¡±


    ¡°Just some bruises. Wei YiChen¡¯s injures are much more serious.¡± Speaking of, Xiang ChangKong recalled the last time he saw Wei YiChen in a hospital. ¡°There¡¯s also one other thing I haven¡¯t told you. When I visited Cheng Peng in the hospital a few months ago, I actually bumped into Wei YiChen. His arm was injured, and it didn¡¯t look small. When he saw me, he specifically told me not to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course he didn¡¯t want me to know. Just like it wasn¡¯t his fault when those thugs smashed my store.¡± Xu Lian sarcastically commented.


    Xiang ChangKong thought for a moment, then said: ¡°I don¡¯t think the situation¡¯s that simple.¡± Those men who ganged up on Wei YiChen didn¡¯t look like ordinary delinquents.


    Xu Lian thought back to the last time Wei YiChen visited her. He had told her not to go to QingNan street for a while. It seems that something really did happen. However, Xu Lian wasn¡¯t in the mood to care about such things. She was more worried about something else. ¡°Can you still take your exam?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong firmly reassured her: ¡°Yes! I can get discharged after a few days. I can definitely catch up.¡±


    ¡°Have you already talked with the police?¡±


    ¡°Ah, Wei YiChen dealt with it.¡± Later, the police came and broke up the fight.


    Xu Lian asked: ¡°What did the police say? Is this going to affect you?¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t worry.¡± Xiang ChangKong told her.


    Wei YiChen seemed to have been just as afraid as Xu Lian that this incident would somehow affect his exams. Xiang ChangKong heard Wei YiChen vehemently deny to the police that he had anything to do with it. Wei YiChen explained that Xiang ChangKong had just been a passerby that he had roped into the fight.


    After the initial police investigation, it was verified that Xiang ChangKong really wasn¡¯t a QinNan resident and that the police call had come from his phone.


    ¡°What about the man that hurt you?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°He¡¯s been detained.¡±


    After Xiang ChangKong said this, a nurse came into the room to remind Xu Lian to let the patient rest. Xu Lian didn¡¯t want to leave yet, so she simply sat back on her chair and told Xiang ChangKong: ¡°Go ahead and sleep.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xiang ChangKong smiled and closed his eyes.


    The author has something to say:


    I actually wrote a kidnapping plotline, but my editor told me to change it, so here I am.


    I actually struggled with this chapter a lot [covers face] it ended up being quite mild. [hides behind a tree]

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    ***


    After Xiang ChangKong fell asleep, Xu Lian walked out of the room.


    On the corridor, Wei YiChen¡¯s mother was still apologizing to Weng ShuLi. After Xu Lian came out, Weng ShuLi went to her and asked: ¡°How is he?¡±


    Xu Liang replied: ¡°He¡¯s asleep now, Auntie Weng. I¡¯ll stay in the hospital and keep watch, you should go back first.¡±


    Wei YiChen, who had been standing off to the side silent all this time, also spoke up. ¡°Mom, you should also go back. I¡¯ll stay here.¡±


    Wei YiChen¡¯s mother looked at him, then turned to Weng ShuLi. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go back first and let the youngsters keep vigil.¡±


    Weng ShuLi thought for a while. Feeling that Xiang ChangKong was safe and not in any danger, she nodded and said: ¡°Alright.¡±


    Wei YiChen¡¯s mother was relieved. She helped Weng ShuLi and asked: ¡°Where do you live? I¡¯ll drive you back.¡±


    The two mothers slowly walked away. Xu Lian leaned against the corridor wall and looked at Wei YiChen. She noticed that the corner of his mouth was blue and purple.


    Wei YiChen smiled and said: ¡°If you want to shout or hit me, I promise not to fight back.¡±


    Xu Lian stared at him for a while, then turned her head to look at Xiang ChangKong¡¯s door. When we were in high school, you beat up some kids so bad that they ended up in the hospital. At the time, your mother also acted like that. She went to the hospital and apologized to the parents.¡±


    Wei YiChen pursed his lips and didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°You¡¯re mom¡¯s getting older, but she¡¯s still doing the same thing.¡±


    The corridor was already quiet, but after Xu Lian said this, their surroundings became even more oppressingly quiet.


    ¡°You know what happened to Xiang ChangKong¡¯s family. When his father passed away, Auntie Weng ended up in a shock. If something happened to Xiang ChangKong today, what do you think would¡¯ve happened to her? This time Xiang ChangKong was lucky, but did you ever think what would¡¯ve happened if that knife stabbed him just a few centimeters deeper?¡±


    Wei YiChen took a deep breath and looked towards the end of the corridor. ¡°This time was my fault.¡± The stark truth was, he dragged Xiang ChangKong into this mess. The knife had also been intended for him.


    Xu Lian straightened and walked towards Xiang ChangKong¡¯s room. Before she walked through the door, she stopped and said: ¡°Wei YiChen, don¡¯t make your mother worry anymore. You think that just because you¡¯re hurt often, that she no longer worries for you?¡±


    When the door closed, Wei YiChen felt like something heavy was weighing his heart and became flustered. He wanted to go out and smoke a cigarette.


    However, as soon as he turned around, he saw Fang QiuYun standing on the other end of the corridor, looking at him.


    He didn¡¯t say anything to her and simply walked towards the elevator. Fang QiuYun looked at him and smiled. ¡°Was that Xu Lian?¡±


    Wei YiChen paused. ¡°How do you know about her?¡±


    Fang QiuYun replied: ¡°Zhu Bing made such a big fuss about you and your girl a while back. I¡¯m afraid that the entire QingNan street knows about Miss Xu Lian.¡±


    Wei YiChen was stunned for a moment, then he laughed.


    Fang QiuYun curiously asked: ¡°What are you laughing at?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Wei YiChen walked past her and pressed the elevator button. ¡°I just suddenly feel like my past actions are quite laughable.¡±


    Xu Lian visited Xiang ChangKong in the hospital every day. Weng ShuLi also stopped by the hospital every day to give Xiang ChangKong some soup, but Xu Lian was worried about her body, so she didn¡¯t let Weng ShuLi stay in the hospital for too long. Although Wei YiChen was also injured, he didn¡¯t need to stay in the hospital for observation and only needed to visit from time to time to change his wrappings.


    During the day, Wei YiChen would still go to his bar. By now, all the residents of QingNan street knew about Wei YiChen¡¯s fight with Qian Liang. After all, it was a fight that involved many people and even a trip to the hospital. However, just as everyone was speculating how this would end, explosive news came.


    At the time, Wei YiChen was sleeping on the sofa in his bar¡¯s lounge. Ah Mao, who slammed the door open as he ran in, startled Wei YiChen awake.


    ¡°Brother Chen, wake up! Something big is going on!¡±


    Wei YiChen opened one eye and impatiently said: ¡°Ah Mao, you¡¯re always so surprised. How am I supposed to trust you with my bar when you act like this?¡±


    Ah Mao, who was much too excited, became shocked. After a long while, he uncertainly asked: ¡°Brother Chen, what did you just say? You¡¯re leaving the bar to me?¡¯


    Wei YiChen sat up from the sofa, not answering his question. Instead, he asked: ¡°What were you trying to tell me? Something big happened?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ah Mao¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by Wei YiChen, and he had forgotten what he initially wanted to say.


    After thinking for a while, Ah Mao said: ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Qian Liang! Qian Liang¡¯s den was raided by the police, and everyone got arrested!¡±


    Now, it was Wei YiChen¡¯s turn to be shocked. He asked Ah Mao: ¡°Qian Liang was arrested?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I just received a text message; it can¡¯t be wrong!¡±


    ¡°Why was he suddenly arrested?¡± Qian Liang was a high-profile man who never hid his shady actions, so there surely was someone keeping an eye on him. But after Zhao Jie¡¯s warning, Qian Liang stayed low-key for a while. Why was he suddenly arrested?


    (T/N: police were probably watching him, but recently he had been low-key because of Zhao Jie¡¯s warning. Wei YiChen was wondering why he had been arrested now when he had been quiet.)


    Ah Mao replied: ¡°Apparently, its because he made trouble with Feng Jing¡¯s girlfriend and older sister!¡±


    Wei YiChen became even more confused. ¡°What?¡± He had suspected that Qian Liang just provided some illegal drugs to customers in QingNan, but it turns out that Qian Liang also did this kind of shady business?


    ¡°Wait, Feng Jing the star?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Qian Liang probably targeted them because Feng Jing is well-off?¡±


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I heard that it was really lively last night! A lot of police came, and they even brought those scary dogs with them! You know, those big black dogs? Anyway, it made headlines today!¡±


    Wei YiChen: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Wait, he just took a brief nap, ah. How did the world suddenly change so fast?


    Wei YiChen tried to accept this ¡®scary dog¡¯ setting and asked Ah Mao: ¡°Those big black dogs beat up Qian Liang?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! When Qian Liang tried to escape, he was surrounded and caught by the dogs. This was the first time the police used dogs for such things, so they put it in the newspaper. So ah, they¡¯re saying people can¡¯t do bad things because even dogs won¡¯t let you go!¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± That makes sense.


    ¡°In short, Qian Liang can¡¯t weasel his way out of this. It can be said that a malignant tumor has finally been cut off from out QingNan street!¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Wei YiChen slowly nodded his head. Qian Liang had been arrested through no one¡¯s fault but his own. This was the best possible outcome Wei YiChen could¡¯ve hoped to have.


    ¡°By the way, Brother Chen, just now you said that you¡¯ll leave the bar to me?¡± Ah Mao tentatively asked.


    Wei YiChen raised his head to look at him. Then, he noncommittally said: ¡°You¡¯ve been with me the longest, and you¡¯re also familiar with the bar. You¡¯re the most suitable candidate.¡±


    Ah Mao was still somewhat confused. ¡°What about you? Where are you going?¡±


    Wei YiChen lay back down on the sofa and placed his hands behind his head. ¡°Not sure yet.¡±


    Ah Mao stared at him. ¡°You don¡¯t want to continue operating the bar?¡±


    Wei YiChen narrowed his eyes at him. ¡°Of course I¡¯m going to continue being the boss, ah. But you¡¯ll be operating the place. I won¡¯t be lounging here all day like I used to.¡±


    ¡°No way. Brother Chen, who else has the power to keep things under control here?¡±


    ¡°You, ah.¡±


    Ah Mao: ¡°¡­¡± So Brother Chen thought of him so highly all this time?


    Ah Mao looked at Wei YiChen in distress, ¡°Brother Chen, I really can¡¯t, ah¡­¡±


    ¡°You meet all sorts of pretty girls whenever you handle the bar, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the same.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve already decided. It¡¯s time for you to get out there and exercise a little.¡±


    Wei YiChen had already decided, and nothing would change his mind, let along Ah Mao. Of course, Wei YiChen didn¡¯t intend to completely stay away. He was going to let Ah Mao slowly adapt and adjust.


    In the hospital, Xiang ChangKong was recovering little by little. Since Xiang ChangKong had so much spare time, Weng ShuLi had brought all his exam textbooks from home, and he spent his days studying.


    These days, a lot of people have come by to see him. Colleagues from work, old classmates, and Cheng Peng also visited several times. To be honest, Cheng Peng had felt an inexplicable responsibility for Xiang ChangKong¡¯s injury.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t asked you to come with me that day, you wouldn¡¯t have encountered that sort of thing! Heck, if I had gone with you instead of separating, you wouldn¡¯t have gotten this injury! If I had sent you off first¡­¡±


    Xiang ChangKong couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Cheng Peng¡¯s self-deprecation. ¡°Cheng Peng, you¡¯ve already said all that ten times today.¡±


    Cheng Peng stopped and looked at him. ¡°Really? Ten times?¡±


    ¡°Well, this is your tenth time. You¡¯ve said it nine times before.¡± Sitting to one side, Xu Lian couldn¡¯t help but speak up.


    Cheng Peng awkwardly scratched his head. ¡°That¡­then I won¡¯t say anymore. I won¡¯t disturb your rest. After you get discharged, come by and have a meal!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xiang ChangKong said. ¡°By the way, has your shop been settled?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! I finally convinced my wife to use the space in our neighborhood. Well, she agreed on the condition that she would be in charge of decoration.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all ready to decorate, so when you get discharged, bring Xu Lian, your mother, and your sister to come and taste our food!¡±


    Cheng Peng chatted with Xiang ChangKong for a while, then left. Not long after he left, another old classmate came by to see him. It was someone Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t expect.


    ¡°Zhao Di?¡± Xiang ChangKong looked at the man in front of him with apparent surprise.


    Compared to Xiang ChangKong, Zhao Di was a lot calmer. ¡°What, you didn¡¯t expect me to come visit?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled and replied: ¡°I really didn¡¯t.¡±


    Zhao Di looked around Xiang ChanGKong¡¯s room and noticed the book on the bedside table. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re preparing for the postgraduate entrance exams?¡±


    ¡°Nn.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in a couple of days. Will your injury be alright then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be no problem. I¡¯ll just be sitting in a classroom, after all.¡±


    After their brief conversation, the room descended into silence. Zhao Di felt a little uncomfortable and looked away from Xiang ChangKong. As he did so, he noticed a paper plane on the bed. Xiang ChangKong followed Zhao Di¡¯s gaze, then smiled. ¡°I had nothing to do, so I folded a few.¡±


    Zhao Di¡¯s gaze slightly trembled. The Xiang ChangKong in front of him was quite different from the impression Zhao Di had of him during their university days. The only constant was probably his love for aviation.


    Some things, no matter how late, will eventually come. Xiang ChangKong¡¯s paper airplanes carried too much passion to simply disappear.


    ¡°I may not be qualified to say this, but I¡¯ve at least briefly studied in the flight academy you¡¯re aiming for. Many of our classmates have already changed careers just like I have. This isn¡¯t easy for me to say.¡±


    Zhao Di looked at Xiang ChangKong. At this moment, his gaze wasn¡¯t slick and hardened like it was before. Instead, he looked as pure and hopeful as he had once been during their university days.


    ¡°But you have the kind of passion that we never had. If it¡¯s you, I¡¯m sure that you¡¯ll be able to do some incredible things in the aviation field.¡±


    ***


    Feng Jing is from Chestnut¡¯s other work ¡®Midnight Cinderella.¡¯ I haven¡¯t read that book, but it is being translated by someone if you wanted to check it out.

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    ***


    Xiang ChangKong was officially discharged the day before the postgraduate entrance exams. Xu Lian and Weng ShuLi had gone to the hospital to pick him up, and after Xiang Nuan found out, she also specially asked for class leave to come home. She would be leaving school at noon and skip her last afternoon class.


    Originally, Weng ShuLi had told her daughter that there was no need. After all, today was Friday, so Xiang Nuan would be coming home tomorrow anyway. Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t need to miss school just for this. But Xiang Nuan disagreed. She hadn¡¯t managed to visit Xiang ChangKong once during his stay in the hospital. If she didn¡¯t even see him on the day of his discharge, then she can¡¯t be called his sister, ah!


    Of course, the most important reason she wanted to see Xiang ChangKong before his postgraduate exams were to encourage him. Although Xiang ChangKong was much smarter than her, Xiang Nuan still felt very nervous for him. Honestly, she was feeling a lot more nervous than she had been during her own mock exams.


    After her fourth class, Xiang Nuan began to pack up her things. Shen Lin watched her put away her books and asked: ¡°You¡¯re going home? There¡¯s still one class left.¡±


    Xiang Nuan glanced at him and snorted. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. You¡¯d better concentrate on your studies, ah, so your mother doesn¡¯t come to school again.¡±


    Shen Lin pursed his lips and said nothing more. After his mother came to school and bothered Xiang Nuan¡¯s brother, Xiang Nuan had never approached him again about their studies. If she had any questions, she now went to ask other people.


    He turned his head and went back to his exercise book.


    When Xiang Nuan arrived home, Weng ShuLi had almost finished cooking lunch. Xu Lian and Xiang ChangKong were sitting on the sofa in the living room, chatting.


    ¡°Brother!¡± As soon as Xiang Nuan saw Xiang ChangKong she flew over, intending to embrace him. Xu Lian hastily raised her hand to stop her and said: ¡°He just left the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Oop.¡± Xiang Nuan abruptly stopped her hands. Instead, she smiled at Xiang ChangKong and said: ¡°Then I¡¯ll hug you very gently!¡±


    Weng ShuLi came out of the kitchen with some dishes and saw her daughter about to hug her son. ¡°Alright, alright, go wash your hands. Don¡¯t disturb your brother.¡±


    Xiang Nuan¡¯s mouth flattened and she complained in her heart: I just wanted to hug brother a little, ah.


    But in the end, she put down her school bag and left to wash her hands.


    Although Xiang ChangKong had just been discharged from the hospital and there were many things to watch out for, Weng ShuLi still made a full table of dishes to celebrate. Xiang Nuan, who had been eating in her school canteen for the entire week, ran towards the food immediately. Weng ShuLi placed the dishes Xiang ChangKong liked near his seat so he would have an easier time grabbing food.


    (T/N: There are certain foods people avoid when recuperating. For example, greasy food.)


    Xiang Nuan sat down and asked Xiang ChangKong: ¡°Brother, how¡¯s your injury? Will you be alright for your exam tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I use my brain during my exams, not my stomach.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Well, alright then.


    Xiang Nuan ate a few mouthfuls of rice, then curiously asked: ¡°What exactly happened that day you got injured? Mom didn¡¯t explain when she called me.¡±


    Fearing that Xiang Nuan would worry, Weng ShuLi had only called her daughter when Xiang ChangKong¡¯s condition stabilized. Xiang Nuan wasn¡¯t very happy with this. When her father had an accident, her family also kept it from her. She¡¯s always the last one to know about such things.


    She knew that her family only did this because they were worried about her, but Xiang Nuan felt that she wasn¡¯t as vulnerable as they perceive her to be.


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°It was nothing. I heard that the people involved already got arrested.¡±


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­¡± Getting arrested is nothing, ah! I want details!


    But seeing that her brother didn¡¯t want to tell her, Xiang Nuan changed the topic. She asked: ¡°How¡¯re your studies? Are you confident?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled. ¡°I feel pretty much the same as when I was studying for my college entrance exams.¡±


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Why is she even wasting her time being concerned about her brother¡¯s exams, ah? Her time would be better spent worrying about her own exam. Xiang Nuan thought she should quickly finish her food and go back to her room to study.


    Listening to the siblings talk about exams, Xu Lian said to Xiang ChangKong: ¡°I¡¯ll drive you to the school tomorrow morning. You¡¯ve just recovered so you shouldn¡¯t squeeze in the subway.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°You said your exam starts at 8:30 a.m. right? Let¡¯s leave early as not to get caught in traffic.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you a call when I wake up.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Xu Lian began to carefully think about whether there was something else she needed to pay attention to. ¡°Get your things ready tonight. Things like your ID, pens, and so on.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong finally couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°I know, I know. You don¡¯t need to be so nervous, ah. You¡¯re like a parent sending off your child.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­¡±


    Xiang Nuan raised a brow at his words. Ah, brother, you¡¯re so loved. Even sister Xu Lian doesn¡¯t dare complain in fear of affecting your mental state.


    ¡°Enough chatting, ah. Eat, eat.¡± Weng ShuLi placed some vegetables in Xiang ChangKong¡¯s bowl and poured him some soup. ¡°Drink it while it¡¯s hot.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After eating, Xiang ChangKong was forced to go to his room for a nap. Because Xiang Nuan was currently living with Xu Lian and had no room of her own in this apartment, she took a nap on the sofa. Xu Lian wanted to help Weng ShuLi clean up but was instead shooed off. In the end, Xu Lian also took a brief nap on the sofa.


    Xiang Nuan had to go back to school, so she didn¡¯t stay for long. She brought her bag with her, intending to study, but she hadn¡¯t even turned a single page of her textbooks. In fact, she hadn¡¯t even opened her schoolbag.


    It¡¯s so painful to run back and forth with such a heavy bag, ah.


    After Xiang Nuan woke up from her nap, Xu Lian also sat up. Seeing that Xiang Nuan was going back to school, Xu Lian simply told Xiang Nuan that she would drive her.


    This was Xiang Nuan¡¯s first time in Xu Lian¡¯s car. Naturally, she was a little excited. Xiang Nuan opened the car door and sat on the passenger seat. As she was buckling herself in, Xu Lian asked: ¡°Are you going to learn how to drive during summer vacation?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Xiang Nuan seriously considered it. ¡°It¡¯s possible to learn, but I don¡¯t have a car. Truthfully, I wanted to take advantage of my break and get a summer job to earn living expenses.¡±


    Xu Lian nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good too. You¡¯ll be able to buy whatever you need yourself.¡±


    ¡°Un! That¡¯s what I was thinking!¡± Xiang Nuan fantasized about the places she could potentially work in. Eventually, her gaze strayed to a fragrance diffuser stone that was hanging off Xu Lian¡¯s driving mirror. ¡°That small plane looks so pretty. Did you make it?¡±


    (T/N: The mirror inside the car that shows the car behind you.)


    Xu Lian glanced at the lightly swinging miniature plane and replied: ¡°Yeah. I made some air conditioner clips too. They¡¯re quite cute.¡±


    ¡°Wow. If I ever buy a car in the future, I¡¯ll hang up one like this!¡±


    ¡°Nn. Well, let¡¯s be off.¡±


    After Xu Lian sent Xiuang Nuan to school, she drove back to her store. These days, she had spent most of her days in the hospital with Xiang ChangKong. Zhang GuoEr had picked up the slack and was almost always along in the store, so Xu Lian figured it was time to give her a holiday.


    When Xu Lian entered her store, Zhang GuoEr had just finished ringing up a customer. When she saw Xu Lian, she happily exclaimed: ¡°Boss, you¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°Nn.¡± Xu Lian nodded at the customer as they left, then said: ¡°Take care.¡±


    Zhang GuoEr locked the cash register, then ran over to Xu Lian. ¡°Has little brother Xiang been discharged already?¡±


    Xu Lian smiled. Looks like Zhang GuoEr was watching her quite thoroughly. ¡°He got discharged today. His exam is tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how fast! But the exam will certainly pose no challenge for little brother Xiang.¡±


    ¡°Nn.¡± Xu Lian certainly hoped so. ¡°I want to drive Xiang ChangKong to his exams tomorrow and the day after, so I won¡¯t be able to spend much time here. I¡¯ll be troubling you to mind the store. I¡¯ll give you a holiday after these two days.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright Boss, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Zhang GuoEr replied. After a moment¡¯s pause, a somewhat embarrassed expression appeared on her face as she asked Xu Lian: ¡°But Boss, I may not be able to come in after the Spring Festival.¡±


    ¡°Ah? Has something happened in school?¡±


    ¡°Something like that. My teacher introduced me to a production team as a screenwriter assistant. I may have to follow the team for some time, so I might not have the time to continue working here¡­¡±


    Xu Lian was fine with this. If Zhang GuoEr left, she could simply hire another person. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll plan to recruit people. If you get accepted into that production team, your schedule would certainly get packed. Don¡¯t worry and go for it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will! This is the first time I¡¯ll be formally working as a screenwriter, and with a senior with a lot of achievements in the industry. I should be able to learn a lot of things!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing your work on TV or on the big screen in the future.¡±


    ¡°Haha, you¡¯re making me shy.¡± Zhang GuoEr covered her face in shame. Then she looked to Xu Lian once more and said: ¡°By the way, Boss, you¡¯ve become much more open and friendly compared to when I first started working here.¡±


    ¡°Have I?¡±


    Zhang GuoEr nodded. Back when she first met Xu Lian, the word she used the most to describe her boss was ¡®cool¡¯.


    Xu Lian smiled at her words, then went up the stairs to her workshop.


    The next day, before dawn broke, Xu Lian called Xiang ChangKong. After asking if he was all packed, she told him to go down to the underground garage and wait for her. Weng ShuLi had also gotten up early and had prepared breakfast for Xiang ChangKong and Xu Lian. Afraid that Xu Lian would grow anxious, Xiang ChangKong took their breakfast and was prepared to eat it on the road.


    Xu Lian had arrived in the garage first and honked when she saw Xiang ChangKong look for her. Xiang ChangKong got on the car and tried to hand her some food. However, Xu Lian shook her head and said: ¡°You eat first, I¡¯ll eat after you¡¯ve gone.¡±


    After a moment¡¯s thought, Xiang ChangKong suggested: ¡°Why don¡¯t I drive?¡±


    ¡°No way. You¡¯re the examinee. You¡¯d better take it easy.¡±


    As her car drove out of the garage, Xu Lian managed to relax a little. Funnily enough, it was Xiang ChangKong, the examinee, who tried to comfort her: ¡°You really don¡¯t need to be so nervous. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Xu Lian was silent for a while, but then she said: ¡°You know, I wasn¡¯t this nervous when I took the college entrance exams.¡±


    She still remembered that her father had driven her to the exam hall. She hadn¡¯t been that nervous because her grades had always been good.


    But somehow, when the top student Xiang ChangKong was taking an exam, Xu Lian became so nervous she could die. She hadn¡¯t slept much last night and had run out of the house at the crack of dawn after drinking just a cup of cold water, which was now making her stomach ache a little.


    When the car stopped for a red light, Xiang ChangKong handed Xu Lian one of Weng ShuLi¡¯s specially prepared hot milk. He said: ¡°Drink this and warm your stomach.¡±


    Xu Lian took a sip using the straw and felt the warm milk flow to her stomach. It made her feel a little better. Xu Lian looked at Xiang ChangKong and asked: ¡°You¡¯ve brought everything?¡±


    ¡°I have it.¡±


    ¡°Hurry and check again, while I still haven¡¯t driven far.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    He dutifully checked again and made sure that everything was in order. After confirming that he did have everything, Xu Lian finally felt at ease.


    The test site was located in A University. Xiang ChangKong had previously studied here for four years, so he was familiar with the place. They had arrived relatively early, but there was already a crowd of examinees waiting outside the gates, unable to enter yet.


    Eventually, the university gates opened and everyone began shuffling inside. Xiang ChangKong smiled at Xu Lian and said: ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be going.¡±


    ¡°Nn. Good luck.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled and patted her head. Then, he walked into A University of Technology.


    Seven years ago, when he first entered university, his mood had been similar to what he was feeling right now. Xiang ChangKong looked at the familiar scenery around him, then looked up at the sky.


    During winter, the sky would usually be gray. But today, the sun was shining and the sky was blue.


    As a soft breeze went through him, a smile slowly appeared in Xiang ChangKong¡¯s face.


    In Starlight Park, Zhang GuoEr had arrived at an unprecedented hour and opened the shop herself for the very first time. It wasn¡¯t actually time to open the store yet, but she had felt restless today. Maybe she had been infected by her Boss¡¯s nervous mood.


    It should almost be time for the little brother to take his exam.


    Zhang GuoEr took her little notebook out of her backpack and turned the pages.


    Observation target No. 0121 Xu Lian, Observation target No.0122 Wei YiChen, Observation target No. 0123 Xiang ChangKong¡­


    The winter sunlight gradually fell on her little book. Zhang GuoEr looked towards the window and stared at the sky. Then, she picked up a pen and began to write on a fresh page.


    ¡®I¡¯ll be leaving Starlight Park soon. During the past few months I¡¯ve worked here, I¡¯ve come across many people and gained a lot. I¡¯ve taken a step closer to my goal of ¡®A thousand people, A thousand faces¡¯.


    Next month, I¡¯ll be working on another job. I¡¯ll have a new start, get to know a new set of people, and hear their stories.


    My only regret is that I won¡¯t be here to see Starlight Park¡¯s best and most beautiful coming moments.


    After all, after the cold winter, spring will come.


    I hope that each and every person¡¯s story will blossom and bear fruit.¡¯


    (T/N: ¡®Blossom¡¯ can also mean to feel happy or elated / new development grows out


    and ¡®bear fruit¡¯ can also mean outcome / result / conclusion / in the end.


    Zhang GuoEr is wishing everyone¡¯s stories to have a happy ending. )

 Chapter 57

    Xiang Nuan Extra (1)


    [Chapter 57]


    ***


    On the eve of the college entrance exams, the school gave the seniors a little holiday in advance so that they could study at home.


    Of course, during this time, a more important event was happening- taking their graduation photos.


    The students had just about finished packing their things. Textbooks that were usually stacked up high on top of their desks were now gone, making the classroom look somewhat wider than usual.


    Xiang Nuan was sitting at her desk when her two good friends came and called her to line up and take photos with them. Xiang Nuan agreed, and they trotted down the stairs where everyone was gathered.


    Maybe it was because separation was imminent, but every student, no matter if they disliked each other or not, were lined up downstairs, clustered together without any split or segregation between them. At the front, their homeroom teacher was sitting on a chair, his expression amiable.


    In class photos, girls were usually in the front rows while the boys were at the back. But since Xiang Nuan was in a science-oriented class, her class only had two rows of girls. After finding out that she was standing just in front of Shen Lin, Xiang Nuan curled her lip and asked a female classmate if they could switch places.


    (T/N: Don¡¯t quote me on this, but my understanding is that some schools have art-oriented classes and science-oriented classes during high school? Like science-oriented classes will have physics and chemistry in their schedule while art-oriented will have, well, art.)


    But the photographer standing behind his tripod yelled: ¡°Students, don¡¯t move. Just stand still and look at the camera.¡±


    Xiang Nuan hesitated for a moment, then eventually acquiesced and stood still.


    Shen Lin looked down at Xiang Nuan¡¯s head and thought that she seemed somewhat angry.


    ¡°Three, two, one..eggplant!¡±


    (T/N: eggplant is qi¨¦zi so it¡¯s like saying ¡®cheese!¡¯)


    Shen Lin raised his hand and formed a ¡®V¡¯ with his fingers on Xiang Nuan¡¯s head just as the photographer called out ¡®eggplant¡¯.


    The photographer took three pictures in a row and asked them to come down so another class could take their photo. Their homeroom teacher led everyone back to their classrooms and reminded them to make sure that they had all their things when they left. Their classroom needed to be prepared today as it was going to be an exam room.


    The seniors simply had too much stuff. Day students had the opportunity to move their things in batches a couple of days in advance, but dorm students like Xiang Nuan could only take all their stuff in one fell swoop today. What¡¯s more, in addition to her textbooks and classroom items, she also had to pack her things in her dorm room. Just the thought of it already gave Xiang Nuan a headache.


    Shen Lin had noticed that Xiang Nuan was carrying a lot of things and took the initiative to help relieve some of her burdens. ¡°I only have a few things to bring back home; I can help you hold some of your stuff.¡±


    Xiang Nuan subconsciously wanted to refuse him, but before she could open her mouth, Shen Lin had already taken a stack of books off of her hands and walked off. Xiang Nuan caught up to him, began to walk beside Shen Lin, and said: ¡°You¡¯d better give those back to me. Your mother will see you with my stuff and will probably think I¡¯ve enslaved her son again.¡±


    Shen Lin was silent for a few beats but then replied: ¡°I apologize for what my mother did last time. I explained it to her when we came home after that day.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Xiang Nuan raised a brow and asked: ¡°And she believed you?¡±


    Shen Lin pursed his lips and didn¡¯t reply.


    Xiang Nuan could tell from his reaction that his mother certainly didn¡¯t believe his explanation. Maybe she thought Xiang Nuan had told her son to say these words to her. Xiang Nuan suddenly sighed and looked at Shen Lin. She said: ¡°Well, I actually sympathize with you a little. With a mother like that, you¡¯ll probably have an extremely difficult time finding a girlfriend in the future.¡±


    Shen Lin replied: ¡°Actually, my mother isn¡¯t as difficult as you think.¡±


    Xiang Nuan gave him a droll look and let out a deadpan laugh. Shen Lin¡¯s grades simply lowered by a few points and his mother immediately called her brother to school just because they were frequently spending time together. How can that not be difficult to get along with?


    But no matter what, she was Shen Lin¡¯s mother. So after giving Shen Lin a brief sneer, Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t say anything else.


    Today, everyone¡¯s family had come to help carry their children¡¯s things. Xiang Nuan was no exception as once she walked out of the school, she saw Xu Lian¡¯s car. The car door soon opened and Xiang ChangKong stepped out. He approached Xiang Nuan with hands outstretched to help carry some of her stuff, but Xiang Nuan immediately shrunk back and pointed to Shen Lin. ¡°You can help take the stuff he¡¯s holding for me.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong turned to look at Shen Lin and immediately recognized him. Seeing that the pile of books Shen Lin was holding had Xiang Nuan¡¯s name, Xiang ChangKong took the books and said: ¡°Thank you for the help.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    ¡°Brother, get in the car first. Those books are heavy, ah.¡± Xiang Nuan immediately took the stack of books from Xiang ChangKong and urged him to sit in Xu Lian¡¯s car. Shen Lin stood there for a few seconds, then called out: ¡°Xiang Nuan, do your best on the exams.¡±


    Xiang Nuan looked back at him and said: ¡°I will!¡±


    Xiang Nuan stowed her things in the trunk and went to the dorm with her mother to clean her bedroom. She had said her goodbyes to Shen Lin at the school gate. He should¡¯ve already gone home.


    Xiang Nuan patted her cheeks and made herself stop thinking too deeply. Now that Xiang ChangKong had successfully been admitted into graduate school, it was her turn to take an exam.


    Xu Lian sat in the car with Xiang ChangKong and asked him: ¡°Who was that boy who helped Xiang Nuan just now?¡±


    ¡°Shen Lin, the boy who was thought to have been in a relationship with Xiang Nuan last time.¡± Xiang ChangKong explained.


    ¡°¡­¡± Xu Lian still had a vague impression of that particular incident. She recalled Shen Lin¡¯s appearance and commented: ¡°He looked like a top student.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled. ¡°You can tell whether or not someone¡¯s a top student based on their looks?¡±


    ¡°Of course, ah. Don¡¯t you think all of the top scorers look the same?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xu Lian turned towards Xiang ChangKong and added: ¡°Oh, but you can be considered an outlier among the academic masters.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°Hm, maybe because I¡¯m not a top scorer but a study god instead?¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xu Lian thought that ever since Xiang ChangKong had successfully passed the postgraduate entrance exams, he had changed, ah.


    It was now time for the college entrance examinees to adjust their mentalities and do their final reviews. Xiang Nuan was currently living with Xu Lian and nowadays, whenever she was home, Xu Lian would make an effort to make as little noise as possible as to not affect Xiang Nuan¡¯s studies.


    Xu Lian felt she had already experienced what it was like for a parent to watch over their examinee children twice in advance. Xu Lian figured that when it was time to send her children to college, she would be quite calm.


    Xu Lian¡¯s neighborhood was calm and peaceful, so it was the perfect place for a student like Xiang Nuan to study. From time to time, Shen Li would share an article about study tips to their group page, and would also send them to Xiang Nuan in a personal chat for good measure.


    Much much later in the future, Xiang Nuan would ask Shen Lin why he would send the same article to her personal chat when he would send the same thing on their group page anyway.


    Shen Lin would later reply that he only sent the study tips to the group page as a cover and actually wanted to just send them to her.


    Future Xiang Nuan would then realize that she may have underestimated just how outstanding top scorers were.


    The national unified entrance exams for university enrollment took place on June 7th and 8th. Xu Lian and Xiang ChangKong had personally sent Xiang Nuan to her exam venue. Every year, the college entrance exams garnered the country¡¯s attention. The media would be busy spouting various statistics about the exam and would recount someone¡¯s unfortunate child forgetting their ticket/getting stuck in traffic/ending up in the wrong examination room which would eventually be helped by a kind uncle policeman. Various social media platforms would be filled with previous exam questions and language comprehension questions. There would even be some examinee parents who carefully thought about what style/color clothes they wore in order to help their children to flourish.


    (T/N: A superstition thing.)


    The two-day exam was like a big battle.


    And after these harrowing days, everyone¡¯s hearts were relieved. However, Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t celebrate as hard as she imagined.


    She didn¡¯t tear up her books, nor did she celebrate all night. Instead, she ended the last day of her exam like any other normal day.


    This calmness was very similar to when Xiang ChangKong finished his own college entrance exams.


    Her family seemed to have some sort of tacit understanding with each other. Nobody asked Xiang Nuan how she did, and Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t seek out other people¡¯s answers online to check how she did. Instead, after resting at home for two days, she began to look for a summer job.


    In general, the most popular summer jobs were things like distributing flyers and other short term menial work. Summer vacation was the brightest and hottest of the year, so Xiang Nuan wanted to spend her summer vacation indoors to avoid the sun. If she spent all day outside, Xiang Nuan was afraid that when she started university, people would think she was an exchange student. So Xiang Nuan avoided outdoor jobs and began to send her resumes to fast food restaurants and cafes.


    (T/N: Her overly tanned skin would make her look non-native? Something like that.)


    Eventually, a cafe hired her. It wasn¡¯t in the most prosperous area out there, but the shop¡¯s decor and style were good. Her manager gave her a set of work clothes, and simply trained her for two days. Afterward, Xiang Nuan formally started work.


    The cafe already had dedicated baristas, so Xiang Nuan was mainly responsible for taking orders, delivering meals, and cleaning the tables. She had no problems with servicing the customers. The only difficult thing was getting familiar with all kinds of coffee and matching the coffee with the correct price.


    There was a girl named Liang LingLing who worked with Xiang Nuan in the cafe. She looked about to be the same age as Xiang Nuan and started working at the shop just two months before Xiang Nuan. So naturally, the manager assigned Liang LingLing to watch Xiang Nuan and help her if needed. Because Xiang Nuan was a lovely and hardworking girl, all the cafe employees had come to like her. Liang LingLing was no exception.


    ¡°Excuse me, here are your coffees. Please enjoy it.¡± Xiang Nuan placed the cups on the table, then returned to the counter with a plate. When Liang LingLing saw her coming, she noticed that Xiang Nuan¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t very good. Liang LingLing asked: ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Were the guests making things difficult for you?¡±


    Xiang Nuan shook her head and instead motioned her to look at the table she had just served. ¡°You see that man? I remember him. He came the day before yesterday and had another young woman with him.¡±


    Liang LingLing was stunned for a moment, then said: ¡°Maybe they¡¯re just ordinary friends?¡±


    ¡°No way. I just heard him call that woman sweetheart. The last woman he came with was called ¡®baby¡¯! Oh, man¡­¡±


    Liang LingLing: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Liang LingLing was silent for a while. Then, she reminded Xiang Nuan: ¡°We can only do our jobs to the best of our abilities. Don¡¯t interfere with our customer¡¯s private affairs. Honestly, work here long enough and you¡¯ll witness things like this many times. The only thing we can do is offer the man a napkin after he¡¯ll inevitably get splashed with water by a woman.¡±


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Ah, it seems that her coworker was someone used to seeing the great storms of society.


    Xiang Nuan replied: ¡°Understood.¡±


    Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t pay attention to that male customer anymore and became busy with work. In the next few days, that particular male customer came again twice, each time with a girl companion different from the previous ones. When the male customer visited the third time¡­the boat finally capsized.


    That day, Xiang Nuan served coffee as usual. But before long, another young woman stormed into the cafe. As soon as she entered the door, she rushed towards the male customer¡¯s table and spilled coffee on him.


    Brown coffee immediately stained the man¡¯s white shirt, and the woman opposite him screamed.


    Xiang Nuan¡¯s eyes brightened and she quickly rushed towards them with a towel.


    She wanted to watch the drama up close, ah.


    The two women argued for a while, then eventually, one of them slapped the man and left, while the other cursed at the man before stomping away.


    After they all left, Liang LingLing comforted the other customers in the cafe, then looked towards Xiang Nuan. ¡°I¡¯m amazed that you weren¡¯t afraid to get close. Weren¡¯t you afraid that they¡¯d end up hitting you in anger?¡±


    Xiang Nuan was still feeling a little exhilarated. While she cleared the table, she said: ¡°Working in a coffee shop is so exciting, ah.¡±


    Liang LingLing: ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then I¡¯ll leave this to you. I¡¯ll take care of the other customers.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xiang Nuan cleaned up the table and then mopped up the coffee that had been spilled on the floor. After she was done she felt a little tired, but Xiang Nuan thought it was worth it since she had seen the scum man get beat up.


    Xiang Nuan placed the mop back into the service closet, washed her hands, then came out again to entertain the customers.


    Then, the windchime by the door rang once more. Xiang Nuan turned her head and saw a man and woman enter.


    The girl was a beautiful young woman. She looked like a college student. And the man next to her¡­was Shen Lin.


    Haha.


    Working in a coffee shop really is so exciting.


    The author has something to say:


    The extras will follow the timeline.


    Because I set Xiang ChangKong to get married only after he received his Ph.D., Xiang Nuan¡¯s extras come first. Right now, he¡¯s at university, ah.


    But a little spoiler: By the time Dr. Xiang ChangKong graduates, Xiang Nuan still hadn¡¯t graduated. [covers face]


    Xiang Nuan: ¡­.haha, the author really knows how to prick my heart, ah. ????

 Chapter 58

    [Chapter 58]


    ***


    Shen Lin didn¡¯t see Xiang Nuan and sat down with the beautiful woman on a table by the window. Xiang Nuan walked over with the menu and smiled. ¡°Welcome, what can I do for you?¡±


    The woman didn¡¯t take much notice and simply accepted the menu to peruse through it. Shen Lin, however, was stunned when he raised his head and saw her.


    Xiang Nuan, dressed in a uniform, was standing by his table, looking at him with a smile.


    Shen Lin suddenly felt a hiccup climbing up his throat.


    He valiantly held the hiccup back, stood up, and asked: ¡°Xiang Nuan? Why are you here?¡±


    Xiang Nuan, with a smile still pasted on her face, continued to act professionally. She simply replied: ¡°I¡¯m working here for the summer.¡±


    The woman who was sitting opposite to Shen Lin finally looked up and asked him: ¡°Do you know each other?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, my classmate.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± The girl glanced at Xiang Nuan, then went back to her menu. ¡°I¡¯d like an Americano, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Xiang Nuan then turned to Shen Lin. ¡°What about this gentleman?¡±


    Shen Lin replied: ¡°I¡¯ll have the same.¡±


    ¡°Alright, two Americano coffees. Just a moment, please.¡±


    Xiang Nuan took back the menus, then turned away. As she left, the pretty woman placed her elbow on the table and put her chin on her hand. She asked Shen Lin: ¡°She¡¯s already gone. Aren¡¯t you going to sit down?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­sorry.¡± Shen Lin sat back down.


    The woman¡¯s name was He Yue. She was the daughter of Shen Lin¡¯s mother¡¯s good friend and was a medical student at the capital¡¯s top university. She was in her sophomore year, and her grades have always been excellent. Since Shen Lin also wanted to apply for the medical department of the same university, his mother asked him to take advantage of the summer vacation and learn a few things from this sister. Although the results for the college entrance exams hadn¡¯t been released yet, his mother was quite confident and already considered him a student of that university.


    ¡°By the way, have you finished reading those books I recommended to you last time?¡± He Yue asked him.


    Shen Lin nodded and said: ¡°I originally wanted to return them to you today, but I thought it would be too heavy for you to bring back. I¡¯ll just get it delivered to your home some other day.¡±


    Shen Lin read all of the books He Yue recommended and religiously took notes. After reading the books, Shen Lin felt that he genuinely benefited from it.


    He Yue was only asking casually, but unexpectedly, Shen Lin actually finished them all. A little surprised, she asked: ¡°You finished all of them? There was a lot.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve read them all.¡±


    ¡°Did you read it properly? When school starts, I¡¯ll test you, ah.¡±


    ¡°Alright, senior can verify it.¡±


    After chatting for a while, Xiang Nuan came back to deliver the coffee and their bill. Shen Lin took his wallet out of his pants pocket, seemingly ready to pay. But before he could, He Yue told him: ¡°No need, I¡¯ll treat you.¡±


    Shen Lin¡¯s hand paused. ¡°How can I be so shameless? I should be paying for you.¡±


    But He Yue had already paid the bill using her cellphone via QR code. She smiled at him and said: ¡°Please, you were my junior in elementary school. It¡¯s just a cup of coffee, ah. You don¡¯t need to be so polite to me.¡±


    Xiang Nuan smiled and said: ¡°Please take your time and enjoy.¡±


    When Liang Lingling saw Xiang Nuan come back with a dark expression on her fact, she worriedly asked: ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is that boy bringing back different girls on different days too?¡±


    That boy looked so young, ah. He¡¯s a high school graduate at most. Don¡¯t tell me¡­


    ¡°No.¡± Feeling a little jealous, Xiang Nuan replied with half-truths: ¡°I was just thinking that I should invite one of my primary school brothers to drink coffee with me in the future.¡±


    Hearing that there was nothing to be worried about, Liang Lingling felt relieved. She patted Xiang Nuan¡¯s shoulder and encouraged her: ¡°If you work hard and earn money, then there will always be a young brother to have coffee with.¡±


    ¡°Nn!¡± Xiang Nuan nodded hard.


    He Yue and Shen Lin sat in the coffee shop for more than half an hour. He Yue was leisurely taking a few photos of the cafe¡¯s decorations and her coffee cup, intending to post it on her social media. Meanwhile, Shen Lin felt like he was in pins and needles. Somehow, he felt like Xiang Nuan was constantly watching him.


    ¡°Elementary school brother, do you like your classmate?¡± He Yue casually asked as she replied to a comment a friend made on her recently posted photos.


    (T/N: Elementary school brother is basically like ¡®childhood friend¡¯, or ¡®old classmate from elementary¡¯)


    Shen Lin sat up straight at her question and felt the inexplicable urge to hiccup once more.


    He took a sip of his coffee and asked: ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    He Yue replied: ¡°You¡¯ve been looking in her direction.¡±


    Her answer made Shen Lin slightly frown. It turns out that Xiang Nuan hadn¡¯t been looking at him. Instead he was the one looking at her?


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve finished my coffee. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shen Lin stood up. And they both walked towards the door. Before they left the cafe, Shen Lin took one last look back.


    Xiang Nuan was currently cleaning a table. Her uniform made her look particularly lovely.


    ¡°Shen Lin?¡±


    He Yue called out to him. Shen Lin opened the door and walked out.


    Xiang Nuan finished clearing the table and looked past the window towards them. Their backs look quite harmonious together. Although He Yue was currently as tall as Shen Lin, boys usually grow taller during university. They would be a particularly striking couple.


    Xiang Nuan let out a sigh, then looked away.


    Xiang Nuan worked at the coffee shop for two shifts. Afterward, she directly went back home to Xu Lian¡¯s apartment. Although the cafe was never too busy, she was almost always standing. As a recently graduated high school student who spent most of her day sitting, Xiang Nuan found standing for long periods of time hard work.


    After coming home, Xiang Nuan took a bath and immediately laid on her bed to sleep. After a while, she was awakened by a notification on her cellphone.


    She hadn¡¯t intended on paying attention to it, but someone was suddenly sending her several messages in succession, and the resulting pings irritated her. In the end, Xiang Nuan frowned and grabbed her phone to take a look.


    The person who sent her messages was Shen Lin.


    Shen Lin: Xiang Nuan, I didn¡¯t expect you to already be working.


    Shen Lin: The college entrance exam results are coming out in a few days. Don¡¯t forget (o(*?¨Œ?*)o)


    Shen Lin: Have you figured out what major you¡¯ll be doing yet?


    Shen Lin: You¡¯re staying in A City, right?


    Xiang Nuan rolled her eyes. Who would forget to check the results of something this important, ah!


    Xiang Nuan: Well, I wanted to earn some money and save up, unlike a certain person who goes out and drinks coffee with pretty girls instead.


    Shen Lin: You misunderstood. We were just discussing some study topics together.


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Why does this sound familiar, ah?


    Xiang Nuan: (?v?)


    Shen Lin: What does that mean?


    Xiang Nuan: Nothing. It¡¯s good to study together (?v?)


    After sending this message, Shen Lin didn¡¯t reply for a while. Xiang Nuan figured that Shen Lin wouldn¡¯t send anything else, so she put down her phone and closed her eyes to sleep.


    Just as she felt she was falling asleep, Xiang Nuan heard another ping.


    It was still Shen Lin.


    Shen Lin: We really were just talking about study topics.


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Shen Lin thought about it for so long and still ended up with such a short and useless sentence?


    Then, as if to add some credibility to his statement, Shen Lin sent another message.


    Shen Lin: She¡¯s a sophomore at the capital¡¯s top university.


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Studying with a sister who attended the capital¡¯s top university¡­sure enough, this school bookwork is so confident, ah.


    Xiang Nuan: Have you received an admission notice from the capital¡¯s top university?


    Shen Lin: Not yet.


    Xiang Nuan: I see.


    Shen Lin was silent for a moment.


    Shen Lin: Have you thought about which university to attend yet?


    Xiang Nuan: Whichever my grades can get me into¡­


    Shen Lin: You made great progress during your last year of high school. You should have no problem getting into whichever you wanted.


    Xiang Nuan: I hope so.


    But no matter how much progress she made, there was no way she was getting into the god-tier university Shen Lin was aiming for.


    With the release date of the results getting closer and closer, Xiang Nuan was finally feeling a little restless. Worried that she didn¡¯t do well, Xiang Nuan was in a low mood throughout her shift in the cafe.


    Then, it was time to check the results that evening. Xiang Nuan¡¯s heart thumped hard and she began to slowly enter her admission card number into the website. At this time, examinees all over the country were inquiring about their scores and the website was unable to handle them all for some time. Even after trying several times, Xiang Nuan still couldn¡¯t get in. While she was trying, her cellphone pinged.


    It was from her friend group chat.


    Studying makes you bald: Comrades, I¡¯m in!


    Studying makes you bald: Did anyone see their grades yet?


    Xiang Nuan: [There is no love in my eyes.jpg]


    (T/N: like a reaction pic)


    Do a question for five minutes, paralyzed for an hour: I¡¯m not checking! [picks nose.jpg] I¡¯ll go when everyone calms down.


    Studying makes you bald: Xiang Nuan, have you seen your grades yet? Give me your admission number. I have fast internet connection! I¡¯ll check it for you!


    Xiang Nuan sent her admission number, while still continuing to try over in her side. In the end, it turned out that bald¡¯s internet speed was still the fastest.


    Studying makes you bald: Xiang Nuan, you passed!


    Xiang Nuan saw these words stated on her cellphone screen and suddenly let out a great big sigh that she had been holding in for the last few days. Only then did she realize that her hand that was on the mouse was sweaty. After her phone screen went dark, she also finally managed to get into the website and see her grades. She really did pass, although it wasn¡¯t by much.


    She got up, opened her bedroom door, and went out. Today, she had dinner with her family, so her mother, Xiang ChangKong and Xu Lian were all here. At this moment, all three people noticed her come out of her bedroom and all simultaneously turned their heads to look at her.


    There was a historical drama playing on the TV. Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t pay attention to it and went straight to the nearest person, which happened to be Xiang ChangKong, and hugged him. Taken aback, Xiang ChangKong raised his hand and rubbed her head. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did you get your grades?¡±


    ¡°Nn.¡± Xiang Nuan replied. Then, she raised her head and jumped in place. ¡°Brother, I passed! I passed!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Xiang ChangKong was jostled as she jumped excitedly, but he simply looked at her with a smile. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. Congratulations.¡±


    ¡°Thank you! Hehe!¡± Xiang Nuan then rushed towards Weng ShuLi and Xu Lian, hugging them both. Afterward, she returned to her room.


    With Xiang Nuan¡¯s happy news, everyone was relieved. Weng ShuLi immediately began planning a celebration meal for tomorrow.


    By the time Xiang Nuan returned to her room, she already received dozens of messages in her friend group chat. Her class group chat was also lively. Unexpectedly, Shen Lin also sent her a private message to ask about her grades.


    Xiang Nuan replied: More than 20 points past the cut-off line.


    (T/N: she got 20 more points than the absolute minimum score to pass.)


    Shen Lin: Then you can consider applying to A Normal University.


    (T/N: It¡¯s literally normal university, ha)


    Xiang Nuan: Ah, I¡¯m going to ask my brother.


    Filling in admission applications could be considered even more balding than the college entrance exams. Xiang Nuan looked at her embarrassing score, and her excited mood suddenly cooled down. She went to talk to Xiang ChangKong, who also said that she could consider applying to A Normal university.


    (T/N: by balding she means stressful.)


    Since the two study gods said the same thing, Xiang Nuan finally began applying to A Normal University. However, in her heart, Xiang Nuan still felt somewhat uncertain. After she finished filling in her application, Xiang Nuan suddenly realized that she had forgotten to ask Shen Lin about his grades.


    So she took the initiative to send him a message.


    Xiang Nuan: Where are you applying?


    Shen Lin: Capital¡¯s top university.


    Xiang Nuan: Oh¡­


    It seems that she forgot to ask him about his grades because there wasn¡¯t any need to ask him at all, ah!

 Chapter 59

    [Chapter 59]


    ***


    On the hottest day of that summer, Xiang Nuan received her acceptance letter to A Normal University¡¯s English department. At the same time, Shen Lin had successfully been admitted to the capital¡¯s top university, majoring in medicine.


    The two universities were located in the same district so they weren¡¯t close, but they weren¡¯t too far away either.


    The first thing every freshman does was naturally, military training. Xiang Nuan wore her training uniform and along with the other students in the English department, got up very early, and returned to their dorm quite late. In the breaks between her military training, some student clubs and associations came by to publicize their groups to the freshmen. It was only then that Xiang Nuan finally felt like a university student.


    Military training ended before the National Day holidays. Xiang Nuan took this chance to return home, and when she did, she was entirely tanned.


    Xu Lian still remembered that during his food delivery days, Zhang GuoEr had asked Xiang ChangKong what sunscreen he used. Back then, Xiang ChangKong answered that his family simply had good genes and had naturally pale skin.


    Now that she was met with a sun-kissed Xiang Nuan, Xu Lian felt that Xiang ChangKong¡¯s genes might be a little more biased towards male family members.


    Xiang Nuan herself didn¡¯t care much. After all, everyone else in her department was similarly tanned and there were way tanner people. Compared to them, she could consider herself relatively fine- though she still asked for a few whitening masks from Xu Lian and began using them that very night.


    It was unknown if it was a psychological reaction or not, but after using the mask, Xiang Nuan felt like her skin really did lighten a bit.


    After a month of grueling military training, Xiang Nuan took advantage of the holiday and had a good rest at home. She embodied a very salty fish and laid motionless as much as possible. She didn¡¯t have to do laps early in the morning, and she could eat her mother¡¯s cooking at noon. It was practically heaven.


    (T/N: salted fish is someone very lazy.)


    It was a pity that the holidays were too short. Before she knew it, Xiang Nuan had to return to her dorm.


    Xiang Nuan lived with six other people. She had the chance to become familiar with her dormmates during the month-long military training. Two of her dormmates were local residents of City A, while the other four were from other places. So when they all returned from the holidays, people brought back some local products from home and shared them with each other.


    Since Xiang Nuan lived in a dorm during high school, she quickly adapted to university life. However, there was a girl in her dorm room who usually stayed in her bed. She also liked to put down the mosquito net and didn¡¯t talk much with the others.


    Xiang Nuan originally thought that maybe the girl¡¯s personality was just naturally cold. But unexpectedly, when the university asked for volunteers to promote blood donations, she and the other girl were the only ones who signed up in her dorm.


    The event was organized by several universities and blood donation stations and mainly tasked the university students to distribute leaflets in different locations. Of course, they would also be appreciative if any of the students also donated blood.


    Because it was such a big activity, things were tightly scheduled and people were expected to arrive punctually. Xiang Nuan arrived at the assembly site early and started walking towards the area where her university was supposed to gather.


    With her was the ever-silent roommate of hers. As Xiang Nuan walked next to her, she suddenly felt that the girl¡¯s temperament was somewhat similar to Sister Xu Lian.


    ¡°Lou SiQi, have you ever donated blood before?¡± Xiang Nuan took the initiative to approach her roommate and start a conversation. Lou SiQi looked at her, then after a while, said: ¡°No.¡±


    Xiang Nuan told her: ¡°I also haven¡¯t. I don¡¯t know if drawing blood hurts or not.¡±


    ¡°It should be fine.¡± After Lou SiQi said this, she became silent once more.


    Xiang Nuan knew that Lou SiQi was also an A City native, so she asked: ¡°Where do you live?¡±


    Lou SiQi looked at her strangely. ¡°Why?¡±


    Xiang Nuan smiled. ¡°If you live close to my house, we can visit each other in the future. I¡¯m living in Starlight Park right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Lou SiQi didn¡¯t say anything for a long time, but she eventually said: ¡°Why do you keep approaching me?¡±


    Xiang Nuan replied: ¡°We¡¯re roommates, ah. If we ignore each other, people will think we have bad blood between us.¡±


    Lou SiQi thought about it and seemed to have found Xiang Nuan¡¯s words reasonable, so she didn¡¯t say anything else.


    The assembly point was in a famous park in A City and was also a popular spot for blood donation drives. When the two girls arrived, they found that other students were already waiting there.


    Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t know who they were but heard a female student nearby excitedly say to her friend: ¡°It turns out the people in charge of our group are male students from the top university. We shouldn¡¯t miss this opportunity!¡±


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­¡±


    No wonder. She did wonder why Song ZhiXuan from next door dressed so beautiful for something as mundane as distributing leaflets. Xiang Nuan had wondered if Song ZhiXuan was a little crazy.


    But the top university¡­Xiang Nuan looked around in the crowd and sure enough, she saw Shen Lin.


    Shen Lin was also a little more tanned than when she last saw him. It seems that military training was the same no matter where. But he should be very busy studying medicine, ah. Where did he get the time to volunteer?


    Shen Lin was currently chatting with his classmates. Although he was just a freshman, he really was incredibly busy with his studies. But he heard that today¡¯s volunteer activities were with A Normal University students, so he signed up.


    He thought that he might meet Xiang Nuan, who had always been a warm-hearted person.


    He didn¡¯t ask Xiang Nuan if she was attending. If he asked, it would seem like his motivation to volunteer wasn¡¯t anything pure. Well, although his intentions really weren¡¯t all that pure, he could at least tell himself he had done something meaningful, regardless of whether Xiang Nuan was here.


    But it seems that doing good deeds really do pay off.


    Xiang Nuan really did come.


    He saw Xiang Nuan amongst the crowd. He said a few words to his friends, then ran towards Xiang Nuan. ¡°Xiang Nuan, you¡¯ve also volunteered?¡±


    ¡°Nn.¡± Xiang Nuan nodded. She looked at him and asked: ¡°By why are you here? I thought you would be quite busy with your studies.¡±


    ¡°One has to balance work and rest.¡±


    While the two were chatting, Song ZhiXuan from next door approached them. She curiously looked at Xiang Nuan and Shen Lin, then asked: ¡°Xiang Nuan, who¡¯s this? You¡¯re friend?¡±


    Although Xiang Nuan already knew that Song ZhiXuan¡¯s purpose today wasn¡¯t entirely innocent, she didn¡¯t expect her to target Shen Lin as soon as she arrived. Xiang Nuan let out an ¡®oh¡¯, and said in a sickly cute tone: ¡°My high school classmate.¡±


    She deliberately left Shen Lin¡¯s name out, but Song ZhiXuan disregarded this and began to act overly familiar. ¡°Oh, hello, I¡¯m Xiang Nuan¡¯s classmate, Song ZhiXuan. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°My name is Shen Lin.¡± Shen Lin replied.


    ¡°Lin? what character?¡±


    ¡°The ¡®Lin¡¯ in ¡®Qilin¡¯.¡±


    (T/N: There are many different ways you can write lin, all with different meanings. The ¡®lin¡¯ used in Shen Lin¡¯s name is the same as the ¡®lin¡¯ used in QiLin. QiLin is basically a mythical creature. The Chinese equivalent of a unicorn.)


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s so cool! Are you a student of the top university? Which department are you from?¡±


    Xiang Nuan pulled Song ZhiXuan¡¯s hand and turned towards their group. ¡°The teacher is starting the roll call, we should go.¡±


    Shen Lin watched the two girls leave first, before eventually walking back to his group. As soon as he came back, his classmates yelled: ¡°Who was that girl just now? You¡¯re not introducing her?¡±


    Shen Lin replied: ¡°She¡¯s a high school classmate.¡±


    ¡°Oooh. Are you interested in her?¡±


    ¡°How can that be? I always thought that Shen Lin and He Yue were a couple.¡±


    Shen Lin almost automatically explained: ¡°Sister He Yue and I just study together.¡±


    After he said this, all his classmates laughed.


    Shen Lin: ¡°¡­¡±


    Soon it was time to get started. The team leader distributed specially-printed flyers to the group and showed them the specific location of the blood donation vehicle. Although the weather wasn¡¯t as hot as it was during July and August, it would still be exhausting to stand by the sidewalk and talk to passersby as they distribute out leaflets.


    Song ZhiXuan came today with a full look. To match her dress, she had also worn a pair of high-heeled shoes. So after half an hour of standing around at an intersection, she could no longer continue.


    She looked around, spotted Shen Lin not too far away, and walked towards him.


    ¡°Hello, Shen Lin.¡±


    Shen Lin turned to her and politely nodded. ¡°Hello.¡±


    Song ZhiXuan was just about to say something, but then the male student beside Shen Lin asked: ¡°Shen Lin, who is this pretty woman? You¡¯re not introducing us?¡±


    Shen Lin thought for a moment, then said: ¡°She¡¯s my friend¡¯s university classmate.¡±


    Song ZhiXuan looked at the man beside Shen Lin and asked: ¡°Is he your classmate?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Song ZhiXuan smiled at the man and said: ¡°Hello, my name is Song ZhiXuan.¡±


    Shen Lin took advantage of the fact that they were busy chatting with each other to go towards the blood donation car. He saw Xiang Nuan head there with another girl just now.


    As he walked by, Xiang Naun had just finished donated blood, her sleeve still rolled up. Shen Lin looked at the cotton swab on her arm and asked: ¡°Have you just donated?¡±


    ¡°Nn. I figured that since I¡¯m already here, I might as well.¡± Xiang Nuan replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll donate some too.¡±


    He rolled up his sleeves and got on the blood donation truck. Xiang Nuan waited outside and after a while, Shen Lin came out with a cotton swab on his arm. She looked at him and somewhat anxiously asked: ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Shen Lin is already quite thin, ah. He wouldn¡¯t faint after donating blood, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. They didn¡¯t draw out too much.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ah, would your mother be upset if she found out you donated blood?¡±


    Shen Lin tilted his head. ¡°Why would she? Donating blood is beneficial for the body.¡±


    Xiang Nuan shrugged. ¡°But your mother can be unreasonable at times, ah.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Shen Lin was silent for a moment but then said: ¡°I think you have a few misunderstandings regarding my mother. When you have some free time, I¡¯d like to invite you to my home for dinner so you can see that she isn¡¯t how you think she is.¡±


    ¡°Forget it. I want to live a few more years, ah.¡± The last time Xiang Nuan saw Shen Lin¡¯s mother, she looked like she wanted to strangle her, ah.


    Shen Lin also knew that Xiang Nuan¡¯s first impression of his mother was quite bad. First impressions were usually the most difficult to reverse. Well, it wasn¡¯t too urgent. They could take their time.


    As the two began to walk, Shen Lin asked: ¡°By the way, our university is organizing a visit to a nursing home next month. Will your university also be participating?¡±


    Xiang Nuan shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But well, if my university is participating, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll hear about it sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°Well, if your university isn¡¯t participating, you can still attend. I¡¯ll contact you when I get the details.¡±


    Xiang Nuan looked at him for a while, then pointedly asked: ¡°Don¡¯t you have to study with the sister from before?¡±


    ¡°Now that the semester has started, she¡¯s going to be swamped with her courses. Disturbing her studies wouldn¡¯t be good.¡±


    Xiang Nuan raised a brow.¡±What the¡­are you saying that I bothered you when I studied with you back in high school?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Why is it that whenever he tries sidestepping a pitfall, he immediately falls into another? Shen Lin pursed his lips and said: ¡°No, you weren¡¯t interrupting me. I studied with you willingly.¡±

 Chapter 60

    [Chapter 60]


    ***


    Eh? When did Shen Lin become so talkative?


    Sure enough, university wasn¡¯t just for learning, but also for developing your pick-up skills.


    (T/N: pick up skills as in seducing/picking up girls.)


    After donating blood, the two went out and continued to distribute leaflets. At first, there were plenty of students on the street, but some of them started leaving pretty much half-way. In the end, there was only a few of them left.


    After all, many students only participated to get the extra credit. Xiang Nuan was actually pretty surprised that Song ZhiXuan had stayed till the end. Song ZhiXuan had stayed next to Shen Lin¡¯s classmates and seemed to have chatted with them the entire time.


    Seeing that their shift was almost finished, Shen Lin¡¯s classmates had taken the initiative and invited the girls for lunch. Song ZhiXuan immediately responded: ¡°Great! There¡¯s a good self-service seafood hotpot restaurant nearby. It¡¯s delicious and quite cheap. Let¡¯s go together!¡±


    Shen Lin looked towards Xiang Nuan asked: ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Xiang Nuan thought about it, then said: ¡°I can go.¡± She grabbed the ready-to-leave Lou SiQi and pulled at her arm. ¡°I¡¯ll go with my roommate.¡±


    ¡°Alright, It¡¯s more fun if there are more people.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Lou SiQi, who had been suddenly dragged along, silently looked towards Xiang Nuan.


    Xiang Nuan smiled at her and asked: ¡°Do you like seafood?¡±


    Lou SiQi pondered, then replied: ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together. I¡¯ve also eaten in that restaurant and it really is delicious.¡± Then, Xiang Nuan whispered towards Lou SiQi: ¡°I¡¯ll pay for you.¡±


    After some talk, they established a group of six, with three of them being Xiang Nuan, Lou SiQi and Song ZhiXuan, and the other three Shen Lin and his university friends.


    Song ZhiXuan happily talked with the other two boys while Xiang Nuan took Lou SiQi to the back of the group.


    Xiang Nuan dazedly watched the Song ZhiXuan¡¯s back. It seems that no matter what, there will always be girls who can play well with boys. The smooth and slick girls who always had good relationships with the rest of the class.


    To be honest, Xiang Nuan wasn¡¯t very good at communicating with such people. It was why she dragged Lou SiQi along to this lunch.


    Meanwhile, Shen Lin slowed down and gradually arrived at Xiang Nuan¡¯s side. He asked her: ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you not want to eat seafood?¡±


    Xiang Nuan shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I don¡¯t have anything in common with them.¡±


    Shen Lin thought about it, then said: ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know how to idly chat with people.¡±


    ¡°Ha, I¡¯ve known that since high school.¡± Xiang Nuan may never forget this in her life. After all, he had once sent her a cake that looked like the ¡®five-year college entrance examination, three years simulation¡¯ textbook.


    (T/N: five-year college entrance examination, three years simulation is a popular exercise book? textbook? that helps you prepare for the college entrance exams. So Shen Lin had sent her a cake that looked like a study guide lel.)


    Shen Lin paused, then said: ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. Your classmate and Hu Yang are very good at chatting, so you don¡¯t need to feel awkward.¡±


    Then, as if summoned by the mention of his name, Hu Yang turned around and asked: ¡°Shen Lin, why are you dawdling back there, ah. The restaurant is quite popular; if we don¡¯t hurry there won¡¯t be any more tables left.¡±


    At the reminder, Xiang Nuan worriedly asked: ¡°Should we reserve a table first?¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll call them now.¡± Song ZhiXiuan took out her cellphone and reserved a table for six.


    When the group arrived, the restaurant was already bustling. The tantalizing scent of seafood hotpot drifted in the air and promptly caught everyone¡¯s bellies. Hu Yang was the first to approach a waiter and said: ¡°Boss, where the table we just reserved?¡±


    ¡°Please give me your last name and mobile number.¡± The waiter confirmed their reservation, then led them to a window seat.


    ¡°You can make your own dip, the seasoning area is over there.¡±


    Hu Yang and the others immediately walk towards the area the waiter pointed, leaving Shen Lin to stay at the table and watch their bags. Xiang Nuan also stayed at the table. Shen Lin sat opposite of her, causing Xiang Nuan to awkwardly cough and look towards the passerbys out the window.


    Shen Lin pushed a dish of soybeans towards her and asked: ¡°Do you want to eat some soybeans and pad your stomach first?¡±


    ¡°Nn.¡± Xiang Nuan grabbed a handful and put them in her mouth.


    The waiter arrived and poured tea for them. Shen Lin waited for the waiter to leave, then asked her: ¡°How are your studies? Have you gotten used to the workload?¡±


    Xiang Nuan replied: ¡°It¡¯s ok. The foreign teacher in my oral English class is very handsome and funny. Everyone loves his lectures.¡±


    Of course, she would¡¯ve loved the class even more if he doesn¡¯t ask random students to answer questions at every lecture.


    Shen Lin nodded. ¡°Well, when it comes to learning a new language you should pay attention to learning how to speak it too. You were quite good in English during high school, so it should be relatively easy to learn.¡±


    Xiang Nuan curled her lip. ¡°But you can say that to all the students in my English class. I¡¯m not anything particularly attention-grabbing.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry and just take your time. You can¡¯t be lazy when it comes to language learning. You should listen more and remember to constantly practice speaking.¡±


    Hu Yang, who had just come back with a saucer of dip, looked at Shen Lin and began to make a fuss. ¡°God. Shen Lin, when you told me that you and that upperclassman were just studying together, I didn¡¯t believe you. But now, I totally believe it! Even with such a lovely girl in front of you, you still have the heart to talk about studying!¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Xiang Nuan saw that Lou SiQi had also come back and started to get up. ¡°I¡¯ll also go and mix a dip.¡±


    Shen Lin gave Hu Yang a withering glance, then stood up and walked towards the seasoning area.


    By the time Xiang Nuan and Shen Lin had come back, seafood was already boiling in the pot. Everyone had spent the entire morning handing out leaflets so they were all hungry and tired. They all stared at the pot filled with delicious-looking food.


    Hu Yang clutched at his chopsticks, muttering ¡®can we eat yet?¡¯ several times. When he finally got Shen Lin¡¯s approval, he quickly grabbed a piece of fish. After he grabbed it, he suddenly remembered that there were girls around him. He placed the fish in Shen Lin¡¯s bowl and tactfully said: ¡°You can try it first.¡±


    Shen Lin: ¡°¡­.¡±


    Shen Lin tasted the fish and under everyone¡¯s expectant eyes, he nodded and solemnly said: ¡°It¡¯s cooked.¡±


    At this signal, everyone moved their chopsticks. Seeing the girls pick up some food, Hu Yang once again stretched out his hand towards the pot. Meanwhile, Song ZhiXuan took a photo of the table and posted it on her social media first. Xiang Nuan couldn¡¯t help but admire her tenacity. Everyone was hungry, but she still remembered to take a photo first.


    It seems that Song ZhiXuan¡¯s true love wasn¡¯t eating.


    As for her, she might love eating a little too much. So much so that she had carelessly gotten a piece of fishbone stuck in her throat.


    ¡°Cough.¡± Xiang Nuan covered her mouth and coughed a few times, but felt the bone still stuck in her throat. It was beginning to hurt.


    Shen Lin was the first to notice her. He put down his chopsticks and asked: ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    With a depressed expression, Xiang Nuan replied: ¡°There a fishbone stuck in my throat.¡±


    ¡°Stuck?¡± Song ZhiXuan raised her head. ¡°I had the same thing happen to me once. My mother told me to drink vinegar. Maybe try to eat a lot of rice? How about some vinegar?¡±


    She pushed over a small bottle of vinegar. Shen Lin picked the bottle up and said: ¡°Vinegar has little effect on such things and it may even damage the mucous membrane. Eating a lot of rice will be even worse. It¡¯ll likely push the fishbone deeper and deeper, leading to esophageal stabbing.¡±


    The ignorant Xiang Nuan blinked. ¡°So serious? When I was a kid, wherever I had a fishbone stuck I would just eat some rice.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just because you¡¯ve been lucky so far. Please believe in science.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Xiang Nuan was silent for a moment, then asked Shen Lin: ¡°Then what does science say that I should do?¡±


    Shen Lin replied: ¡°Go to the hospital and have the bone removed.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t want to go to the hospital, ah. She hadn¡¯t eaten enough yet, and it would be very troublesome to go all the way to the hospital just for this. Looking at her expression, Hu Yang said: ¡°Shen Lin is right. It¡¯s better to go to the hospital. If the bone¡¯s not too deep, a general practitioner can take it out with some tweezers. It¡¯s very quick!¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­¡± Xiang Nuan thought about it. On their way here, they passed by a clinic. She said: ¡°We passed by a clinic on the way here. I¡¯ll go and ask.¡±


    Shen Lin told her: ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xiang Nuan picked up her bag, and started to walk off. After a few steps, she turned around and told everyone: ¡°Leave some for us!¡±


    Hu Yang reassured: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this is self-service hotpot. We¡¯ll eat slowly and wait for you to come back!¡±


    Xiang Nuan nodded, then left the restaurant with Shen Lin. Shen Lin asked: ¡°Is the bone lodged in deep?¡±


    Xiang Nuan studied the sensation of her throat and replied: ¡°I think it¡¯s fine. It should be too deep.¡±


    Shen Lin was silent for a while, then, as if talking with a child, said: ¡°I don¡¯t think you and fish mix well. Next time, you shouldn¡¯t eat fish.¡±


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­¡±


    It¡¯s not like she gets a bone stuck in her throat every time she eats fish, ah.


    After a while, they arrived at the clinic. The doctor shined a light down her throat and saw that the bone wasn¡¯t deep enough that it wasn¡¯t visible. It was apparent that Xiang Nuan wasn¡¯t the first person to visit this clinic with a fishbone lodged in her throat. The doctor skillfully used some tweezers to clip out the fishbone and the entire process only took out a minute or two.


    After the bone was extracted, Xiang Nuan felt her throat immediately ease.


    Shen Lin asked the doctor: ¡°Did it damage her esophagus?¡±


    The doctor replied: ¡°The damage was shallow. It shouldn¡¯t have reached her esophagus.¡±


    Shen Lin turned to Xiang Nuan. ¡°Is your throat still sore? Do you feel any pain?¡±


    Xiang Nuan shook her head. ¡°No, I feel fine.¡±


    The doctor smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good. Girl, the next time you eat fish, take better care, ah.¡±


    ¡°Nn¡­¡±


    After paying, Xiang Nuan and Shen Lin began to walk back towards the restaurant. Shen Lin was still feeling a little worried and he asked once more: ¡°Is your throat really alright?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Xiang Nuan once again concentrated on the feeling of her throat and established that it was fine. ¡°Say, do you think that the doctor deliberately opened his clinic near the hotpot restaurant just so he could wait for people to get fishbones stuck in their throats?¡±


    Shen Lin was stunned at her words, then started to laugh.


    Xiang Nuan idly thought that this seems to be the first time she had ever seen Shen Lin laugh?


    Xiang Nuan told him: ¡°You should smile more. Your normal expression makes other people afraid to talk to you, ah.¡±


    Shen Lin asked: ¡°Is my normal expression intimidating?¡±


    ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t do it intentionally, but your normal expression makes you look like a study tyrant.¡±


    (T/N: top student/bookworm)


    ¡°¡­¡± Shen Lin was quiet, then said: ¡°Since you wish for it, I¡¯ll smile more.¡±


    Xiang Nuan turned and looked at Shen Lin like he was a weirdo. ¡°Shen Lin, be honest. Did you get a girlfriend recently? Why are you so talkative all of a sudden, ah?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± Shen Lin looked at her. ¡°How about you? Have you gotten a boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Xiang Nuan hummed. ¡°You think I¡¯d still eat with you if I have a boyfriend?¡±


    Shen Lin smiled. ¡°Well, in that case, why don¡¯t we both try it out?¡±


    ¡°Try? Try what?¡± Xiang Nuan pretended not to understand.


    Shen Lin didn¡¯t mind her attempts of cluelessness and said: ¡°Try out love of course.¡±


    Xiang Nuan looked at him. ¡°Do you even have time to fall in love?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with rescheduling things. Moderation is key, whether it be for studying or relationships.¡±


    Xiang Nuan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Such a top student-like response, ah.


    Seeing Shen Lin looked at her expectantly, Xiang Nuan smirked and said: ¡°Then let¡¯s try.¡±

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    Marriage Proposal


    ***


    In the crowded lobby of City A International Airport, Xu Lian was standing alone by the gate. Her expression was calm and still; out of place compared to the crowd¡¯s harried energy.


    Before long, the person Xu Lian had been waiting for appeared, and her expression finally changed.


    Dragging his suitcase behind him, Xiang ChangKong walked out of the gate wearing jeans and a white long-sleeved shirt, the cuffs rolled slightly up. Xu Lian had initially wanted to call out to him, but then she noticed a blonde woman walking beside Xiang ChangKong, smiling and chatting with him.


    Xu Lian raised a brow and didn¡¯t move.


    She didn¡¯t try to get Xiang ChangKong¡¯s attention, but it didn¡¯t matter. Because as soon as he walked past the gates, Xiang ChangKong had been looking around, trying to spot her. Xu Lian was a beautiful woman who had a striking aura, so it didn¡¯t take long for Xiang ChangKong to find her amongst the vast crowd.


    ¡°Xu Lian.¡± Xiang ChangKong¡¯s steps visibly quickened as he walked towards her. Xu Liang smiled in response, acting as if she had just spotted him.


    The blonde woman with him followed behind, but Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t seem to notice her. Instead, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s gaze was locked to Xu Lian. He asked: ¡°Have you been waiting long?¡±


    Xu Lian was wearing high-heeled shoes, but she was still shorter compared to Xiang ChangKong. She went up to her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around Xiang ChangKong¡¯s neck, then kissed him on the lips. ¡°No, I just arrived.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong ears reddened and he felt an electric current run up his back as Xu Lian kissed him. He felt a little uneasy due to the other people around them, but Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t stop Xu Lian¡¯s actions.


    The blond next to them let out an excited cry.


    The blond beauty and Xiang ChangKong had a brief conversation, then waved goodbye. Before she left though, the blonde woman gave Xu Lian a sly wink and a smile.


    Xu Lian waited until the woman was out of sight before turning towards Xiang ChangKong. ¡°Let¡¯s go, my car is in the parking lot.¡±


    ¡°Nn.¡± Xiang ChangKong smiled and the couple walked together to the car.


    Xu Lian got into the car first and after Xiang ChangKong stowed his luggage in the trunk, followed her inside. Xu Lian put her hands on the steering wheel and watched Xiang ChangKong fasten his seatbelt before opening her mouth. ¡°Things are pretty good for you nowadays, having such a gorgeous blonde woman next to you.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong knew that Xu Lian would mention this, and found the situation both funny and baffling at the same time. ¡°She¡¯s my classmate.¡±


    ¡°Oh. How does it feel to have such a pretty woman as a classmate?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong didn¡¯t answer her and instead asked a question of his own. ¡°You think she¡¯s gorgeous?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she?¡± With the blonde¡¯s pristine features and curvaceous body, even as a woman Xu Lian could appreciate her beauty.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re more beautiful than her.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied.


    Xu Lian stared at him for a moment, then started the car with a smile. ¡°I guess studying abroad was worth it. You¡¯ve developed quite the flirtatious tongue.¡±


    ¡°No, those words were my true feelings.¡± Xiang ChangKong told her with a straight face.


    Xu Lian smiled and drove the car out of the airport. Looking at the gradually widening scenery in front of him, Xiang ChangKong asked Xu Lian: ¡°Xiang Nuan didn¡¯t come today?¡±


    ¡°She wanted to, but she decided to not come when she remembered that you got your doctoral degree two months before her undergraduate graduation.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong chuckled. ¡°If I had known, I would¡¯ve told my academic advisor to put me on the July graduation ceremony instead.¡±


    He smiled at Xu Lian and asked: ¡°During my last video call with her, she said that she¡¯s begun her practical. How¡¯s it been?¡±


    ¡°Not bad. But primary school students are often naughty, so she¡¯s been having a hard time properly managing them.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong laughed. ¡°She¡¯s was often naughty during her childhood. Now as a primary school teacher, it¡¯s time for her to repent.¡±


    ¡°What an older brother-like thing to say.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong asked: ¡°How about you? How are you doing?¡±


    Xu Lian glanced at him and replied: ¡°How can you not know? We video call almost every day. In fact, I think we¡¯ve broken the Guinness world record for most long-distance calls in a set period of time.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t video call every day, ah. We only do it four times a week and even then, because of my tight schedule, each call isn¡¯t as long as it should be.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know that you have a good memory.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong turned towards her and persisted: ¡°How have you been recently?¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡± Xu Lian replied.


    ¡°But I wasn¡¯t, ah. I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Xu Lian drove in silence for a few minutes, then said: ¡°I¡¯m beginning to think that you didn¡¯t go abroad to study airplanes, but to study romance techniques.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong let out a low laugh, his chest slightly shaking. ¡°You know, men abroad really do say a lot more romantic words compared to the men in our country. Especially my Italian roommate. I think living with him taught me a lot.¡±


    Xu Lian hummed. ¡°Oh? Then I¡¯ll wait and experience it for myself.¡±


    Eventually, they reached their community and the car was parked in the underground garage. Xiang ChangKong picked up his luggage and the two went directly to Xu Lian¡¯s home. A month before Xiang ChangKong¡¯s return home, Xiang Nuan resolutely moved her things from Xu Lian¡¯s home to her mother¡¯s house. She straightforwardly told her brother that when he returned, he would be moving in with Xu Lian.


    The reason Xiang Nuan hadn¡¯t moved in with her mother all these years was while Xiang ChangKong rarely came back, his things were still in his room. Besides, Xu Lian didn¡¯t mind, so Xiang Nuan never had the urgency to move.


    But now, Xiang Nuan calculated her brother¡¯s age and realized that he would be 29 years old this year. He¡¯s already an adult, ah. Let him live with Big Sister Xu! Anyway, she knew that he was planning on proposing as soon as he came back!


    Xu Lian helped Xiang ChangKong carry his luggage into her house before closing the door behind her. She looked at Xiang ChangKong as he stood in her living room and asked: ¡°Which room do you want to sleep in? The master bedroom, or the guest bedroom?¡±


    ¡°Cough.¡± Ever the gentleman, Xiang ChangKong hid his mouth behind his hand. ¡°I want to sleep next to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Xu Lian opened the guest room door, then said: ¡°Xiang Nuan brought some of your things over. Sort it yourself.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Auntie Weng said that she wants us to have dinner with her tonight. It¡¯s almost time for dinner so refresh yourself, then we can head out.¡±


    ¡°Nn.¡± Xiang ChangKong took out the gifts he had brought for them, resolving to properly unpack later.


    Xu Lian noticed Xiang ChangKong bring out a package for her and couldn¡¯t help but reach for it. Xiang ChangKong sat next to her as Xu Lian tore open the gift. After a while, Xiang ChangKong coughed and started: ¡°Say¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Wel¡­I need to report to my workplace tomorrow, but after that, I have a week¡¯s worth of vacation. Do you want¡­would you like to¡­well, go out and play together?¡±


    ¡°Go out and play?¡± Xu Lian¡¯s hands paused and she turned to look at him. ¡°Where will we go?¡±


    ¡°Just somewhere around the country.¡±


    Xu Lian thought for a moment, then replied: ¡°I¡¯m fine with that, but don¡¯t you want to rest for a bit?¡±


    ¡°No need. I only have one week of vacation, I shouldn¡¯t waste it. I think¡­shall we go skydiving?¡±


    ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Xu Lian sharply inhaled at his suggestion and swallowed her saliva wrong. ¡°You want to go skydiving?¡± Something so exciting?


    Xiang ChangKong nodded his head. ¡°I got the qualifications for parachuting while I was abroad¡­¡±


    Xu Lian interrupted: ¡°A parachuting certification? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°I deliberately kept it from you because I wanted to surprise you.¡±


    Xu Lian frowned. ¡°But I don¡¯t have one.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You can have a coach jump with you. You only need to go through some simple training.¡±


    (T/N: I think you¡¯re strapped together with the coach. Like physically, so you both jump together.)


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Xu Lian nodded. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, then why did you still do the certification?¡±


    ¡°Because I wanted to perform some air stunts for you.¡±


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­¡±


    Thank you, I guess?


    ¡°Well, how about it? Shall we go skydiving?¡±


    Xu Lian found the idea pretty exciting, so she agreed. ¡°Sure. What do we need to prepare?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong involuntarily raised the corner of his mouth and lifted a hand to rub Xu Lian¡¯s head. ¡°Just leave it to me.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong chose the best skydiving club in China and took Xu Lian to the venue the very next day. Xiang ChangKong¡¯s diving certification enabled him to parachute independently all over the world, so there was no obstacle for him.


    This was Xu Lian¡¯s first experience in skydiving however, so she couldn¡¯t jump alone and must be carried by the instructor. Those who become skydiving instructors are well-versed in the area and have plenty of experience, so both Xu Lian and Xiang ChangKong felt confident in their professional coach.


    Of course, Xu Lian still needed to go through some simple training, and they both had to sign an agreement.


    From her childhood, Xu Lian had always been a non-conformist type of person, and had never been afraid of anything. So when she first agreed to go skydiving with Xiang ChangKong, she was quite calm about it. But now that they were on the special plane, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a little nervous.


    Xiang ChangKong was sitting next to her. Seeing her nervousness, he took her hand and comforted her in a warm tone. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ve gone skydiving plenty of times. Once you¡¯re in the air, you won¡¯t be afraid anymore. Just enjoy the experience.¡±


    Xu Lian nodded. ¡°Nn.¡±


    The female coach responsible for Xu Lian was sitting on her other side. She had seen plenty of customers feel nervous at first, so she more or less knew how to calm them down. The female instructor told Xu Lian: ¡°Relax. I¡¯ve been in this business for many years. Trust me, you¡¯ll have an unforgettable moment.¡±


    When they were at the right altitude, the red lights in the cabin lit up, indicating that they could jump off. The female coach checked everyone¡¯s equipment again, then walked with Xu Lian to the airplane door.


    At a hight of 4000 meters, they could see a boundless blue sky and a sea of clouds. This magnificent scenery could make any person feel excited.


    The photographer strapped his GoPro on and jumped down first. Then, the female coach behind Xu Lian patted her shoulder three times, indicating that she can jump forward. With a nod, Xu Lian threw herself into the arms of the blue sky and white clouds.


    The oncoming wind was a great impact on both her body and mind. It was a totally new and fresh kind of stimulation. It was very exciting.


    Xiang ChangKong jumped soon after. The photographer positioned himself and the camera so he could capture the whole process.


    Because the video recording was an extra, quite expensive charge, Xu Lian tried her best to get the most out of it by seizing every minute to pose for the camera. Xiang ChangKong wasn¡¯t far away from Xu Lian, and she watched as he really did his so-called ¡®air stunts¡¯ for her.


    He raised his hands and legs as if doing children¡¯s gymnastics. Xu Lian had to use her associative connection skills to understand what Xiang ChangKong was doing.


    Xiang ChangKong was making English letters with his body.


    M, A, R, R, Y, M, E.


    Marry me.


    Xu Lian¡¯s brain became blank. For a moment, she ever forgot that she was freefalling 120 miles per hour in the air.


    Eventually, Xu Lian¡¯s mind stuttered back to life. Xiang ChangKong was nearby, looking at her. As if afraid that she didn¡¯t understand his performance, he mouthed the words several times.


    Xu Lian watched Xiang ChangKong ask her to marry him again and again. Finally, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh and give him a heart.


    (T/N: Those finger hearts Koreans do? Maybe the old-school heart with both hands? Either way, something like that. Also, it¡¯s like she¡¯s giving him her heart. Not like he doesn¡¯t already have it tho.)


    The author has something to say:


    Last time, I wrote a proposal on the seafloor. This time, I wrote a proposal in the sky. Next time, I can only write a proposal in outer space!

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    ***


    The female coach who jumped with Xu Lian was really experienced. By the time they smoothly landed on the ground, Xiang ChangKong also landed not too far from them.


    After detaching Xu Lian, the instructor applauded the couple in congratulations.


    Xiang ChangKong walked towards Xu Lian with a smile. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    After some thought, Xu Lian replied: ¡°It was exhilarating. Your little stunt was a bit silly, though.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong chuckled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it looked silly. As long as my intentions reached your heart, then it was worth it.¡± Given the fact that Xu Lian made a heart sign when they were in the air, Xiang ChangKong felt that his proposal had successfully touched Xu Lian.


    Xu Lian: ¡°¡­.¡±


    These past few years, together with his three-year stay abroad, made Xiang ChangKong¡¯s personality a lot more cheerful. He had finally put down the heavy burden that had weighed his heart ever since his father¡¯s passing.


    Zhang GuoEr used to talk about the ¡®heavy melancholy¡¯ in Xiang ChangKong¡¯s eyes, but now, there was no heaviness in his gaze. Instead, all Xu Lian could see was the endless, bright sky.


    To be honest, while it was the old Xiang ChangKong that first attracted Xu Lian to him, she very much preferred to see Xiang ChangKong act like this.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been looking at my face for a while. What are you thinking about?¡± Xiang ChangKong smiled.


    Xu Lian smiled back and said: ¡°Look how thick-skinned your face has become.¡±


    Before Xiang ChangKong could answer, the other staff members approached with champagne to celebrate their successful landing.


    Xu Lian accepted the flute of champagne and clinked it against Xiang ChangKong¡¯s glass. But Xiang ChangKong hooked his arm around hers and said: ¡°It¡¯s better to drink it like this.¡±


    (T/N: That thing some people to at weddings where the bride and groom hook arms and drink wine.)


    ¡°¡­¡± Surrounded by cheering people, Xu Lian looked upward and drank her champagne.


    After the celebration, all that was left was to wait for their video and photos. This process would take around an hour or two, so the skydiving club had a special rest area where the guests could wait.


    In the rest area, Xiang ChangKong rummaged through his bag for a while, then reached for Xu Lian¡¯s hand.


    Xu Lian looked at him suspiciously. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Giving you something.¡± Xiang ChangKong replied.


    Xu Lian raised a brow. ¡°And you need to hold my hand to do it?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong laughed. ¡°No, but I want to.¡±


    Xu Lian no longer questioned him and offered her right hand.


    ¡°The other hand.¡±


    ¡°¡­ you¡¯re quite picky.¡±


    Xu Lian extended her left hand and then watched as Xiang ChangKong put a ring on her ring finger.


    The design of the ring was simple. The diamond inlaid wasn¡¯t huge, but nevertheless, it made Xu Lian¡¯s heart tremble.


    ¡°Good, it fits.¡± Holding Xiang ChangKong¡¯s hand, he raised his head and said: ¡°I can only afford something like this for the time being.¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s trembling fingers grasped Xiang ChangKong¡¯s hand and said: ¡°I think it¡¯s wonderful. Big diamonds look too tacky to me.¡±


    Gradually, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s grip tightened, and he bowed his head to kiss her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s get the license when we get back. What do you think of holding the wedding in early October?¡±


    He¡¯s made Xu Lian wait for too long already. He doesn¡¯t¡¯ want her to wait any longer.


    Xu Lian nodded. ¡°Nn.¡±


    She looked down at their clasped hands and at the ring on her finger. Her heart burst with emotion.


    During Xu Lian and Xiang ChangKong¡¯s relationship, their family¡¯s relatives and friends hadn¡¯t been optimistic that they would last. This was especially true when Xiang ChangKong studied abroad for three years. Even Xu Lian¡¯s mother began to worry about them.


    Xu Lian¡¯s parents might not care about the origin or economic condition of their future son-in-law, but time was a terrible thing. It is often the biggest test any couple would have to face.


    Fortunately, Xu Lian and Xiang ChangKong withstood this test.


    Xu Lian knew that during his study abroad, Xiang ChangKong often traded meals and sleep for a few hours of study, all so he could come back a little earlier.


    Some people were worth waiting for.


    When the video and photos were done, Xu Lian thought they were quite good. Along with Xu Lian¡¯s initial poses, Xiang ChangKong¡¯s ¡®performance¡¯ was also recorded clearly.


    Xu Lian saved each one and shared them on social media. She had used her store¡¯s account, so soon, there were customers who liked and commented on the posts.


    ¡®Wow, the owner went skydiving! So cool!¡¯


    ¡®Amazing. Skydiving! Is that little brother the owner¡¯s boyfriend?¡¯


    ¡®Hey, hey, I¡¯ve decoded the message! Isn¡¯t the little brother spelling out ¡®marry me¡¯???¡¯


    ¡®Marry me? ???? 6666 for proposing in the heavens!¡¯


    (T/N: 6666 is a term used online to mean ¡®you¡¯re too amazing/powerful/cool¡¯)


    Xu Lian read a few of the comments, then replied.


    ¡®The owner is very happy. All goods will be 20% off on the next opening day.¡¯


    Xiang ChangKong, as usual, liked all her posts.


    Xu Lian¡¯s friends and relatives soon saw her posts and began calling her phone non-stop.


    Xiang Nuan knew that her brother was planning to propose today, but she didn¡¯t think it would be while skydiving!!!


    Proposing in the heavens? How exciting!


    Xiang Nuan went to her friend group chat to share the occasion.


    Nuan Nuan Traveling The World: My brother proposed to my sister-in-law in the sky! While skydiving! I don¡¯t know what to say. ????


    Brother: You can say congratulations.


    Nuan Nuan Traveling The World: Congratulations!


    Do A Question For Five Minutes, Paralyzed For An Hour: Hahaha, now that your brother raised the standard, anyone planning on proposing to you must be feeling a tremendous amount of pressure right now!


    Shen Lin: ¡­..


    After their skydiving session, Xu Lian and Xiang ChangKong spent two more days playing around, then flew back to City A. The first thing they did after returning was to get their household registration books, then go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get their marriage certificate.


    After successfully getting their marriage certificate, they spread some dog food in their friend circle once more. Last time, Xu Lian posted photos and videos of their skydiving session, so people might have missed her ring. This time, she posted a photo of her marriage certificate, along with her wedding ring in full display. With a picture like this, there was no way people could misunderstand.


    After receiving plenty of blessings, Xiang ChangKong began working at a plane courtyard while preparing for his wedding with Xu Lian.


    The wedding was scheduled for National Day. By the time of their wedding, Xiang Nuan would have officially graduated from university.


    On the day she received the wedding invitation, a bear child in Xiang Nuan¡¯s class dumped black ink all over her white skirt.


    (T/N bear child is an unruly kid.)


    Xiang Nuan: Brother, can I maybe skip your wedding ceremony? ????


    Xiang Nuan: [picture]


    Xiang ChangKong: What happened to your skirt?


    Xiang Nuan: A naughty kid in my class happened. I¡¯m very, very angry, but I have to keep smiling. ????


    Xiang Nuan: I¡¯m too poor, ah. Brother, give me some money to buy a new dress¡­


    (T/N: I¡¯m wondering why Xiang Nuan would wear a skirt like that to a primary classroom? But, well, plot, I guess.)


    Xiang ChangKong: [red envelope]


    Xiang ChangKong: Buy two.


    Xiang Nuan: Ah, ah, ah!


    Xiang Nuan: Brother, I love you!


    Xiang Nuan: I¡¯ll definitely be attending your wedding! I¡¯ll be wearing a gorgeous new dress! You¡¯ll not lose face, I promise!


    Just then, Xu Lian came out of the kitchen with a plate of fruit and looked at Xiang ChangKong, who was sitting on the sofa, staring at his cellphone. She naturally sat in Xiang ChangKong¡¯s arms and placed her head on his shoulder. ¡°What are you looking at.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong replied: ¡°Xiang Nuan. A kid from her class spilled some ink on her skirt.¡±


    He opened the photo Xiang Nuan sent him and showed Xu Lian a white skirt dotted with black ink. The dark color was very conspicuous against the snow-white skirt. Xu Lian frowned. ¡°What kind of kid was this? It¡¯s obviously done intentionally. Teachers nowadays are so miserable, ah.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong nodded in agreement. ¡°We have to properly educate our children in the future.¡±


    When Xu Lian heard the word ¡®children,¡¯ her mouth quirked into a smile. She picked up a piece of fruit from the plate and fed it to Xiang ChangKong. ¡°Eat some.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong accepted the fruit with a smile and picked up another piece to feed Xu Lian. ¡°You eat some too.¡±


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t act politely and opened her mouth to accept the fruit. She hummed in appreciation and said: ¡°The fruits Auntie Weng sent us are so sweet.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled. ¡°You need to get into the habit of calling her mom, ah.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Xu Lian remained silent and swallowed the fruit in her mouth.


    Xiang ChangKong then reached for the open laptop at the coffee table and turned the screen towards Xu Lian. ¡°The owner of Sugar Honey Heart just sent me the final designs for the wedding dessert table. Have a look.¡±


    The dessert table for their wedding would be specially designed by the owner of Sugar Honey Heart, and Xiang ChangKong and Xu Lian sent them a wedding invitation in appreciation.


    ¡°It looks great.¡± When Xu Lian talked to the owner about the themes of the dessert table, Xu Lian said that she wanted the table to have the same feeling as one would feel when looking at the sky. Xu Lian felt that her words were abstract and probably not very easy to implement, but the owner of Sugar Honey Heart seems to have really pulled through.


    Xiang ChangKong told her: ¡°In the email, the owner told me that this dessert table is called ¡®Loving the Sky.''¡±


    (T/N: remember, ¡®Lian¡¯ in Xu Lian means ¡®to love¡¯ and ¡®Kong¡¯ in Xiang ChangKong means ¡®sky¡¯)


    Loving the sky. It shared the same name as the incense candle Xiang ChangKong had bought from Xu Lian. This candle was still intact in Xiang ChangKong¡¯s room all these years because he wasn¡¯t willing to light it and use it all up.


    Xu Lian swallowed the fruit in her mouth and smiled. ¡°I think I¡¯m getting the short end of the stick with that name.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong laughed.


    On their wedding day, the sky was blue and clear.


    Xiang Nuan came to the venue early to help the couple set things up and prepare. She brought Shen Lin and a thick red envelope with her. While she wasn¡¯t well off, with the combined efforts of her and Shen Lin, they were able to prepare a sizable envelope.


    The wedding was to be held outdoors. Xu Lian had figured that holding the wedding under the blue sky was probably the most suitable place for them.


    After everyone was seated, the wedding officially began. Onstage, the wedding officiant told the story of the couple¡¯s first meeting. Xu Lian thought back to the day Xiang ChangKong first came to her store to deliver her chicken set.


    The Xu Lian back then never would¡¯ve thought that she would later fall in love with the man.


    They exchanged rings, read aloud their oaths, then kissed in the presence of all their friends and family. It was an old and formulaic process, but it still made people tear up.


    The couple¡¯s mothers were already wiping their eyes, and even Xu Lian¡¯s father was blinking to clear his moist eyes.


    After dinner that evening, the guests didn¡¯t want to disturb the couple and allowed them to retire and go to the bridal chamber early. When Xu Lian and Xiang ChangKong returned home, they were so tired that they ended up slumped on the sofa, unable to move.


    By now, Xiang ChangKong had already moved into the master bedroom. He picked up the fast asleep Xu Lian, wanting to let her sleep on a proper bed. But as soon as he lifted her, Xu Lian woke up. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°Go to bed and sleep. You might catch a cold if you sleep here.¡± Xiang ChangKong said.


    Xu Lian pondered for a while, then said: ¡°But I haven¡¯t bathed yet.¡±


    Xiang ChangKong looked down toward his wife and said: ¡°Well, how about we go in together?¡±


    Xu Lian smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°Nn.¡±


    When the couple went into the bathroom, Xiang ChangKong saw the familiar red little box Xu Lian always had lying around. He put Xu Lian down, then threw the box away.


    At Xu Lian¡¯s puzzled expression, Xiang ChangKong gently pushed her against the bathroom wall and kissed her. ¡°We don¡¯t need that anymore.¡±


    Xu Lian paused, then gave him a look. ¡°You could¡¯ve told me earlier, ah. What am I going to do with the rest?¡±


    Xiang ChangKong smiled. ¡°Keep it. They¡¯ll still have some use in the future.¡±