Wang Jinglu returned on August 26th.

  The original plan was to return home before school started and spend some time with her parents, but the next morning she slipped out of the house early.

  The two had agreed in advance, Li Qian arrived early at the entrance of Shengshi Garden Community, waiting for her to come out while playing Chinese chess with security guard Qin Dajye, as a result, they didn't even finish one game, Wang Jinglu came.

  Li Qian stood up and wanted to leave, but the old man grabbed him angrily, "No way, I'm about to win, how can you leave!"

  Li Qian also burst into anger, "Who said you're about to win? Haven't you seen that I still have one more horse than you? Qin Dage, this is me giving you face! If it weren't for the fact that I had something on today, I would've definitely made your blood flow like a river!"

  Qin Dàyé glanced at Li Qian with disdain, pointing at Wang Jinglu and saying: "Isn't this Old Wang's daughter? I know! Is this the second daughter? Her sister is a singing star, her father opened a printing factory, right? Hey, kid, let me tell you, your dad, her dad, I all know them. If you dare not to stay with me and finish this game before leaving today, I'll go back and tell your parents on you!"

  "Hah!... Alright, you win!"

  It is said that those who know the times are heroes; Li Qian didn't even dare fart and sat back down.

  Wang Jinglu's small face was flushed as she stood on one side watching the two of them play chess.

  To say the least, the chess skills of Qin, the old gatekeeper, were notorious. In the neighborhood, countless people could beat him without leaving a single piece on the board. Unfortunately, after two lifetimes, Li Qian was still that stinky chess basket case.

  Both of them are fond of quick and aggressive chess, enjoying the thrill of capturing each other's pieces without caring about formations or strategies. It was a match made in heaven. As they played to the end, the board was almost empty, with only pawns left on both sides. In the end... it was a draw.

  Because neither of them can destroy each other.

  Laoqintouer had an air of not wanting to give up, and pulled Li Qian saying: "Hey, hey, I'm telling you, what's the hurry? Let's have another round, it's still early today, you two can make it wherever you're going, just one more round, okay?"

  Li Qian resolutely ignored him and turned his head to push the cart away.

  At this moment, a brand new Jetta stopped at the door, and the window rolled down to reveal a surprised face.

  "Xiao Qian, why are you back so early? Eh... Xiao Lu, you're back?"

  Got it, now it's exposed.

  Wang Jinglu somewhat shyly greeted Li's mother and explained that she had come back a few days before school started.

  Look at Li's mother, she was so enthusiastic that she opened the car door, seemingly wanting to get out and chat for a bit. But then Li's father said something to her from inside the car, and after exchanging a few whispers with him, she slammed the car door shut again.

  "You have time to go home and play!"

  Mrs. Li said, and the Jetta sped away from the scene.

  Wang Jinglu seemed to have thought of something, looking very embarrassed and ashamed. Li Qian, on the other hand, turned his head with a pleased expression, looking at Old Qin, "I say, Master Qin, this time it's done, you can't threaten me anymore, right?"

  Laoqintou'er chuckled and pointed behind Li Qian, who turned around to see a familiar face.

  "Uh... Aunt Tao is great!"

  Tao Huijun stopped the car a few steps away, smiled and nodded, pushed the bicycle forward two steps, then said: "Xiao Qian you're good too." Then she turned her head to look at Wang Jinglu who was half hidden behind Li Qian, her tone as gentle as ever, but her smile gradually faded.

  "She said: 'Xiao Lu, remember to come back for lunch at noon, Mom is going to buy groceries now and will steam dumplings for you at noon!'"

  After finishing speaking, she smiled and nodded at Li Qian, then rode her bicycle away.

  Li Qian and Wang Jinglu exchanged a glance, both with some helplessness on their faces.

  At this time, turning back to look again, Old Qin had already hidden in the delivery room.

  …………

  "Ah, so it's here after all! Why did you rent a house here?"

  "Isn't this place good?"

  "This place... is so old, so outdated!"

  "Hey, this place isn't much older than our Shengshi Garden, is it? Besides, I'm poor, of course I'd choose a smaller house and an older neighborhood to rent!"

  "But you're not poor! My sister said your songs are worth that price! And didn't Uncle and Auntie already lift the ban for you?"

  "But I want to save my money to buy you pretty clothes, pretty shoes and a pretty necklace!"

  Wang Jingluo, who was sitting in the back seat, raised her hand and gently hit him, although she didn't say anything, but smiled very sweetly.

  They arrived downstairs, Li Qian locked the car and the two went upstairs one after another.

  The door opened and Li Qian pulled out a brand new pair of pink slippers from the creaky old shoe cabinet.

  The house is small in scale, but it still has everything it should have.

  Wang Jinglu changed into slippers and began to curiously wander around, seemingly full of interest in every place. As she walked, she would also comment on things.

  "I remember you weren't very tidy before, but now your home is surprisingly clean... Hey, you didn't deliberately get Auntie to come over and clean up for you, did you?"

  "Ah, the bedroom is indeed very small, but it's okay, after all you're sleeping alone!"

  "Huh? What's this? Is it also a guitar? ... Ah, it's so small and cute! ... Ukulele? That's a weird name! ... I've really never heard of it! Play something for me, play something!"

  "Huh? The kitchen is also very clean, can you cook by yourself? ... Ha, this I'm definitely better at than you. Lately, I've been trying hard to learn how to cook. Whenever I don't know something, I call my mom and ask her. My mom's cooking is really delicious! ... Think again, when I go back home for lunch, I'll definitely get scolded. If you go too, my mom will be so angry!"

  She looked around the small house with one room and one living room for over ten minutes, before finally stopping with a sigh of admiration, saying: "I'm really envious of you, being able to rent your own place!"

  "Why don't I go to Beijing and rent a house, and you move there too?"

  Wang Jinglu raised her hand and slapped him again.

  Then she turned back to the living room and sat down, picked up a stack of A4 paper on the coffee table, looked at it for half a day, and asked: "Are you writing a new song?"

  Li Qian just boiled water and came back, took a glance at the paper and said: "Oh, this is it, just some random inspiration I jotted down casually, fragmented!"

  The room was very small, the living room was also very small, only enough to hold a double sofa. Li Qian did not choose to sit next to Wang Jinglu, but instead moved a small wooden stool and sat opposite her, looking at her seriously.

  At first, Wang Jinglu just smiled shyly and lowered her head again. But soon, she subconsciously sensed that something was wrong, looked up at Li Qian, and asked timidly: "You... what's wrong?"

  Li Qian smiled and said: "If I kiss you once, you won't shout for help, will you?"

  Wang Jinglu couldn't help but laugh out loud, and with a pout on her face, she glanced at him and said, "Pervert!"

  Li Qianli got up from the stool, walked around the tea table in two steps, and sat down beside her with a plop.

  Wang Jinglu subconsciously shrunk her body, but didn't dodge.

  Li Qian still stared at her straightly, Wang Jinglu lowered her head and didn't dare to move.

  Half a day passed, and Li Qian was still watching, rubbing his hands while he watched.

  Wang Jinglu finally couldn't bear it and whispered: "Why sit so close...it's so hot..."

  But Li Qian ignored her and said: "Hey, lift up your head."

  Wang Jinglu raised her head, and through the lenses of her glasses, her eyes were moist and shining with an unusual light that was not normally seen.

  Li Qian raised his hand and she subconsciously shrunk her neck.

  Li Qian's hand stopped, and she looked up at Li Qian with a slightly embarrassed expression before quickly escaping.

  Li Qian stretched out his hand again, she didn't move, so Li Qian easily took off her glasses.

  "You look even better without glasses," he said.

  "Hmm... I can't see it clearly," she said.

  "I want... to kiss you," he said.

  Wang Jinglu's face was red and swollen, she didn't say a word, nor did she move.

  "Look up at me," he said again.

  Wang Jingluo timidly raised her head, her eyes gazing at him, shy and timid.

  Li Qian's breathing gradually became heavier, slowly approaching the past. Wang Jinglu clenched her fists tightly, her entire body tense like a wooden stick, but Li Qian still resolutely kissed her.

  Her lips were soft and smooth, very thin, with a faint warmth.

  In an instant, both of them were shocked as if they had been electrocuted.

  But from head to toe, Wang Jinglu persisted in staring with her eyes wide open, looking like an angry cat.

  Li Qian quickly withdrew after lightly kissing him once.

  The suffering of a virgin, who really knows. And if it's a real virgin, that's fine, but the body is, and the mind has long been not! Crossing over these days, every few days I have to get up in the middle of the night to wash my underwear, that taste is...

  However, Li Qian still didn't want to scare her off.

  After a moment, they looked at each other.

  Wang Jinglu's face turned red, but she suddenly asked: "Is this... a kiss?"

  "Ah, this is what they call French kissing."

  "Oh!"

  "Want to come again!"

  This time Wang Jingluo was smart and closed his eyes early.

  Li Qian leaned in, breathing in the mixed scent of her nose and soap, and gently pressed his lips to hers.

  After a moment, they parted lips.

  "You just bit me," she said.

  "It's not that I'm biting, it's just that you're not cooperating, okay?" he said.

  "But you bit me!"

  Li Qian patted his brow and said, "Let's try again, this time you cooperate a bit, okay?"

  Then he leaned in again, but this time before he even kissed her, Wang Jinglu's phone suddenly rang.

  The two of them retreated back to their original positions. Wang Jinglu pulled out her phone and took a look, it was a text message. But after reading the message, her face turned even redder than before.

  She looked up and saw Li Qian's curious expression, so she handed her phone over.

  Li Qian took it and looked at it ——

  "Xiao Lu, remember, a girl must protect herself, or men won't take you seriously! Don't forget to come back for lunch at noon!"

  What a disappointment!

  Wang Jinglu looked apologetic, took the phone and put it away, hesitated and said: "My mom... you also know, she... doesn't quite like you."

  Li Qian leaned against the sofa with his head in his hands, feeling a bit down. However, he soon adjusted himself - he hadn't planned on doing anything bad anyway.

  "So he asked: 'There are still more than two hours before noon, what shall we go and do?'"

  "Why don't we go watch a movie?"

  "Don't you like watching movies?"

  "But you like it! And my sister said that since I'm going to take the film academy exam, apart from taking extra lessons, I should also watch more movies."

  Then the two of them packed up their things and went downstairs together to watch a movie.

  This time I watched another romantic movie.

  The story is quite ordinary, but Wang Jinglu was very happy because she liked the big reunion ending.

  Moreover, after spending an entire morning together, the familiar feeling between them seemed to have returned. By the time the movie was over, she had visibly relaxed a lot compared to when they first met and even started chattering non-stop.

  "The capital city is much bigger than our place, it's even hotter, and there are a lot of people. Every morning when I go to my supplementary class, I see everyone rushing to walk on the road, as if everyone is in a hurry, which makes me feel anxious too, and unknowingly, my walking speed also quickens..."

  "The old professor who gave us supplementary lessons didn't actually teach us much, but he had many students and arranged for them to come and give us lessons every day. Apparently, they were all from the directing department, screenwriting department, and cinematography department of the Beijing Film Academy! Ah, I see, I didn't know until I entered that tutoring class, just like you said, the girls in the class are really pretty! And many of them wear makeup, so I asked my sister to teach me how to do it, but she said she doesn't know either!"

  "My sister's rented house is a bit bigger than your little hut, but it's not too big either. Anyway, our bedrooms are just slightly bigger than yours. Every morning when I wake up and look out the window, I start thinking of my mom, and then... Don't be so smug, it only happens occasionally!"

  “……”

  Except for the cinema, I walked home and soon arrived at the gate of Shengshi Garden. From a distance, I saw Old Qin playing chess with someone, and he seemed to be loudly demanding a rematch.

  Wang Jinglu suddenly stopped in her tracks, turned her head and looked at Li Qian, saying: "I want to go eat rice noodles."

  "Uh, but your mom is waiting for you at home!"

  Wang Jinglu nodded slightly and lowered her head.

  But after a moment, she lifted her head and said: "However, I want to go eat rice noodles."

  Li Qian took a deep breath and patted the back seat of the bicycle, "Get on!"