Xinchen washed her hair and took a bath, applied a face mask, then put rose bubble bath into the bathtub, turned on the water to the maximum, watched as the bubbles rose, lay down, felt comfortable and let out a sigh, only feeling that her tired body was floating in the clouds.

  After his parents moved out, Xīn Dí renovated the bathroom, completely different from Xīn Chén's side which only had a shower head in a minimalist style. Light-colored mosaic tiles, small pink shell-shaped massage bathtub, thick stacks of towels, and various skincare products on the storage rack were dazzling. Xīn Chén couldn't help but admit that Xīn Dí's preparations were quite useful.

  After taking a bath, she didn't feel like eating anything for the time being and lay down on the velvet sofa to rest. She had always liked this old-fashioned sofa, low and wide, with dark red velvet that was just the right amount of worn out, and when she stroked it, it felt like touching an old friend who made her feel at ease.

  In fact, Xincheng liked the whole house very much. The high and deep space, the narrow living room, the old wooden floor with mottled wood grain, the floral patterned curtains, every detail had a cozy and comfortable homey feel. When Xindi said she wanted to redecorate everything, it scared her so much that she waved her hands repeatedly and said: "No no, this is good enough."

  Xin Di smiled and said, "Hey, these old furniture are just ordinary, the key is that they don't have any special features, they're just the craftsmanship of a carpenter from the late 1970s, why do you treasure them so much?"

  Xin Chen couldn't say why, but she cherished this place. In a bustling downtown area, there was a small courtyard that was relatively quiet, with two beautiful acacia trees growing inside, blooming lovely flowers in the summer and emitting a light fragrance. All the residents were colleagues who knew each other, with a teacher on duty at the entrance and someone responsible for cleaning the corridors. Especially Auntie Li Xiang had a pair of skilled hands that kept everything tidy, the floor was regularly waxed, all things were neatly arranged, and all furniture was spotless, which formed a stark contrast to her living place.

  She started spending her holidays here from the age of 12, and after entering high school, she even lived here for a whole year. Although she had never been close to her aunt, she couldn't bear to disrupt the warm home order that her aunt had built with her own hands.

  Xin Di's parents also vetoed her grand renovation plan, letting her make fewer changes. In the end, she only replaced some furniture and renovated the bathroom before stopping.

  When it was Xincheng's turn to renovate the house, Xindi deliberately went over to take a look and exclaimed: "Hey, you really can get your hands dirty! You've thrown away everything that can be thrown away and knocked down all the walls that can be knocked down."

  She smiled and said: "Hehe, I made some money, and my dad also sent me some money to support me doing whatever I want."

  When she finished decorating, Xindi came to see it and sighed: "You've turned your whole house into an office, who decorates like this?"

  She smiled contentedly and said: "This is much better."

  It's great this way, no signs of the past can be seen at all.

  Xin Chen turned over on the sofa and fell asleep in a daze. In her haze, it seemed that a pair of gentle yet powerful hands had wrapped around her, lightly stroking her back, relaxing her tired and tense body, letting her head lean against the slight indentation on his shoulder, whispering "don't be afraid" in her ear, the warmth of his breath brushing against her ear, bringing a slightly numb feeling... The phone rang, she suddenly sat up, holding her head: She had another dream like this.

  But aren't you lying on this sofa, wanting to indulge yourself in a dream? Even the hug in the dream is no longer as pure as memories, but almost like a spring dream, with a few unspeakable beautiful meanings. She smiled at herself mockingly, picked up her phone and took a look, it was her dad Xinkai Yu calling.

  "Chen Zi, why are you still out so late at night?" he said sternly.

  She couldn't help but laugh, "Your tone, doesn't have any intimidating power at all. I'll stay on Qidi's side today, you take the key."

  "The weather is nice, come out and have a late-night snack with dad."

  Xin Chen was a bit hungry, so she made an appointment with her dad to meet at Xindi's closet to find some clothes. They had a height difference of almost 10 cm and couldn't share clothes, but fortunately, Xindi was a designer, and there were many different styles stored at home. Xin Chen changed into a white T-shirt and a blue wax-dyed skirt that didn't require a code number, and then put on a pair of slip-on shoes and went out the door.

  Locals often spend their summer evenings outdoors, gathering at spots near the riverbank, not far from Xindi's residence. Taking a stroll at night is a pleasant thing to do, with the gentle breeze blowing softly, and people coming and going appear relaxed and carefree, without the scorching feeling of the high temperatures during the day.

  Xin Kaiyu has already sat down over there, and on the small table are various small plates of braised dishes. He pats the seat next to him and hands a bowl of beef and radish soup to his daughter. Xin Chen smiles and says, "On such a hot day, you're asking me to drink this."

  "It's just right for hot days."

  This is actually a small shop that has been around for many years and is quite famous locally. The boss is a dark-skinned, stern-looking old lady named Wang Lao Tai, who never greets customers with a smile. Her two sons and daughter-in-law help out, but they're not exactly enthusiastic either. However, the beef noodle soup and various braised dishes they make are extremely delicious, so the foodies who come from afar don't mind their attitude at all.

  As night falls, the dozen or so simple tables and chairs placed outside the door are all filled with people. Many of them are well-dressed white-collar workers who put their briefcases aside, loosen their ties, unbutton their shirts, and eat heartily from coarse ceramic bowls. There are also many people who drive over specifically to buy takeout. Next door, several small shops have opened up, selling other flavors, bustling with activity, resembling a large food street.

  "I'm in Kunming now, besides missing you, I also miss the food here."

  Xin Chen got up early and drank a mouthful of soup, as expected it was spicy and he suddenly inhaled, "I'm afraid the time I spend thinking about you is far less than the time I spend thinking about food here."

  Xin Kaiyu burst out laughing, poured a glass of iced beer for his daughter, and went to the nearby small shop to order red bean paste. "Hurry up and drink some of this, Dizi can eat spicy food better than you, she loves the beef noodle soup from this place, why didn't you call her over together?"

  "She has a date today."

  "Didn't anyone ask you out? My beautiful daughter actually has no dates on the weekend, it's unbelievable."

  Xin Chen also smiled, "Your daughter, I didn't inherit any of your good traits at all, it's really embarrassing."

  "Chenzi, don't always lock yourself at home like this, it makes me very worried."

  "Never seen a father like you, can't wait for his daughter to go out and have fun all over the world."

  "Why not enjoy life while you're young, or will you regret it when you're old?"

  "Alright, I've had my share of youthful recklessness, now I'm enjoying a different kind of life, which isn't bad either."

  Xin Kaiyu shook his head directly, "You should have a good romance and enjoy the boy's attentiveness."

  "I've tried it, and while it can kill time when I'm bored, it doesn't seem to have much meaning. Dad, I've always wanted to ask you, can constantly being in love maintain the initial good feelings?"

  "Of course, there are times when I'm tired of it, and I haven't been doing well lately. Especially now, I really want to stop and rest for a while." Xinkaiyu paused, looking at his daughter, "Chenzi, I plan to get married."

  Xin Chen was shocked, the hand holding the chopsticks and picking up the duck tongue stopped in mid-air, tilted his head to look at his father, who had a relaxed expression but definitely wasn't joking. She asked doubtfully: "Who is that lucky bride?"

  Xin Kaiyu handed her his wallet, and she opened it to find two photos inside. One was a photo of herself with him, and the other was of a woman who appeared to be in her 30s, with piercing eyes and thin lips that curved into a subtle smile. Her looks could only be described as delicate and elegant, but not particularly striking.

  Xin Chen was not surprised, from an early age, she had seen all sorts of women trying every means to find her charming father for marriage and promises, among whom the most violent woman, nine years ago when she was in high school, even made him go bankrupt and almost went to jail.

  That day, she had a bit of a cold and headache, so she came home early from school. Standing at her own doorstep, she overheard the conversation between her uncle and father, only to find out that her dad, who had been staying at home and not going out much lately, was actually in big trouble.

  "Why don't you just agree to marry her and let her settle this matter? Her methods are a bit ruthless, but she's been with you for several years without any clarity, probably because she really cares about you." It was the voice of Uncle Xin, who stopped in his tracks, wondering if Father was going to get married.

  "Marrying her is no different from being in prison." Xinkaiyu said bluntly, "Besides, things have already gotten to this point, she also knows that there's no going back. Big brother, don't be too naive."

  Xin Kai Ming, who had always been reserved, finally raised his voice and said, "If you had listened to my advice earlier, found a decent woman and lived a peaceful life, and didn't go out causing trouble, things wouldn't have ended up like this today."

  Xin Kaiyu was silent for a moment before saying: "Don't get involved in this matter, big brother."

  "You think I want to take care of you? I'm poor Xiao Chen's father, and I've ended up with an irresponsible son like you. At most, this kind of thing would get you sentenced to one or two years in prison, and being locked up for reform might even help you calm down a bit, but what about Xiao Chen?"

  Xin Chen was so startled that the school bag in her hand fell to the ground with a thud. Only then did the two brothers notice she was standing at the door. Xin Kaiyu hastily came over to pick up the school bag for her and said nonchalantly, "School's out so early today? Later I'll take you out for dinner."

  Xin Chen hastily grabbed his sleeve, with a hint of crying in her voice, calling: "Dad—"

  Xin Kai Ming had always been fond of his niece, but he regretted the angry words that slipped out and scared her. "Little Chen, don't be afraid, what your uncle said was just a momentary anger, it's just a small financial dispute, your father can resolve it."

  Xin Chen couldn't believe it, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at him, "Uncle, I won't stop my dad from getting married, I don't want him to go to jail."

  Xin Kai Ming let out a long sigh, "Don't worry about it, Xiao Chen. Focus on your studies, these things are for adults to worry about."

  Xin Chen only later roughly understood that Xin Kaiyu's girlfriend at the time came from a good family background, and had been doing business with him in partnership. After being forced to marry and failing, she actually signed several contracts in his name that could have led to his financial ruin. Those clients, under her instigation, had already filed a lawsuit and threatened to sue Xin Kaiyu for fraud.

  After a few days, Xin Kaiyu was taken away by the procuratorate in front of Xin Chen for investigation. Xin Kaiming rushed to the scene and took his pale-faced niece home. Li Xiang brought a hot towel to wipe her face, wiping away her cold sweat. Although she didn't particularly like her, at the same time, she was tired of the trouble brought by her younger uncle, so she couldn't help but comfort her in a soft voice: "Don't be afraid, your eldest uncle will think of a way. Don't tell anyone about this, including your sister and Lu Fei."

  She could only nod mechanically, knowing it wasn't a good thing and wasn't worth sharing with anyone.

  Fortunately, the case itself was not complicated. Xin Kai Ming used his connections to get Xin Kai Yu out on bail. Xin Chen, who had been scared out of tears by her father's arrest, would run to the school gate during every class break to call her father using an IC card phone to confirm he was okay. After school, she would rush home and stick close to her father as if she didn't want to leave his side for a single step. Xin Kai Yu looked at his daughter, who was like a frightened bird, with great guilt and could only promise her that unless absolutely necessary, he would not go out.

  It's no wonder her grades plummeted in this situation.

  Xin Kai Ming tirelessly ran around for his brother's affairs, and through connections met with the family of that ex-girlfriend who was born out of love and hate. After repeated persuasions and mediations, they managed to settle the case out of court with compensation. Xin Kai Yu sold the company, and then his older brother raised some funds, barely escaping disaster.

  At a friend's invitation, Xin Kaiyu decided to start anew in another place, while Xin Chen could only move into his uncle's house.

  On the day of departure, Xin Kaiyu took his daughter to a restaurant for dinner and said to her: "This time I'm not going out on business, I won't be back for a while, you have to take care of yourself and don't make your grandparents angry."

  Xin Chen knew that his dad was fine, and his heart finally fell back into place. After several months of torment, both of them had lost a lot of weight. If it were another father-daughter pair having this kind of farewell conversation, they would probably be overcome with emotion. But they used a tone that was all about casual chatter, trying their best to appear relaxed. "Got it, I promise I'll behave from now on. You shouldn't get yourself into these kinds of messy situations either."

  Xin Kaiyu shook his head and sighed, "Chenzi, listen to your aunt's words, don't associate with that boy named Lu Fei again."

  The day before, Li Xiang had said to the father and daughter, "Don't bother Rou Fei again," Xin Chen immediately stood up, Xin Kaiyu was also very angry, but still held down his daughter who was about to lose her temper, and coldly looked at his sister-in-law, saying, "It's always been others bothering my daughter."

  Li Xiang took this still unreasonable and innocent-looking uncle and had no choice but to say with a headache: "Anyway, I've made it clear to both of you that it's for Xiao Chen's own good, so just do what you want."

  Xin Chen's response to her father was still fierce, "I'll go ask Lu Fei, if he doesn't want to have anything to do with me anymore, I promise I won't bother him again, I won't pester anyone."

  "If you like him, don't pressure him into making a decision. Chenzi, he's already in college, he should know what's best for himself. Just promise me not to take the initiative to look for him."

  Xin Chen seemed to be thinking, "Are you all afraid of being forced to make decisions?" Seeing Xin Kaiyu's confusion, she said, "Just like this time, you'd rather go to jail than be forced into marriage."

  Xin Kaiyu smiled and stroked her hair, "Your father's matter is more complicated, not entirely one meaning, but it's almost the same."

  I don't know how she tied up Dad, Xincheng carefully looked at the photo in her hand. Anyway, what other women couldn't do, this lady did it, there must be something special about her. She returned the wallet to Xin Kaiyu and teased: "It's actually put the photo in the wallet with my daughter already, I guess sooner or later, I'll be kicked out completely."

  Xin Kaiyu burst out laughing and tapped her head, "Nonsense, you are the most important person in Dad's life, no one can replace you."

  "I'm not moved." She curled her lip. "How did you suddenly think of getting married? Isn't it just to have a child and get married for the sake of having an heir?"

  "The more you talk, the less it makes sense." Xinkaiyu shook his head and smiled, "No, we've already reached a consensus, we don't plan on having any more kids. I'm not interested in trying to change diapers at my age, and she's not interested in being an older mother. She said, as long as you're willing..."

  "Stop, stop, but whatever you do, don't tell me that as long as I'm willing, she'll treat me like a daughter. I really fear people saying this to me. You two get married, I guarantee I won't have any objections, then there's no need to pretend to be affectionate with me."

  Xin Kaiyu smiled helplessly, "She said as long as you're willing, you can come live with us anytime."

  Xin Chen also smiled, "Hey, you should warn her that you have a spoiled and temperamental daughter who is not easy to coax. No, I'm used to living alone, Kunming is a nice place, but even if I go there, I plan to find a house and live by myself."

  "No need to look, Chenzi, she is arranging the decoration of the house and has specially reserved a south-facing bedroom for you. She also asked me to ask if you have any special requirements. If you insist on not living with us, I will raise money after I go back and buy a small house near here for you."

  Xin Chen gritted his teeth and begged for mercy, "Dad, do you want me to be so moved that I cry? Really, no need. You didn't make a fortune, business needs money to turn around, besides, we're just about to get married, definitely will spend money too. Please don't go buy another house. If I go back, I'll stay in the guest room, I won't live there for long."

  "Wherever you want to go, I won't object, Chenzi, as long as you're happy. But I'll always leave a place for you. After all these years, I can hardly say I'm a good father, don't take away this chance for me to show my paternal love."

  Xin Chen got up early and drank a big mouthful of beef soup. Under the stimulation of the spicy flavor, that tear flowed down smoothly, then she took a tissue with tears on it and said, "Hmph, even if you bribe me, don't think I'll let her call me mom. She looks at me as if I'm not much older than her, I can muster up the courage to call her mom, but I doubt she has the face to agree."

  "It doesn't matter what you call it. That's not the issue." Xinkaiyu picked up his beer and refilled his glass, suddenly changing the subject, saying casually, "Just now when I went home, I saw Lu Fei standing under our building."

  "Who is Lufei?"

  "Don't pretend with me." Xinkaiyu said with a smile.

  Xin Chen also smiled, "Ah, really, I've been waiting for a long time, and in the past, you didn't even glance at anyone else."

  "Do you blame me, Chenzi? If it wasn't for me back then..."

  Xin Chen made a disbelieving expression, "Dad, you really are like a man about to get married now, so sentimental. My business with him has nothing to do with you, and your business is fine even if you stay in the local area. We're breaking up, no one's forcing us, and there's no misunderstanding. You know my personality, I'm just going my own way."

  "Would they still consider him now?"

  "We've all gone our separate ways, what's there to consider? Dad, I've never asked you before... about my mom, right?"

  Xin Kaiyu was stunned, "This is a subtle hint for me to shut up and mind my own business."

  "Dad, do I still need to beat around the bush with you? It's just that when I heard you're getting married and finding me a stepmom, it suddenly occurred to me. You and mom were each other's first, right? Don't tell me you were a Casanova at 19 and had countless experiences."

  Xin Kaiyu couldn't help but feel a little sentimental, his youth had long since passed him by, and he didn't particularly like to reminisce about that period of time filled with too much worry and confusion. Of course, they were each other's first, having just escaped the heavy academic burden of high school and their parents' supervision, falling deeply in love at first sight, thoroughly enjoying the passionate emotions that only come with being young, a kiss, an embrace soon couldn't satisfy their curiosity and longing.

  If it weren't for the unexpected turn of events, even if we parted ways later on, it wouldn't be a bad memory. But an unexpected event led to consequences that young lives couldn't bear, and all that's left is to pay the price.

  Her price was naturally higher, being severely scolded by her family who rushed from afar, expelled from school, and when she left school in disarray, her belly was already bulging. The eyes of the surrounding classmates were filled with sympathy but also disdain. After the parents of both families negotiated a settlement, they sat on one side, but had no right to speak. He looked over and saw that she was pale and haggard, her eyes dull, her hands placed on her belly, and even a thick coat couldn't hide her bulging abdomen. She stared blankly at the wall opposite her. The girl in front of him had completely lost her former vitality, her face dark, leaving him equally bewildered.

  At night, he found the hotel where they lived and asked the waiter to help him quietly deliver a note upstairs. After a while, she came down, and the two stood facing each other, but suddenly felt a little strange to each other. The once-tight hug had become distant and elusive. The dim light of the old hotel lobby made their expressions blurry in each other's eyes.

  Xin Kaiyu thought he had made up his mind to take on the responsibilities that life had suddenly handed him, but now he hesitated. He remained silent for a while, deciding not to give himself a chance to regret it, and said to her: "You stay here, we'll get married when we're old enough."

  She was visibly shaken, and tears finally flowed out, but she didn't say anything, just shook her head, shaking it non-stop. He didn't know if this rejection made him feel painful or a little relieved.

  He came out of the hotel, outside the autumn wind was rustling, and it had already brought a chill. He pulled up his collar and wandered around outside until late at night before returning home, where his parents scolded him as usual, but he was dazed and didn't respond at all.

  After that, they never met alone again. When his parents brought the little baby back from the hospital, he truly realized for the first time that at just over 19 years old, he had become a father, and the small head with black hair peeking out of the swaddle was half his blood. A moment of indulgence had condensed into such a delicate life, and he felt only wonder and bewilderment.

  In the blink of an eye, the little baby grew into a slender and elegant young lady, sitting beside him, staring at the glass of iced beer in her hand, seemingly forgetting what she had just asked, and completely unaware that this question had triggered what kind of memories for her father.

  Xin Kaiyu knew that his daughter had worries, he always tried to indulge her as much as possible, partly to make up for the girl who was forced to end her youth early and face the hardships of the world, but at the same time, he also indulged himself, not a traditional responsible good father.

  "She and I, should be each other's first love."

  Xin Chen turned around to look at her father, but she didn't know what she wanted to ask either. What could she ask anyway? When she was young, her grandparents and father spoiled her, and not having a mother didn't make her feel any less loved. As she grew older, she met the woman who claimed to be her mother briefly, but she didn't have the courage to turn around and ask her usually talkative father for confirmation.

  They all looked so young, unlike her cousins and classmates' parents. As she grew older, she could only imagine that it was probably just a mistake they made when they were young, and then forgot about each other. As the result of the mistake, asking again would only add embarrassment or sadness.

  Everyone treated her with a gentle and inclusive attitude, avoiding this topic, afraid of touching her heart. Until Feng Yi'an's mother suddenly found her, she was surprised to find that originally without a mother, in the eyes of others, it was actually a congenital deficiency.

  Hearing these words from Xinkai Yu's mouth, her heart suddenly relaxed. So they had also been in love back then, and it was the beautiful memory of their first love. Who could reduce the passionate love of their youth to a mistake that shouldn't have happened?

  She picked up her beer glass and clinked it with her father's, "Dad, I only know this is enough, no one can guarantee to be with anyone forever, there's nothing to regret." She tilted her head back and downed the whole glass.

  After finishing the night, it was already late at night. Xinkaiyu sent Xincheng to the outside of Xindian Institute and asked her to rest early. Xincheng walked in with a bit of drunkenness, but only saw two people standing extremely close to each other by the car in the dimly lit courtyard, as if whispering to each other. Her eyesight had always been good, and she had already made out that it was David Fan and Xindi. She pretended not to see them and walked inside, and those two people had already quickly separated. Xindi smiled and called out to her: "Hey, you pretend not to see, but it makes me look like I'm doing something wrong."

  David Fan smiled and waved at them, "Good night, I'll go first."

  The two sisters went upstairs, Xindi took out the key and opened the door, asking her: "Where did you run to play? Just came back?"

  "Had supper with my dad, seems like I came back at a bad time, haha."

  Xin Di yawned, "You're back just in time, I was wondering how to say goodbye. Flirting is something that can only make your heart beat faster and blood flow quicker if done slightly, but if it's overdone, it becomes meaningless."

  Xin Chen smiled heartily, completely agreeing with the words. Xin Di casually tossed the bag onto the sofa and looked at her skirt, pausing for a moment, "This is still one of my earliest designs, remember? It was tailored to your figure, I made it and had you try it on, Lu Fei said it looked good, but you didn't appreciate it, saying it looked like a flour sack. Afterwards, it's been stored in my closet all this time. This style isn't outdated even now, paired with a white T-shirt, it looks pretty good."

  Xin Chen was slightly stunned, "Which year is it?"

  Xin Di carefully turned her around to face him, crouched down and re-tied the ribbon on her skirt. "Hey, you tied a bow so sloppily and ran out, it's an insult to my design, even from my early days. Let me think... I believe it was during the summer vacation when I was about to enter my third year of university, and you were about to enter your third year of high school."

  Xin Chen let her tidy up the straps and adjust the hem angle, not wanting to protest that she was about to take it off and change into pajamas to sleep, no need to bother with this.

  It was that summer vacation, when her happy memories were coming to an end. At that time, she had already grown up to be about the same height as now, and her favorite clothes were in a girly style. She didn't like this dull blue wax-printed fabric with a rough texture, nor did she like the style that was too long and not neat enough. Unlike Xindi, who had an excellent memory for details related to clothing, according to her elder sister's words, this distinctive skirt had been worn by herself before, and Lu Fei had also commented on it.

  However, today she took it out of the closet and put it on. Before going out, she looked at herself in the mirror and suddenly had no impression of it. She felt a little dazed and also a bit relieved.

  So, memories will gradually fade away in the passage of time, more details will be lost bit by bit in the past, and one day, what was once deeply etched in mind will also become completely carefree.

  Seeing off his father Xin Kaiyu, Xin Chen restored his working state and sat in front of the computer for a long time to process pictures, not going out for a whole week.

  Lin Leqing became a regular here, often taking his camera to take pictures of the city's old buildings, and at other times bringing packaged food over to eat with her. After dinner, she continued working while he used her laptop to organize his photos or play games, read books, and when tired, he would lie down on the soft couch in the studio to rest until Xincheng was ready for bed before leaving.

  Xin Chen cried and laughed at the same time, "Hey, you're stuck here and can't go home, I'm afraid your dad will come over to look for you, I don't know what to say."

  "You've abducted a minor, you can't escape this crime." Lin Leqing burst out laughing.

  Xin Chen couldn't do anything about it, so she just let him be. Actually, she also welcomed Lin Leqing's presence. He stayed on this side and didn't disturb her work, but he would suddenly push her swivel chair away from the desk to the balcony when she had been staring at the computer for a long time, forcing her to take a break and chat with him for a while.

  He seriously told her his name, "Lin Leqing. I also have a twin sister named Lin Lepeng, who is only six minutes younger than me and has been bullying me for a long time. Our names together form a word: Qingping Yue, which is very poetic. From now on, you can call me Leqing, it's more intimate."

  Xin Chen forced a smile and said, "Then should I formally introduce myself?"

  "It's okay, I know your name is Xin Chen, but I like calling you He Huan, it sounds nice."

  Lin Leqing helped her water the flowers, "After I arrived in Canada at 15, I relied on helping my mom water flowers and trim lawns to earn pocket money. How's that? Is my posture professional enough?"

  She slapped a banknote into his hand, "Here, don't bother looking for change."

  It's his turn to cry and laugh at the same time, "Brazenly taking advantage of me, okay."

  Xin Chen finished editing the photos, and that noon she went downstairs for the first time. Lin Leqing was waiting for her downstairs, planning to go to the advertising company together to hand over the photos, and then she would accompany him to take some hidden old buildings in the alleys.

  After walking out, she was surprised to find that the storefront on the street suddenly pulled up several long banners, which were written with "宁要市区一张床，不要郊区一套房" (I would rather have a bed in the city than a house in the suburbs) and "我们要求公平合理的拆迁补偿" (We demand fair and reasonable demolition compensation). The place where the demolition notice was posted was replaced with large-character posters, which analyzed in detail the price of new houses in this area, the level of compensation offered by the demolition company in the same area, and the interpretation of relevant content of the Property Law. It called on all residents to unite and resist unreasonable demolition. Everywhere, there were neighbors standing in twos and threes, discussing the demolition.

  Lin Leqing smiled and said: "You are really out of touch with the world, it's been lively here for days."

  He was taking out his camera and shooting the scene, when someone next to him asked: "Young man, are you a reporter?"

  He shook his head and was about to speak when someone suddenly called out: "Leqing, Xiaochen."

  It was Lu Fei and a woman in her thirties with short hair, wearing a pale green silk blouse and gray linen pants who came over. Lin Leqing smiled and replied, "Hey, you guys. Auntie, what are you doing here?"

  The woman smiled and said: "Just like the people from the Design Institute came to see the situation on site, I'm not very satisfied with their initial plan. Little Chen, it's been a long time since we met."

  Xin Chen smiled, "Hello, Lu Shi is sister, it's been a long time. Sorry, I have to go take care of something, see you later." She politely nodded goodbye to Lu Shi and Lu Fei, Lin Le Qing also waved at them, "We'll leave first, see you later."

  As they got into a taxi, Lin Leqing said: "Don't you want to ask me how I know Rufen and his sister?"

  "It's said that any two strangers in the world can be connected through six people, and it doesn't seem strange who knows whom," Xincheng said listlessly.

  "A few days ago, I just found out that Lu Fei is the younger brother of my cousin's wife. This convoluted explanation made Lin Leqing laugh at himself, but it was indeed complicated - his cousin Su Zhe and Su Jie were half-brothers, sharing the same father but different mothers, so Lin Leqing only had a familial relationship with Su Zhe, and he called Su Jie's wife Lu 'Aunt' purely out of politeness."

  Xin Chen didn't bother to figure it out, just looking ahead in silence. Of course, the connection between strangers is far more complicated than they imagined, and once acquaintances become strangers again, there's no way to carefully sort out the inexplicable connections between them.

  Arriving at the advertising company, Xin Chen had Lin Leqing wait for her in the reception room. She often came to this side and was familiar with the route, heading straight to David Fan's office. When she went inside, she was stunned - David Fan wasn't there. Instead, a tall girl with a healthy, wheat-colored complexion and wearing a cool tank top was on the phone saying "Okay, okay, I'll be right back." As she walked out, she saw Xin Chen come in and stopped in her tracks, putting down her phone to give her an impolite once-over. All Xin Chen could ask was: "Is Mr. David Fan in?"

  The girl looked her up and down, seeing that she didn't have a hint of evasion, but instead seemed to be interested in looking at herself, before opening her mouth: "He's not here, what do you want with him?"

  Xin Chen thought, after three days of separation, one has to look at him with new eyes. Could it be that David's pretentiousness has risen so quickly that he already has a secretary to keep out miscellaneous people? And what's more, such an arrogant secretary. She only said: "Then I'll go wait for him."

  Xin Chen turned back to the living room and saw that Zhao, a copywriter from the company, had already started chatting with Lin Leqing. "Are you here to audition for that advertising model?"

  Lin Leqing said seriously: "Do you think I'm suitable for this?"

  "Your temperament is wasted on such a tacky product. If you had shot the advertisement for that hot spring resort last time, it would have been much better."

  "I still don't know what product it is."

  "Men's health medicine."

  Lin Leqing burst out laughing while slapping the table and said, "No no no, this is great, it should suit me. I'm actually wild at heart and have a strong masculine quality."

  Xin Chen couldn't help but laugh, "Little Zhao, he's my friend, not a model."

  "Ask your friend if she wants to try part-time acting, Xin Chen."

  "You convince him yourself, I don't care. Hey, has Director Dai found a secretary yet?"

  Xiao Zhao was surprised, "The company only has one secretary and receptionist, Zhenzhen, you're familiar with her."

  "Who is the girl who just came out of his office?"

  As they spoke, Zhenzhen brought over two cups of tea and handed them to them, smiling slyly: "That's Shen Xiaona, the subordinate under President Dai's suit pants, a sea turtle who returned to China in the first half of this year, the daughter and design director of Xinhe Fashion Company. She often comes to our company to hang out, I think soon she'll have an extra desk in President Dai's office."

  Xiao Zhao also laughed, "Zhen Zhen, you and your mouth! Didn't Miss Shen ask our company to make a painting album?"

  "Hand over the album early, is it okay? In the past, there was an excuse to visit, now simply don't need an excuse. The airs put on are even bigger than those of a serious boss, one moment asking for coffee, another moment asking to adjust the air conditioner temperature, sitting for half a day, hey, finally left."

  Several people burst out laughing, but before the laughter had died down, David Fan appeared at the door, "Jen Jen, you're chewing your tongue again."

  Jen Jen stuck out her tongue, but wasn't afraid of him. Instead, she smiled and said, "Boss, let me tell you the truth, huh? Who made us so charming that we attract bees and butterflies?"

  David Fan had always been humble in the company, but now he was really angry with these lazy employees and could only scold them with a smile: "All of you go back to work properly, Xin Chen come to my office."

  David Fan imported the pictures from Xin Chen's external hard drive into his computer, and while browsing through them, he said: "That Shen Xiaona is just my junior fellow student, don't listen to their nonsense."

  Xin Chen didn't speak, Dai Wei Fan raised his head and saw that she had a smile that was not quite a smile on her face. He couldn't help but feel a bit anxious, "I'm already considered to have a bad reputation in Xin Di's eyes, don't add fuel to the fire for me."

  "Do I need to say anything, Director Dai?" Xincheng said slowly and calmly. "You can't even catch up with my family's Xindai, let alone try to chase her with a burden."

  David Fan burst out laughing, "Don't worry, I have a conscience, I won't do something so unscrupulous."

  Xincheng bid farewell, David Fan threw his pen on the desk and began to ponder Xincheng's words. Of course, the pursuit of Xindie was going smoothly and not so smoothly. Smoothly, Xindie was not pretentious, if he called her to ask her out and she had time, she would readily agree; not smoothly, Xindie did have moments of intentional confusion, but never entered a romantic state as he wished.

  David Fan had never experienced the taste of being troubled by love, it was always others who openly or secretly loved him. His own limited experience with secret love ended in its infancy, without a chance to deepen, leaving only a hint of melancholy. It was always girls who went crazy for him, they all looked at him with shining eyes, as if being with him made even the most boring activities interesting.

  Ke Xin didn't do that, even when facing him, she easily got distracted and confidently admitted that she was thinking about a design idea. In the bar, she would cover her mouth to yawn, complaining that the air was stale and the music didn't match the atmosphere. When watching movies, she was focused, but clearly didn't care about the plot. Even in the most romantic films, she would break it down into costumes and visuals, while the actors were exchanging tears, she would say: "This kind of shoulder-padded high-waisted clothing might come back into fashion, maybe our boss is right, fashion is indeed an unreasonable thing."

  Such a performance made David feel both frustrated and determined to deal with this difficult woman. He looked at the time, called her, and asked her out for dinner that night. Xindi responded absent-mindedly with a few "uh-huhs".

  David hated her state of pretending to listen, and he had been taken advantage of before. Once, they had clearly agreed to meet at the bottom of her office building, but he waited for nearly forty minutes without seeing her come down, and when he called again, she was surprised, "When did I agree to that?"

  "We agreed on it yesterday."

  "I don't remember, I'm rushing a design draft now, you go eat by yourself." She hung up the phone very succinctly. David Fan was so angry that he almost punched the steering wheel and despised himself for why he had to suffer this humiliation. But two days later, she called him again, asking him as if nothing had happened if he was free to go drinking together that night, and he actually said yes immediately.

  It wasn't just the two of them who went drinking, he only found out later that Xīn Dí had asked him to accompany ā Kěn. ā Kěn didn't have many friends in this city, and ordinary people weren't worthy of his attention, but he was very curious and loved to wander around everywhere, always dragging Xīn Dí along with him.

  After accompanying him several times, she got tired of it and called out David Fan with the spirit of using things to their fullest and people to their greatest potential. She said in a tone of entrusting her orphan: "Ah Ken, from now on if you want to have fun, just look for David Fan directly, so as not to bother me, a woman, with your affairs. He is an expert at eating, drinking and having fun, accompanying you will definitely be more than enough. Or you can also give him an English name to call him, hmm, there's already one available, let's just call him David."

  David Fan looked at Xindi Le's unbearable appearance, feeling both angry and amused, and once again made a ruthless vow in his heart. One day when she fell into it, he would... how would he do it? He didn't quite have a concept, and even he thought this idea was too childish.

  "Hey, are you even listening to what I'm saying?"

  "What was that you just said?"

  David Fan had no choice but to patiently repeat himself, "This afternoon I'll go to the airport to pick up Yan Xiu Hui, and then we'll invite him to dinner together."

  Xin Di laughed, "Make it clear, you're the one inviting, not us. Yan Xuhui ran to Beijing and became a domestic top fashion photographer, so what's he got to be proud of? What makes him think I should invite him? You go ahead and meet with him directly, I'll stay here with Ah Ken to review the designs in the painting album, he's leaving for Hong Kong the day after tomorrow, we need to rush to finish everything within these two days."

  Xin Di put down her phone and continued discussing the design draft with Ah Ken. Just as they were busy, someone called her.

  When that gentle voice said "Hello, I'm Ji Ruochen" over the phone, she had no idea and could only respond with a simple "Hello."

  An awkward silence appeared on the phone, and Xindi was about to admit that she had no impression of this name at all. Then the voice said: "More than two years ago, we met in Beijing and had dinner together. I am Lu Fei's fiancée, or should I say ex-fiancée."

  Xin Di was taken aback, and his voice trailed off as he let out an "oh" sound, but he didn't know what to say next. He only felt a sense of awkwardness, and couldn't quite put into words whether it was her name or the title of "ex-fiancée" that made him feel uneasy.