Extra 1

In the blink of an eye, both Jiang Yumo and Ning Zhiyu put on their graduation robes and took graduation photos.

On this day, Duan Ye and Zhou Ji set aside their works and bought flowers to pick them up. Their four years of long-distance relationship had finally come to an end together with Jiang Yumo and Ning Zhiyu’s graduation. Qi Da Corporation was growing rapidly, with about ten employees under their command. Their positioning was accurate as well. With their foundation and connections, even though Zhou Chenglei had exerted a lot of effort behind the scenes, they could never become top players in the real estate industry.

In every industry, the true leaders are invariably those individuals with deep roots and often mysterious backgrounds.

They were still too young.

Unless they had been born ten or twenty years earlier, there would only be a slight possibility. However, even so, being able to ride the wave of the times and establish a business from scratch was quite remarkable. Previously, Zhou Chenglei and his wife were hesitant to talk about what their son was doing in social events, but now they naturally mentioned this company, asking others to look after these two young people.

Zhou Ji had talent and a myriad of imaginative ideas.

Duan Ye, on the other hand, was mature and steady.

Not only were they the most compatible teammates on the field, but they were also the most harmonious partners in business.

They both knew that Zhou Ji would eventually return to the Zhou’s Group. This was a responsibility he couldn’t avoid. Rather than saying he was in entrepreneurship, it was more accurate to say he was learning. Later, Zhou Ji told Zhou Chenglei that Duan Ye wouldn’t be his core subordinate; he would always be Duan Ye’s trusted backbone and brother.

They complemented each other.

With Zhou Ji and the Zhou family, Duan Ye would continue to advance on this path. Perhaps decades later, Suan Ye could also create his own business empire.

With Duan Ye by his side, Zhou Ji was like someone holding an umbrella in a rainy night. Even if the road ahead was uncertain, he wouldn’t be so anxious.

In the end, Jiang Yumo followed her parents’ advice and prepared to apply for the dance troupe. As they say, the end of the universe is a position on the organization chart. Every year, the competition for fresh graduates is fierce. It’s not an exaggeration to say that there are numerous rounds of selection. However, the treatment in such dance troupes is excellent. Besides the organizational position, they also arrange for accommodation in Yanjing. Every year, many graduates compete for these few positions in the dance troupe.

In the group chat, Jiang Yumo expressed her sentiment : [Grateful for the long-distance relationship!]

This was a heartfelt statement. She had never been someone with a strong willpower. If Duan Ye had been by her side, during the four years of college, she wouldn’t have been able to focus so much on her studies.

She was truly clingy when in a romantic relationship.

Due to the polishing of these four years, her mental strength and professional abilities had improved significantly from when she was taking her art exams. Although the competition was fierce, she still had some confidence.

In order to boost her spirits, the eight-member WeChat group changed their names. They switched from ‘Ningcheng’s Handsome Guys and Beautiful Girls’ Gathering’ to ‘Chief of the Dance Troupe and Her Friends’…

Every day in the group, they referred to her as the chief.

It seemed as though she had already been accepted into the dance troupe.

After careful consideration, Ning Zhiyu decided to work while pursuing her post-graduate studies. With her educational background and capabilities, she quickly received a job offer from a big company. As a result, both couples faced the same issue : finding a place to rent.

Duan Ye and Jiang Yumo’s small house was handed over on schedule. As expected, construction of a nearby subway began, and school relocation was also put on the agenda. However, after Mother Jiang and Duan Ye’s Mom came over to take a look, they both advised them to wait another couple of years before renovating. It was better to let the bare apartment sit through a summer or two; furthermore, being among the first to renovate wasn’t ideal. Once they moved in after completing their renovations, they would have to endure the noise of continuous renovations and cope with daily dust accumulation.

Duan Ye and Jiang Yumo acted like obedient children in front of their two Moms, so they readily agreed.

Even if they started renovations now, it would still be at least a year before they could move in.

Zhou Ji came up with a great but completely impractical suggestion : the four of them could live together in the Emerald Garden.

Regarding this, Jiang Yumo said, “No, no! I’m afraid that if I get used to a luxurious lifestyle, I might end up disliking my small nest in the future.”

Zhou Ji : “It’ll just motivate Lao Duan to earn more money.”

Jiang Yumo : “No! I refuse.”

Duan Ye was already working very hard, and she didn’t want to add more pressure to him. In any case, she really couldn’t live in that luxurious Emerald Garden.

Duan Ye… his opinion wasn’t important.

As long as Jiang Yumo didn’t want to go, Duan Ye wouldn’t go either.

Zhou Ji didn’t even bother to glance at Duan Ye, continuing to look expectantly at Ning Zhiyu.

Ning Zhiyu said, “Renting is fine, but living in your house is not up for discussion.”

Was this good news or bad news? The bad news was that even if someone held a knife to Ning Zhiyu’s throat, she absolutely wouldn’t move into any property owned by Zhou’s family before they were married. The good news was that she was willing to cohabitate with Zhou Ji, but they would have to rent a place outside.

“What’s the difference here?”

Zhou Ji earnestly inquired and vented to Guo Shichao.

Guo Shichao truly lived up to his reputation as an emotional expert: “Living at your place, when you two have a fight, she can’t ask you to leave; she can only leave on her own. Living in a shared apartment, she has half of the territory rights.”

Zhou Ji : “…”

Guo Shichao : “Do you understand why she wants to buy a house? No matter how many houses your family has, they aren’t hers in her eyes. She wants her own house. Got it?”

Ning Zhiyu also bought a house. When she graduated from high school, she had over two hundred thousand yuan in savings, mostly from scholarships given by the school and some local entrepreneurs in Ningcheng. Throughout her four years in university, she remained frugal, receiving scholarships every year. She also took on part-time jobs. In the first two years, she worked as a private tutor, and in the latter two years, she was recommended to a company. After a few years, she had saved a considerable amount of money. In her plan, she intended to consider buying a house after her job became more stable. However, seeing Duan Ye and Jiang Yumo both buying houses, she couldn’t restrain herself and bought a smaller unit in the same building in the same community.

At that time, Zhou Ji couldn’t understand. Even if she wanted to buy a house, they could have done it together, which would allow them to buy a bigger and better-located one.

But Ning Zhiyu insisted. She was a little short on the down payment at the time, but she never thought about borrowing money from Zhou Ji.

Zhou Ji was furious, and they had a big argument. Later, Ning Zhiyu said something that instantly diffused Zhou Ji’s anger. She said that the only person she had ever believed in and relied on wholeheartedly in her life was herself. After her parents passed away, she had always had one wish : to have a house that was truly hers.

---

Both couples were planning to rent a place. After discussing it, they decided to rent a place together for mutual support.

Luck was on their side, as they found suitable options and became neighbors.

Both Duan Ye and Zhou Ji felt relieved.

They’re very busy with their works. Although their company is now based in Yanjing, they would still have business trips once or twice a month. They couldn’t leave their girlfriends alone at home with ease. However, being neighbors changed things. When they were away, Jiang Yumo and Ning Zhiyu could take care of each other.

On the day they moved in, the four of them had a hotpot dinner together and shared photos and videos in their eight-person group chat.

Yan Qing joked like this : [Rent a house together, buying a house together too. May I ask, are you four planning to spend your lives together?]

Zhou Ji : [You’re envious, you’re jealous, no need to hide it.]

If it were possible, all eight of them being together would be the most perfect.

Now Jiang Yumo understands what her Mom said before. It turns out that even adults don’t get to do whatever they want. They all have their own lives and work, and they can’t spend their days together like they did in high school.

Before Jiang Yumo took the audition for the dance troupe, Mother Jiang made an appointment with Duan Ye’s Mom. They set off for Yongfu Temple before dawn. With each step on the stairs, they muttered a sentence, praying for Yumo’s success in the audition. They don’t know if she was really favored by the Buddha, but she unexpectedly passed this intense competition and got into the dance troupe. Jiang Yumo’s parents at home were almost going crazy. For their generation, even if they earn a lot as a white-collar worker in a company, it’s not as good as passing civil service exams or getting a secure position.

Now, Jiang Yumo has indeed passed the audition for the Yanjing’s Dance Troupe.

It’s enough for Jiang Yumo’s parents to boast about for a lifetime.

Duan Ye is also considering proposing. In fact, he had been thinking about it since he reached the legal marriage age, but he had been postponing it. Now it seems to be the most appropriate time. His and Zhou Ji’s company is gradually stabilizing, they have their own little home in Yanjing, and he’s been thinking of a really good proposal idea.

He sometimes goes online to look for reference ideas.

Some of those proposal ceremonies are quite grand, inviting many friends and family members to witness, but Duan Ye believes that Teacher Xiao Jiang probably wouldn’t want that. She would feel awkward.

She probably would prefer it to be just the two of them during the proposal.

It would still be great to share with families and friends after the proposal was successful.

Duan Ye spent nearly half a year thinking and pondering over the proposal ceremony.

When it comes to matters related to Teacher Xiao Jiang, he always attaches special significance. Even during those four years of being apart, he never missed any important holidays.

Finally, when the proposal ceremony plan was settled, he spent two months preparing for it.

That day, when Jiang Yumo came back from work, she encountered a newlywed couple asking for directions at the subway entrance. After showing them the route, they somehow performed a magic trick and conjured a rose for her. The woman smiled and said, “We’ve been married for a year, it’s what they call the paper anniversary, and this rose is for you.”

Jiang Yumo was a bit puzzled but still said thank you as she accepted the rose.

After walking a few steps, she encountered another couple.

They also gave her a rose. They had been married for five years, which is the wood anniversary.

Jiang Yumo only just realized that there was something unusual about the situation.

Sure enough, along this journey, she had received flowers from couples celebrating their tenth, fifteenth, and twentieth anniversaries.

By the time she reached the hallway, she already had a small bouquet of roses in her hand.

These flowers carried the blessings of these couples.

It turns out like it was how it would be on the first year of marriage to several decades of marriage.

She arrived at the corridor, where an elderly couple stood at the doorway. Their hair was already white, yet they were still holding each other’s hands. When they looked at each other, their eyes held the gentleness and profound love that time had accumulated.

Jiang Yumo felt a pang of emotion.

Where did Duan Ye find so many couples?

Moreover, they were all deeply affectionate couples. This was truly incredible.

The elderly lady looked at Jiang Yumo with a smiling gaze, as if she were looking at her younger self. She walked up to Jiang Yumo, placed a flower in Jiang Yumo’s hand, and spoke with a gentle tone and warm demeanor, “Child, my husband and I have been married for sixty years. When we got married, I was even younger than you are now. Blessings to you, blessings to both of you, for happiness and safety.”

Tears welled up in Jiang Yumo’s eyes.

She never expected Duan Ye’s proposal to be like this.

He had never spoken of forever, but this proposal seemed to be telling her just that.

They would also be like those couples, from paper anniversary to gold anniversary, and even to diamond anniversary, staying together, growing old together.

The couple supported each other as they left.

Jiang Yumo took a deep breath, stood at the doorway with her head down, pondering for a long time. Finally, she gathered her courage and opened the door.

The room was decorated romantically.

There were balloons, candles, and a cake on the coffee table.

As she walked in holding the bouquet of flowers, it was as if… as if she were the leading lady in a movie.

Duan Ye walked over, his gaze focused on her. He took out a velvet box containing a diamond ring, knelt on one knee, and his tone was as deep as ever, “Shall we get married?”

He didn’t say “Will you marry me?”

He didn’t say “I want to marry you.”

Instead, he said, “Shall we get married?”

There’s only ‘we.’

Jiang Yumo turned away, her voice choked with emotion as she said, “This is unfair, you didn’t give me any advance notice. I didn’t even touch up my makeup today, and I’m not dressed nicely.”

Duan Ye was amused by her words, “You’re already beautiful enough.”

Jiang Yumo finally said yes.

—We’re getting married.

It’s great.

---

rokumi’s note : Ahhh! This is one of my most favorite proposal scenes!! 🥹🥹

---

The two ‘Wife-watching Stones’ eventually obediently returned to the room.

Duan Ye was worried that he might miss Jiang Yumo’s call while playing games, so he didn’t wear headphones. He placed his phone beside him. Whether it vibrated or rang, he could immediately notice it.

The four of them hadn’t played games together for a long time.

Zhao Zheng nostalgically touched a keyboard and said, “It’s this feeling, exactly!”

Zhou Ji sat next to him and logged into his game account.

Zhao Zheng glanced over, thinking he had read it wrong. He leaned in and read Zhou Ji’s game ID word by word, “Already_Have_A_Girlfriend_Please_Don’t_Approach??”

Guo Shichao hadn’t put on his headphones yet, and when he heard Zhao Zheng read it out, he burst into laughter, “So cheesy?”

Zhou Ji was very satisfied with his game ID, “Don’t you think it’s pretty good?”

Guo ShiChao asked sincerely, “Has anyone really approached you?”

“The world would end then!” Zhao Zheng couldn’t take it anymore, and rubbed his arm, “Don’t you think you’re a bit too confident?”

“I’m just preparing for the future.” Zhou Ji leaned back lazily and said, “Should I change my ID after someone approached me, then? Mistakes should be nipped in the bud. I have to think of every crisis before she does. That’s being proactive.”

Zhao Zheng : “…”

Guo Shichao sighed, “Although I’ve known for a long time that you’re not normal, I’m still shocked and disgusted by your way of handling things. Does Ning Zhiyu know about this?”

Duan Ye laughed, “Could he hold back from saying it?”

“So, what was Ning Zhiyu’s reaction?” Guo Shichao pressed on.

Zhou Ji played it cool, “She’s quite satisfied, even sent me a thumbs-up emoji as a review.”

“Anyway, this is what I want to do.” Zhou Ji said, “Besides, my game ID does fit reality well. Do I have a girlfriend? Yes. Will I accept advances? Of course, I won’t.”

“Alright, I won’t ask anymore.” Zhao Zheng raised his hands in surrender, “I’m no longer interested in your affairs. Let’s ask Brother Duan instead. Brother Duan, now that you’ve bought a house, are you planning to get married?”

“How is that possible?” Guo Shichao explained to him, “While Sister Mo is indeed of legal marriage age, Brother Duan isn’t yet. A man needs to be at least twenty-two.”

Duan Ye nodded.

“However, it’s still early,” Duan Ye lit up his phone, afraid that he might miss her message. The phone screen seemed to bear witness to the changes in their relationship. From her solo selfies at the beginning, and turned into photos of the two of them together now.

This was taken during Chinese New Year this year.

The two of them sat on her sofa, their heads leaning against each other. She was smiling happily.

“We’ll consider it after she graduates.” Perhaps truly happy, Duan Ye unexpectedly brought up matters related to Jiang Yumo.

He rarely acted like this. Zhao Zheng and Guo Shichao also abandoned their game, removed their headphones, slid their computer chairs over to Duan Ye’s side, and with great enthusiasm, Zhao Zheng said, “Well, her graduation is just less than two years away. What do you think? I’m even more excited than Brother Duan. How about this? When the time comes for the proposal, we’ll help you with ideas?”

Duan Ye raised his hand and said, “Thanks, but it’s okay.”

As for proposing, he preferred to think and plan for it himself.

Although it wasn’t part of any concrete plan yet, and he hadn’t formed specific thoughts about it, he had already decided not to tell anyone. Only the two of them needed to be present.

“You don’t need to worry about the romance master.” Zhou Ji said with a touch of exasperation, “This guy is so cunning. He must be hiding his ideas from us.”

“Talking about this makes me speechless.” Zhou Ji didn’t even bother with teaming up for games. He shared firsthand gossip with Zhao Zheng and Guo Shichao, “After he found out someone was pursuing her, he started coming over here more often. Sometimes he would spend half a day here. He would take a late-night bus and arrive the next morning. He’d have a meal with that someone or watch a movie and then hurry back to the bus station. I’m getting tired just watching him.”

Zhao Zheng asked in confusion, “Don’t you have someone too?”

Zhou Ji slapped his thigh, “Exactly! If he’s doing it, I can’t not do it. Otherwise, when that someone compares notes with my Yuyu, I’ll end up back being single. Speaking of which, I’m also willing. I’ve been saving those bus tickets, quite a collection. Should I show them to you?”

Guo Shichao quickly responded, “No thanks, not interested.”

Zhou Ji missed a perfect opportunity to show off his affection, and he regretted it.

“Alright, let’s talk about Lao Duan now. Every winter and summer break, when Sister has time off and goes home, he always makes time to visit. He personally escorts her back to Ningcheng. Once or twice would be fine, but he does it every time. Sister’s parents are more than satisfied with him, you know?” Zhou Ji glanced at Duan Ye, “There are his slippers at Jiang Yumo’s place, his cups and utensils. The most outrageous thing is, last year, when Jiang Yumo’s grandmother had her birthday, he went there too. Her Uncles and Aunts truly see him as a prospective son-in-law. With this level of scheming, this level of perseverance, does he really need you two single dogs to come up with proposal ideas for him? Come on, go to the restroom and take a look at yourselves in the mirror.”

Who could stand to listen to such words? Who could endure it?

Zhao Zheng and Guo Shichao exchanged a glance, then stood up, lifted Zhou Ji, and looked like they were about to toss him out.

“Just speak when you’re speaking, do you have to emphasize us being single dogs?”

“Do you think you’re that amazing for having a girlfriend?”

Zhao Zheng held Zhou Ji’s arm, Guo Shichao held his legs. They were all in good spirits, and Zhou Ji shouted, “Yes, having a girlfriend is really amazing!”

---

Meanwhile, the four girls wandered around nearby, feeling that it was hot outside, so they entered a convenience store.

The air conditioning inside the convenience store was on full blast.

The four of them stood in front of the refrigerated section, choosing snacks and drinks. Jiang Yumo casually asked, “Yan Qing, what’s going on between you and Zhao Zheng? What are your plans?”

Sun Mengting and Ning Zhiyu also found this question interesting and put down their jelly snacks to join in.

The four girls stood together, as if exchanging some important information in secret.

Yan Qing shrugged, “That’s just how it is. I won’t wait for him, and he won’t wait for me. If I meet someone suitable and likable, I’ll date him, and he can too.”

Jiang Yumo said, “But…”

“Sweetie, there are no ‘buts’,” Yan Qing smiled earnestly. “Not everyone is like you and Brother Duan, or like Zhou Ji and Yuyu, able to endure a long-distance relationship without a clear future. So, I really admire you all. Two years have passed, and your sweetness hasn’t faded, but there are very few like you.”

Ning Zhiyu whispered, “That’s a good way to think about it. Just make sure you’re clear in your heart.”

“Alright, let’s not talk about this,” Yan Qing said, frustrated. “Logic tells me I should buy a cup of yogurt and leave, but my body tells me it wants some oden.”

Jiang Yumo : “…”

At the moment, eating seemed to be more important in Yan Qing’s life than things like romantic relationships.

---

This year was 2012, a very special year.

In this year, Jiang Yumo was twenty years old, seemingly in the prime of her life, full of expectations for everything. It was also the year when the phrase ‘end of the world’ frequently appeared on various online platforms due to the Mayan prophecy.

They said that December 21^st would be the end of the world.

Some people scoffed at such rumors.

Some people were looking forward to the end of the world, expecting it to be as spectacular as in movies like ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ and ‘2012’, and they would be fortunate enough to witness that scene.

Some people were also afraid, afraid that the entire Earth would truly be destroyed.

Jiang Yumo walked down the street, still scrolling through related Weibo posts. Some netizens were very witty, making people burst into laughter with their clever remarks. Suddenly, she really wanted to discuss this topic with Duan Ye. She stopped in her tracks, sent him a message : [Do you know that tomorrow is supposed to be the end of the world?]

Duan Ye should be at work, but a few minutes later, he replied : [End of the world?]

Seeing that there was still time and she didn’t have classes today, Jiang Yumo leisurely sat down on a nearby bench and messaged him : [Yes, according to the Mayan prophecy, tomorrow is the end of the world. My classmates are all discussing this, and one of them is quite funny, saying that since it’s the end of the world, might as well spend all their money. What about you? If tomorrow really is the end of the world, what would you want to do?]

She swore she was just having a casual chat with him.

She simply didn’t believe that tomorrow would be the end of the world, and her classmates might not believe it either. They were just trying to entertain themselves in this boring winter.

So, when she received a call from Duan Ye and walked out of the dormitory building to see him, she finally reaffirmed something once again—Duan Ye was a person who never joked.

Duan Ye replied on WeChat : [Be with you.]

If tomorrow were the end of the world, of course, the thing he most wanted to do was to be with her.

… Perhaps the Mayans couldn’t have predicted that ‘the end of the world’ would become a reckless excuse for modern people in their busy lives.

Maybe by the time this day ended, the sun would rise as usual the next day, and they would return to their normal lives. They would get up before dawn to go to school if they had to, and those who needed to work would grab their pancakes or soy milk with a numb expression and rush to catch the subway or bus.

People trying to lose weight thought that tomorrow was the end of the world, so they might as well have a big feast and eat the things they hesitated to eat before.

Couples who were arguing thought that the end might be near, so they temporarily made up and embraced each other.

Office workers facing rent and job pressure thought that if the world was ending, they should just forget about work, forget about the capitalists. No one should expect them to work overtime for free!!

Jiang Yumo threw herself into Duan Ye’s arms and asked in surprise, “Why did you come?”

Duan Ye held her waist, their foreheads touched, and he chuckled, “Isn’t tomorrow the end of the world?”

The end of the world was about doing things they wouldn’t dare to do in ordinary times.

Everything happened as if following a logical sequence.

Jiang Yumo stood by the French window, gazing at the tall buildings not far away. Duan Ye embraced her from behind. Twilight fell, and the window was like a mirror, reflecting their current appearance.

“That place, right?” Jiang Yumo pointed to the building that was still under construction.

Duan Ye nodded.

That would be their little home in Yanjing.

“Sounds great.” Jiang Yumo counted on her fingers, “The house won’t be ready until the end of next year, but that’s okay. We’ll have more time to earn money for decoration. What style do you like?”

“Anything is okay.” Duan Ye fondly brushed her hair and said, “As long as you like it.”

When a true understanding reaches a certain level, it’s as if one can predict each other’s thoughts and feelings.

Over the past two years, their intimacy had grown immensely. Duan Ye’s mother knitted a sweater for her, and his Uncle even gave her red envelopes.

His presence in her life grew stronger with time. During the Lunar New Year, he even bought her Mom a brand-new mahjong machine. Her Mom’s friends all knew that the Jiang family had a filial future son-in-law.

When her Grandmother celebrated her birthday, her parents also invited him over.

At times, Jiang Yumo would also wonder, what was he waiting for?

Before the previous year, due to academic stress, her menstrual cycle became irregular for a while. Her Mom took her to the hospital for a checkup upon discovering this. Following the usual routine, the doctor asked her if she had that kind of experience. She was dumbfounded at the time, and her Mom’s expression turned somewhat uncomfortable. She answered in a hushed voice, “No.”

She still remembered her Mom’s shocked and astonished look.

What was he waiting for?

Perhaps he was waiting for… the arrival of some kind of end of the world.

The cold wind outside was biting, and this year’s first snow arrived on schedule. Yet, Jiang Yumo felt like a stranded fish on the shore, waiting for a kind-hearted person to give her a sip of water. Everything turned so still, with his breaths, the rustling sound of fabric rubbing against fabric, and occasionally his sudden muffled sigh.

She felt utterly lost.

“I didn’t mean to.” He uttered this sentence in a halting manner.

She had just done manicure on her nails, not particularly short, she reached out in a haze, wanting to grasp onto something, and ended up grabbing his back.

His voice and breath were both a bit unsteady, but he still gently kissed her forehead, which was nearly damp with sweat.

This sensation of being cherished suddenly made Jiang Yumo’s nose tingle.

Perhaps those words in those articles were right; in moments like these, she felt especially sensitive.

His warm palm stroked her hair, and even now, he was already deeply entangled in his emotions. What was engraved in his heart made him instinctively want to protect her and prevent her from hitting the edge of the bed.

On the bedside table was a glass of lemon water.

It caused ripples to form again and again.

In a daze, Jiang Yumo suddenly remembered that year on the embankment. In her youth and naivety, she sipped the chocolate milk tea he had bought for her while gazing at the young man with a notorious reputation. His gaze wandered, and he couldn’t even look at her directly, yet he mustered the courage to speak his confessions aloud.

“I like you.”
“Yeah, I know. Just wanted to tell you.”
“It’s not just a passing feeling. I’ll like you for a very, very long time.”

That young him gradually merged with the present him.

She didn’t even know how tears welled up in her eyes. After everything had calmed down, he lowered his head and gently kissed her eyes.

The voice of the young him and the mature him resonated almost simultaneously in the depths of her heart.

“I’ll like you for a very, very long time.”

“I’ll love you for a very, very long time.”

---

rokumi’s note : the main story is over!! Next, there will be extras~

---

Jiang Yumo might never forget her twentieth birthday.

With her most beloved person present and her closest friends around, all eight of them had come together again after graduating high school. As time went on, their opportunities to gather had become increasingly rare. There was always something or someone occupying their schedules. This time, however, Duan Ye had organized it. Several friends had managed to free up their time and traveled from Ningcheng to Yanjing to celebrate Jiang Yumo’s twentieth birthday.

Duan Ye naturally took the handbag from Jiang Yumo’s hand as he approached and then held her hand.

The eight of them gathered together, and there seemed to be an endless stream of conversations.

Zhao Zheng’s voice was particularly loud, causing the security guards downstairs to frequently glance their way. What was even more amusing was that Zhao Zheng had performed a rather cheesy bow to the security guard.

Duan Ye had reserved a private room well in advance, and the eight of them arrived in two taxis.

Today was Jiang Yumo’s special day, so naturally, the menu was tailored to her preferences. Jiang Yumo and Duan Ye huddled together, heads close as they discussed what dishes to order.

“Brother Duan!”
“Sister Mo!”

Guo Shichao called out to them.

Both of them instinctively looked across, and sure enough, Guo Shichao was holding a small camera, capturing a snapshot of them. He grinned and said, “Truly perfect! Speaking of it, do you both remember Sister Mo’s seventeenth birthday? It’s been three years in the blink of an eye, incredible.”

Seventeen years old.

Jiang Yumo felt a moment of trance. How could she forget that day?

It was on that day she realized she was a supporting character in a novel, and she learned about her future with Duan Ye.

But it was also on that day that she decided that even if they were to face a difficult future, she still wanted to start a relationship with Duan Ye.

Zhou Ji was somewhat dissatisfied. “What a shame, what a shame. Yuyu and I weren’t there for Sister’s seventeenth birthday. Isn’t that regretful?”

Jiang Yumo was accustomed to bantering with him. “Oh, come on! On my seventeenth birthday, I met Zhiyu. Zhiyu, isn’t that right? Do you remember?”

Whenever the Jiang Yumo and Zhou Ji argued, Ning Zhiyu and Duan Ye would stay silent, trying not to get involved in the ‘war.’

Now, though, Ning Zhiyu was being called out by Jiang Yumo. Ning Zhiyu could only muster up the courage and say, “I remember.”

Everything seemed to follow a predetermined path.

If she hadn’t witnessed that fireworks display firsthand, if she hadn’t seen the various interactions between Duan Ye and Yumo, she wasn’t sure if she would have thrown herself into a relationship without hesitation at such a young age.

“It’s so strange, even though three years have passed.” Yan Qing rinsed the dishes and chopsticks, sighing, “It still feels like it happened just yesterday.”

“It’s pretty good. Look, three years have passed, and we can still celebrate Yumo’s birthday.” Sun Mengting supported her chin with one hand and asked the others, “It’s been a while since we last met. Let’s catch up. How have you all been?”

Zhao Zheng waved his hand, “Just so-so. There’s not much to say about mine.”

“Indeed!” Guo Shichao patted Zhao Zheng on the shoulder, “Our Lao Zhao has really changed. He folds the blankets just like tofu blocks now.”

“Not like you, though.” Zhao Zheng pointed at Guo Shichao, “Xiao Guozi here is a resident singer at a bar, making quite a bit of money.”

Guo Shichao hadn’t been idle since the second semester of his freshman year. Perhaps due to boredom and friends not being around, he found a job to pursue his dream. He became a resident singer at a bar and even gained a small group of fans.

“Sir Military Advisor better treat us, then!” Zhou Ji took the opportunity to tease him, “This meal is not counted. It’s arranged by our Lao Duan as his girlfriend’s family member. If we really ask you to foot the bill, you wouldn’t dare. How about this, tomorrow, tomorrow you treat us.”

Guo Shichao said, “Sure, do you even know how much you’ve run up in tabs at my place? Give me the money first, and I’ll immediately treat you. This isn’t a joke.”

Zhou Ji : “…”

Indeed, in these two years, he had arguments with Ning Zhiyu as well, but they were all trivial matters. Every time he would have heart-to-heart talks with Guo Shichao.

“What about you guys?” Zhou Ji forcefully and stiffly shifted the topic, looking at the other two girls.

“Me?” Yan Qing shook her head, “Pretty boring. Let me tell you something really outlandish. My cousin actually wants to introduce me to someone. Can you believe it? I’m only twenty!”

Zhao Zheng, who was initially smiling, restrained his grin upon hearing this.

Guo Shichao glanced at Zhao Zheng and asked Yan Qing, “You’re going on blind dates at twenty? That’s something. Did you agree?”

Yan Qing widened her eyes, “How is that even possible! Both my Dad and Mom flat-out refused. They said I’m still young. But I’ve heard them discussing it in private. They hope I won’t find someone from outside the city. Ideally, after graduating, I should come back to Ningcheng, get a teaching job, and stay by their side for a lifetime. What’s up with parents? Before we turn eighteen, they can’t wait for us to talk less with the opposite sex. After eighteen, bang, they want us to find a perfect partner!”

Not from outside the city.

Zhao Zheng’s expression softened a bit.

“It’s really annoying.” Jiang Yumo nodded too, “Still too early for that. But when I first started classes here, a very enthusiastic student’s parent wanted to introduce a boyfriend to me.”

Zhao Zheng looked at Duan Ye, “No way, Brother Duan didn’t react?”

Seizing the chance to tease, Zhou Ji said, “How is that even possible? I’m telling you, Lao Duan was nearly driven crazy. Those days he was acting like he was possessed, working hard as if his life depended on it.”

Duan Ye casually glanced at Zhou Ji, which could be considered a warning.

Zhou Ji made a gesture, “Alright, Brother, I won’t expose your secrets.”

Jiang Yumo giggled and reached out, scratching the palm of Duan Ye’s hand under the table.

Their expressions remained the same, but no one knew about the scene under the table.

“Speaking of which, in the past twenty years, there haven’t been many people I admire,” Zhao Zheng said, “Brother Duan is definitely the first. Look at this, in such a short time, he’s already bought a house.”

Indeed, Duan Ye had been working relentlessly for the past two years.

Of course, with effort comes reward, especially in the past year. Duan Ye and Zhou Ji had completed several small projects, and at the beginning of the year, they successfully closed a deal. With money in hand, Duan Ye didn’t listen to Zhou Ji’s advice to buy a car. Instead, he spent a long time in Yanjing with Jiang Yumo and finally settled on a house. The house wasn’t large, with only three compact rooms. Over the past two years, Duan Ye had honed his skills in the industry and had a sharper vision than some real estate agents. He spotted this property, and not long ago, he and Jiang Yumo had signed the purchase contract.

After paying the down payment, Duan Ye’s wallet was empty once again.

“I think the property prices here are so high, much higher than in the provincial capital, like two or three times,” Sun Mengting said. “But, Yumo, are you really going to stay here?”

Jiang Yumo shook her head, “It’s hard to say. Two Senior Sisters want me to join them and start a dance class in the future. My parents would prefer me to join a dance troupe, because of the stability it offers. But there’s no rush, we’ll see next year.”

Duan Ye spoke up, “It’s what Uncle and Aunt think. They discussed it with my Mom and feel it’s better to buy a house here.”

Ever since they bought a house in the provincial capital, Mother Jiang had become quite obsessed with buying property. If they had enough money, she would have wanted to buy another one.

When Duan Ye mentioned buying a house, Mother Jiang was extremely enthusiastic. After both kids had found their paths, Mother Jiang and Duan Ye’s mother had even become mahjong buddies. After long discussions, they finally decided to buy a house in Yanjing!

Yan Qing nodded thoughtfully, “It’s probably better to listen to them. But it makes sense. Since Yumo already has a house in the provincial capital, rather than buying there, it’s better to buy here in Yanjing. Even if you don’t live here, you can rent it out. Look, how many out-of-towners are floating around here.”

Zhou Ji listened silently.

He truly wasn’t envious, really.

It was just about finding one’s path…

It seemed that now everyone believed that Duan Ye and Jiang Yumo would definitely take that final step, even their parents thought so.

He really wasn’t envious 🙃

Duan Ye and Zhou Ji started a company together. Of course, the company was currently very small, apart from the two of them, there was only a middle-aged lady in charge of finance. The company’s name was chosen by Jiang Yumo and Ning Zhiyu by drawing lots, each picking a character to form the name.

Jiang Yumo drew ‘Qi,’ while Ning Zhiyu drew ‘Da.’

These two guys, in a very childish manner, had a battle over which character should come first. The result was not suspenseful at all, and they named their company ‘Qi Da¹.’

Due to their shallow foundation, up until now, they haven’t been able to secure major projects. Instead, they’ve managed to obtain several abandoned housing complexes at very favorable terms, tagging along with a few bosses who made big profits while they made smaller ones. By the end of this year, one of these properties is set to reopen. Even though plans to relocate a school there are still under discussion, this property has garnered widespread attention.

It’s possible that Zhou Chenglei has been subtly supporting them behind the scenes. Their company is running smoothly, and in the latter half of this year, they’re preparing for a slightly larger project next year.

---

“Happy birthday, Sister Mo!”

“Happy birthday, Yumo darling!”

Amidst everyone’s well-wishes, Duan Ye turned off the lights in the private room, and the birthday cake had candles shaped like the number 20.

Jiang Yumo clasped her hands together, with Duan Ye by her side. She opened her eyes and looked at him, then quickly closed them.

Her birthday wishes were almost the same every year, but since her seventeenth birthday, she had been a bit greedy, making an extra wish. That is, even in the original plot’s world, everyone from their group was doing well!

After finishing dinner, the eight of them headed to the Jade Garden.

As Zhou Ji swiped his fingerprint to open the door, he complained crazily, “I’ve connected two rooms long ago, bought eight computers, and you guys stood me up for two years. Doesn’t your conscience ache?”

Back then, all eight of them had agreed to come to Yanjing after the college entrance exams. But due to various reasons, it was delayed until this year that they finally gathered to admire Zhou Ji’s luxurious mansion.

Sure enough, Zhou Ji had connected two rooms.

It had almost turned into a small family internet café, with eight cool-looking computers. The girls’ computers had even been customized to have rainbow-colored lights, paired with comfortable computer chairs.

In addition, there was a cabinet in the room dedicated to snacks.

For those addicted to the internet, this was heaven.

The four girls weren’t particularly interested in playing games. After thoroughly exploring Zhou Ji’s mansion, they agreed to go out for a walk and shopping.

Duan Ye and Zhou Ji were both worried and wanted to follow, but they were forcefully stopped by Yan Qing and Sun Mengting.

“We four haven’t chatted in a long time. Come on, Brother Duan, please, can you lend us your Teacher Xiao Jiang for a little while?”

Zhou Ji was speechless, “Haven’t chatted in a long time? I see your chat group has at least a few hundred messages every day!”

Yan Qing rolled her eyes, “Chatting on the phone can’t compare to face-to-face conversations. Seriously, Zhou Ji, be more mature and stop being so clingy.”

Ning Zhiyu gave Zhou Ji a signal.

Zhou Ji could only step aside, reluctantly watching his girlfriend being taken away by those three girls.

Zhao Zheng came out looking for something to drink, and when he saw Zhou Ji and Duan Ye standing at the entrance, he nearly spat out his drink. He raised his voice to call Guo Shichao, “Military Advisor, come out quickly and see, we have two ‘Wife-watching Stones’ here!”

---

1. 启(Qǐ) can be translated to start, begin, or initiate; while 达(Dá) can be translated to achieve, reach, or attain. ↩︎

---

Jiang Yumo’s unusual excitement naturally caught the attention of her roommates.

The roommate sitting next to her nudged her with an elbow and asked, “What’s going on? You seem so thrilled, as if you can’t wait to go on stage and crush some boulders with your chest.”

Jiang Yumo’s face almost froze in a smile. Upon hearing this, she quickly toned down her overly bright expression. Did she really show it that obviously?

The roommate nodded solemnly, “Yes, if you keep acting like this, the teacher might notice and call on you to answer a question.”

That was too serious.

Jiang Yumo hurriedly lowered her head, hoping not to be noticed by the teacher.

“Really, what happened?” the roommate inquired.

Trembling, Jiang Yumo picked up a pen and wrote on a piece of scrap paper—

[My boyfriend is here!!]

Her roommate looked surprised and wrote back on the paper : [??]

Jiang Yumo wrote : [Note, he sent me a note, he’s right here in the classroom!!!]

The roommate quickly turned her head and indeed noticed Duan Ye sitting in the corner. They had seen Duan Ye a few times at the beginning of the semester; it had only been a little over two months, so there was no way to forget.

The roommate wrote : [!! A plot straight out of a romantic drama is happening right here beside me!!!]

With a hint of pride, Jiang Yumo wrote : [It’s his birthday today. I thought he’d be busy, didn’t expect him to come!]

The roommate exclaimed : [A fairy tale romance!]

As the bell for the end of class rang, Jiang Yumo, who was usually polite and well-behaved in front of teachers, didn’t even spare a thought for the teacher who hadn’t left yet. She was the first to dash to the back of the classroom. Duan Ye also stood up. He had initially wanted to hug her, but considering that there were her classmates and teacher, he settled for holding her hand.

Jiang Yumo looked up at him, her eyes sparkling, and the elation on her face was impossible to conceal. “Why did you come!”

The teacher at the podium smiled as they looked over, closed their books, and left, humming a popular song.

Ah, youth~

Jiang Yumo’s three roommates gathered around to tease, “Is Brother Duan here for inspection?”

Duan Ye wasn’t familiar with them but gave a smile without nodding or shaking his head.

Jiang Yumo clung to his arm, that smug expression on her face. He felt like patting her head when he saw her like this.

Thankfully, her three roommates were kind-hearted. They also knew it was Duan Ye’s birthday today, so after a few words, they left together. Jiang Yumo walked hand in hand with Duan Ye around the campus. They bumped into some classmates and acquaintances, and she introduced him openly, “This is Duan Ye, my boyfriend.”

Since the start of the semester, Jiang Yumo had been approached and even pursued by a few people.

Someone said she had been in a relationship with a guy for many years, but not many people believed these rumors. After all, she was always with her roommates every day. Later, she posted on Weibo a photo of the back of her so-called boyfriend and a picture of them holding hands. People were still skeptical, and a few guys were even thinking that they weren’t from the same school. It seemed like a long-distance relationship, and it was very likely they would break up before the end of this semester. Only when they saw the real person did they truly know what’s going on.

The two of them looked very well-matched, especially in the way they gazed at each other. Outsiders could easily see it, making it difficult for others to interfere.

“How do you like this surprise?” Duan Ye asked in a low voice once they were alone.

Jiang Yumo hugged him tightly, saying, “It’s amazing, really amazing. Even better than the last time.”

Duan Ye chuckled, “Still not up to par though.”

After saying that, he paused for a moment and then said with some difficulty, “But I might not be able to stay for long. I bought a ticket to go back tonight.”

Jiang Yumo was momentarily surprised but then smiled, “Well, that’s still good. We have the whole afternoon at least.”

For him to be here today was already quite rare.

She wasn’t clear about how much effort he had put in to give her this surprise.

Duan Ye only let out a sigh of relief after hearing her words.

In order to have more time together, he deliberately bought an early morning ticket, arrived in Yanjing in the early morning, and booked a return ticket for ten o’clock at night. He wasn’t entirely sure on the way here; he just hoped that this short day wouldn’t disappoint her.

He also wanted to stay here for a couple more days, but reality didn’t allow it. This day off was scraped together after working overtime for several nights.

“Coincidentally, I don’t have any classes this afternoon,” Jiang Yumo pulled him along, “Let’s go, I’ll take you to eat. Today, you’re the birthday star, and I’ll be in charge of planning. How does that sound?”

Duan Ye looked deeply into her eyes and said, “Sounds good.”

The last time they had met was already a month ago.

There was nothing particularly special about birthdays; what made it special was celebrating it with the person you like.

They went to the cafeteria for a meal, and Jiang Yumo took him to a nice cake shop to buy a small cake.

“Make a wish,” Jiang Yumo coaxed the store attendant with sweet words, so the attendant gave her a birthday candle.

She inserted the candle into the small piece of mousse cake and lit it, urging Duan Ye to make a wish.

Duan Ye pondered for a moment, “I’ll give you my wish. You make it.”

From a very young age, he had heard that wishes made on birthdays come true. He had gone through such a phase himself.

If one could only make one birthday wish a year, he wanted to give all his shares to her.

He was no longer naïve, but he still hoped she could be happy forever.

“For me?” Jiang Yumo tilted her head, thought carefully, folded her hands together, closed her eyes devoutly, and made a wish, “Birthdays allow for greediness. I want to make three wishes. The first wish is for Duan Ye’s mother’s good health.”

Duan Ye focused his gaze on her and softly hummed in agreement.

“The second wish is for Duan Ye’s work to go smoothly.”

“The third wish,” Jiang Yumo quietly opened one eye, saw Duan Ye looking at her, quickly shut her eyes again, “The third wish, that when Duan Ye turns twenty, we can also be together.”

She wouldn’t say ‘together forever.’

The word ‘forever’ didn’t seem quite suitable for them, it felt too heavy to bring up.

Only next year. Each year wish for the next year.

Both of them had prepared rings for each other, the only difference being that Jiang Yumo bought a pair of couple rings. She hadn’t earned much money and could only afford silver rings. Duan Ye had only bought one ring, and it was even a diamond. Jiang Yumo was extremely surprised.

How could he break the norm again?

She gave silver, and he actually gave a diamond.

With Jiang Yumo’s astonished gaze, Duan Ye spoke somewhat sheepishly, “The diamond is too small.”

Very, very small, so tiny that it was hard to see the minuscule diamond from a distance.

Jiang Yumo was deeply moved. She hugged his neck and gave him several loud kisses, “How could that be! Haven’t you heard a saying? The thought is what’s important, I think it’s special!”

She kissed him like she was coaxing a little child, sitting on his lap, pecking his cheek, pecking his eyes, as if stamping on his body.

In the end, she did indeed leave a stamp.

At least when Duan Ye went back, Zhou Ji was once again ‘impressed’ after seeing the mark on Duan Ye’s neck.

In late January of the following year, a software named ‘WeChat’ was launched.

Jiang Yumo and Duan Ye were each other’s first friends on it.

Their WeChat names were interesting too. Jiang Yumo’s nickname was ‘Teacher Xiao Jiang, and Duan Ye’s was ‘Classmate Xiao Duan.’

The launch of WeChat seemed to accelerate the pace and rhythm of this era. Time suddenly became very fast, over and over again in meetings and separations. Jiang Yumo celebrated her twentieth birthday.

Her birthday falls in August, during the summer vacation. As the number of students increased, in order to earn more money and repay the housing loan earlier, after discussing with her parents, she stayed in Yanjing during the summer break.

More and more children called Jiang Yumo ‘Teacher Xiao Jiang.’

Among them, two children were Jiang Yumo’s hardcore fans. After class that day, they quietly entered Jiang Yumo’s rest area. Jiang Yumo was sitting aside putting on makeup. From the age of eighteen to twenty, her techniques had become more and more skilled. The two little girls hid by the doorway, peeking inside and whispering, “Teacher Xiao Jiang’s lipstick looks so good! Ah, she’s spraying perfume!”

“I really like the scent on Teacher Xiao Jiang. My mom even asked me to inquire about the perfume she uses.”

“Being an adult seems really nice! I want to wear high heels too~”

The two little girls thought they were whispering secretly, but Jiang Yumo heard everything. She put down the perfume and gestured toward the door, “Come on in, my darlings!”

As soon as she spoke, the two children, dressed in dance outfits, rushed in like bullets.

They were so intrigued by the makeup products on Jiang Yumo’s table.

Jiang Yumo smiled, picked up a lipstick, and applied a dot to each of their foreheads.

The two of them were immediately satisfied.

“Why did you come to find Teacher?” Jiang Yumo opened a drawer, took out a handful of candies, and handed them to the kids.

“Teacher Xiao Jiang, we just wanted to ask you if you’re getting married.”

Jiang Yumo couldn’t help but chuckle, “Who said that? It’s too early for that.”

“We saw it ourselves!” one little girl widened her eyes, “Teacher Xiao Jiang, we’re a bit scared of your boyfriend.”

Now, this question was getting serious…

Jiang Yumo reached out and touched their faces, asking earnestly, “Why are you scared of him?”

“He’s really tall!”

“Yes, taller than my dad!”

“He doesn’t smile much either~”

“The little bully in the Taekwondo class is afraid of him, and also, also!” The little girl excitedly continued, “He has a scar on his hand. The little bully said it was from a gunshot, a mark of a hero. But I’m a bit scared.”

Jiang Yumo could only sigh.

What on earth…

Even kids can be so gossipy.

However, the scar on Duan Ye’s arm… Jiang Yumo lowered her gaze, concealing the pain in her eyes. It happened last year when there was a dispute at a construction site. Several big bosses refused to intervene, and Duan Ye happened to be there with Zhou Ji. They encountered the turmoil, and Duan Ye’s arm was accidentally pierced by a steel bar. Zhou Ji was furious and almost got into trouble, but Duan Ye stopped him. When she received a call from Zhou Ji that night, she was so scared that she could hardly walk steadily. Nevertheless, she forced herself to take the train and go there. By the time she arrived, it was already the next morning. Duan Ye woke up to see her sitting by the bed with red eyes. His first reaction was that he wanted to hit Zhou Ji.

Zhou Ji shouted with a hoarse voice and red eyes, “You almost fainted from pain back then, and you were calling her name!”

Duan Ye closed his tired eyes, still holding Jiang Yumo’s hand. He said to Zhou Ji, “You wait for me.”

Zhou Ji replied, “I’ll wait. Get well soon and come hit me. Come on, hit me.”

“Teacher? Teacher Xiao Jiang?”

Jiang Yumo snapped back to reality, looking at the two little girls in front of her. She smiled and said, “It wasn’t hit by a gun, but it’s indeed a mark of a hero.”

“Wow!! Teacher Xiao Jiang, we just wanted to ask you, do you love your boyfriend?”

Kids nowadays are truly something else.

For these past few years, the two of them hadn’t dared to utter the word ‘love.’ Yet, these two girls said it so casually.

After work, Jiang Yumo walked towards the elevator, still thinking about the question those two girls had asked.

“Do you love your boyfriend?”

The elevator doors closed.

When they opened again, there were several people sitting in the lobby on the first floor. Judging from their conversation, it seemed they were discussing where to eat later.

“Damn it, Zhao Zheng, don’t think we don’t know the military pays you a salary every month! Don’t be so stingy, treat us to supper tonight!”

“A bunch of vampires! Zhou Ji, I have to say, you don’t have a trace of the rich young master look anymore. You even dressed like Xiao Guozi.”

“Hahaha, I got this on a discount, 50% off.”

“50% off?? I got ripped off then. The salesperson told me it was 20% off. I bought it for a little less than a hundred yuan!”

“A little less than a hundred yuan?” came a soft and gentle female voice. “You told me two hundred yuan, where did the remaining hundred go?”

“Hahaha, looks like things went wrong! Yuyu, quickly check his financial situation. The novel mentioned it : a good man never carries more than two hundred yuan in his wallet; he gives all his money to his wife.”

“Oh my, Yan Qing, you’re screwed. Zhao Zheng’s wallet probably has more than two hundred yuan, maybe ten or twenty times more.”

Jiang Yumo burst into giggles.

All seven of them looked in this direction and shouted in unison, “Teacher Xiao Jiang is here!”

Yan Qing even whistled, “Happy birthday, Yumo darling!”

Duan Ye stood up. He was almost twenty-one this year, much more composed than when he was eighteen or nineteen. The only thing that remained unchanged was that whenever Jiang Yumo appeared, he would only look at her.

---

After the National Day Golden Week ended, Duan Ye and Zhou Ji began to get busy.

Working overtime and putting in extra effort, they successfully installed the windows for the property they were now handling and passed the inspection. Then, they started preparing for the holiday resort project. After fierce competition, being relatively young and lacking extensive industry experience, the senior executives didn’t dare to entrust them with highly crucial matters. Nevertheless, even so, dealing with aluminum alloy windows and floor tiles would still bring them considerable profits.

The two of them were very busy indeed.

Regarding aluminum alloy windows, they were somewhat knowledgeable, and with Duan Ye’s Uncle assisting and overseeing, this aspect wasn’t a big problem.

The main challenge lay in the floor tiles. Industries with potential for growth were bound to be lucrative. Duan Ye and Zhou Ji both agreed that while safeguarding their interests, they must ensure the quality control of their first project. A tarnished reputation wouldn’t be beneficial for them in the slightest; they needed to look at the bigger picture.

They had only scratched the surface of this industry, yet they were already amazed.

Opinions were polarized. Some believed that real estate in the future would remain similar to the past decade—prices wouldn’t rise significantly but also wouldn’t fall, given the cost considerations. Others, however, keenly sensed that real estate was about to become a major industry for the next two decades.

Originally, both of them were feeling their way through, having spent two months in this field, traveling to various cities to explore materials and meeting many people. From being clueless initially, they were now beginning to see the path they should take in the future.

When the east wind blows, why not rise with it?

While Duan Ye and Zhou Ji were busy as bees, Jiang Yumo and Ning Zhiyu in Yanjing were not idle either. Their freshman courses were numerous, with classes every day from Monday to Friday. Initially, Jiang Yumo thought it would be difficult to find a part-time job this semester, but unexpectedly, a senior from a club introduced her to a job teaching children dance. The classes were held only on weekends, with a total of four sessions, and the compensation was reasonable.

After calculating, she realized that she could earn enough to cover her living expenses each month, so she happily agreed. She enjoyed being called ‘Teacher Jiang’ by the adorable and soft-spoken little girls.

For a top student like Ning Zhiyu, part-time opportunities were easy to find. With the recommendation of a senior from the same major, she started tutoring two high school students. The pay was quite substantial, which made Jiang Yumo quite envious. Truly, as the saying goes, ‘In books, there is a golden house.’

Days passed peacefully. The dynamics of the two couples were interesting—while the two young men were striving and even competing in the adult world for their future, the two young women were savoring university life in their own way.

Soon, mid-November arrived, and Duan Ye’s nineteenth birthday was approaching.

Originally, Jiang Yumo wanted to take advantage of the weekend to ask for leave and celebrate his birthday in advance. However, he had been incredibly busy recently and was on a business trip in Zencheng. She had no way to go there, so she had to give up. The only consolation was that spending their important coming-of-age birthdays together was more significant for them.

Jiang Yumo also received her first paycheck in her life.

Money isn’t abundant, but she still wants to buy a very special birthday gift for Duan Ye.

On this day, Jiang Yumo made an appointment with Ning Zhiyu to go shopping.

The two entered the mall. Jiang Yumo stood in line to buy milk tea, and while she wasn’t paying attention, Ning Zhiyu quickly took out her phone and sent a text message : [Are you there? Did you get Duan Ye’s ring size?]

A reply came almost immediately: [A very sad thing, Lao Duan never even thought about getting himself a ring…]

Ning Zhiyu put her phone away.

Jiang Yumo bought two cups of red bean milk tea and handed one to Ning Zhiyu. She said in distress, “TV dramas really misled me. In the proposals I see on TV, they always suddenly take out a ring, as a surprise! But what should I do now? I don’t even know his ring size, how can I buy a ring to make a surprise?”

What should she do if the ring is too big or too small?

Ning Zhiyu also seemed lost in thought.

Ever since Jiang Yumo revealed her desire to buy matching couple rings as a birthday gift, Ning Zhiyu had anticipated this possibility. As a good friend, of course, she wanted to share the worries and help solve the problems.

Ning Zhiyu shook the phone in her hand. “I’ve entrusted this difficult task to Zhou Ji.”

Jiang Yumo : “…”

Would it be disrespectful to her best friend if she showed a worried expression right now?

“Don’t worry.” Ning Zhiyu said with not-so-much confidence, “I’ve reminded Zhou Ji repeatedly, there shouldn’t be… any problems. I think?”

Jiang Yumo sighed, “I guess we can only rely on Zhou Ji.”

The eighteenth birthday gift is a wristwatch.

What about the nineteenth? After thinking for a while, she thought of matching couple rings.

At the same time, Zhou Ji and Duan Ye, for once, had a rare break. They departed from Zencheng and arrived in Yangcheng. Duan Ye wanted to buy a ring for Jiang Yumo. When they arrived at the mall and had chosen the ring, the salesperson smiled warmly and asked, “Sir, what’s your girlfriend’s ring size?”

Duan Ye was stunned.

Ring size?

What’s a ring size?

Zhou Ji on the side was almost laughing hysterically. He knew that no matter how smart or perceptive Lao Duan was, there would definitely be a moment when things go awry.

Look, isn’t this it?

He could laugh about this forever.

Duan Ye, who rarely confused, amused Zhou Ji until he cleared his throat and said with a slightly irritable tone, “Do you want me to help you? Yuyu and Sister are out shopping. You might not believe me, but you can’t doubt Yuyu’s intelligence. She’ll definitely be able to get the size without that someone noticing.”

---

And so, Zhou Ji and Ning Zhiyu joined forces to successfully obtain sizes from Duan Ye and Jiang Yumo, giving them a taste of their own medicine.

Ning Zhiyu only told Jiang Yumo that Zhou Ji had acquired Duan Ye’s size, but she didn’t reveal that Duan Ye had also bought a ring for Jiang Yumo.

From Zhou Ji’s perspective, he only mentioned that his incredibly smart, understanding, gentle, and intelligent girlfriend had secured Jiang Yumo’s size. He hadn’t revealed to Duan Ye that Jiang Yumo had also prepared couple rings.

In passing, Zhou Ji gave his own size to Ning Zhiyu, blushing as he said, “This is mine. Keep it. You won’t need to ask anyone about it in the future.”

Ning Zhiyu was speechless.

On Duan Ye’s birthday, Jiang Yumo had morning classes. As usual, she sent a birthday message to Duan Ye in the morning and then headed to the teaching building with her roommates. Before they reached the classroom door, her phone vibrated. It was a message from Duan Ye : [Thank you, Teacher Xiao Jiang.]

Jiang Yumo smiled, pursing her lips.

Addressing seemed to have always been a problem. She could call him by his name quite naturally. Upon careful recollection, he had rarely used her full name. He had mostly used it during their less familiar middle school days. After he confessed his feelings to her, she almost never heard him call her by her name.

Maybe he felt embarrassed?

He didn’t have a special nickname for her. In their dorm, they often had late-night discussions with other students who came from all over the country. They’re strangers to each other but curious. Other than her, her two roommates also had boyfriends, and the other one had just broken up. Talking about relationship-related topics made the conversations lively.

Perhaps due to Duan Ye’s intriguing image, her three roommates were particularly interested in the matters between her and Duan Ye. They wanted to ask about everything.

A roommate asked, “Yumo, what does Brother Duan usually call you? Does he use terms like ‘wife’ or ‘darling’?”

At that moment, Jiang Yumo was so startled on her bed, “How could that be? He would never call me that way!”

And is it really appropriate to call each other husband and wife if they’re not married yet?

Roommate : “Then… ‘baby’? ‘Dear’?”

Jiang Yumo : “…He’s not that type of person.”

Perhaps she was too idle, as she started contemplating this issue. Until not long ago, when she became a dance teacher for a group of kids and he found out, she finally got a name from him—Teacher Xiao Jiang.

When a roommate who was quite comparable to Yan Qing heard about it, she chuckled and said, “Quite the flirt!”

Jiang Yumo : “??”

What are these girls thinking about all the time?

Four people walked into the classroom, found their seats, and Jiang Yumo was still focused on sending a message to Duan Ye. She didn’t pay much attention to the chattering of her roommates beside her.

“Hey, who’s that guy?”

“Which one?”

“The one in the corner, sleeping on the desk with a hat on. I don’t think we have that person in our class.”

“He’s probably from another class. Maybe he just finished class and hasn’t woken up or left yet?”

“He looks quite handsome!”

“How can you tell? He’s lying down, you can’t even see his face. How can you tell he’s handsome like this?”

“This is the experience I’ve gathered over the years of looking at handsome guys. This guy must be good-looking, and it seems like he’s tall too.”

The bell rang, and the teacher arrived, scanning the room and starting roll call.

“Qi Xuefeng.”

“Here!”

“Nie Feiyun.”

“Here!”

…

“Jiang Yumo.”

“Here~”

No one noticed, but the guy in the corner who seemed to be catching up on sleep reacted slightly when he heard this name.

Jiang Yumo listened to the class, occasionally glancing at her phone.

Suddenly, someone poked her. She turned her head to see a classmate from the back seat, discreetly handing her a note. “Someone sent this over, said it’s for you.”

Jiang Yumo was puzzled. Why would someone pass her a note? Just as she was about to read it, the teacher got excited while explaining a certain topic and raised their voice, startling her. She quickly tucked the note away.

Who would pass her a note?

Why wouldn’t they just send a message?

As she wondered, she opened the note, and a very familiar handwriting caught her eye—

[Classmate, would you like to have dinner together after class?]

She was shocked!

Is this Duan Ye’s handwriting? She blinked her eyes, looked again, and her heart started pounding uncontrollably. She couldn’t resist turning her head to look back at the classroom and indeed saw the person who should have been away on a business trip.

Duan Ye was wearing a hoodie. When he saw her looking, he lazily and childishly made a scissor hand gesture.

Then, Jiang Yumo’s phone vibrated again.

She knew it must be a message from him. She lowered her head, unlocked her phone, and saw a text message from him : [Pay attention in class.]

This person!

He suddenly pulled such a move, appearing in the classroom out of nowhere, passing her a note, and still expecting her to pay attention in class!!

---

On this side of the construction area, after Zhou Ji had showed off to all the people he could show off to, he discovered a very serious issue.

As he had been busy here, it was inevitable that his clothes would pick up some dust, which he could tolerate. He wasn’t sure if he had sweated or not. He worried that he might end up smelling of sweat, and his girlfriend would find him even more repulsive. With these thoughts in mind, he leaned towards Duan Ye and asked, “Lao Duan, come on, give it a sniff and see if there’s any sweat odor on me.”

Duan Ye glanced at him and said, “Get lost.”

This was to be expected.

The unpainted apartment was filled with dust. Even with a fan running, it wasn’t much help. While Zhou Ji and Duan Ye weren’t like the other workers who had to move various items, they were installing windows and still exerted a fair amount of effort. When the weather was hot, in about an hour or two, their short sleeves would become soaked with sweat.

Zhou Ji wasn’t someone who paid meticulous attention to others or things, so he hadn’t noticed Duan Ye’s unusual silence.

He followed Duan Ye to the side and took the simple elevator down.

Zhou Ji was still worried about the smell on his body. Duan Ye went to the construction site’s office and borrowed a piece of soap from the staff inside. He came to the faucet, wet his arms, and lathered up the soap, washing himself. After rinsing, there was a faint fragrance of body wash on him, at least making him smell better and feel refreshed.

Watching this whole process, Zhou Ji was thoroughly impressed.

He quickly snatched the soap from Duan Ye’s hand, washed his face, and the two of them walked out of the construction site feeling refreshed. This area was still under construction, with dust and dirt everywhere. Zhou Ji looked back and said with a relieved tone, “It’s a good thing they don’t know the way. If they really came over… sigh, it would be quite…”

He couldn’t quite describe the feeling.

It wasn’t about embarrassment, after all, they were earning their living through hard work. But he really didn’t want his girlfriend to see this dusty and dirty side of him.

It was a strange kind of embarrassment.

Duan Ye remained focused on the road ahead and softly acknowledged the words with a low hum.

With their long strides, they hastened their pace. They soon arrived at the McKenzie’s burger shop. Instead of rushing in, they stood at the entrance and watched for a while. The restaurant had full-length windows, decorated with Christmas tree decals from last year’s Christmas. They could easily see the two girls inside, chatting and laughing. The girls were enjoying the cool air conditioning. They had just come from the construction site, so it seemed like they were in two different worlds. But unexpectedly, in this moment, both Duan Ye and Zhou Ji felt unexpectedly content.

“Let’s go in,” Duan Ye whispered.

Zhou Ji, not as lively as before, still mustered a smile and said, “Sure, I’m going to have my love bento.”

They pushed open the door and walked in, catching the attention of Jiang Yumo and Ning Zhiyu.

Jiang Yumo quickly stood up and walked over, intimately linking her arm with Duan Ye’s. “Poor kid, are you hungry?”

Duan Ye lifted his hand and stroked her hair. “I’m fine. Have you eaten?”

“Yeah!” Jiang Yumo pulled him to sit down. “I ate! I was really full. Those sweet and sour spare ribs that Zhiyu made were so delicious.”

Zhou Ji also took a seat, and the four of them fit perfectly at the table.

Jiang Yumo thoughtfully ordered a glass of iced cola for Duan Ye. “Is it hot? Take a sip. I think the cola here is similar to KFC and McDonald’s.”

“Sure.” Duan Ye took the glass and was about to drink, but then he remembered something and asked her, “Do you want some?”

Jiang Yumo wasn’t particularly fond of cola, but she still held onto his hand, took a sip through the straw, and said, “Alright, I’ve tested the poison for you. You can have it, I won’t drink.”

A slight smile tugged at the corner of Duan Ye’s lips as he lowered his head to drink the cola.

Of course, they were sharing the same straw.

They had shared many kisses during late nights, so this kind of behavior was quite normal for them.

Zhou Ji : “…”

He also offered the cola to Ning Zhiyu.

However, Ning Zhiyu wasn’t accustomed to being so intimate in front of others, even though the person sitting across from her was a close friend. She shook her head, “I’m not thirsty.”

Alright then…

Zhou Ji could only drink the cola alone in solitude. Jiang Yumo opened the lunchbox and enthusiastically introduced the dishes to them, “Here, Zhiyu made the sweet and sour spare ribs, Zhou Ji, you should eat more. The stir-fried chicken with green peppers is made by me. Oh, and just in case we don’t have enough food, we also brought salted duck eggs. The landlady said her salted duck eggs are especially amazing, the kind that oozes oil.”

“Great.”

Duan Ye picked up his chopsticks.

Both boys were around nineteen years old and had hearty appetites. Eating their girlfriends’ homemade lunchboxes, they were too focused on eating to bother with conversation.

Jiang Yumo rested her chin on her hand, and with Duan Ye’s arrival, her gaze seemed to be fixed only on him. Watching him eat, it seemed like an indulgence.

It was a very ordinary afternoon.

The four of them sat in the shop, where the latest popular love songs were playing in the background. The lyrics were melodious, and no matter how you looked at it, the central theme was the same— ‘I will love you forever.’

On this afternoon, for the first time, Duan Ye vaguely touched the word ‘love.’

Both Duan Ye and Zhou Ji were busy, so after finishing their meal, they had to return to strive for their future and life.

Under the scorching sun, he watched them get on the bus before heading towards the construction site. Suddenly, Zhou Ji spoke, “What have I done to deserve this? To actually have such a girlfriend.”

Duan Ye had never been one to engage in such conversations, but this time he unexpectedly replied, “You are indeed fortunate.”

—We are all the same, all fortunate, all very lucky.

The words that followed didn’t need to be said by Duan Ye; Zhou Ji understood as well, because their situations were the same.

They need to work harder than anyone, to not disappoint the girls.

---

The next two days were ordinary and uneventful.

Whenever Jiang Yumo and Ning Zhiyu had time, they would bring the boys meals. After work, the four of them would walk hand in hand, sometimes having dinner on the snack street. Where there’s reunion, there’s separation—that’s the nature of a long-distance relationship. The Golden Week was also coming to an end; Jiang Yumo and Ning Zhiyu had bought tickets to return to Yanjing. On the evening before their departure, Duan Ye didn’t sleep on the floor anymore; he held her all night.

The next morning, Jiang Yumo and Ning Zhiyu were going to take the train back to Yanjing.

Both Zhou Ji and Duan Ye put aside their work to see them off. Along the way, both couples fell into silence. It seemed that as the time on the train ticket drew closer, their happiness was gradually being taken away. If Duan Ye had more time, he would surely have accompanied Jiang Yumo back and returned afterwards.

Jiang Yumo and Duan Ye found a quiet corner on the other side.

Duan Ye enclosed Jiang Yumo within his embrace against the wall, and the two spoke softly.

“If you don’t have enough mobile data, just let me know,” Duan Ye advised her. “Or maybe you can change to a different plan?”

“Okay,” Jiang Yumao agreed.

Duan Ye was truly considerate. After school started, he frequently topped up her phone balance. Now that they were in a long-distance relationship, phone expenses were relatively significant, but unfortunately, this was an expense that couldn’t be avoided.

On the other hand, she was quite inconsiderate. Most of her out-of-town calling minutes were spent on Duan Ye, while the rest were for her parents.

Jiang Yumo toyed with Duan Ye’s hand.

His hand was large, and when their hands were placed together, hers seemed small.

“I heard from Zhou Ji that you both spend very little each month,” Jiang Yumo looked at him disapprovingly. “Health is the cornerstone of the revolution. Don’t take advantage of your youth to be careless; eat a bit better. Besides, I’ll be checking next time. How about raising your monthly allowance to 1,000 yuan?”

Duan Ye showed her his account book.

He indeed spent very little, apart from three meals a day, hardly using any money at all.

Upon hearing this figure, Duan Ye furrowed his brows, murmuring softly, “Too much. Can’t spend it all.”

Jiang Yumo teased him and leaned on his shoulder, saying, “Don’t let my Mom hear that, or I’ll get scolded again.”

She thought she was already quite thrifty, but her monthly allowance just barely covered her expenses. Even if it wasn’t enough, she wouldn’t ask her parents for more.

“You should spend a bit more.”

“You too, why couldn’t spend 1,000 yuan? It’s not 10,000 or 100,000.”

Patiently, Duan Ye calculated for her, “In the morning, I usually have buns or noodles, costing no more than 5 yuan. In a month, let’s say thirty days, that’s 150 yuan.”

Jiang Yumo nodded.

“For twenty days a month, I get lunch provided, so that’s free. For the remaining ten days, estimate ten yuan each, totaling another 100 yuan.”

“Dinner, I eat with Zhou Ji, just buy something casually, let’s say seven yuan, which is already quite a lot. That’s 210 yuan a month.”

Duan Ye rarely spoke about these matters. When these mundane details spilled from his mouth, it felt awkward yet amusing. Jiang Yumo kept holding back her laughter.

“Adding it all up, it’s less than 500 yuan.” Duan Ye summarized, “Indeed, I can’t spend 1,000 yuan.”

“So, this is your mission.” As departure neared, Jiang Yumo dropped her reserve. Standing on her tiptoes, she hugged his neck and whispered in his ear, “If you really manage to spend 1,000 yuan on living expenses in a month, there will be a reward when we meet next.”

Duan Ye instinctively tensed up, perhaps due to the notion of that ‘reward’ or perhaps due to her care. He made a hum of agreement.

Ticket inspection was imminent; they couldn’t waste any more time. Jiang Yumo and Ning Zhiyu went to join the line for boarding the train.

As they watched the two of them pass through the ticket checkpoint and enter, Zhou Ji could no longer hold back. His jaw tightened, and he said to Duan Ye, “I can’t hold it in anymore.” He then entered the restroom to adjust his emotions.

Duan Ye remained standing in the same spot, his entire being shrouded in silence. Jiang Yumo had left, as if taking away the joy that belonged to the youthful age of nineteen. He once again transformed into the mature young man that outsiders saw.

Jiang Yumo and Ning Zhiyu boarded the train and took their seats.

Ning Zhiyu stared blankly out of the window. The train had not yet started, and people kept dragging their luggage down the aisle, creating a noisy environment. Yet, she seemed unable to hear it.

Ironically, she should have been the most accustomed to farewells among the four of them. She had been in a state of parting since she was very, very young.

In a daze, she felt someone hold her hand.

Turning her head, she saw Jiang Yumo beside her.

Though Jiang Yumo’s eyes were slightly reddened, she was still making an effort to smile brightly. “We’ll get used to it.”

Getting used to the joy of every meeting, getting used to the discomfort of every separation.

“But,” she said, “we won’t be apart for long.”

This was what Duan Ye had promised.

As long as he gave his word, as long as he made a promise, he would keep it. It had always been like this.

---

Duan Ye returned to his rented room, unable to lift his spirits no matter what.

Turning on the light and heading for the couch, he casually glanced at the newly bought mini-fridge. A sticky note was attached to it. He suddenly sat up straight, then crouched down in front of the fridge. He peeled off the note. The handwriting was very familiar—it was hers.

[I saw the advertisement downstairs and ordered fresh milk for you. There’s a bottle in the fridge today. Remember to drink it. You’ll sleep better at night. ^_^]

Duan Ye looked at this sticky note over and over again.

He had no idea when she had stuck it there. He hadn’t noticed at all.

It seemed like she had this ability, to give him romantic surprises all the time.

With her personality, this probably wasn’t the only note.

He was like a child on a treasure hunt, pacing around the narrow rental house. Sure enough, there was a note posted on the kitchen wall:

[When I was shopping at the supermarket with Zhiyu, I couldn’t resist buying some beautiful plates T_VT They’re really good-looking, aren’t they? I just love strolling through supermarkets and looking at pots and pans. I wonder why!]

And indeed, there were a few new plates on the kitchen counter.

They were in a style she would like.

There was also a note on the bedside table :

[It’s quite lonely to sleep alone. I bought you a stuffed toy. Don’t complain that I’m childish!]

Only then did he notice the gray rabbit plush toy that had appeared on the bed, seemingly out of nowhere.

---

Zhou Ji was extremely happy.

He had never expected such a huge surprise to come to him. This was something he hadn’t even dared to think about. Yet, it had been effortlessly realized!

Duan Ye led Jiang Yumo back to his room. Suddenly, Jiang Yumo said, “I’m in trouble.”

“What’s wrong?” Duan Ye closed the door, just in case, and also locked it…

“I realized that I can’t remember what Zhou Ji looked like when I first met him!” Jiang Yumo racked her brain to remember. She could vaguely recall his arrogance and domineering attitude in the cafeteria, but it felt like that wasn’t Zhou Ji at all.

Duan Ye pulled her to sit on the couch. “Don’t dwell on it. Otherwise, he’ll suffer again.”

He had almost forgotten how she used to always look at Zhou Ji.

“Okay.”

After spending these days together, Duan Ye and Jiang Yumo had become accustomed to this cohabitation. They had developed an understanding between them. When Jiang Yumo was taking a shower, Duan Ye would find excuses to go downstairs to buy things, like mosquito repellent or bottled water. In any case, he wouldn’t stay in the room and usually returned upstairs after about half an hour.

Occasionally, when he looked up from downstairs, the thought of buying a house became stronger.

Having their own house would likely change things.

Clearly, in the other rented room, Zhou Ji couldn’t compare to Duan Ye in terms of insight. He had no intention of leaving that room. He wished he could follow Ning Zhiyu wherever she went. After being rejected by Ning Zhiyu, he happily spread out his bedding on the floor from the closet.

Ning Zhiyu had wanted to ask him to leave several times.

But every time she called him, he would immediately come over, looking at her expectantly.

When faced with his gaze, the words ‘Why don’t you go out for a while?’ just couldn’t be said.

Finally, she thought of a reason that wouldn’t hurt his young heart. She casually asked, “Zhou Ji, don’t you have a hairdryer here?”

“…”, Zhou Ji was puzzled for a moment, then shook his head. “Seems like I don’t.”

It seemed like he hadn’t used that thing in a very long time.

Spending so much time with Lao Duan, he had unconsciously become rough.

A hairdryer, not needed.

Facial cleanser, he only bought the cheapest one because he often worked on construction sites with too much dust.

As for clothes, ever since coming here, he hadn’t bought any.

Limited edition sneakers, cool watches, gaming consoles—what did they have to do with him? Those were things the previous him used to play with.

He even bought the cheapest body wash and shampoo for bath.

He had already planned everything out. Even if the shower gel is as cheap as it can get, this bottle still costs around ten or twenty yuan. It’s better to buy a bar of soap for a few yuans, that’s what true cheap is. When the shower gel is used up, he can just buy a bar of soap.

Ning Zhiyu hesitated and said, “But I need to wash my hair.”

Zhou Ji patted his chest, saying, “What’s so difficult about that? I’ll go borrow one outside!”

Ning Zhiyu breathed a sigh of relief, “Alright, also, I think my hairband snapped. Could you help me go buy one?”

“What are you saying?” Zhou Ji placed his hand seriously on her shoulder, “You should command me with your words. Help?? You can’t use that word with me.”

Ning Zhiyu : “…”

“No, “Zhou Ji continued, “I need to apologize to you too. I shouldn’t use the word ‘can’t’ with you. For you, everything is ‘can’.”

Ning Zhiyu nodded slightly and whispered, “Then, hurry and borrow the hair dryer and buy the hairband for me.”

Zhou Ji looked delighted, “That’s the right way! I’m off!”

Finally sending Zhou Ji away, Ning Zhiyu relaxed. She quickly rushed into the bathroom at breakneck speed, washing up in a hurry, and even had to wash and air dry her close-fitting clothes. The time left for her was quite tight.

Exiting the room, Zhou Ji’s first instinct was to go next door to borrow a hair dryer.

After all, Lao Duan was a severe case of henpecked husband, and Jiang Yumo had been here for a few days, so he must have bought a hair dryer for her.

Just as he raised his hand to knock on the door, in that moment, a realization hit him—

Wait, there’s really no need to borrow a hair dryer from Lao Duan!!

Decisively, he turned around and headed for the corridor, quickly going to the third floor. He knocked on the landlady’s door, and as soon as she opened it, he eagerly asked, “Aunt Zhao, do you have a hair dryer?”

Without waiting for the landlady to answer yes or no…

He hurriedly and bashfully added, “My girlfriend has come, and I don’t have a hair dryer for her to dry her hair.”

How could he miss this chance? If he could, he would have used a loudspeaker to announce it to the whole city—that his girlfriend had arrived.

Aunt Zhao was momentarily surprised, then smiled and said, “What a coincidence.”

Zhou Ji : “Don’t you have a hair dryer?”

“Yes,” Aunt Zhao said as she turned around and went back into the house to fetch a hairdryer. Her voice was loud and clear; even outside, Zhou Ji could hear it. “A few days ago, Xiao Duan also borrowed the hairdryer. He was getting it for his girlfriend too.”

Zhou Ji : “?”

Zhou Ji : “……”

So, was he still one step behind? Even this excellent way of PDA had been used by Master Duan?

Late at night, Ning Zhiyu was already quite sleepy, but she still had to listen to Zhou Ji lying on the ground, constantly muttering, “Probably in about half a month, they’ll settle accounts with us. I’ll have more income by then. Yuyu, I’ve thought about it. I’ll save up the money. When you have a break and I have a break, shall we go out to play? How about that?

“If you don’t want to go out and play, that’s fine. I’ll give you the money, and you can save it for me. No, that’s not right. I’ll just give it to you. Buy whatever you want.

“If I had known you earlier, it would have been great. Then I could have bought you many things. But, well, it’s not the same, and it’s not money I earned myself. Meeting you last year was just perfect!”

Listening to his ramblings, she drifted into a dream, a faint smile on her lips.

Tonight, she was definitely going to have a good dream.

In fact, Zhou Ji’s return meant that the vacation for both him and Duan Ye had come to an end.

Even if they were reluctant, the two of them had to go back to work. Ning Zhi Yu was very diligent; she didn’t waste any time after waking up. She tidied up the room, as she likes to clean. This was Zhou Ji’s room, so naturally, she wanted to do something for him. Jiang Yumo entered while biting an apple and felt a bit embarrassed. “Comparison is the root of unhappiness. Comparing to you, I’m unbelievably lazy. It seems like my Mom’s scolding wasn’t unfounded.”

Ning Zhiyu laughed and tucked her hair behind her ear. “That’s because Duan Ye is much more diligent than Zhou Ji. So, you can afford to be lazy.”

Jiang Yumo leaned closer, curious. “Did Zhou Ji tell you about his work?”

“Not much,” Ning Zhi Yu turned her head to look at her. “Why do you ask?”

“He didn’t complain to you about the cook auntie’s bad cooking skills?” Jiang Yumo was shocked. “The day he picked me up, he didn’t stop talking. He said if he finds three strands of meat in the green pepper stir-fry, that’s a burst of good luck. He also said stir-fried cabbage appears most often in the menu, but there’s no oil to be seen; it’s all boiled in plain water. Oh, and, he said it’s really hot in the bare apartment, and he got heat rash on his back.”

She still remembered the exaggerated expression on Zhou Ji’s face when he talked about this.

Probably, in his nineteen years of life, he could count the number of times he got heat rash on one hand. It was unbelievable that he would get heat rash when he was nearly twenty!

Ning Zhiyu listened blankly, shaking her head. “He didn’t mention it.”

Jiang Yumo said, “That’s strange…”

But it wasn’t actually that strange. Even Zhou Ji seemed to have learned on his own to share his good news and keep his worries to himself when it came to his girlfriend. Duan Ye was the same. No matter how she asked, they would only talk about the positive things. It was probably because they didn’t want their girlfriends to worry.

Both of them fell silent, each feeling sorry for their respective boyfriends.

Jiang Yumo wanted to prevent the atmosphere from becoming too gloomy. She took another bite of the apple and enthusiastically suggested, “Since we don’t have anything to do right now, how about we buy some ingredients and cook a meal to send over to them? Yes, that’s a good idea! A love bento would be great!”

Ning Zhiyu paused for a moment, then smiled and said, “Sure.”

The two girls didn’t idle around. Holding hands, they went to the supermarket and bought fresh vegetables. After returning to the rented apartment, they assigned tasks and started cooking. Even the usually reserved and calm Ning Zhi Yu was particularly focused and serious when it came to making a bento for someone she liked. She carefully cut the ribs into even pieces and put more effort into cooking than ever before.

Once the bento was packed, they set off for the building complex where the recipients were.

Jiang Yumo knew that Duan Ye had mentioned the location of the building complex that morning. It was mainly to reassure her, as the complex wasn’t far from here. It was only about three bus stops away.

The two of them boarded the bus, full of excitement all the way. After all, it was the first time they were making a bento for a boyfriend and delivering it. Imagining how happy and touched he would be made their own moods uplifted. That’s how love was—no need for grand gestures; even ordinary things, when done with love, brought happiness.

This mood lasted until they got off the bus.

After getting off the bus, they walked for a few minutes and arrived near the development complex. Only when they were actually there could they feel the hardships the workers endured.

Dust and dirt were everywhere. Several workers wearing safety helmets emerged from inside, their skin darkened by the sun, covered in patches of dust on their clothes and pants.

The smile on Jiang Yumo’s face gradually froze.

Ning Zhiyu’s brows and eyes drooped as well.

They had come here to surprise their boyfriends, but…

Jiang Yumo watched for a while and whispered, “They probably wouldn’t want us to see them like this. How about we find another place to wait for them?”

Ning Zhi Yu didn’t object either. She nodded, and the two of them walked down another street, arriving at a hamburger shop they had never heard of before.

The shop wasn’t big, with only a few tables, and there weren’t many customers at this time.

Jiang Yumo took a deep breath and then dialed Duan Ye’s number. He answered quickly on the other end and said, “Have you eaten? If you haven’t, do you want me to buy you a meal and bring it over?”

Sitting in the air-conditioned store, Jiang Yumo absentmindedly picked at the edge of the table. Her nose turned slightly sour, but she held herself together, afraid that he might sense it. Even though he wasn’t right in front of her, she managed to muster a smile and said, “Zhiyu and I came over here. We wanted to bring you guys some food, but we couldn’t find the complex you mentioned. We asked a few people, but they weren’t sure either.”

“You guys came over?” Duan Ye was busy in the unfinished room and straightened up in surprise upon hearing this.

Originally drinking water, Zhou Ji couldn’t care less about that now. He strode over in a few swift steps, almost sticking to Duan Ye’s phone.

Duan Ye looked quite displeased and kicked him lightly, then turned away. “Alright, where are you guys now?”

Jiang Yumo turned to look back and pretended to sound puzzled and uncertain. “I’m not quite sure. Anyway, we’re at a burger shop called McKenzie’s…”

“I got it,” Duan Ye said in a deep voice. “Just stay there, don’t move. We’ll be there shortly.”

Jiang Yumo hung up the phone, feeling relieved.

Zhou Ji kept asking, “What, what’s going on? Did Yuyu come?”

Duan Ye made an affirmative sound. “She said they came to bring us food.”

A sense of overwhelming gratitude appeared on Zhou Ji’s face. He could hardly believe his ears. How was it possible for such a good thing to happen to him again?

He just wanted to tell everyone. Acting somewhat childishly, he ran to the neighboring room to boast to a few middle-aged coworkers, “Brother Liu, Brother Zhang, my girlfriend is here. She’s bringing me food. Today, I’m giving you guys my and Lao Duan’s share of food!”

One of the middle-aged coworkers, speaking in a local dialect, said with a smile, “Well, thank you both then.”

Inside the room, Duan Ye lowered his head, his expression thoughtful. He seemed to have grasped something, a complex smile and expression playing on his face.

It was a mixture of being moved and feeling guilty.

---

Inside the burger restaurant, Ning Zhiyu remained in a state of uncomfortable silence.

In fact, she had been thinking all along, up until now, that if it wasn’t for her, if she wasn’t with him, Zhou Ji would never have taken this path. He should have been full of spirit and possessed everything he deserved.

Jiang Yumo saw that Ning Zhiyu couldn’t cheer up, but in a little while, Duan Ye and Zhou Ji would come over. She was also anxious in her heart, so she reached out to hold Ning Zhiyu’s hand. When Ning Zhiyu looked over, she blinked and said, “Let me tell you a joke. My Mom told me this one. My Dad went all out when he was pursuing my Mom back then. He borrowed a bicycle from someone else to pick her up and watch a movie. But he didn’t notice a stone, and he fell with the bike and himself. At that time, the road was all gravel, and my Mom was on the side. My Dad quickly got up, so my Mom asked if he was okay, and while he was grimacing in pain, he said he was fine. After my parents started dating, my Dad’s younger brother told my Mom that my Dad howled at home that night, his knees were almost wrecked. Can you believe my Dad had such an iron will? After falling like that, he acted as if nothing happened, accompanied my Mom to watch the movie, and even took a walk on the embankment!”

Ning Zhiyu wanted to laugh. She knew why Jiang Yumo was telling her this story.

Every boy wants to appear invincible in front of the girl he likes. Even if he falls, he will immediately get up and casually pat his pants.

“Give me a smile!” Jiang Yumo said, “Come on, look at me, cheese~”

Ning Zhiyu swept away her previous discomfort, looked at Jiang Yumo, and said, “Cheese.”

---

In the kitchen, Zhou Ji and Duan Ye fell silent and continued to focus on washing dishes and scrubbing pots seriously.

Because they suddenly realized that they had no control over this matter; it all depended on the moods of the two girls.

No matter how much noise they made here or how well they planned, it didn’t seem to matter…

Jiang Yumo accompanied Ning Zhiyu in selecting daily necessities. She also had her own little schemes. She swore that she truly, really liked Zhiyu and wanted to be lifelong good friends with her. She even slept and bathed together with Zhiyu before! But… at this moment, she really wanted to stay with Duan Ye.

However, if she directly told Zhiyu that she wanted to stay with Duan Ye at night, would it make her seem lacking in self-respect, like valuing love over friendship?

It was so difficult to open up about this!

Jiang Yumo pushed the shopping cart, troubled by this matter. Not paying attention for a moment, she nearly bumped into someone. When she snapped back to reality, she saw Ning Zhiyu holding a toothbrush, looking at her with a pensive expression.

Their eyes met…

Jiang Yumo looked away.

Ning Zhiyu also averted her gaze.

It was as if neither dared to look at the other, each having their own thoughts.

Jiang Yumo cleared her throat. Fine, if Zhiyu thought she values love over friendship, then so be it. After all, she had long abandoned any pretenses among their group of four. She approached Ning Zhiyu with the shopping cart, and casually asked, “Where did you two go around Yanjing these past few days?”

Ning Zhiyu lowered her head, examining the toothbrush bristles, “We didn’t go anywhere. The weather was too hot, so we pretty much stayed in the hotel.”

Hotel??

Jiang Yumo’s interest was piqued. “True, during the National Day week, everywhere in Yanjing is crowded. Staying in the hotel is definitely more comfortable. Did Zhou Ji book a hotel near your school?” Worried that Zhiyu might misinterpret, she awkwardly added, “When I started school, my parents booked a room near the campus. The rooms were small but expensive, Yanjing really is a city where every inch of land is precious.”

Ning Zhiyu nodded slightly, tossing the toothbrush into the shopping cart, “It’s a hotel near my school. Actually, it’s not bad, but it was probably just renovated not too long ago, so there’s still a smell.”

She paused for a moment, nonchalantly adding, “It seems like Zhou Ji has no sense of smell. I asked him if he slept well at night, and he didn’t feel any effects. Fortunately, I’m only there during the daytime; otherwise, I might have gotten sick.”

Jiang Yumo silently agreed with her thoughts.

“I don’t like staying in hotels either.” Jiang Yumo leaned in closer to Ning Zhiyu, “The newly renovated bed linens and bedding are cleaner, but there’s formaldehyde. On the other hand, in hotels that have been renovated a long time ago, the sheets and blankets feel dirty. Don’t you think so?”

Ning Zhiyu murmured in agreement, “Indeed, during the trip after the college entrance exam, I felt that the hotel’s bedding wasn’t clean. It might have been a psychological effect, but I felt itchy when I slept.”

“Exactly, right?” Jiang Yumo raised her voice, “The better hotels around here are quite far away, and staying at a hotel doesn’t seem convenient. It might take an hour to drive there, and it’s a holiday now, so the roads are congested. That’s why I didn’t stay at a hotel this time.”

“Well, that’s indeed not very convenient,” Ning Zhiyu replied. “We weren’t too familiar with this area to begin with.”

This is getting interesting!

Jiang Yumo playfully continued, “So, we can only stay here. It’s still alright; they maintain good hygiene. As for tonight… how would you like to stay?”

She added unnecessarily, “I’m flexible with anything.”

Ning Zhiyu pursed her lips, lowered her gaze, and with her hand on the edge of the shopping cart, she softly said, “I’ll go with whatever you decide. Your call.”

It was only at this moment that Jiang Yumo suddenly snapped out of it, reflecting on the conversation she had with Ning Zhiyu.

She realized… she had fallen into Zhiyu’s trap!

In disbelief, Jiang Yumo exclaimed, “Zhiyu, you’ve become wicked! So cunning! No way!” She pulled out her phone, “I’m going to share this with our group and let Yan Qing and Mengting join me in criticizing you!”

Ning Zhoyu hurriedly grabbed her hand and playfully tickled her.

In the aisle of daily necessities, the two young girls were in a playful frenzy, laughing and joking around.

When someone glanced their way, they stopped, though a lingering smile still adorned Jiang Yumo’s face. She cautiously asked, “So?”

Ning Zhoyu nodded modestly.

Jiang Yumo really, really liked Duan Ye.

And likewise, Ning Zhiyu liked Zhou Ji, that goofball.

Long-distance relationships were tough on everyone. Today, when she saw Zhou Ji off at the station, she unexpectedly fell silent, feeling so reluctant. That’s why, when Zhou Ji used every trick in the book, she eventually nodded in agreement.

She also wished… to spend a little more time with Zhou Ji.

Jiang Yumo felt triumphant. It seemed like being a tease wasn’t unique to her; Zhiyu could do it too~

“Hehehe, leave it to me. I’m going to make your Zhou Ji feel like he owes me a huge favor, hmph.”

“Sure, I allow it.”

The two of them finished shopping and walked out of the supermarket. After a short while, they saw Duan Ye and Zhou Ji walking briskly towards them. They probably had just finished tidying up the kitchen before coming. Each of them took care of their own girlfriends. Duan Ye took the shopping bags from Jiang Yumo’s hand, holding them on one hand while holding her hand on the other. Zhou Ji followed suit, with a similar manner. Ning Zhiyu, who was a bit shy, didn’t resist either. The two couples walking on the road also attracted some attention from passersby.

They’re all young, and they all have good looks.

The sweet pink bubbles around them were perceptible even to passerbys.

Zhou Ji held Ning Zhiyu’s hand and turned to look at Duan Ye and Jiang Yumo behind them, who were also showing affection. Somehow, he sighed, “I suddenly want to send a greeting message to Zhou Chenglei. If it wasn’t for his wise decision to send me to Ningcheng, I wouldn’t have met lifelong friends and the person I like.”

Perhaps it was due to Zhou Ji’s personality that he spoke seriously with a touch of bitterness. Duan Ye fell silent, and so did Ning Zhiyu.

Jiang Yumao seized the opportunity to tease Zhou Ji, extending her hand without any hesitation, “I’ve got goosebumps all over!”

“…” Zhou Ji endured and ignored her, then asked Ning Zhiyu and Duan Ye, “Aren’t you supposed to be moved at a time like this?”

Ning Zhiyu : “…”

Duan Ye patted Jiang Yumo’s arm, saying, “That’s enough.”

The four of them chatted as they returned from the supermarket to their rental house. Zhou Ji noticed that neither Ning Zhiyu nor Jiang Yumo had brought up the topic of sleeping arrangements for the night. Unable to resist, he disregarded Duan Ye’s warning and asked, “Should I sleep in the same room with Lao Duan tonight?”

As soon as he said this, Zhou Ji received a death stare from Duan Ye.

He wasn’t afraid though; at worst, he might get beaten up a bit.

Jiang Yumo had been sneakily observing Duan Ye’s reactions. Having spent so much time together, she could read his expressions and body language well. Seeing his reaction, Zhou Ji’s words made Duan Ye clench his fist, obviously wanting to hit Zhou Ji but restraining himself. Yet, in the next moment, he relaxed his fist.

She didn’t want to be separated from him.

In just a few days, she had gotten used to holding hands with him and chatting late into the night until they fell asleep.

The bedtime stories over the phone couldn’t compare to the real thing.

He would hold her, speak to her in a deep voice, and give her a goodnight kiss before sleep.

Jiang Yumo moved closer to Duan Ye, taking advantage of Zhou Ji’s lack of attention. She reached out and gently hooked her fingers into the palm of his hand.

Duan Ye looked at her.

She leaned towards him, blinked her eyes playfully, and mouthed the words, ‘Don’t worry.’

In an instant, Duan Ye’s eyes lit up with a smile, understanding her intention. He tightened his grip on her hand.

After Jiang Yumo let out a sigh of frustration, she intentionally raised her tone and exclaimed, “I’ll go take a look at Zhou Ji’s room again.”

Zhou Ji : “…”

Upon hearing this, he knew that Jiang Yumo intended to sleep with Zhiyu in his room tonight.

Although he had anticipated this outcome, he still felt disappointed deep down.

He wondered if this could be considered good news. After all, there was a high probability that Zhiyu wouldn’t have to sleep in Duan Ye’s room. But here’s the problem : if Jiang Yumo slept in his room, in his bed, he suspected that Duan Ye, who had a tendency to hold grudges, might remember this for the rest of his life and occasionally beat him up at the mere thought of it.

He let out a sigh!

Ning Zhiyu was smiling while looking down, concealing it from Zhou Ji’s sight.

Jiang Yumo proudly placed her hands on her hips, acting as if she were a queen. She once again entered Zhou Ji’s room.

Duan Ye accompanied her, while Zhou Ji and Ning Zhiyu followed behind.

“This room doesn’t have very good lighting,” Jiang Yumo began to point out, “Look, even lying on the bed, you can’t see the moonlight outside the window. It’s not romantic at all. Moonlight can’t even shine through.”

“And also!” Jiang Yumo continued, “I don’t know if it’s just me, but I always feel like the tiles in this room look a bit older than the ones in your room. When I walk barefoot on the floor, it seems like my feet might look darker, and it’s not good for taking photos.”

This part was directed at Duan Ye.

Both Duan Ye and Ning Zhiyu were aware of the outcome of this situation, while only Zhou Ji remained unaware.

Both of them nodded with smiles on their faces.

Zhou Ji endured and endured, but when he heard her nitpicking even the tiles, he thought that Jiang Yumo might not like his room after all. She might even take his Zhiyu to the next room. He couldn’t hold back any longer, “I must say, Sister, you’re quite picky! Why don’t you just say that my room has bad Feng Shui? Do you even know how much the monthly rent for this place is? You’re comparing a room that costs a few hundred a month to a five-star hotel. Doesn’t your conscience ache? I think my room is great, really great; it can even outshine my Jade Garden!”

This statement was quite over the top.

Jiang Yumo didn’t hesitate to show affection in front of familiar faces. She immediately reached for Duan Ye’s hand and shook it, then complained with a look of extreme injustice, “Look at him, he called me picky and scolded me.”

Zhou Ji : “…”

He declared that this Sister was the most picky person he had ever encountered! No exceptions!

Duan Ye glanced at Zhou Ji and reassured Jiang Yumo, “I’ll straighten him out.”

Zhou Ji was also feeling wronged as he turned his head to look at Ning Zhiyu, who was watching the scene on the side.

“Anyway, I don’t want to stay in Zhou Ji’s room!” Jiang Yumo stared fiercely at Zhou Ji with a selfish expression.

Zhou Ji : …Heavens, why would there be both the talented and the beautiful? Since Lao Duan has such a girlfriend, why did they arrange for him to become Lao Duan’s destined brother??

Who would have known that in the next second, Jiang Yumo would look at Ning Zhiyu with an apologetic look, “Zhiyu, I’m sorry, I have a little trouble adjusting to new beds. I just got used to Duan Ye’s bed, and also, Zhiyu, I’m not very well-behaved when I sleep. I steal blankets and kick people. You definitely shouldn’t sleep on the floor. How about this, let Zhou Ji sleep on the floor, and you can sleep in his bed. Is that okay?”

Zhou Ji was originally about to speak up and argue with Jiang Yumo after hearing the first part of her statement, but when he heard the latter part, he forcibly swallowed his words.

Ning Zhiyu furrowed his brow, thought for a moment, and reluctantly nodded in agreement, “I guess that’s the only way.”

Zhou Ji : !!!

He was overjoyed!

This Sister was truly amazing. Did she just fulfill his long-cherished dream like this?

This Sister could do even more, even more!

Wait a second—

Could this Sister be described like this?

Of course not! This Sister was the most considerate and kind-hearted person in the world!

Even if she did things like this occasionally, it was only natural!

---

After Jiang Yumo hung up the phone, she thought about Ning Zhiyu’s frantic behavior on the call and still couldn’t help but laugh.

When Duan Ye brought the cut fruits out and saw this scene, he casually asked, “Who called?”

He had heard her talking in the kitchen, so she must have been on the phone.

“It was Zhiyu who called,” Jiang Yumo took the plate he handed over. On the plate was cut pieces of honeydew melon and grapefruit. She took a piece of grapefruit and held it to his lips. “Zhou Ji is going back today, and she took him to the train station. But after they arrived at the station, she was persuaded and agreed to come along. I checked their train schedule, and they should be arriving around 5 p.m.”

Duan Ye didn’t find it surprising at all after hearing that.

Indeed, this was something Zhou Ji would do.

But it was unexpected that Ning Zhiyu was actually persuaded…

Only someone as naïve as Zhou Ji wouldn’t be sure how deep her feelings for him really were.

“This is trouble,” Duan Ye took a bite of the grapefruit. “He’s going to pester me again.”

Jiang Yumo was still puzzled about the meaning of Duan Ye’s words.

Half an hour later, Duan Ye’s phone vibrated.

Jiang Yumo wanted to lean over and see, but she felt that in a relationship, it was appropriate to give each other some space and privacy, so she refrained.

However, Duan Ye directly moved the phone over to her side, indicating for her to look. “Take a look.”

Jiang Yumo couldn’t help but chuckle, “Aren’t you afraid it’s a dangerous message?”

“There’s no possibility of that.”

Jiang Yumo lit up the screen. It was actually a message from Zhou Ji. She opened it and read:

[Help! World-level emergency!!!]

She was blinded by all those exclamation marks and turned to Duan Ye, “It seems like Zhou Ji has an urgent matter and wants to find you. Look, he’s using exclamation marks like they’re free.”

Duan Ye calmly removed the threads from the grapefruit as he replied without lifting his eyelids, “No need to pay attention.”

“…” Jiang Yumo nodded.

Little did she know, less than a minute later, Zhou Ji sent another message : [Lao Duan, my keys are at your place. Please do me a favor and find a cleaning auntie.]

Jiang Yumo couldn’t help but feel delighted at once, “So, he’s doing all this for this matter? He actually asked you to find am auntie to clean? How dirty can his room be??”

Duan Ye pondered for a moment and spoke fairly for his friend, “It’s not that dirty, really not. He’s probably worried that Ning Zhuyu would find it unpleasant.”

Jiang Yumo rested her cheek on her hand, “Will he still send messages?”

Duan Ye nodded, “That’s why I said he’s bothering me again.”

In the next ten minutes, Duan Ye’s phone hardly stayed quiet, as it was flooded with short messages from Zhou Ji—

[Lao Duan? Brother? Can you really treat me like this? I know you’ve definitely seen the messages.]
[How about this, for the next month, I’ll treat you to breakfast every day!!]
[Man, I’m bleeding money here!! Breakfast for a month costs at least a hundred yuan!]
[Fine! I’ll give it. Aside from breakfast, how about I also buy you a bottle of iced tea every afternoon? Is that fine? I can’t give in anymore. Do you know how hard it is for me to earn some money?!]

Jiang Yumo started to feel a bit sympathetic, “How about we just help him hire a cleaning lady?”

Duan Ye tapped the table and whispered, “Let’s wait a bit longer.”

As expected, a minute later, Duan Ye’s phone rang.

After hesitating for a moment, Duan Ye picked up the phone and told her, “I’m going out to take the call.”

He was afraid Zhou Ji might say something irrelevant. That was Zhou Ji’s strong suit.

Jiang Yumo suppressed a smile, “Go ahead, go ahead. I’m definitely not eavesdropping on your conversation.”

Holding the phone, Duan Ye walked out of the room and stood in the hallway. He answered the call leisurely, holding the phone a bit away from his ear. On the other end, Zhou Ji’s irritated voice came through, “Damn it, Lao Duan, you’re really heartless when you’re in love! I’m in this situation and you’re still hesitating? Fine, I’ll pull out the big move. I’ll be your best man in the future, alright? And in addition to that, I’ll triple the gift money!”

Everyone knew that married people couldn’t be best men.

At least that’s how it was in the customs of Ningcheng.

Zhou Ji was basically giving the biggest blessing and concession. He was blessing Duan Ye to get married before him, and that was a tremendous concession!

Duan Ye chuckled, “Sure.”

He finally gave in.

Zhou Ji continued to grumble on the other end, “Just you wait! You heartless, truly heartless!”

Duan Ye had no interest in listening to his complaints any longer, so he simply hung up the phone. Returning to the room, he helplessly told Jiang Yumo, “He’s so annoying.”

Jiang Yumo smiled non-stop, “Alright, alright. He’s also having a tough time. Hurry and find an auntie to clean his place.”

Before Zhou Ji left, he left the keys with Duan Ye.

It was easy to find an auntie on this side, and the price was reasonable. Duan Ye brought back an auntie in less than twenty minutes. The auntie was efficient and skilled, clearly adept at household chores. In about an hour, she thoroughly cleaned Zhou Ji’s small and not-so-dirty single room, leaving the floor tiles spotless.

Jiang Yumo was always considerate. After Duan Ye settled the payment with the auntie, she gave the auntie a bottle of orange juice as thanks.

The auntie happily accepted, “If you have more work in the future, you can find me. Here’s my business card.”

Jiang Yumo took the business card and was quite impressed. She thought the auntie was amazing!

She actually had a business card!

Duan Ye embraced her and seeing her still looking at the business card, he chuckled, “What’s up?”

“I always feel like this auntie is someone important,” Jiang Yumo said. “She might become a legendary figure in the household industry in the future. So, I want to keep this business card.”

If it was only Zhou Ji returning, Jiang Yumo and Duan Ye wouldn’t have made such preparations.

After all, there was no need to fuss too much about a light bulb.

But Zhou Ji brought Ning Zhiyu back, so they had to take it seriously. Around four in the afternoon, when the sunlight weren’t as strong, Duan Ye took Jiang Yumo out to buy groceries. After discussing it, they decided to have hotpot at the rental house. During the Golden Week, everywhere would be crowded, including restaurants. It was better to just eat at home.

---

Around seven in the evening.

Zhou Ji’s rental house seemed crowded, with four people gathered around a table, cooking hotpot. The house wasn’t that bad; opening the door provided good ventilation, and the fragrance of the hotpot base ingredients was strong in the room.

“Why?” Zhou Ji held his chopsticks and asked, somewhat speechless.

Hadn’t his room just been cleaned? Why were they eating hotpot in his place?

Then, didn’t he invite the auntie for nothing?

Jiang Yumo replied, “I don’t like the smell of hotpot in the room where I sleep.”

Zhou Ji : “…”

“So, I like it then?” Zhou Ji was exasperated, “I’m someone who loves cleanliness so much. Do you think I can handle it?”

Jiang Yumo gently elongated her tone, “Really?”

Only then did Zhou Ji realize that, given how henpecked Lao Duan was with his wife, there was no way he could have hidden Zhou Ji’s previous request from Jiang Yumo.

Zhou Ji took another look at Ning Zhiyu who’s eating vegetables next to him. He could only endure it and changed his tone, saying, “Alright, alright, if you want to eat here, then eat here. Tomorrow we can have barbecue, it’s fine. After all, you’re my Sister-in-law.”

Ning Zhiyu chuckled on the side.

Being so clever, she naturally saw through everything. The four of them chatted and ate hotpot together, savoring the long-lost taste. It would be even more perfect if the other four friends were here as well. In this situation, Zhou Ji naturally wanted to tease the other four a bit, taking crazy photos to flood the group chat. This action sparked public outrage.

Zhao Zheng : [Boss Zhou, I’ve learned a few skills in the army. While I might not beat Brother Duan, I’d have no problem dealing with you. Get ready to be taken down when I’m back during winter break.]

Yan Qing : [I support!! Beat him up!!]

Guo Shichao : [Life seems pretty good, Boss Zhou. Do you need me to remind you that you still owe me money?]

Sun Mengting : [Zhou Ji, your arms are perfect for an IV drip~]

…

They enjoyed the hotpot until 8 o’clock.

Ning Zhiyu and Jiang Yumo had already put down their chopsticks. The weather was a bit hot, and they didn’t have much appetite. They didn’t need to worry about the food on the table since boys of Duan Ye and Zhou Ji’s age had hearty appetites. As expected, in the end, almost everything was gone except for a few vegetables.

Duan Ye was always considerate.

Under his influence, Zhou Ji had also developed this good habit.

The two of them never even thought about having Ning Zhiyu and Jiang Yumo clean up. After all, tasks like washing dishes were meant for them, the guys!

Night fell.

Ning Zhiyu felt a headache thinking about the plans for the night. She whispered, “Yumo, you’re more familiar with this place. Would you accompany me to buy something?”

Zhou Ji hurriedly chimed in upon hearing that, “What are we buying? I’ll go with you later.”

As a result, Jiang Yumo witnessed the rich range of emotions on Ning Zhiyu’s face.

Irritation, embarrassment, and a hint of reproach.

“I don’t need you to accompany me! Just go wash your dishes!”

Zhou Ji could only return to the kitchen with a dejected expression. After Jiang Yumo explained things to Duan Ye, she accompanied Ning Zhiyu out. Even though she had only arrived a few days ago, she went shopping with Duan Ye every day, so she was quite familiar with the area. At least, she knew the way to the supermarket very well.

The two girls walked hand in hand down the stairs and onto the street.

Ning Zhiyu continued to complain about Zhou Ji, “I really don’t know what to say about him. If he wanted me to come, he could have told me earlier. But no, he waited until I got to the station to mention it. I didn’t have time to prepare anything; I just brought a bag! I’ve never met someone like him before. I want to strangle him!”

She seemed angry, but as she talked, she ended up laughing helplessly.

“Ever since he escaped from the airport, I’ve felt that I won’t be surprised by anything he does in the future,” Jiang Yumo said calmly, “Zhiyu, you’re the one who should be used to it. As soon as he obediently promised to you to come back, you should have been on guard. After all, with his personality, if he hasn’t bothered or annoyed you all this time, it means he’s preparing to cause trouble!”

Ning Zhiyu found Jiang Yumo’s words reasonable, “You’re right. I was careless. The one who’s lost in the situation is me.”

Two girls are discussing this matter. Inside a rented house, two boys are busy cleaning up the mess and doing dishes, discussing an important matter themselves.

Zhou Ji felt inexplicably embarrassed, “Should I take the initiative to mention it, and book a hotel room for her?”

“Whatever,” Duan Ye replied in a flat tone, “Just as long as it doesn’t involve us.”

By ‘us,’ he meant him and Jiang Yumo.

The meaning is quite clear: Zhou Ji can arrange for Ning Zhiyu to stay in a hotel, that’s fine, but if Jiang Yumo gets involved, then Zhou Ji won’t just be facing a beating.

Zhou Ji : “…”

Darn it.

Who would have thought that Master Duan had such deep scheming.

Master Duan’s intentions were clear : no matter how Zhou Ji and Ning Zhiyu arrange things, Jiang Yumo must stay at Master Duan’s place.

Does Zhou Ji want Ning Zhiyu to stay in a hotel? She’s his girlfriend, and he wants to stay with her too.

Zhou Ji : “Okay. Then I won’t bring up the hotel stay.”

Sometimes he would be timid in front of Ning Zhiyu.

Afraid of rejection, and also afraid of her dislike, he would subconsciously avoid the option he was most eager for, “Not staying in a hotel is fine too, or…”

It can only be said that Duan Ye truly is his best friend. When Zhou Ji mentioned ‘or,’ Duan Ye understood his meaning. He replied in a casual tone, “She won’t come to sleep in your bed. I’ll say it again, don’t involve us.”

The ‘she’ in Duan Ye’s words most of the time referred to Jiang Yumo.

Of course, Duan Yewouldn’t allow her to sleep in Zhou Ji’s bed.

Zhou Ji realized this, gritted his teeth, and scrubbed the pan even harder. “I also won’t let my girlfriend sleep in your bed, in your room!”

At first, he hadn’t fully grasped the situation, but now that Duan Ye brought it up, he also felt uneasy.

If the two girls were to sleep together, it would undoubtedly be in one of these two rooms.

Sleeping in his room, Lao Duan’s jealousy would not spare him, he would get beaten up.

But sleeping in Lao Duan’s room… Damn! He wouldn’t agree to that either!!

Duan Ye : “Then there’s nothing to discuss.”

---

Early in the morning, Jiang Yumo was awakened by a burst of chord music, annoyed to no end. Groping around, she found her phone and pressed the answer button without even opening her eyes. Lazily, she said, “Hello,” until she realized that the phone’s texture felt different, bringing a hint of clarity back to her.

On the other end of the line, Zhou Ji heard a female voice.

He thought he had dialed the wrong number, so he moved the phone away to check the number, confirming it was indeed Lao Duan’s.

So…

Zhou Ji : “???”

He tentatively asked, “Sister?”

Jiang Yumo and Duan Ye had the same ringtone for their phones. Last night, Duan Ye’s phone had been in Jiang Yumo’s hands. When she got tired of playing, she had casually placed it by the pillow. When the phone rang, she thought it was her own phone and answered it by mistake.

Duan Ye was still in the kitchen boiling eggs.

He came out upon hearing the ringtone.

Jiang Yumo was curled up, holding his phone.

He walked over and first patted her head to soothe her. Then, gently and slowly, he took the phone from her hand and softly said, “It’s mine.”

Jiang Yumo widened her eyes and turned to look at him.

Duan Ye glanced at the caller ID and added, “It’s Zhou Ji calling.”

…Oh.

Jiang Yumo regained her composure in a second, feeling a bit embarrassed. After all, this was the first time she had seen him after waking up. She quickly buried herself under the blanket, pretending to be asleep.

Duan Ye pulled the blanket over her a little more.

Then he walked out of the room with the phone and stood in the hallway to answer the call, saying, “What’s up?”

It was still early, just seven o’clock. Zhou Ji was usually a heavy sleeper who couldn’t be woken up no matter how hard you knocked on the door. Why was he calling at this hour?

Zhou Ji set aside his envy, jealousy, and resentment, and started talking about the matter at hand. “I’m going to pick up Zhiyu later. I got up early and unexpectedly ran into an acquaintance in the hotel lobby. Well, not exactly an acquaintance, but rather a driver-secretary my maternal grandfather used to hire when he was active on this side of the mainland. He’s now doing business as well. I chatted with him for a few sentences. He’s partnering with someone to develop a vacation resort on a piece of land near our city. From what he implied, if we’re interested, he can hand over the project details to us. It’s not the same as a barebones construction project; he’s focusing on interior decoration. Apart from aluminum alloy windows and reinforcement, there are tiles, wooden flooring, and the panel materials used for making cabinets.”

As Duan Ye listened, he asked, “This big? Handing it over to us?”

“How could that be,” Zhou Ji chuckled. “If we took on the entire thing, could you handle it? There are several big bosses involved, and they all have their own people. He’s asking if we’re interested. If we are, he’ll also make an effort. Lao Duan, I’m leaving this decision to you. If you say let’s do it, we’ll do it.”

“Can we trust him?” Duan Ye asked.

They were just a couple of young and inexperienced guys.

Zhou Ji laughed, “I said, Lao Duan, did you forget who I am? Let me put it this way : this person achieved today’s results, my grandfather also helped a bit. He’s quite grateful to my grandfather. I’m not the one who mightily asked him and stubbornly use my family’s name to make money and do business. Now, he was the one who took the initiative to ask if I’m interested. Lao Duan, just tell me, should we go for it?”

Duan Ye pondered for a moment and replied, “Sure.”

They originally had nothing.

Of course, they had to give it their all.

Zhou Ji said, “Alright, I exchanged contact information with him. He should be coming over at the end of October. We’ll talk more then.”

After discussing this matter, both Zhou Ji and Duan Ye were quite excited.

Duan Ye remembered something, cleared his throat, and provided some unnecessary explanation, “I laid the makeshift bed yesterday.”

Zhou Jile responded with a puzzled expression.

He leaned against something, “Don’t brag to me!”

After going through this experience together, Zhou Jile and Duan Ye had become close friends. Why Duan Ye explained, Zhou Jile understood. In fact, they could be considered as kindred spirits, both in similar situations. Who wouldn’t understand each other’s struggles? Before they had the ability to provide a clear future for her, who dared to be presumptuous?

Duan Ye smiled.

“Alright, I’m going to buy breakfast,” Duan Ye said.

“Okay, we’ll talk about the details when I get back,” Zhou Ji was still excited, “Lao Duan, just wait. We will definitely succeed.”

Who wouldn’t be excited?

Even though things hadn’t been finalized, there was a glimmer of hope.

Duan Ye leaned against the wall, thinking about Jiang Yumo still sleeping in the room. His mood was uplifted as if he had taken a step closer to that future.

---

Duan Ye hung up the phone, returned to the room, and saw Jiang Yumo hiding under the covers while looking at her phone.

With a new month, she had more mobile data again. Hearing his movements, she quickly slid her phone under the pillow and pretended to continue sleeping.

Duan Ye thought she had fallen asleep again, so he walked over as quiet as possible and glanced at her.

Shortly after, Jiang Yumo heard the rustling sound. She really wanted to turn over a bit and see what he was doing.

In reality, Duan Ye was writing a note.

He was going out to buy breakfast. Buying breakfast was just a pretense; mainly, he wanted to give her some space since he thought she might be shy. He had woken up before dawn today too.

Looking at her sleeping face, the feeling was even better than he had imagined.

Jiang Yumo squinted her eyes, listening to the sound of the door closing. She cautiously feigned turning over and quietly opened her eyes to take a peek. The room was quiet, and Duan Ye was nowhere to be seen. Without putting on her shoes, she tiptoed on the ceramic tiles and peeked into the kitchen and bathroom—both empty!

Twisting her head again, she saw a note under the cup on the table.

This was the cup handcrafted by her last winter during their trip to Yanjing.

There were the words ‘Drink more water’ on the cup’s surface.

[I’ve gone out to buy breakfast. You can give me a call once you wake up.]

Seeing this note, Jiang Yumo finally let out a sigh of relief. All the awkward things wouldn’t happen now! Duan Ye was truly considerate. The meaning of this note was that she should call him after she had everything tidied up, and only then would he return. Her time had come—next on the agenda was washing up, changing clothes, and maybe putting on some light makeup. She originally didn’t know how to, but during the summer vacation, following Yan Qing’s video tutorials, she learned quite a bit, though she still felt like a novice. Novices shouldn’t attempt heavy makeup; that would be a disaster…

She didn’t even dare to draw her eyebrows, fearing she’d end up looking like Crayon Shin-chan.

She only dared to apply some foundation, brush on blush, and lightly apply lipstick to brighten her complexion.

But even with just this, she already looked quite beautiful. After all, she was young and had good skin.

Once everything was done, Jiang Yumo gave Duan Ye a call. She even exaggerated a yawn, pretending she had just woken up!

After another ten minutes of waiting downstairs, Duan Ye finally returned with breakfast. In a small pot on the kitchen stove, eggs were being boiled. He had brought soy milk and small steamed buns… Jiang Yumo followed him and glanced at the bag he had placed on the floor, curiously asking, “You bought grapefruit too?”

“Yes. The vendor said they’re very sweet.”

Duan Ye had seen someone selling grapefruits from a cart and was reminded of that night during their third year of high school when he had also bought her a grapefruit on a whim and brought it back.

Clearly, Jiang Yumo also recalled that incident.

Though it had only been a little over a year, thinking back on it now felt like a long time ago. The emotions and sensations from that time were so youthful and naïve. In the hallway of the teaching building, when there was nobody around, she had secretly fed him a piece of grapefruit.

Now she finally understood why people said that the feelings from wearing school uniforms to wedding dresses are so romantic.

Marriage wasn’t something she had thought about yet.

They shared youthful memories that made them nervous and excited about holding hands, unable to sleep at night.

But they also had the intense passion of the adult world.

Her youth was with him, her adult days was with him—it was all with him.

This was her first time here, and Duan Ye had only been here a month longer than her. During the vacation, they had been contemplating whether to visit a park or a tourist attraction. However, seeing the blazing sun, Jiang Yumo insisted on staying indoors. She had a solid argument, “Parks and tourist spots all look the same across the country. It’s Golden Week now, so everywhere will be crowded. Even if we go, we’ll just be looking at people. I’m so tired!!”

As she spoke the latter sentence, she playfully sat on his lap, cuddling up to him, “You have no idea how I’ve survived this past month! Sunburned and exhausted, I just want to lie down forever.”

And that was the truth.

If the eight-person small group is present, she is willing to go out and play together with everyone, even climbing mountains.

With more people, everything becomes interesting. But now there are only the two of them, and in a few days, she will leave for school again. Naturally, she wants to stick together whenever possible.

Duan Ye also thinks this way, but he’s afraid she might find it boring. That’s why he suggested whether they should go out for a stroll.

He just wants to be with her.

For the next two days, the two of them are like newlyweds. They hold hands and go out shopping every day. Sometimes, when they’re in the mood, they go to the market and cook a meal together. Other times, when they’re feeling lazy, Duan Ye takes her to nearby malls to eat hotpot. This is probably what being married is like, Jiang Yumo thinks.

Every night, they chat until very late.

They talk about anything and everything.

Every morning when they wake up, the first thing they see is each other.

This small rented space is their little paradise. They are the happiest immortal couple.

Who else could experience such things?

Jiang Yumo couldn’t have imagined it, and neither could Duan Ye.

Even though they are both so young, they never thought they would do such things together in this lifetime.

One afternoon, Duan Ye was cutting fruit in the kitchen, while Jiang Yumo was taking out the trash. The phone on the table rang, and she picked it up. The caller ID showed Ning Zhiyu.

Without much thought, she answered the call.

“What’s up?”

There was a noisy background on the other side. Ning Zhiyu went to a quiet corner with her phone and said with a headache, “Yumo, I just wanted to let you know in advance, Zhou Ji is going back.”

Jiang Yumo was also frustrated by the thought of this!

Now she and Duan Ye will have an extra third wheel : Zhou Ji, who lives next door!

Ahhh!

“Okay.” Jiang Yumo still tried to restrain herself, not wanting to show her disdain for her friend’s boyfriend. It wouldn’t be good.

Ning Zhiyu : “The point is, I’m coming too.”

She couldn’t take it anymore. Even she, who is usually calm and composed, started venting, sounding frantic : “I’ve never seen anyone like this, really. How can there be such a person in the world? We had agreed that I would take him to the station. He promised me that he would work hard when he goes back. But when we got to the station, he started buzzing in my ear like Tang Monk chanting scriptures. And the most infuriating thing is, I don’t know if I’ve been possessed or what, but I actually agreed to him. By the time I realized it, he had taken my ID card and bought a ticket!”

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