After Xin Chen left, Bruce was also going to leave, but he is one of the celebrities in this hiking forum, registered for three years, sometimes posting photos of American hikes, today suddenly appeared, causing a stir, everyone refused to let him go, he could only wave goodbye to Xin Chen and follow the team to have dinner.

  Having eaten to his heart's content, Bruce returned home. His parents had divorced when he was 15 years old, and he had subsequently immigrated to Canada with his mother and sister, while his father, Lin Yueqing, remained in the country doing business and owning a house locally. He opened the door to find his father sitting in the living room with a gentle and elegant man.

  "Leqing, let me introduce you. This is Lu Fei, who's currently collaborating with your younger uncle's company on a project. He needs to discuss something with you and has been waiting for a long time."

  Bruce's Chinese name is Lin Leqing, and his family naturally got used to calling him by this name. He shook hands with Lu Fei while raising an eyebrow, "Hello, I suppose you're not here to talk business, are you?"

  Lu Fei smiled and said, "I'll call you Le Qing, don't mind, right? If it's convenient for you, let's go to the coffee shop downstairs."

  Lin Leqing's home was not far from the local evening newspaper office, and across from the newspaper office was a green door coffee shop. The decoration was elegant, and although it was in this relatively quiet section of road, business had always been good. The two sat opposite each other, each ordering a cup of coffee.

  "To mention it, we are somewhat distant relatives. Leiqing, your younger uncle Su Zhe is the younger brother of my sister's husband Su Jie, and this isn't our first meeting. Three months ago, I accompanied Su Zhe to your dormitory. If we go further back, at Su Zhe's wedding in Shenzhen three years ago, we should have met as well."

  Lin Leqing smiled and said, "No wonder I felt familiar when I met you at the bar a few days ago. So, that day when I returned to my dormitory, you happened to be going out. My little uncle said that you and I are alumni of the same school, probably thinking of taking a walk around the campus."

  Lu Fei smiled wryly. At that time, he and Su Zhe were on their way to the US headquarters of a company to discuss the specific details of investing in Huatian's new project with a venture capital fund. After finishing their business, Su Zhe mentioned that he wanted to visit his nephew who was studying at the University of California, Berkeley, whom he hadn't seen in years. Lu Fei had graduated from the Haas School of Business three years ago and also wanted to take the opportunity to revisit old friends over the weekend. So the two men bought plane tickets and flew together from New York to San Francisco.

  When they arrived at Lin Leqing's dormitory, his roommate said he would be back soon and asked them to wait a bit. Lu Fei, however, caught sight of two photos among the many on the wall. One was taken at the summit, with a sea of clouds behind, bathed in the glow of sunset, the scenery was breathtakingly beautiful, a girl wearing a dark grey windbreaker gazed intently into the distance, her hair blown back by the wind, clearly a candid shot, she hadn't noticed the camera. The other had a hospital ward as its backdrop, with dull white walls and beds, an IV stand stood beside them, a boy and the same girl from the previous photo leaned against each other, both wearing blue and white striped patient robes, looking pale and wan, but gazing directly at the lens, their smiles radiant.

  Lu Fei was shocked, not to mention the solo photo, but the girl in the group photo was thin with a pointed chin, short hair, and shiny black eyebrows and bright eyes, with a dimple on her left cheek that appeared and disappeared, it was Xin Chen who had not been seen for several years.

  Su Zhe saw him paying attention to the two photos and smiled: "The boy is my nephew, he loves hiking, three years ago he and the girl in the photo crossed Qinling together, almost lost his life, at that time armed police were dispatched to search for rescue, it was really sensational."

  "Three years ago? When exactly?" Lu Fei turned his head back to look at him, his voice a bit hoarse.

  "I got married in Shenzhen at the end of June that year. He returned to China to attend the wedding and then went to Qinling, which should be around early July. Lu Fei, what's wrong?"

  "It's okay, Su Zhe, I'll go out for a walk first, we'll see each other later."

  Lu Fei couldn't suppress the shock in his heart and hastily went out, brushing past Lin Leqing who had just returned.

  The wind chime on the green door rang softly, and a beautiful woman in a black mini dress walked in. Her skin was as white as snow, her hair was loosely tied up, with a few strands hanging down casually, extremely charming. The not many customers in the coffee shop almost couldn't help but stare at her, but she seemed to be oblivious to all the gazes, and went straight past the counter into the back.

  "Good heavens, I'm surprised this store hasn't changed its name yet. And the boss's wife is still that beauty, isn't she? I think her name was Susan or something. When I was 15 and immigrating to Canada, my dad insisted on having a heart-to-heart with me and brought me here the day before we left. The first time I saw her, she really took my breath away - this young boy's heart was racing like crazy! Can't believe it's been seven years and she hasn't changed one bit."

  Lu Fei only glanced at her briefly and didn't seem to notice the boss's appearance, "There is another coincidence between us, Le Qing, I also left this city for America more than seven years ago."

  "I guess the farewell you experienced must be more romantic than mine. I was a 15-year-old awkward boy at that time, hating my dad and not wanting to say anything more to him. If it weren't for seeing the beautiful boss lady, that night would probably have been suffocated with depression."

  This lively and cheerful Lin Leqing made Lu Fei unable to help but smile, "No, the one who said goodbye to me was a nearly 18-year-old stubborn girl, that scene wasn't romantic at all, but I couldn't forget her."

  "If I'm not mistaken, that girl is He Huan, also known as Xin Chen. I've gotten used to calling her by her online name." He looked at Lu Fei with a hint of surprise and smiled, "My father introduced you as Lu Fei, so I knew what you wanted to talk to me about."

  "Osmanthus." Lu Fei didn't repeat the name, and before his eyes appeared the girl who shook the osmanthus tree trunk, causing petals to scatter all over her body. He asked somewhat disbelievingly, "So... she mentioned me to you?"

  "No, she didn't say anything, but three years ago, on Mount Taibai, she had a fever and I took care of her. She was half asleep and called me 'Lufei' while holding my hand, it left a deep impression."

  Lu gripped the coffee cup in front of him tightly, his knuckles turning white. It was a long time before he spoke up, his voice slightly hoarse. "That day at your dormitory, I saw Xiao Chen's photo and heard Su Zhe mention it. That's when I found out she had gone through that ordeal with you crossing Qinling Mountains. Don't even get me started, her family members don't know about this either."

  Before setting out on the hike, everyone had to fill in their emergency contact information. She was the last to arrive and for some reason didn't fill it in. When something happened, the club quickly contacted my father, but they couldn't get in touch with her family. In the hospital, she also refused to reveal her home phone number. At first, I thought she lived alone, but later I heard her call her uncle, sounding very relaxed, and said she wanted to play a few more days in Xi'an.

  Lu Fei gazed ahead, lost in thought for a moment, before speaking softly: "After I returned, I searched online and found that the reports were all very brief. I repeatedly looked at your hiking route, gathered related information on trekking, but couldn't find any specific situation about you two being trapped."

  "At that time, many reporters came to the hospital. I didn't mind, but He Huan refused to accept any interviews. I respected her opinion and let my father face them instead, while thanking the armed police for their efficient search and rescue efforts."

  "Could you explain it to me in more detail, Leqing? Three years ago, I came back to this city, which was the time when you all set out on foot. I really wanted to come back and see Xiao Chen before making a certain decision, but I didn't expect that she would almost lose her life trying to avoid me."

  "Was she trying to avoid you?" Lin Leqing furrowed his brow in contemplation, thinking that it would be strange for someone to repeatedly murmur a person's name while ill, yet impulsively join an arduous hike just to avoid him.

  "I had been preparing for a long time to participate in that seven-day hike. As for He Huan, we didn't know each other before, I only knew she was the last one to sign up and the last one to arrive at the gathering point in Xi'an, and her equipment was not fully prepared, but she said she had been participating in hiking since she was 18 years old, with enough outdoor experience to handle this route, seemingly no problem."

  That's a completely self-abusive route, a 7-day journey, with an average elevation of over 3,000 meters throughout the entire course. It requires crossing more than 10 high mountains with elevations above 3,400 meters, and there are no resupply points along the way, meaning all food must be carried on one's person. Adding to that, equipment such as tents, stoves, and gas canisters, women's loads exceeded 20 kilograms, while men's loads mostly exceeded 25 kilograms, making it a truly heavy-loaded trek.

  The scenery of Taibai Mountain is magnificent, with a complete range of landforms including stone sea, grassland, primitive forest, and wilderness all the way to the remains of glaciers from the Quaternary period. In the summer, unknown wildflowers bloom everywhere, and at that time, the high-mountain rhododendron was also in full bloom, extremely colorful. However, most of the route actually had no road to speak of, and could only proceed by following the tracks of wild animals such as antelopes. The weather was also changing rapidly, with unpredictable sunshine and rain. They set out at the beginning of July, when some mountain peaks still had lingering snow, and the temperature at the campsite on the mountain was between 0-10°C. Moreover, it was right in the middle of the rainy season, and torrential rains and thick fog would suddenly appear without warning.

  The next afternoon, three team members either showed mild high-altitude reactions or were unable to adapt to the harsh road conditions and dropped out of the trip, escorted down the mountain by club staff. Xin Chen's tent did not meet the regulations and had been left at the foot of the mountain. The girl who shared a tent with her dropped out, and she was assigned by the team leader to share a tent with Lin Leqing. There was a beautiful girl "mixed account", Lin Leqing was naturally happy, even though the girl was always lost in thought and didn't say much. Of course, during such high-intensity trekking, there were few people chatting idly, but when they rested and camped at night, everyone was talking and laughing, while she remained silent, her eyes drifting into the distance, clearly with a heavy heart.

  The third day the weather was fine, and they stayed overnight at General Temple. The stars were shining brightly in the sky, as if within reach. They sat down to gaze up at the starry sky, and it wasn't until then that they had their first real conversation. Lin Leqing unexpectedly discovered that the two of them had once lived in the same city.

  "She didn't complain at all along the way, closely following the team, showing that she could endure hardship and was very experienced. She wasn't picky about food, and when drinking water from a stone crevice, she didn't make a fuss like some other female team members."

  Lu Fei has a bit of OCD, he thinks he should be able to endure hardship but probably can't accept drinking water like that. He remembered Xin Chen once joked "even if a bun falls on the ground, I can pick it up, dust it off and continue eating", it's actually not an exaggeration at all. It's hard to imagine how much outdoor training that girl who used to be so picky about food had gone through to get to this point.

  "On the fourth day, it started drizzling in the morning. By the time I realized she had caught a cold and was running a low fever due to her waterproof jacket being permeable, it was already too late. She slowed down more and more, and I fell behind with her. After passing Leigong Temple, we lost contact with the group and got lost in a large area of original larch forest."

  That day, the rain wasn't heavy, but the fog was very thick. Xincheng's footsteps seemed heavy and slow, as if being held back by the muddy mountain road. Lin Leqing wanted to take over her backpack, she shook her head in refusal, hoarsely saying: "It's okay, I can hold on, you go first, I'll catch up soon."

  Later on, she couldn't be stubborn anymore and could only let Lin Leqing take away her backpack.

  "At night, we had to camp alone. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a clean water source nearby, and I also encountered a lone wild goat. This animal looks gentle but is actually very dangerous. It's said that every year in the Taibai Mountains, there are cases of people being killed by goats. I was lucky to dodge its attack, but I still got knocked once."

  Lin Leqing struggled to support herself back to the tent, lay down beside Xin Chen, and waited for the pain to subside. She was about to fall into a daze when she suddenly grabbed his hand and murmured: "Lu Fei, don't go, don't go, I'm scared."

  Her hand suddenly became incredibly strong, pulling and tugging on his injured collarbone, causing him to feel a sharp pain that made his eyes see stars. He could only grit his teeth and endure it, softly comforting her: "It's okay, I won't leave, don't worry, I'm right here."

  Xin Chen calmed down after a while, but still held his hand tightly, Lin Leqing tried to touch the injured area with his other hand, confirming that it was likely a clavicle fracture. Fortunately, there were no open wounds due to the windbreaker and two layers of fleece underneath. He couldn't help but smile wryly.

  He had originally planned to use the compass to determine the direction after dawn on the second day, abandon some of the heavy load, and rush to the next campsite with Xin Chen. When looking for water, he was thinking about whether to throw away the newly bought SLR camera and lens, which was really a pity. But now that he's injured, it's almost impossible to carry people on the road.

  Lin Leqing lay down for a while, but still struggled to get up, found antipyretics and anti-inflammatory drugs to forcibly feed Xincheng, and took painkillers herself before going to sleep. The next day, Xincheng was still running a low fever, but he came to his senses, ate some noodles Lin Leqing had cooked, and suddenly said: "Bruce, you go first, go find help, and then come back for me."

  Lin Leqing was carefully considering several possible options in his mind, he admitted that Xin Chen's proposal was wise, but thinking of yesterday's forceful grasp of her slender fingers, thinking of the low whisper with despair, he couldn't bear to leave her alone here, "Aren't you afraid?"

  She looked at him with eyes that were somewhat dazed from her fever but very calm, "There's nothing to be afraid of."

  She seemed to be really fearless, not minding facing the desolate and even death alone. Lin Leqing smiled, "Okay, I'm afraid, I'm afraid of traveling alone, especially when injured, I don't know how far I can hold on. Let's see, this area is flat and downwind, we shouldn't have deviated from the route too far, it's best to stay here and wait for rescue, don't separate."

  "It's my fault," she said softly, "If it weren't for accommodating my pace, you wouldn't have fallen behind, gotten lost, or gotten hurt. And now you've given me your sleeping bag and waterproof pad, what if the temperature drops, you'll catch a cold too."

  Lin Leqing has rich experience in outdoor hiking. In the first year of studying in the United States, he and his classmates went to the Rocky Mountains for a hike. Before this trip, he studied the data and made sufficient preparations for the climate, bringing a tent, moisture-proof pad, and sleeping bag that were all suitable for high-altitude camping. However, Xin Chen only brought ordinary hiking equipment, which was clearly insufficient in the low temperatures of the area.

  "We came out as a team, I believe the leader will call for rescue to find us, won't abandon us. You have to believe me too, I won't give up on you."

  This under-20-year-old big boy has a relaxed tone, but he has an aura that makes people feel convinced and at ease. Xin Chen lowered his eyelids and sighed: "Please make the most rational choice, don't be impulsive. You can change your mind at any time, I absolutely won't blame you."

  The discussion ended there, and they camped on the edge of a vast pine forest. The next day, the sun came out, and not far away, wildflowers bloomed in large patches on the grassy meadow. The season quickly transitioned from the cold winter night to the warm spring scenery. However, both of them knew that the weather here was repeatedly unpredictable.

  They gathered firewood and made a bonfire in an open area, trying to make the smoke look thicker, hoping to be found by the rescue team as soon as possible. However, in the afternoon, the sky turned cloudy again, and it started raining, forcing the two of them to huddle inside the tent.

  When Xin Chen was sober, she would chat with Le Qing. Le Qing found that she was talkative and not as quiet as she seemed in the first few days. But everything she said was about her past hiking experiences and the cities they had lived in together, without mentioning anything else.

  On the third day of their getting lost, her fever rose, her face flushed, and her lips cracked. Lin Leqing used a wet towel to apply to her forehead, collected rainwater, and forced her to drink water every now and then, but she still showed signs of dehydration. She no longer held his hand tightly, but occasionally opened her mouth slightly, and the faint call was still that name.

  Just when they were almost in despair, the rain stopped. Lin Leqing made an effort to find things that could be ignited and rekindled the fire. The search and rescue team composed of outdoor rescue teams, villagers, and armed police finally found them.

  "We were indeed lucky, the team leader handled it very promptly, after discovering that we had fallen behind, he immediately sought help from the management office, and probably emphasized that I was holding a Canadian passport." Recalling those days close to death, Lin Leqing didn't have any lingering fears, instead she laughed and said, "We were carried down the mountain and sent to the health clinic, my father received the call and rushed over, immediately transferring us to a hospital in Xi'an city, it was like we had been given a second life."

  Lu Fei spent the period after returning from the US collecting all online information related to hiking in Qinling Taibai Mountain, and found that Lin Leqing was not exaggerating at all - almost every year there were tourists, hikers and local herb collectors who got lost or died in the mountains due to various reasons such as getting lost, hypothermia, encountering wild animals... Xincheng's survival under those circumstances was indeed a stroke of luck.

  His hand clenched into a fist under the table, he couldn't imagine what kind of thought drove her to make the decision to escape when she heard that he was coming back, in his impression, she had always been strong and never evasive.

  Lu Fei bid farewell to Lin Leqing and, after leaving the Green Gate Café, almost subconsciously drove to Xin Chen's residence. Standing under the building, he gazed up at the window that didn't have a single ray of light, unable to recall how many times he had stood there like this before.

  Seven years ago, Lu Fei went to the United States for school. Xin Chen was admitted to a comprehensive university in this city that was not very well-known and moved into the dormitory, while refusing to accept his emails. The two completely lost contact with each other all at once. Afterwards, he could only ask about her recent situation when exchanging emails with Xin Di.

  Xin Di's messages to him were always brief: she was studying graphic design, had a boyfriend who seemed nice, suddenly liked traveling a lot, did part-time modeling, her dad didn't want her to do that, broke up with the boyfriend, worked part-time at a wedding photography company, and now had a new pursuer...

  Every time he receives such an email, he repeatedly reads it, trying to organize a relatively complete life from simple words and sentences, but in vain.

  His father had always been strict with his children and did not advocate for them to travel back and forth during their studies. It wasn't until the second year of his studies, during Christmas break, that he returned home for the first time. By then, his father had already been transferred to a job in the south and the whole family had moved there. His sister was about to give birth, so he waited until his little nephew was born, by which time the holiday was almost over.

  Lu Fei should have gone to Beijing to take a plane back to the United States, but he couldn't help buying a ticket and coming over quietly. However, the door of Xin Chen's house was tightly locked. He called Xin Di and didn't say that he was in this city, just chatting with her, then casually asked about Xin Chen, only to find out that Xin Chen had gone to his father's side in Kunming for winter vacation.

  He could only wish Xindi and her family a happy new year, then hung up the phone with a sense of melancholy, just like now, looking up at that dark window.

  The sky was floating with delicate snowflakes, cold and damp. He came from the warm south, not dressed in many clothes, but still walked to a quiet road behind the city park. On a winter evening, it coincided with such weather, and there were almost no pedestrians here.

  Just a year before Lu Fei went abroad, he had strolled with Xin Chen, who was then in his second year of high school, here. It was late April, the warm air heralding the beginning of this city's long summer.

  From the first half of that year, Xīn Kāiyǔ suddenly became abnormal and didn't go on business trips or run around, almost every day staying at home. When Xīn Chén entered the second semester of high school, the school had already started having evening self-study sessions every day, plus full-day supplementary classes on Saturdays. Lù Fēi found it inconvenient to come to her house to help with her studies, so he could only occasionally ask her out on Sundays to eat something or take a walk.

  Lu Fei wasn't afraid of delaying his homework, and always sent her home early. That day, her April test scores came out, and she did quite well, rising to 150th place in the grade, which was considered above average. Lu Fei showed a look of approval, taking her to see a movie to relax, but after coming out, Xin Chen insisted on not going back home.

  "Tomorrow we still have class, isn't it better to go home and rest early?"

  "Walk with me, Lu Fei. I've been doing homework until I'm about to collapse lately. Let's just consider it a reward for the exam, okay?"

  Lu Fei knew that his middle school was notorious for its heavy workload, and Xin Chen had indeed become more diligent since the day he promised to study hard after seeing the cherry blossoms. Recently, she had been studying diligently. He couldn't bear to refuse her, so he accompanied her on a aimless walk along the back of the park.

  "I've been very happy lately, do you know why?"

  "Why?"

  "Dad is always at home, he almost every night accompanies me to do my homework, buys me snacks to eat when I'm hungry, forces me to drink milk, and says that he will take care of me until the college entrance exam." Xincheng smiled and said, "And you also come over to accompany me often."

  Lu Fei let out a sigh, thinking that what her father did was something a father should have done long ago. But seeing Xin Chen smile with his dimples showing and his eyebrows curved, even putting him on the same level as her father, it was clear that she had become very close to him, and of course, happy.

  She pulled his sleeve, "I want to eat lamb skewers."

  Lu Fei looked at the smoky, meat-exposed, and suspiciously unsanitary barbecue stall and frowned, "Let's just have ice cream instead."

  He had just refused her request to eat ice cream, saying it was not hot and being careful of stomachache. Now thinking that two evils outweigh one lesser evil, but Xincheng took over the egg cone he bought, with a triumphant smile on his face. He suddenly knew he was deceived, and could only pat her head with a good air and a smile.

  They strolled along the quiet, shaded path. The late April breeze was warm and bright, making people feel a little lazy. The dusk was thin, and the sky was reluctant to darken completely. She held his arm, and the sunset cast their long shadows in front of them.

  Not far ahead, a 30-year-old man who was dressed neatly suddenly stopped under a tree, looked around and started climbing the tree. Lu Fei couldn't help but feel surprised, while Xin Chen stopped to watch with interest. The man lowered his head, saw someone watching him, and looked a bit embarrassed, so he explained himself: "My daughter is raising silkworms for fun, but the mulberry leaves we bought aren't enough for them to eat, it's not easy to find a mulberry tree here."

  Xin Chen smiled and said: "In the past, my dad also picked mulberry leaves for me to bring back. I was just thinking, did he also look around to make sure no one was watching before climbing the tree?"

  The man on the tree was amused, "A daughter teasing her father is a matter of course."

  "Hey, don't knock over the flowers, they can be used to make mulberry fruit."

  "That man smiled and replied: 'Alright, after the mulberries are ripe, I'll let your boyfriend come to climb the tree and pick some. Finally, as a father, I can take a rest.'"

  They couldn't help but laugh, and the two continued walking forward. Not far away, Xin Chen suddenly stopped again, "Ah, ran into a classmate."

  Lu Fei hastily pulled her to the side of a big tree by the road, taking advantage of the dim light, they could see a young couple coming out from the park's side gate, hand in hand walking towards the station across the street. Xin Chen smiled mischievously, "The boy is our school's 100-meter champion, and the girl is my classmate."

  Lu Fei isn't funny, it turns out that all the young people are making use of their limited free time to fall in love. "Hasn't he been pursuing you all along?"

  "Who would be so stupid to keep chasing when the other person doesn't care?" Xincheng said with a bit of disdain, "This girl is our class team branch secretary, usually quite dignified."

  "Don't talk nonsense, this word is used inappropriately."

  "Are you going to correct my Chinese homework? What's the right word? So serious and pretentious." Xincheng said with a chuckle, "Or just pretending to be?"

  Lu Fei couldn't help but rub her hair, "You're also on a date, and you're laughing at others."

  She leaned into his arms and laughed, "But I'm not pretending to be a pure and innocent girl, nor am I afraid of people seeing me."

  Lu Fei couldn't help but feel a little ashamed, he really didn't want to be seen by her classmates. He leaned against the big tree, his arms around her, and smiled: "So did I pass?"

  Xin Chen looked up at him seriously, his eyebrows and eyes were straight, his gaze was full of warmth and smile, making her feel like the ice cream she had just held in her hand, melting bit by bit under his gaze. "You're not pretending, you're naturally serious, I like you this way."

  This praise made Lu Fei's face a little hot, okay, being naturally serious is better than pretending to be serious, he thought resignedly. He leaned down and kissed her sweet and soft lips, ordering himself not to linger, then mocked himself: Especially now, you don't seem to have anywhere to go with your seriousness either.

  They walked along the road, and Xincheng was enthusiastically telling him this and that. At one point, she talked about raising silkworms with Xindie when they were in elementary school. Xindie was afraid of their mom's scolding, so she didn't dare bring them home, and instead kept them at her place. When the silkworms spun white and yellow cocoons, the two of them excitedly divided them equally between themselves. Xindie secretly took hers back home and put them in a drawer, but didn't expect that after a few days, moths would emerge from the cocoons, fly out when she opened the drawer, and fill the whole room, earning her mom's scolding. At another point, she pointed to a tree by the side of the road and told him it was called a foreign sophora, and its white flowers were in full bloom. She said that they tasted best just before they bloomed, and her grandma had used them to make delicious sophora flower cakes for her before.

  Until the night was deep, and he couldn't walk anymore, Xin Chen finally agreed to let him send her home. When they arrived at the building, they coincidentally met Xin Kaiyu who was also heading home. Unlike other girls, Xin Chen didn't try to avoid her father when there was a boy around, she called out "Dad" loudly and openly. He turned his head, and Lu Fei couldn't help but be surprised by how young he looked.

  At that time, Xin Kaiyu was only 35 years old and looked like he was in his early thirties. He seemed more like a brother than a father. Originally lost in thought, when he saw his daughter, he immediately smiled and put his hand on her shoulder. "Crazy to come back so late?" His tone didn't have any blame in it.

  Xin Kaiyu didn't scrutinize Lu Fei like other fathers with beautiful daughters, he just casually glanced at him before entering the building with his daughter. As they walked into the dark corridor, Xin Chen turned back to smile and wave at Lu Fei, her smile deeply etched in his memory like that spring day.

  The scenery of such a spring day was like yesterday, and the laughter seemed to be still lingering in my ears.

  The road in front of him was quiet and deserted, the willows and mulberry trees were all bare-branched, a desolate winter scene. The cold north wind howled by, the white mist exhaled from his mouth was immediately blown away, the fine snowflakes wetted his overcoat, letting the chill penetrate into his body.

  He thought, maybe it's really no fate anymore. Fate, such a vulgar yet omnipotent word, seems to be able to explain all the separations and reunions between people, but can't explain that lingering attachment he couldn't let go of despite using his entire rationality to convince himself.

  He went to the airport, transiting through Beijing back to the US for further study. He could only say to himself: Well, it seems she's doing well, with boys chasing after her nonstop. Of course, such a beautiful and lively girl, how could there not be someone pursuing her? There will always be someone who can make her happy. You gave up, so you don't have the right to expect that when she really has control over her life, she'll still consider you.

  And new faces have appeared in his life.

  After graduating from Haas Business School, Lu Fei smoothly entered this US venture capital firm. Half a year later, he was sent back to the domestic office. When Ji Ruolin, who followed him back to Beijing, confessed to him again, he remained silent for a long time, "Can you give me some time to think about it?"

  "It doesn't matter how long it takes." Ji Ruochen replied to him.

  She is a gentle and quiet beautiful girl, after graduating from high school, she went to the United States for college, giving up her plan to further her studies, just smiling and saying: "Studying can be continued at any time, but I cannot take the risk of losing you once you return home."

  He thought it was really impossible to repay such dedication, but she just smiled and said, "No, don't have a psychological burden, this is my own decision, you just make your own decisions."

  Lu Fei's decisiveness at work earned him his boss's deep respect, but when it came to Xin Chen, he had never been able to make a quick decision. After much hesitation, he called Xin Di and said he planned to return for a vacation - of course, this was a somewhat laughable excuse, as no one would think of taking a vacation in this sweltering summer city in early July.

  Lu Fei had hoped to see Xin Chen again before making a decision, even though she knew he already had a boyfriend at the time.

  Three years ago, in the early July dusk, Lu Fei got off the plane, and the scorching heat that had been absent for so long hit him in the face. He took a taxi, and when the driver asked where he was going, he hesitated for a moment, then gave the address of Xin Chen's place, but her door was still locked tight this time.

  He could only go to the restaurant where Xin Kai Ming had booked a table, Xin Kai Ming and Li Xiang were already there, saying that Xin Di would arrive soon. He asked: "Xiao Chen? Shouldn't he have finished work too?"

  Xin Kai Ming didn't say a word, obviously a bit annoyed. Li Xiang furrowed her brow and said: "Don't mention it, she suddenly said she didn't want to go to work and went on a trip with her boyfriend to Xi'an. She left this morning. Alas, this job was arranged for her with great difficulty, and it made Uncle Xin and Director Wang apologize nonstop."

  Then Li Xiang said something, he didn't pay attention to it anymore. After Xin Dai came over, everyone started eating, and Xin Dai noticed his daze, he just calmly smiled and said: "Probably not used to the local hot pot method yet."

  The topic then turned to global warming and climate anomalies. Xindai mentioned that according to newspaper reports, the cherry blossom season at his alma mater is getting earlier every year, and clothing companies now have to consider warm winters as an important factor in developing winter wear. He also casually mentioned that when he returned to China for the first time last year, the flowers at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco seemed to be blooming exceptionally early, with the Persian violets bursting into bloom, looking unusually vibrant from a distance.

  What he didn't say was that no matter whether it was the cherry blossoms blooming or the exotic flowers in full bloom, all he could think of was Xin Chen.

  At night, Lu Fei sent Xin Di back home and stood under the osmanthus tree in the courtyard for a long time. It was during the blooming season, although it was dark and couldn't see the osmanthus flowers in full bloom, but the fragrance was faintly visible, and a small smile like a flower seemed to be in front of him.

  Ji Ruoluo answered his phone and asked carefully: "Lu Fei, how many more days will you be staying over there?"

  He suddenly couldn't bear the beautiful, passionate and silent blooming of a tree full of flowers above his head, nor could he bear to continue staying in this sweltering city like a furnace. "I'll be back tomorrow."

  Lu Fei made an excuse that he had urgent work, changed his flight ticket and returned to Beijing the next day. Ji Ruochen went to the airport to pick him up, he looked tired and didn't want to say anything, she didn't ask anything either, quietly drove and sent him to the downstairs of his building, he unfastened his seatbelt, turned back just about to say "goodbye", but saw that her eyes were shining with a hint of tears, yet quickly turned her head to hold the steering wheel looking at the front.

  "I'm really afraid you'll go back and then call me to say that you've already found the person you're looking for."

  Lu Fei was silent, the person he was looking for seemed to be gone forever. Ji Ruochen was sensitive and knew that his repeated rejections and long periods of no response had a reason. After a while, she reached out and held his hand, "I'm selfish, Lu Fei, I've been secretly hoping you wouldn't find her, but seeing you so unhappy makes me unhappy too."

  He looked at her and smiled slightly, "Actually, I'm not unhappy either."

  As long as she's happy, he thought.

  When he said this, Xincheng should be walking towards the sunset on the Taibai Mountains. Lu Fei thought bitterly.

  Here is the translation:

  In the next few days, Lu Fei's vacation was not over yet, so he took Ji Ruochen to Beidaihe. At that time, when he and Ji Ruochen were kissing by the sea, Xin Chen started to have a fever, propping up his sick body to continue on until he fell behind. When Ji Ruochen hugged him tightly in her arms, shivering lightly and calling out his name, Xin Chen was lying in that tent, holding onto Lin Leqing's hand, also calling out his name. If it weren't for Lin Leqing by his side, she would have died alone without anyone noticing. And he was filled with disappointment and jealousy that he didn't even want to admit to himself, unwilling to wait even one more day, yet still deceiving himself into thinking that she would be fine.

  Such memories and associations filled Lu Fei with a sense of guilt, his clenched fists sweating cold sweat.

  "Chenzi is not at home now."

  Lu Fei didn't turn his head back, and Xin Kaiyu was standing just a short distance behind him.

  Nine years ago, on a late June afternoon, they stood in almost the same position under this building, looking at each other, and Xinkaiyu said exactly the same words.

  At that time, Xin Kaiyu got out of the taxi and saw Lu Fei standing downstairs. They had met a few months ago, and Xin Kaiyu was quite impressed with this calm and composed boy.

  Lu Fei had just parted ways with Xin Chen a few days ago.

  That day was the time to return to school at the end of the semester to get the report card, Lu Fei waited for Xin Chen in a place not far from the middle school. From afar, he only saw her walking alone towards him with a lazy gait. He took over her backpack and casually asked: "How did you do on the exam?"

  She reluctantly pulled out the transcript from her pocket and handed it to him. Looking at the extremely poor grades, Lu Fei was puzzled and annoyed, "It was still okay during the April adjustment test, how did it become like this all of a sudden?"

  Xin Chen was silent for a while, looking gloomy and staring ahead. Lu Fei said: "Xiao Chen, there's still one more year of high school, as long as you seize the time, it should still be possible. Is your dad at home today? If not, I'll go over to tutor you."

  He thought that his family life had returned to normal and would be helpful for her studies, so during that time, Xin Chen only said that school was very busy and didn't ask to meet him. But now looking at it, her grades have actually plummeted, leaving him truly perplexed.

  Xin Chen shook his head, "No, I have to go to my uncle's house later. Let's go watch a movie, Lu Fei, don't mention studying today."

  Lu Fei could only take her to the cinema, randomly choosing a movie and buying tickets to go in. In the darkness, she reached out and put her hand in his palm, with a hint of self-awareness and reconciliation. Lu Fei sighed and grasped that slender hand.

  That day, they were showing a very lively American movie, full of Hollywood-style antics, but Xin Chen stared blankly at the screen, without much of a smile. Usually she seemed to have endless things to say in front of him, and even when watching movies, she would occasionally lean over and make random comments about the content, which he mostly listened to with a smile. Now that she was so unusually quiet, he sensed that something was off.

  Her father wouldn't pressure her, and she wouldn't be so worried about grades either. Yet, she still cared about his feelings, he thought. Although she hadn't taken the promise she made to him when they went cherry blossom viewing in spring to heart, it wasn't strange for a child who loved to play and was disobedient and didn't love studying.

  After leaving the cinema, Lu Fei sent her to Da Bo's house. Xin Chen was always absent-minded. Lu Fei looked at her sideways and saw that she had grown a lot taller over the past two years. Her expression now seemed to have suddenly lost some of its childishness. This unconscious change made Lu Fei feel both happy and worried. "Xiao Chen, promise me, let's make a plan for this summer vacation and focus on studying."

  She said listlessly: "My uncle arranged for me to start tutoring in art during the summer vacation."

  Lu Fei knew that at the time, many parents arranged for their children who were not doing well in school to take art classes and participate in the art exam, as a shortcut to getting into college. However, she and Xin Di had laid a solid foundation in art from a young age and showed talent, which was completely different from Xin Chen's situation. He didn't think that under Xin Di's guidance, scribbling and drawing cartoons was enough to be considered having an interest in art. All he could do was express his incomprehension of Xin Kai Ming's decision: "Do you like art?"

  "Whatever." Xincheng looked unenthusiastic, clearly neither resistant to nor welcoming of the decision. "It's probably better than the college entrance exam, my dad said it'll be easier too."

  Lu Fei stood silently, already having walked to the outer courtyard of Xin Kai Ming's residence. Suddenly, Xin Chen turned around, his hands wrapped around Lu Fei's waist, looking up at him, "Lu Fei, are you very disappointed in me?"

  It was just dusk, with people coming and going around them. The road was a bit awkward, and he gently pulled open her hand. In his heart, he couldn't help but admit that he was somewhat disappointed that she had given up on him so easily. "Little Chen, you're so smart, if only you put in a little more effort, your grades wouldn't be just like this."

  Xin Chen turned her head away, remaining silent for a long time. Lu Fei pulled her back and took a look at her, seeing that her big eyes were clearly filled with tears, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall. His heart softened instantly, and he hugged her, saying: "If you really don't like studying, then there's nothing we can do about it, forget it. But at least try to get a score good enough to get into college."

  Xin Chen suddenly became annoyed, "grades, grades, that's all you care about." She snatched her backpack and ran into the courtyard, passing under two blooming acacia trees, and rushed up to the corridor in one breath.

  Lu Fei could only helplessly watch her back, turned his head and walked a few steps, just running into Li Xiang coming home from work, inviting him to come in for dinner, he politely declined.

  In the next few days, he called Xincheng's home again. She was always in a bad mood and spoke very briefly, completely unlike before when she had the energy to talk non-stop on the phone with him.

  He could only worry, not knowing what was wrong with the child. In the past, she would sulk for a while and then be fine, but this time she had been in a huff for so long. At the same time, he reflected on himself, thinking that he might have indeed put too much emphasis on grades, probably hurting her self-esteem. After school was over, he rushed home to take a look, only to find no one at home, and when he went downstairs, he saw Xin Kaiyu.

  Xin Kaiyu hastily went upstairs. Lu Fei was hesitating whether to wait again or go to Xin Di's house, but saw Xin Kaiyu come down with another suitcase.

  "Are you going on another business trip?" Lu asked him rudely.

  Xin Kaiyu was slightly surprised, after all, other boys didn't dare to talk to him casually, and the road in front of him looked like he was just over 20 years old, with a gentle temperament, his eyes not flickering as he gazed at him, clearly no longer a young boy. He said: "This time it's not a business trip, but going out to work."

  "What about Na Xinchen?"

  Chenzi moved to her uncle's house.

  "Okay, I'll go find her over there, goodbye."

  "Wait a minute." Xinkaiyu called out to him, "Are you Lu Fei?"

  Lu nodded.

  Xin Kaiyu looked at him, hesitated for a moment, "Lu Fei, I've encountered some problems at work and need to go out of town. I won't be able to come back in the short term, so I have no choice but to entrust Chenzi to Big Brother and Sister-in-law. My sister-in-law explicitly told me that she's willing to take care of Chenzi until she gets into college, but on one condition: Chenzi must not associate with boys this year, especially you, she specifically mentioned your name, hoping that Chenzi won't be with you."

  Lu Fei was taken aback, "Why?"

  "I'm afraid my sister-in-law is a very traditional and conservative person. According to her, your family is quite sensitive and won't accept you falling in love so early; Chenzi lives with her, she has to be responsible for her." Xinkaiyu shrugged his shoulders, "I think she has some reason. Although I don't think this counts as being in love yet, nor do I think you need to decide on the future now."

  Lu didn't frown, "I like Xiao Chen, I will definitely cherish and respect her. She's still young, but I'm an adult now, I know how to handle the relationship properly. I can assure you that I won't hurt her."

  "Don't rush to promise me anything. During this period, Chenzi has been affected by my things and her emotions are not good. She looks cheerful but is actually very sensitive, I don't want her to have an unpleasant time with her grandmother. Yesterday I already talked to her about it, she agreed to listen to her grandmother's words, but when mentioning you, she wasn't that obedient, just saying she knew."

  Lu Fei's heart suddenly beat a little faster, this child was after all different from him.

  "Those young boys, since Chenzi has agreed to me, he can handle everything himself. I think you're relatively mature, that's why I'm telling you this, you should understand what I mean, right?"

  "I understand, don't worry."

  Xin Kaiyu smiled self-deprecatingly, as if he thought what he said was a bit absurd. He hailed a taxi and the driver helped him put his luggage in the trunk. He looked back at the house he lived in, then turned to Lu Fei, "Zhenzi is still just a kid after all. If you really like her, be patient and wait until she grows up and can make decisions for herself before telling her."

  This request is reasonable, Lu Fei could only nod in agreement.

  Lu Fei had always been confident in his patience and self-control, and at the moment he locked eyes with Xin Kaiyu, he didn't doubt for a second that he could keep his promise. He watched as Xin Kaiyu drove away before heading to Xin Kaixin's house. Xin Di was home alone, having recently developed a deep interest in tailoring, with piles of fabric scraps stacked on the couch as she worked on cutting and sewing her own designs. Seeing him arrive, Xin Di excitedly showed off her work, "What do you think? I'm designing clothes for Chenzi, almost done!"

  "Where's Xiao Chen?"

  "She went to an art tutoring class and should be back soon."

  Sure, here is the translation:

  As expected, after a while, Xin Chen walked in with a canvas painting folder and a yellow toolbox. Seeing Lu Fei, he was initially happy, but immediately pulled a long face and walked straight into the bedroom to sit at the desk, rummaging through books with a rustling sound.

  Lu Fei couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time, and walked in, pulling a chair to sit beside her, holding her hand. "Xiao Chen, are you still angry?"

  Xin Chen glared at him, "Don't come looking for me again, Auntie told me not to bother you."

  Lu Fei was shocked: "What's with you clinging to me?"

  Xin Chen was furious, but had no way to retell the aunt's words, and could only use force to pull her own hand away. Lu Fei didn't let go, laughing and coaxing her, saying: "I'll make it clear with Aunt later, it was clearly me who was bothering you."

  "It's strange that you would say that." Xincheng Yu's anger had yet to dissipate, but his hand paused in his palm.

  Lu did not smile wryly, admitting that she was indeed a sharp child. He wasn't afraid of Li Xiang, but he wouldn't have done such a reckless confession after just agreeing with Xin Kaiyu. He played with her fingers, slender and white, the pink nail polish shining with a healthy glow, the paint on the tip still not washed clean. He said softly: "I went to your house earlier and met your dad, Xiao Chen."

  Xin Chen hastily said: "My dad didn't do anything bad, someone is framing him."

  Lu Fei was taken aback, "Xiao Chen, your father only told me that he had to go out of town for work, and you will be living with your uncle from now on."

  Xin Chen bit her lip and turned her head to one side. Lu Fei understood, probably her father had gotten into some trouble, and her recent decline in grades was also affected by this. He couldn't help but feel sorry for her, "I promised your dad not to let you have a hard time with your aunt. Maybe it won't be convenient for you to come over in the future. You listen to them obediently, study well, and if there's anything you don't understand, call me."

  Xin Chen suddenly withdrew his hand, staring at him, "Lu Fei, my grandmother and I, including you, have always said this: I will not pester anyone."

  "Xiao Chen, where did you go? I told your dad very clearly that I like you and am willing to wait for you to grow up. You're about to enter high school now, and you must focus on studying. And your aunt's requirements of you are reasonable too, she has strict expectations of Xiao Di as well, you know that."

  Xin Chen stared at him in a daze, not speaking for a long time.

  It's just a year, Xiao Chen. It'll be fine once you get into college. Look at Xiao Di now, isn't she freer than before? She even went to an out-of-town fashion show with her classmates, and Auntie won't stop her anymore.

  "What if I don't get into the university you're attending?"

  Looking at this face that was clearly showing a spoiled expression, Lu Fei smiled and said, "You'd better try your best, or else be careful I'll punish you."

  Xin Chen regained his good mood, hummed a tune, and apparently wasn't afraid of his punishment. Xin Di came in with a skirt, waving her hand to hurry Lu Fei, "Lu Fei, you go out first, Chenzi try on this skirt quickly."

  Lu Fei walked into the living room, hearing two girls inside talking about something, suddenly bursting into laughter, such joyful laughter and whispers, mixed with the fragrance of honeysuckle flowers drifting into the room, making this early summer afternoon seem leisurely and long. He felt a little dazed, almost hoping that time would stay in this pure and carefree moment.

  Xin Di called out to him: "Lu Fei, don't you think Chen Zi looks good in this?"

  He turned around and looked at Xin Chen, suddenly feeling a bit dry in his mouth.

  Xin Chen wore a blue wax-dyed fabric skirt with a slightly rough texture, reaching down to her calves. For the first time, her slender figure was wrapped in such a curvaceous and delicate way, making people want to put their hands on it and caress it gently.

  Fortunately, neither of the two sisters noticed his reaction. Xin Chen stood in front of the mirror in the entrance hall, chuckling, "This is very strange, like a pocket mouth, I haven't seen anyone wearing such a skirt on the street."

  "Don't move." Xīn dí secured her in place and tied the bow at her waist, "This is more stylish and elegant, understand?"

  Xin Chen shook his head, "I still think jeans look better."

  Xin Di had no choice but to ask Lu Fei for help, "Quickly, tell this little fool that wearing this skirt looks much better than jeans."

  Lu Fei made an effort to keep her voice calm, "Yes, very pretty."

  But Xin Chen still smiled at himself in the mirror, "Whatever you guys say, I won't wear this to school."

  Lu Fei couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, he would rather this girl still wore jeans and sneakers to school, if such temptation only stayed in his eyes, it could somewhat calm his restless heart, this thought made him feel a little ashamed.

  Next, Lu Fei picks her up every day when Xin Chen goes to art tutoring class and sends her to the corner of the street near her uncle's house before they part ways. After the summer break ends and school starts, Xin Chen attends school from morning till night from Monday to Saturday, and on Sundays, she has half a day of art tutoring at home with Xin Di. All her time is fully scheduled, so they see each other even less often.

  Li Xiang is very strict and fair to Xin Chen, basically the same as when she was in charge of Xin Di: going to school on time, not staying out without reason, and not having any contact with boys outside of study. In terms of living arrangements, she takes care of Xin Chen very thoroughly.

  Xin Di usually lives in school, and at home there are only three people: her uncle, aunt, and Xin Chen. Every morning, Li Xiang makes a nutritious breakfast for the three of them. When Xin Chen returns home after evening self-study, there is always a bottle of milk and a pastry on the table. The two adults don't like to talk much; Xin Kai Ming usually sits in his study reading books, while Li Xiang watches TV with low volume in the living room and knits sweaters at the same time. Xin Chen does her homework in her bedroom, and when it's time for a break, her uncle comes in to take a look and reminds her to go to bed early.

  Xin Chen was deeply grateful for the meticulous care of her uncle and aunt, but she had always been spoiled by her father's laissez-faire policy, often doing her homework with the TV on at home. When her dad came back, he would occasionally chat with her for a while, and when he felt like it, he would take her downstairs to have some midnight snacks.

  The life in front of her was comfortable and orderly, but for her, it was really suffocating.

  She naturally understood that this idea came out of nowhere and could only be coquettish when calling her father. Xinkaiyu started from scratch in a foreign land, not being able to do anything else, and could only instruct his daughter to listen obediently.

  Lu Fei suddenly received a call from Xin Chen: "Lu Fei, can you come pick me up today? My uncle has gone to Zhuhai on a business trip and my aunt is in a meeting and won't be back."

  Lu didn't answer immediately. That night, he waited outside the school and saw Xincheng walking out with a group of classmates, carrying her backpack. She waved goodbye to her friends and walked towards him.

  She walked closer, like other high school students, with a bit of sleep deprivation and a lackluster look. The roundness on her face had faded away, her chin sharpened, making her eyes appear even larger. This weight loss added to her charm, but Lu Fei suddenly felt that the girl he hadn't seen in two months was almost unfamiliar. She pounced over, hooking her arms around Lu Fei's neck, this action still full of childishness, completely disregarding the possibility of being seen by classmates.

  Back home, Xin Chen muttered "homework is never done" while doing his homework. Lu Fei sat beside him reading a book. Although they had been together for so long, this was the first time they were alone together, and the atmosphere in the air seemed to be different from before. Lu Fei couldn't focus as usual.

  Xin Chen asked him a math question, he explained to her, unknowingly she leaned into his arms, his pen moved slower and slower on the paper, his nose was filled with the sweet and refreshing scent from Xin Chen's body. She looked back at him in confusion, "I don't understand, how did you get this step..."

  Before she could finish, his lips landed on hers. Unlike the previous brief touch of their lips, Lu Fei tightly hugged her, sucked on her lips, and in an instant, his tongue entered her mouth, this unprecedented close contact made both hearts beat faster, at the same time having a electrifying feeling.

  Lu Fei's kiss grew deeper, driven by instinct, his hands began to move over her body, her skin smooth and delicate, as she trembled slightly in his arms. He suddenly came to his senses, forcing himself to let go of her. The Xincheng in front of him had misty eyes, a white porcelain-like face flushed with red, and scarlet lips that shone with a faint light under the lamp, slightly swollen.

  The scene was too tempting, Lu Fei stood up and hastily walked to the balcony, the autumn wind blowing on his hot face, he waited for himself to slowly calm down, his heartbeat returned to normal, before returning to the room. Only to see Xin Chen re-bowing at the table doing homework, hearing him come in, also ignoring him.

  Lu Fei reached out and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She pushed his hand away, "If you don't want to kiss me, then don't. Why did you run off like that?"

  He really couldn't explain his nearly uncontrollable impulse just now, "Xiao Chen, do your homework well, I'll go back first."

  Xin Chen was scribbling randomly on her workbook, Lu Fei let out a sigh and picked her up to sit on his lap. He looked at her seriously, "Little Chen, it feels good to kiss you, but I can't continue like this. It would go against the promise I made to your dad, and also be unfair to Uncle Xin and Aunt Li." Seeing Xin Chen's confused expression, he decided not to say anything more, or else she'd become even more flustered. "Alright, I'll help you solve this problem. You go take a bath and get some rest early today, it's getting late."

  Lu Fei did a good job on the topic, then covered Xin Chen with a quilt after washing up, kissed her forehead, and was about to get up. Xin Chen stretched out both hands to hold his neck and whispered in his ear: "Lu Fei, I like it when you kiss me."

  He used all his willpower to force himself to pry open her hands, and said in a low voice: "I'm leaving, I'll call you tomorrow morning to wake you up for school, sleep tight."

  The road was not related to the lamp, came out and locked the big gate downstairs, standing under the sweet-scented osmanthus tree with yellowing leaves, looking up at the second-floor balcony, that wonderful feeling seemed to still linger on his lips. But he couldn't help but think that if things continued like this, he would probably find it very hard to control himself. A 20-year-old big boy, hugging his beloved girl, no matter how rational, couldn't persuade himself not to have a physiological reaction, thinking back to the kiss just now, both sweet and with a hint of fear, passion appeared in such a strong and unfamiliar way, he couldn't help but feel bewildered.

  His little girl had grown up unknowingly, her tight and smooth body exuding a youthful aura that made his heart skip a beat. Holding her in his arms again, he couldn't bear to let go. He could only remind himself: you can't desecrate her with your own desires.

  Choosing to wait for a girl like her to grow up is indeed a sweet torture. He lifted his head again, deeply gazing at her, of course, he enjoyed this torture.

  Past events are still vivid as if they were yesterday, while worldly affairs seem to always proceed in the most unexpected way. In less than a year's time, they went their separate ways. Without his waiting and guarding, Xin Chen grew up anyway, and just as he had secretly hoped, sensibly and responsibly making decisions about his own life, even his hobbies were so healthy.

  Xin Kaiyu glanced at Lu Fei, looking very relaxed. "If you want to find Chenzi, just give her a call. Waiting like this isn't a good method. You'll never know what will happen next if you don't try." He smiled and said, "Besides, being rejected by my daughter isn't shameful either."

  Under the dim light of the street lamp, 44-year-old Xin Kaiyu still looked much younger than his actual age. However, he no longer had that lively and carefree gaze that distinguished him from other stay-at-home dads. Suddenly, Lu Fei realized that the girl who resembled him in appearance had also lost her sparkling and alluring eyes at the age of 25.

  Time leaves its mark on everyone without exception.

  Lu Fei was speechless, Xin Kaiyu walked past him and went straight into the corridor. Lu Fei slowly loosened his fist, which he had been clenching tightly all along. He wasn't afraid of Xin Chen's rejection, but after hearing Lin Leqing's memories, he suddenly didn't know how to face her.