The meal was lively without any awkward silences. Zhu Shiyu’s aunt was well-informed and shared all the gossip about the hospital as if it were her specialty. Meng Siyi responded to her comments, nodding politely from time to time.

Her cousin’s two children were adorable and endearing, tugging at his sleeve and calling him “big brother” in their tender, childish voices, making everyone at the table laugh in unison. Meng Siyi looked down to serve them food with patience and indulgence.

Her cousin occasionally chimed in, chatting with Zhu Shiyu about family matters, while her uncle enjoyed a sip from his cup, blissfully unaware until his wife caught him with a sidelong glance, prompting him to awkwardly set it down.

As night fell and the lights began to shine, the living room filled with a warm, dim glow.

The atmosphere was harmonious, seemingly ignoring the usual politeness and distance, truly resembling a happy family.

After dinner, Zhu Shiyu was seen off by her aunt at the door.

Meng Siyi stood nearby, and her aunt was warmly advising him.

“Little Meng, please help Shiyu get home safely. Be careful on the road and drive safely…”

“It’s no trouble, it’s my duty,” Meng Siyi replied, slightly lowering his head, his attitude very good. His performance throughout the evening seemed to imply something unspoken, and her aunt was beaming, unable to stop talking.

“Okay, okay, you’re such a good boy.” Her aunt smiled brightly as she held his hand. “Let me tell you, our Shiyu is also a wonderful child, with excellent education, looks, and personality—she’s been pursued by boys since she was young, nearly forming a line outside! I remember when she was in school, there were boys who would come down every day to bring her breakfast…”

“Aunt…” Zhu Shiyu felt so embarrassed by this that she couldn’t stand it anymore and quickly interrupted.

“It’s getting late; we should go back.”

“Ah, yes, you all hurry up and set off; don’t let it get too late.”

As the elevator doors closed and began to descend slowly, the surroundings finally returned to quiet.

Zhu Shiyu and Meng Siyi stood alone inside, and she suddenly felt that the air was a bit too still.

Though the descent took only a few seconds, it felt like several minutes.

When the door opened, Zhu Shiyu hurriedly stepped out. Fresh air mixed with cold wind rushed in, and she instinctively shrank her neck.

“Isn’t it cold to wear so little?” The person beside her finally initiated a conversation, breaking the silence of their time alone.

“It’s okay,” Zhu Shiyu replied without looking at him, staring ahead at the night sky. She subconsciously pulled her coat tighter around her, answering instinctively.

“My mom asked me to dress nicely.”

–

At that moment, Zhu Shiyu was just speaking honestly without much thought, and she herself didn’t even understand the implication behind her words.

However, within a couple of days, Meng Siyi actively invited her to meet again.

It was the weekend, and the two went to a nearby mall to eat and watch a movie. When they came out, they discovered that it had started to rain lightly without them noticing.

Just like on the day they first met—drizzling and the ground was wet.

Meng Siyi went to a nearby shop to buy an umbrella but could only find one. The rain came so suddenly that all the umbrellas in the store had sold out.

The winter rain fell densely; the umbrella just barely covered the two of them, shielding them from the icy raindrops, though their feet were still uncomfortably wet, their shoes soaked.

It was only a ten-minute walk from the mall to her home, and Meng Siyi walked her to her doorstep, saying goodbye.

“Keep the umbrella; I’ll take a taxi back.”

“The rain hasn’t stopped yet. I’ll be home soon, so you can use it,” Zhu Shiyu insisted, pushing the umbrella back towards him. The two of them held their ground for a few seconds, and he did not refuse again.

“Alright.”

Polite and restrained, each respecting the other’s space.

The entire process was filled with the decorum appropriate for adults.

Just like their date today.

It was like lemon water with sea salt, light in taste yet with a subtle aftertaste that lingered.

Zhu Shiyu watched Meng Siyi’s figure disappear at the entrance of the community before turning to go upstairs, taking out her keys to unlock the door.

A soft click echoed in the silence.

Zhou Zhen, who was sitting on the sofa, immediately turned her head to look over and asked, “How was your meeting with Little Meng today? Did you invite him over for dinner?”

“It’s still early. We can talk about it next time,” Zhu Shiyu said, looking down to change her shoes and brushing her off. But Zhou Zhen was already anxious, standing up from the sofa and raising her voice.

“When is next time? Every time I ask you, it’s the same answer! Let me tell you, if it doesn’t work out with Little Meng this time, you should go get a job. Your aunt mentioned that the library in the city is looking for staff, and I’ll have her help you get in.”

“Mom! Didn’t we agree that you wouldn’t interfere with my work once I got back?” Zhu Shiyu turned her head, frowning.

“The premise of what we agreed upon was that you would get married. Anyway, you have to choose between work and starting a family.”

“Besides Wenbei City, you can’t think about going anywhere else!” That last statement was resolute.

A familiar sense of helplessness surged deeply within her, and all arguments lost their power under the years of unresolved contradictions.

Zhu Shiyu fell silent, squatting down to put away her shoes.

In slow motion, a pair of shoes in the corner of the shoe cabinet caught her eye.

They were the ones she wore the day she first met Meng Siyi.

White lace-up shoes, low-cut, revealing a segment of her slender ankle.

It wasn’t that cold back then; she wore a half-length plaid skirt and, while walking out of the restaurant under an umbrella, accidentally stepped into a small puddle on the road.

The muddy rainwater splashed up, wetting her ankle and the upper part of her shoe.

Meng Siyi had crouched down, holding the umbrella, and took a pack of tissues out of his pocket, gently wiping the dirt off her foot.

The light rain was hazy, and the wind carried a hint of chill.

Zhu Shiyu stood there with her head down, the dark blue umbrella covering his face completely, and she could only feel the soft touch of the tissue against her skin.

Polite, patient, and meticulous.

He was good at his job, had no bad habits, liked children, and had good character.

These were the qualities she had summarized about Meng Siyi over the past month of knowing him.

From every perspective, it seemed that he would become a good husband and a good father in the future.

Without realizing it, Zhu Shiyu squatted there for a long time, just like the day Meng Siyi had crouched by her feet, holding the umbrella.