Wei Kai asked the server to bring a pitcher of juice, and Zhou Qin Yao casually poured himself a glass, then asked, “Anyone want juice?”

He looked around, but no one responded.

Including Tang You.

Someone had already poured a small glass of beer in front of her, and she even picked it up and stuck her tongue out to taste it, as if trying to discern the flavor.

“…” This wasn’t what he expected.

Wasn’t she supposed to prefer drinking juice?

Zhou Qin Yao said nothing, downed the whole glass of watermelon juice in one gulp, and thought to himself, damn, he really shouldn’t have bothered.

Today was Cheng Xuan’s eighteenth birthday, so everyone had gathered to celebrate with her. After a while, a few of her close girlfriends began giving her gifts.

Someone gave her a MAC lipstick.

Someone else gave her a Chanel cleanser.

And another person gave her a small Calvin Klein bag.

Tang You watched for a moment, then quietly slipped her hand into her pocket, unwrapped the small box she had brought, and took out the necklace inside, holding it in her palm:

“Xuan-jie, I got you a necklace.”

Under the lights, the pendant on the necklace sparkled, dazzling Cheng Xuan’s eyes.

“It’s so pretty.” Cheng Xuan accepted it. “Youyou, this must’ve been expensive, right?”

Tang You quickly waved her hand: “Not at all, just two or three hundred yuan.”

Cheng Xuan really liked it and immediately put it around her neck, and everyone gathered around to admire it.

Zhou Qin Yao glanced over as well.

When his gaze landed on the small diamond necklace around Cheng Xuan’s neck, he was suddenly taken aback for a few seconds, pausing with a hint of surprise.

Then, with a complicated expression, he looked at Tang You.

At that moment, a sudden ringtone interrupted the girls’ discussion.

It was Tang You’s phone.

It was probably Aunt Rong, who had delivered her bedtime milk upstairs only to find the room empty, and called in a panic.

Tang You quickly found a quiet spot to answer, reassuring the frantic Aunt Rong that she just went out for a walk and would be home soon.

The freedom she’d gained through a little white lie was short-lived, but Tang You was content.

She was really happy tonight.

So she got up and said goodbye to Cheng Xuan, explaining that something had come up at home, and she had to leave early. Cheng Xuan, understanding that Tang You’s family was strict, didn’t insist on her staying.

Cheng Xuan offered to walk her home, but since all the guests were there to celebrate the birthday, Tang You couldn’t let the host leave because of her.

She smiled and reassured Cheng Xuan, “It’s fine, I came here alone just now. It’s only a few hundred meters.”

It was still before nine, and there were plenty of people on the streets, so it should be safe.

Cheng Xuan finally agreed: “Okay, but make sure to message me when you get home.”

“Sure.”

Tang You bowed slightly and apologized to everyone at the table before leaving the grilled fish restaurant alone.

After she left, the lively atmosphere continued, with everyone still eating, drinking, and playing games, in high spirits.

Only Zhou Qin Yao slightly turned his head.

The night mist blurred the glass outside the window, and everyone was too busy eating and drinking to notice that it had started raining again, just after stopping in the evening.

Tang You hadn’t brought anything with her when she came.

Thinking about the juice earlier, Zhou Qin Yao felt he shouldn’t meddle in her affairs anymore.

He flicked the ash from his cigarette and took the beer Wei Kai had just opened, pouring himself a glass.

He raised it, watching the liquid swirl in the glass, but it didn’t spark any desire to drink. After a few seconds, Zhou Qin Yao ultimately couldn’t ignore the other part of himself and put the glass down.

“I’m heading out,” he said as he stood up.

Cheng Xuan, who was in the middle of having fun, was taken aback, “Huh? Yao-ge, you’re not staying a bit longer?”

Zhou Qin Yao picked up the leather jacket draped over the back of his chair, “No, Xiao Yang won’t sleep unless he sees me.”

Song Xiaoyang was very close to Zhou Qin Yao, treating him like an older brother. He often needed Zhou Qin Yao to be with him before he could fall asleep, something all their friends in the alley knew well.

Besides, given Zhou Qin Yao’s personality, the fact that he agreed to come out for this meal at all was already a rare occurrence, like the sun rising in the west.

So Cheng Xuan didn’t insist.

On this rainy night, Huai Tree Street was very quiet, with hardly any pedestrians. Occasionally, a few cars would pass by, splashing water onto the streets.

Tang You was standing quietly in front of the grilled fish restaurant.

She was looking up at the dark sky, lost in thought. Zhou Qin Yao was about to approach her when he suddenly saw her reach out her hand, catching a few raindrops in her palm.

He stopped in his tracks.

At first, he thought it was just a childish and silly way for a girl to pass the time. But the next second, he saw something even more childish.

After wetting her fingertips with the rain, Tang You actually brought them to her mouth to taste.

It seemed the taste wasn’t what she expected, as she furrowed her brows slightly and then let out a soft laugh.

Two small dimples appeared on her cheeks, delicate and charming under the shimmering mist of rain.

She was completely absorbed in her own world, oblivious to Zhou Qin Yao’s presence, until a voice, tinged with humor and moisture, broke through, “Does it taste good?”

Tang You was startled and turned her head.

Seeing that it was Zhou Qin Yao, she felt a bit embarrassed. She instinctively hid her hand behind her back, pausing before awkwardly explaining:

“I haven’t been back in many years, and I read online that the sky over C City is now so clean that even the rain tastes sweet.”

“So, you decided to try it?”

“Yes.” Tang You’s voice was soft.

“And, was it sweet?”

Tang You shook her head, sincerely admitting her foolishness.

It didn’t have any taste at all, and was even a bit dry.

Suppressing his laughter, Zhou Qin Yao’s lips curved slightly as he walked closer, standing by her side.

In the quiet, rainy night, the two stood under the narrow eaves, sheltering from the rain. The droplets fell before them, creating a soothing sound.

The scene felt like something out of a romantic dream.

Tang You could smell the scent of the man in the air, a strong and intense masculine allure.

Her heart started beating faster, and just as she was about to say something to break the strange, ambiguous atmosphere, Zhou Qin Yao suddenly asked her:

“The necklace you gave to Cheng Xuan, it’s from Mo’on, right?”

Mo’on was a well-known domestic jewelry brand. Fang Lai liked the brand and would buy every season’s new collection—mature designs for herself, and younger styles for Tang You.