After placing the luggage in the room, Xu Jingqian stood at the doorway and said, “If you need anything, just let us know. You can also contact me via message. The contact information you just added is mine; my name is Xu Jingqian.”

Xu Jingqian. Qi Yu murmured these three characters softly to herself.

Just like the person, memorable at first glance.

A subtle smile played at the corners of Qi Yu’s mouth. She thought to herself that this trip was truly worth it. Besides the breathtaking scenery of her beautiful country, she had also encountered a handsome man and effortlessly gotten his contact information. It felt like winning the lottery.

She laughed out loud, right in front of Xu Jingqian.

It was a bit awkward.

But no matter, it was just a small thing; she could handle it.

Qi Yu toned down her smile and extended her hand toward Xu Jingqian. “I’m Qi Yu, not the ‘Qi’ from ‘Qi Yu’ (serendipity), but the ‘Yu’ from ‘Qi Yu.'”

It was a unique and somewhat tongue-twisting introduction, typical of Qi Yu’s style.

In her 23 years of life, Qi Yu had always thought her name was just two simple, ordinary characters with no special meaning. But at this moment, she felt she had been completely wrong. She was only 23, in the prime of her youth, full of charm and potential. How could she define herself so early and underestimate her worth?

Qi Yu’s hand remained extended in the air for several seconds, but Xu Jingqian, with his eyes lowered, gave no response.

The scene suddenly became even more awkward.

The corners of Qi Yu’s mouth twitched slightly as she withdrew her hand, thinking to herself, “This is not a good start.”

Xu Jingqian seemed to react belatedly, looking at her face and letting out a barely audible “hmm” from his throat.

So cold.

If it weren’t for the quiet environment, Qi Yu might not have heard it at all.

And what did “hmm” even mean?

Qi Yu was confused.

Here she was, a bright and lively beauty greeting him, and all he gave her was a “hmm” with no expression. Even an ice block wouldn’t be this cold and heartless.

Qi Yu laughed awkwardly, turned around, and uncontrollably moved a few steps toward the sofa. She picked up a bottle of mineral water from the round table, tried to twist it open with all her might, her palm turning red, but the cap wouldn’t budge.

Seriously?

Qi Yu didn’t give up.

Xu Jingqian asked if she needed help, but she didn’t even look up, still struggling with the bottle cap.

She looked quite stubborn.

Qi Yu went to the bedside and grabbed two tissues, wrapping them around the bottle cap. With the same force and gritted teeth, she finally heard a “click,” and the cap came off.

Because she was so focused on opening the bottle, Qi Yu didn’t notice when Xu Jingqian left the room. She drank the hard-won water and went to close the room door.

Most of the homestay was built with wood, and the doors and windows were transparent glass. On a day like today, sunlight would pour in through the doors and windows, casting layers of shadows on the dull floor. Outside, there was a path paved with white pebbles winding through the lawn, which would also be a beautiful sight in the rain.

Qi Yu thought about this as she mercilessly pulled all the curtains and sheer drapes closed, sealing off every bit of light.

Blame it on the strong UV rays here.

And the overly cold ice block.

Qi Yu moved the suitcase from the wall to a more spacious spot by the window, opened it, and laid out her travel-sized toiletries on the vanity. She then poured the remaining half bottle of water into her thermos and plugged it in to boil.

After finishing these tasks, Qi Yu finally took off her sun hat and collapsed onto the sofa to rest.

About three minutes later, there was a knock at the door.

Qi Yu didn’t really want to move, but she heard Xu Jingqian’s voice: “It’s me.”

So what if it’s you? Does that mean I have to open the door, you ice block?! Qi Yu was still annoyed by his earlier nonchalant response.

“I brought you some fruit,” Xu Jingqian said.

In an instant, Qi Yu sat up from the sofa. “Coming.” She didn’t even put on her shoes, just walked over in her white socks to open the door.

Qi Yu poked her head through the sheer curtain and turned the lock to open the door.

She took the fruit from Xu Jingqian’s hand and was about to say thank you when her gaze fell on the front desk lady standing not far behind Xu Jingqian, holding fruit and saying the exact same words to another room.

Qi Yu, what are you thinking?! Wake up! You just met him today; there’s no way anything can happen between you. Don’t have any illusions!! Qi Yu screamed silently to herself, not even saying thank you before closing the door.

Why the sudden change?

Xu Jingqian didn’t understand what had happened to her or what was going on with himself.

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