The car stopped at a residential area, filled with three-story houses, each with its own small garden. The area was beautifully landscaped, with towering trees lining the roads and almost every household growing flowers and plants in their gardens.

“We’re here, this is the place.” Jiang Zhonglin, who hadn’t spoken much during the ride, led her to one of the houses.

Yu Yao watched as the empty car drove off by itself before turning to look at the house in front of her. Jiang Zhonglin walked to the door, which automatically clicked open.

They used to live at Huantian Community, Building 2, Unit 502 on Guangnan Road after they got married. This wasn’t the same place. She wondered when he had moved here.

Inside the house, Yu Yao glanced at the shoe rack and the coat hooks by the door, exhaling slowly. There were only the man’s belongings—no signs of a woman or children living there. So, it seemed that Jiang Zhonglin was living alone now. Yu Yao had been wondering all along: if she walked in and saw an elderly woman, should she call her “sister” or “grandma,” or just start a fight instead?

To be honest, Yu Yao had a bit of a temper and was genuinely worried that if she got upset, she might end up beating up the elderly and breaking Jiang Zhonglin’s old bones.

“You can sit down and rest first. I’ll get you some water.” Jiang Zhonglin handed her a pair of slippers to change into and politely invited her in, his attitude courteous.

Yu Yao imagined herself in the old man’s shoes. He probably felt like a distant relative’s junior had suddenly come to stay—he couldn’t not take care of her, but he couldn’t feel close either, and there was an undercurrent of awkwardness. Indeed, given their past relationship, the current situation was extremely awkward.

Yu Yao was so frustrated she could scream. If this had been before, she would have grabbed him and dragged him to the sofa to have a “talk.” But now, she knew that she had no reason to lose her temper. After all, neither of them could control the time travel. When it came down to it, Jiang Zhonglin hadn’t done anything wrong. From his perspective, after forty years apart, this distant attitude was perfectly normal.

But for Yu Yao, this morning, when Jiang Zhonglin had gotten up, he had blushed and awkwardly promised to come home early tonight. The way he looked at her had been so clear, bright, and tender, like water. But now? Aside from that first glance, the old man hadn’t looked at her directly since.

Yu Yao saw him preparing to walk away and called out, “Hey!” Jiang Zhonglin turned his head, and Yu Yao handed him the plastic bag she was holding. She looked at him and said, “This morning, you said you wanted mandarin fish. I bought two.”

Jiang Zhonglin was momentarily stunned, as if her words had made him a bit dazed. The calmness he’d maintained throughout the day finally cracked a little at that moment. He quickly turned his head, took off his glasses, wiped them, put them back on, and then reached out to take the plastic bag from Yu Yao. “Oh, okay.” He smiled, that same gentle, polite smile.

Yu Yao couldn’t hold back any longer. She suddenly slapped the old man on the butt, startling him so much that he had to steady himself against a nearby cabinet. Finally feeling a bit better, Yu Yao stomped off in her slippers, found the sofa, and lay down.

Jiang Zhonglin stood there holding the plastic bag for a moment before following her in. He glanced around the living room and, seeing Yu Yao already lying comfortably on the sofa, went to the kitchen to put down the bag.

A short while later, he brought a cup of water and placed it in front of Yu Yao. She had already drunk plenty of water earlier and didn’t feel like moving. But seeing Jiang Zhonglin sit down on the opposite sofa, silently staring at the cup, she got up and took a sip.

The water was sweet, with honey added. They had lived together for over a year, and it was Yu Yao’s habit to add honey to her water. Jiang Zhonglin, on the other hand, didn’t like tea or drinks and usually drank plain water—a strange quirk for someone so young. She wondered if he still had this quirk now.

“You…” Yu Yao looked at the old man across from her, hesitated for a moment, and then didn’t know what to say next. There were too many things she wanted to ask, but she didn’t know where to start. Frustrated, she scratched her head, lay back down on the sofa, and kicked a pillow.

Jiang Zhonglin, who had the same good temper as when he was young—perhaps even better now—said, “I live alone. You can settle in first. There’s a special social support program for your situation. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to update your identification and buy some daily necessities.”

“Don’t worry, and don’t rush. Take your time, you’ll get used to it.” His tone was gentle as he comforted her, not mentioning anything about his life over the past forty years, nor asking her anything.

Yu Yao suddenly sat up, frowned, and asked, “Are you treating me like your granddaughter?”

Jiang Zhonglin blinked, stared at her for a moment, then sighed, sounding a bit resigned, “I’m already in my sixties. I could almost be your grandfather.”

He had always had a scholarly air about him, never one to lose his temper. Now, he seemed every bit the wise and benevolent elder, looking at her with a mix of understanding, nostalgia, and a hint of wistfulness, as if he could see right through her heart.