Chapter 45: Important Things Should Be Said Three Times

“Fine, I won’t go,” Jun Nanye said, pretending to give in.

“No way!” Cheng Yuan shot up, eyes wide with panic. She scooted closer and tugged at his sleeve. “A gentleman’s word is worth more than a team of horses! You can’t go back on your promise now.”

“But didn’t you say you didn’t want to go? I was just being considerate,” Jun Nanye said, barely suppressing a laugh. Even without seeing her, he could picture it clearly—fluffy and bristling like a kitten ready to pounce.

“Who said I didn’t want to go?” Cheng Yuan huffed, raising an eyebrow. “Just because I didn’t answer right away doesn’t mean I refused. I was thinking it over!”

She crossed her arms, standing her ground. Then, narrowing her eyes, she suddenly asked, “Wait a second, Tao An—what’s your connection to Xia Wanwan? Do you even know her? You said you could arrange a dinner, but how can you guarantee that?”

She studied Jun Nanye’s handsome face with suspicion, then leaned in, whispering dramatically, “Could it be… you’re her mysterious boyfriend?”

If she remembered correctly, Xia Wanwan had a secret husband. Even after giving birth, she never revealed his identity—just that he was extremely wealthy. No matter how hard the media tried, they couldn’t dig up a single clue. Not even a photo.

Jun Nanye’s lips twitched. “You have a wild imagination.”

“But you said you didn’t have a girlfriend. Maybe she secretly likes you?” Cheng Yuan narrowed her eyes. “If my goddess were to marry, someone like you wouldn’t be a bad choice.”

Jun Nanye’s expression darkened. “Cheng Yuan, do you think everyone’s as shallow as you? Only caring about looks?”

If Big Brother finds out about this, I’ll be dead meat…

“Why are you so worked up? If it’s not true, it’s not true,” Cheng Yuan muttered, lying back down. “If the goddess really liked you, that’d be a waste. I always imagined she’d go for someone more mature.”

“Oh? So I’m too young now?” Jun Nanye arched a brow.

“She’s twenty-eight. You look twenty-one, maybe twenty-two at most. She wouldn’t go for someone younger,” Cheng Yuan declared confidently. “She’s refined and intellectual—her love songs are so deep. She definitely likes the older, more stable type.”

“You’ve never even met her. How would you know?” Jun Nanye was half amused, half impressed by her strangely insightful guess.

“Intuition,” Cheng Yuan mumbled, already drifting off. Then she muttered, “Tao An, I need two tickets. Two tickets. Two tickets.”

Jun Nanye, hearing her repeat it three times, rolled his eyes. “I’m not deaf.”

“Important things should be said three times,” she replied, rolling over on the bed. Thankfully, it was wide enough. Lying on her side, she could just see his profile when she opened her eyes.

Even though they hadn’t known each other long, she still found herself marveling at how good-looking he was. It was as if the heavens had shown him special favor.

“Ugh, why is it raining today?” Cheng Yuan pulled open the curtains and frowned. Outside, the sky was a curtain of gray, a steady drizzle blurring the view. Her mood soured instantly—she hated rain, always had. She loved sunshine.

“Don’t forget your umbrella and dress warmly!” Cheng Huaien’s voice called from the kitchen. On rainy days, Cheng Yuan skipped her morning run and ate breakfast at home. Her father had gotten up early to make her favorite: stir-fried rice noodles with eggs, vegetables, and bean sprouts. The savory scent filled the room.

“Got it,” Cheng Yuan replied cheerfully, glancing at her repaired Walkman with growing satisfaction.

“Dad, should we go into the city tomorrow to restock?” she asked between bites. The small square dining table, while modest, was spotless and gave off a cozy, homey warmth.

“Yes,” Cheng Huaien nodded. “I’ll buy you a new padded coat too. What color do you want?”

“Anything’s fine. It’ll be hidden under my school uniform anyway. But you should get one too, Dad. It’s getting cold, and your jacket isn’t warm enough.”

She glanced at the old jacket—one she had given him before.

It was already December, and the cold had truly set in.

“I’m fine. I’ve got a sweater on underneath,” Cheng Huaien said. He wore that jacket almost every day, wishing he could wrap himself in it all the time because it had come from his daughter.

“Don’t catch a cold. If you do, I won’t have time to take care of you,” Cheng Yuan warned seriously. “If I get a chance, I’ll go to Hai City and buy you a proper winter coat.”

“No need,” he replied, glancing at the clock. “Just focus on your studies—you’ll be late.”

“Dad, your noodles taste even better than before! Seriously, they’re amazing!” Cheng Yuan beamed. After finishing, she brought the dishes to the kitchen.

“I’ll wash them later,” her father said. “You need to leave soon. I have to go sell noodles too.”

It was already 6:30. Cheng Huaien quickly loaded up the tricycle, propped up a large umbrella, and called back, “Yuanyuan, just leave the dishes. I’ll handle them.”

Cheng Yuan reminded him to be careful, then ducked back into the kitchen to do the dishes anyway before grabbing her umbrella and heading out.

As she stepped outside, she ran into Yu Qing. A month of exercise had trimmed him down significantly—he no longer looked so round.

“Good morning,” he greeted. “What a coincidence.”

“Perfect timing,” Cheng Yuan replied with a smile. “Now we can walk together.”

He had heard the noise next door and come out, seemingly on purpose.

Cheng Yuan lowered the volume on her Walkman as they chatted casually.

Yu Qing glanced at it. “Did you get a new one?”

“Nope. Just had it repaired,” she said.

Yu Qing didn’t press further.

At school, Bei Xiaolin was instantly obsessed. “Yuanyuan! Where did you get it fixed? It looks brand new! If I hadn’t seen those marks you carved into the battery case, I’d never believe it.”

She turned the Walkman over in her hands, inspecting every inch like a detective. “This seriously doesn’t look like an old one. How much did it cost?”

Cheng Yuan: “……”
She honestly had no idea.

Quickly changing the subject, she tucked the Walkman back into her drawer. “Xiaolin, the monthly exams are coming up. If you score 300, I’ll give you a huge surprise.”

“Forget it. No surprise is worth scoring 300,” Bei Xiaolin groaned. Her top score across all subjects combined was around 250. Another 50 points? Dream on.

“You sure?” Cheng Yuan grinned, raising an eyebrow. “This surprise is huge. I guarantee you’ll love it. But hey—if you’re not interested…”

She trailed off, feigning disappointment with a dramatic sigh.