Extra 1 (Li Xin x Jin Dayou)

Li Xin still remembered the first time she saw Jin Dayou. At that time, she had just been taken back home by her sister and brother-in-law. Her head was shaved bald, and her body was thin and withered.

It was her ugliest and most pitiful appearance.

Even though she said that she didn’t care at the time, she was actually quite insecure—she felt dirty and ashamed to have been sold by her adoptive parents to an old man.

It was a difficult situation to explain—she wasn’t touched and in fact, she had resisted him by going on a hunger strike. Then she was locked in the kitchen by the old man—but other people would not believe her explanation at all.

She was very afraid that others would find out about her past and look at her with their judging eyes.

Therefore, after arriving at her sister and brother-in-law’s house, she rarely went outside. Even when their neighbor, Aunt Wang, came to visit, she tried to hide inside her room.

Fortunately, she had a good sister. Her sister only told people that she had been abused by her foster parents and did not mention the part about being sold to an old man.

At that time, she was thirteen years old, and her body weakened and chilled from exhaustion and prolonged malnutrition.

Jin Dayou, a friend of her brother-in-law, was called over to check on her health.

When Jin Dayou saw her, he laughed and said she looked like a monk.

At that time, Li Xin was not particularly angry; it was more of having an inferiority complex. Because of her insecurity, she did not dare to show her feelings, fearing that others might see through her and laugh at her. So, she tried hard to maintain a stern face, making sure people knew she was not to be easily bullied.

Looking back, she realized that Jin Dayou and her were actually similar.

She used pride to mask her own weakness, while Jin Dayou used a cheeky smile to cover his sadness.

Neither of them knew how to express themselves because no one had ever taught them.

That year, Jin Dayou was seventeen years old and a medical student at the provincial medical university. Her sister later told her that despite his seemingly playful demeanor, he was actually quite an impressive man. He actually ranked first in the provincial college entrance examination.

The reason he had not left the province was due to some unexpected circumstances.

Her sister also reminded her to obediently take her medicine and not to neglect herself just because she disliked Jin Dayou.

Her sister thought she disliked Jin Dayou, but in reality, she did not.

On the contrary, there was a faint, unspoken sense of envy and admiration in her heart for him. After all, he had entered university at the age of sixteen and had seen a broader world—something she could not achieve.

She had once been the only intelligent person in her village to enter university, but it took her two years of repetition to achieve that.

At that time, she saw getting into university as a significant achievement. Even though she later managed to enter Peking University herself, she never looked down on him.

Back then, she had the help of her sister and brother-in-law, and she could attend the best high school in G Province and benefit from superior educational resources.

Jin Dayou, on the other hand, had none of that.

Because of this, she never thought that Jin Dayou might have feelings for her. He had seen her at her ugliest and knew about her unfortunate past.

Regardless of the circumstances—a relationship between them seemed impossible.

In truth, Li Xin had never mentioned to anyone that Jin Dayou had a significant impact on her.

Her sister and brother-in-law had given her the warmth and love of family, helping her gradually heal from her past nightmares.

Jin Dayou, on the other hand, had helped her learn to face life with a smile.

The year her sister entered university, Li Xin had to stay in the county for school due to residency issues, and she attended the same school Jin Dayou had once attended, the No. 4 High School.

It was quite a coincidence that her desk was the very one Jin Dayou had used before, with the words “Jin Dayou was here” still carved into it.

Jin Dayou was the pride of the No. 4 High School. His photograph was posted on the school bulletin board, where he grinned with a carefree expression, and there was an introduction about him below.

Teachers often used him as an example in class, frequently recounting stories of his truancy.

At that time, Li Xin could not understand how he could live so happily—as if he had no worries at all.

She was unlike him, having never been well-liked throughout her life.

Gradually, she began to consciously change and get along well with her classmates.

So even when she returned to the county after entering university, there were still classmates who wanted to hang out with her, preventing her student years from being filled with regrets.

She became more cheerful and was considered a good student by others. Once, she even heard a classmate say, “Why should students from the No. 3 High School look down on other people? Our classmate Li Xin does so well academically and has never looked down on anyone when she hangs out with us.”

Hearing this made her quite happy as if she had received others’ recognition.

However, as she moved to G Province and attended high school there, she gradually forgot about Jin Dayou—sometimes almost completely.

Occasionally, when hearing her sister and brother-in-law mention Jin Dayou’s name, Li Xin would internally scoff and think, “What good is being impressive if you’re still disliked?”

It wasn’t until later when her sister mentioned that Jin Dayou had found his mother that Li Xin was surprised to learn that he actually lived a hard life.

Her sister said Jin Dayou had an older brother who had been abducted. His parents had never returned to see him while searching for his brother, and his father had remarried, while his mother became mentally unstable.

He had chosen to attend a university within the province with the hope of using his vacation time to search for his brother.

That summer, Jin Dayou had seen Aunt Shi. She barely recognized him, as Aunt Shi constantly muttered “Dapeng,” seeming to completely forget she had another son.

Meanwhile, Jin Dayou was simply sitting beside his mother, gently and attentively wiping her hands.

At that time, Li Xin wondered if he was feeling sad inside. If it were her, she would certainly feel very aggrieved.

She had once struggled to understand why her biological parents had rejected her.

At that point, she and Jin Dayou still did not interact much. It was only later when she entered Peking University and her sister and brother-in-law asked Jin Dayou to help her get settled and take care of her, that they began to get to know each other better.

Her impression of Jin Dayou kept changing.

Initially, she thought he was carefree and unprincipled, and although she disliked him, she recognized his competence.

Later, she suspected he might not be as happy as he appeared.

She had once seen him coming out of Aunt Shi’s room with slightly reddened eyes. Eventually, she discovered he was an excellent cook and great with children, always managing to make An An very happy.

He had many façades, but each one was genuinely him.

When they took the same train to school, Li Xin initially felt uncomfortable without her sister and brother-in-law to accompany her. She wasn’t sure what to say to him.

Unexpectedly, Jin Dayou took the initiative to help her push through the crowd, find a bed, and even stay outside the bathroom while she washed up at night.

When they changed trains and her seat was occupied by an old woman, he coldly chased her away, displaying none of his usual good-natured demeanor.

Later, during the two years of university, he took care of her like an older brother.

At that time, Li Xin discovered that despite his outwardly carefree and frivolous demeanor, he was actually a very considerate person.

Their relationship was quite complex. When her sister and brother-in-law were around, they got along harmoniously, joking and playing around. But when they were outside, there was always a sense of distance, and they spoke little.

The only instance of close contact occurred during the summer of her sophomore year. Li Xin had gone out to a gathering with friends and, upon returning in the afternoon, she didn’t pay attention and directly opened the bathroom door to take a shower. To her surprise, she saw him inside as soon as she opened the door.

He was not dressed and was holding a bar of soap. Hearing the noise, he instinctively turned to look.

Their eyes met, and they both froze.

Eventually, Li Xin, her face flushed, slammed the door shut.

Jin Dayou took a long time to come out of the bathroom.

But what she shouldn’t have seen, she saw. Consequently, every time Li Xin saw Jin Dayou afterward, that image inexplicably came to mind.

Both of them acted as if the incident had never happened, but since then, there was always a subtle awkwardness between them.

Even when Jin Dayou spoke to her or looked into her eyes, his ears would turn red.

Had Li Xin not heard that Jin Dayou had someone he liked, she might have misunderstood that he had feelings toward her.

It was also a coincidence that her sister and brother-in-law, knowing she wouldn’t be going home for the Mid-Autumn Festival, sent her mooncakes and snacks in advance, asking her to pass a portion to Jin Dayou.

Despite being at school for a while, she rarely visited Jin Dayou, only contacting him through her phone. That day, when she called and heard his voice sounding muffled as if he was sick, she took the rare initiative to find him. She knew where Jin Dayou’s dorm was but didn’t expect to see him standing downstairs, chatting and laughing with a girl who had a sweet smile.

They looked quite compatible from a distance.

Jin Dayou eventually noticed her and, after speaking with the girl, she quickly walked away.

He then walked towards her, but the smile had vanished from his face.

At that moment, Li Xin wasn’t sure what she felt, but perhaps there was a hint of disappointment.

Later, during the National Day holiday, her brother-in-law needed to reach Jin Dayou for something but couldn’t get through by phone. He asked her to find him.

When Li Xin found him, he was chatting with someone in an office at a nearby hospital. She happened to encounter the girl at the door, who was also wearing a white lab coat and went in before her.

Standing at the door, Li Xin overheard a colleague inside laughingly say, “Jin Dayou, your goddess has come to find you.”

There was a burst of laughter in the office, creating a lively atmosphere.

Li Xin stood at the door for a while before knocking. She had initially intended to wait until they finished speaking, but standing alone at the door felt awkward, so she mustered up the courage and knocked.

When she entered, the office fell silent. Li Xin acted as if she hadn’t heard anything and told Jin Dayou that her brother-in-law needed to see him.

Jin Dayou pulled out his phone, realizing it had been turned off and he had missed calls.

Not wanting to stay and be the center of attention, Li Xin quickly said her goodbyes and left.

As she reached the door, she heard the girl inside asking who she was.

Jin Dayou’s colleagues and roommates answered, “It’s Dayou’s younger sister. Don’t worry.”

Li Xin hesitated for a moment, then, pretending she hadn’t heard, she hurriedly left.

As for why the girl needed to be reassured, Li Xin didn’t dwell on it; it was none of her concern.

So, when Ji Yu came to find her on New Year’s Eve, braving the snow to confess his feelings, Li Xin looked into his sincere and affectionate eyes and suddenly felt her heart soften, believing that this must be love.

Li Xin was a serious person. She might not have loved Ji Yu as much as he loved her, but since she agreed to be with him, she took the relationship seriously.

When Jin Dayou later learned that she was in a relationship, he made a special trip to see her. At that time, she didn’t think much of it and simply admitted her relationship with Ji Yu.

He was silent for a moment, then smiled and congratulated her. He mentioned that he had been planning to introduce someone to her, as someone had inquired about her.

Li Xin smiled back and said, “No need. My boyfriend is great.”

Jin Dayou waved at her and said, “That’s good.”

Then he turned and left.

Li Xin glanced at him, then lowered her head to continue reading, preparing for her senior year and studying abroad.

Later, both she and Jin Dayou became very busy, and their opportunities to meet grew increasingly infrequent.

Eventually, when he learned that she was going to study abroad, he suddenly came to G Province that summer. He invited her out to dinner, but Li Xin declined, feeling it was unnecessary, especially since Ji Yu had come early to pick her up.

Now, after four years, their(Ji Yu and Li Xin) relationship had ended. Li Xin felt both regret and relief, but if she were to say she was deeply sad, that wouldn’t be the case. Perhaps she felt she had not wronged the other person in this relationship.

Ji Yu was a great person, but she had invested a lot in this relationship. She wasn’t planning to find another partner anytime soon, as dating had brought her more pain than sweetness.

She told her brother-in-law to keep an eye out for talented young men, partly to reassure them that she wasn’t overly distressed.

But only she knew how exhausted she truly felt.

Ji Yu’s gentle and considerate exterior masked his lack of security. He was always eager to know what she was doing, leaving her with no privacy. He also had a people-pleaser personality, was overly concerned with others’ opinions, and was quite sensitive. She found herself frequently making compromises for him.

With Ji Yu’s mother, it would have been even more difficult for them to last.

What Li Xin didn’t expect was that just a few days after returning home, Jin Dayou would find out about her breakup and begin to pursue her passionately.

Li Xin rejected him—not wanting to give anyone else the chance to hurt her again.

She returned to her hometown with her sister and brother-in-law, and to her surprise, Jin Dayou followed shortly after.

Li Xin hadn’t been back for years, and the City, which had changed a lot, felt very unfamiliar.

Most of her old classmates were now married, and those who weren’t were working hard in big cities.

The classmates were still as warm as before, and upon learning she had returned, they immediately organized a dinner.

They had a meal at a restaurant, but it wasn’t as lively as Li Xin had imagined. The conversation revolved around work, children, and making money, topics she found difficult to engage in.

Before she left, her old middle school deskmate suddenly mentioned that her middle school graduation photos and all her exam papers had been taken.

Her deskmate now taught at the No.4 High School, and since Li Xin was her good friend, she shared this issue with her.

Li Xin was taken aback and instinctively asked, “Who?”

“Jin Dayou, the top student from the old teacher’s class. Do you two know each other?”

Li Xin remained silent.

—o—o—o—

The next day, she took some time to visit the No.4 High School.

During the summer vacation, the school was very quiet. Li Xin wandered through the unfamiliar yet familiar school with mixed feelings, finally stopping in front of the bulletin board near the school’s teaching building. There were more students displayed on the bulletin board now, but at the top was still Jin Dayou, and she was right next to Jin Dayou, with both their photos side by side.

One was grinning, while the other was sitting upright and serious.

Li Xin couldn’t help but laugh.

Not only did she laugh, but laughter also came from behind her.

When she turned around, she met Jin Dayou’s gaze.

Jin Dayou scratched his nose and said, “How do you like it? I made it myself.”

Li Xin looked at him in confusion, then looked at her own photo, and noticed that her name and introduction had been cut out and pasted there.

Jin Dayou shamelessly added, “Doesn’t it look quite perfectly matched?”

“……”

Li Xin ignored him and walked away.

Jin Dayou quickly followed, continuing to chatter, “You’re staying in G Province this time, right? Next year, I’ll be back in the country too. After negotiating with my mentor, I should be able to graduate. By then, I’ll also come to G Province. After studying for so many years, I’ve saved up quite a bit of money. I should be able to buy a house…”

Li Xin halted her steps, suddenly turning her head to look at him. “I don’t think I ever agreed to be with you?”

Jin Dayou smiled, “It’s okay. I just wanted to update you on my situation, and get to know each other a bit.”

Li Xin couldn’t be bothered to respond and continued walking forward.

Jin Dayou followed beside her, incessantly chattering.

After returning to G Province, Li Xin found a job at a well-known law firm in the city.

Initially, Li Xin started as an intern, with the prospect of becoming a full-time employee after a month.

Jin Dayou also returned. After coming back, he brought delicious food for Li Xin every noon, not only for her but also for her colleagues. Eventually, he became even more familiar with the office than Li Xin herself.

The boss and colleagues affectionately called him his “Boy Friend” treating him very warmly.

Jin Dayou was quite shameless; even when Li Xin tried to drive him away, he stayed for the entire afternoon every day and then took her home.

Sometimes, he even nagged Li Xin to go with him to watch movies.

By the time he was about to leave for school, Li Xin still hadn’t agreed. He seemed a bit anxious and asked her, “If your ex suddenly came back to ask you to reconcile, you wouldn’t agree, would you?”

At that time, he was abroad, and there was no way he could intervene. Just like before, once missed, it was truly missed.

Li Xin replied calmly, “I don’t know, so don’t pursue me. It’s impossible for us.”

She chose to refuse him, preferring to be alone rather than end up with empty hands in the end.

Jin Dayou looked at her and suddenly smiled. “Why is it impossible? Don’t forget, you once saw my whole body. Aren’t you going to take responsibility?”

“……”

Hearing this, Li Xin, who had been about to say something more, suddenly found herself unable to speak, her face turning red.

She quickly denied it, “I didn’t.”

Jin Dayou snorted, “What’s there to deny? I don’t know who couldn’t bear to leave after watching for a long time.”

Li Xin hurriedly reached out to cover his mouth. “Be quiet. Who would care about something so short?”

This time, Jin Dayou couldn’t smile. He grabbed her hand and, gritted his teeth as he whispered, “Who’s short? Do you want to measure it with a ruler?”

Li Xin, blushing, forcefully pulled her hand away, pushed him, and turned to leave.

Before leaving, Jin Dayou shamelessly left all his savings from these years with Li Xin, as if afraid she might refuse. He then secretly ran away.

Later, Li Xin found out and was so angry she wanted to curse. She thought about giving the money to Aunt Shi but feared Aunt Shi might lose it due to her unclear mind. After thinking it over, she decided to keep it for him.

As for why she didn’t give it to her sister and brother-in-law, she couldn’t quite explain herself.

Although Jin Dayou went abroad, he called her every day. At first, Li Xin didn’t pay much attention, but gradually, she started talking to him.

Jin Dayou always chatted with her about amusing things, such as interesting patients he had met abroad and the quirky colleagues around him.

He always made Li Xin laugh.

This cheerful mood was something she had never experienced with Ji Yu.

However, Jin Dayou was right; Ji Yu indeed came to seek reconciliation with her, calling her continuously after the National Day holiday.

Jin Dayou returned for Christmas. The Western Christmas holiday lasted for half a month, which coincided with the New Year’s holiday in China. On that day, not only did Jin Dayou come to see her, but Ji Yu also showed up.

He invited her out for dinner.

Li Xin did not agree. She felt that once something was over, it should end completely, with no need for further contact.

She did not expect Ji Yu to come directly to her office door, holding a large bouquet of roses.

Feeling embarrassed by the curious gazes of her colleagues, Li Xin had no choice but to leave with him, find a restaurant, and make things clear.

Ji Yu apologized first, saying he would handle things with his mother and asking her not to give up on him.

Li Xin interrupted him directly, “Ji Yu, it’s not possible for us…”

She had intended to say more, but as she looked up, she saw a familiar figure outside the window. For some reason, the Moment she saw that person, her troubled heart seemed to be smoothed out, becoming calm and joyful.

At that moment, she thought of many things, but it felt like she thought of nothing at all. Then, as if guided by some force, she suddenly waved to the person outside.

Jin Dayou outside seemed to be Momentarily stunned and uncertainly pointed to himself.

Li Xin nodded.

Jin Dayou glanced at her and then walked quickly toward them in the restaurant.

Ji Yu, following her gaze, looked outside, but Jin Dayou had already entered the restaurant, so he could no longer see him. He instinctively asked, “Who is he?”

“My boyfriend.”

Ji Yu was taken aback, and not only was he stunned, but Jin Dayou, who had come over, was also Momentarily surprised.

Li Xin stood up and said to Ji Yu, “I’m sorry, but it’s really not possible between us. I already have a boyfriend, and it’s him.”

She walked closer to Jin Dayou and linked her arm with his.

Jin Dayou quickly reacted and extended his hand to Ji Yu with a smile, “Hello, ex-boyfriend. I’m Jin Dayou, your heir.”

“……”

Li Xin immediately regretted it, wishing she could silence him.

Ji Yu’s expression turned sour. He stood up and looked at the two of them.

Li Xin was beautiful and outstanding, with a proud demeanor, like a queen residing in a castle. He had always thought only someone exceptionally good could match her, but the tall, slender man before him didn’t seem remarkable. He felt that they didn’t match well, yet for some inexplicable reason, they seemed oddly compatible.

This compatibility wasn’t about outward appearance but inner harmony. Li Xin stood beside him, her eyes shining with a light he had never seen before.

Li Xin and Jin Dayou went out, and Jin Dayou excitedly picked her up and ran forward.

Startled, Li Xin hurriedly hugged his neck. “What are you doing? I just needed your help to turn him down.”

“I’m deaf now and can’t hear you. All I know is that I’m your boyfriend.”

“Go away!”

Once their relationship was confirmed, Jin Dayou used his savings to buy a house next to Li Xin’s office. He even asked his sister-in-law to help with the decoration, without borrowing any money—it was all his own.

Li Xin worried about him not having enough money, but then he handed her two passbooks. After looking at the numbers, Li Xin was silent. “Aren’t you still in school? Where did you get so much money?”

“Stock trading. I was worried you might not be able to wait, so I wanted to earn a bit more.”

“……”

Li Xin was so frustrated she felt like hitting him. ‘Who couldn’t wait?’

His holiday wasn’t long. Excluding travel time, he could only stay a few days, and after buying the house, he had to leave.

This time, Li Xin took him to the airport.

At the airport, Li Xin suddenly couldn’t help but ask, “Didn’t you have a girl you liked before? Why are you pursuing me now?”’’

When Jin Dayou heard this, he looked at her in confusion. “When did I ever like another girl? Haven’t I always liked you?”

Li Xin was taken aback.

Jin Dayou noticed her expression and seemed to understand something. He wanted to ask more, but the boarding time had arrived, and he had to leave.

However, once he got to school, he couldn’t resist video-calling Li Xin to ask what was going on.

Li Xin didn’t hide anything from him and explained the misunderstanding from the past.

Jin Dayou’s face turned dark with anger. “Damn it, I told them not to joke around, but they wouldn’t listen.”

“It really made me suffer. I liked you for six whole years before I finally managed to win you over.”

“……”

Li Xin stared at him in disbelief.

“They asked me what kind of girl I liked back then. I said I liked someone who looked good when she smiled. They assumed I meant the department’s beauty, thinking her smile was beautiful. Damn it, but I was talking about you.”

When Li Xin was in her senior year of high school, Jin Dayou came to visit Li Xiao in G Province. One afternoon, he, Li Xin, and An An were playing on the sofa. He accidentally made Li Xin upset and had to spend a long time coaxing her until she laughed. At that moment, he thought her smile was incredibly beautiful, and his heart raced.

Back then, he didn’t understand what it meant to like someone; he just couldn’t help but want to secretly watch her and talk to her.

Later, he realized what he felt, but he knew he had nothing and wasn’t worthy of such a good girl, so he decided to wait until he had money before pursuing her.

He never expected to miss the chance like that.

Upon hearing this, Jin Dayou realized that Li Xin had probably had feelings for him in the past.

Grinding his teeth, Jin Dayou said, “Let’s not talk about this now. I need to go yell at those bastards.”

He couldn’t swallow his anger. Because of those idiots, his girlfriend had been with someone else for several years, and he could only watch from the sidelines.

Li Xin hung up the phone, half crying and half laughing.

She wasn’t angry, though. Even though they had missed each other for many years, as her sister had said, everyone is ordinary, and no one knows where the future will lead. It’s best to act according to one’s heart.

Perhaps even if she and Jin Dayou had been together from the start, things wouldn’t have been smooth sailing. It was precisely because of the many years of separation that they now cherished each other even more.

A year later, Jin Dayou returned to China, and they held a wedding.

Li Xin wasn’t very keen on getting married so quickly. She enjoyed their time dating. Jin Dayou was very good to her, fulfilling almost all of her requests and cooking delicious meals for her every day.

The only flaw was his big mouth. As a lawyer, Li Xin sometimes couldn’t outtalk him, and eventually, she copied her sister and started hitting him directly.

Perhaps because both of their childhoods hadn’t been ideal, they cared deeply about their little home, decorating it warmly.

Even though they earned a lot of money later, they continued to live in their first small house. They didn’t hire a maid, not wanting anyone to disturb their life.

After getting married, Li Xin felt she was very fortunate.

In the first half of her life, she met her sister and brother-in-law, and in the second half, she found Jin Dayou, who gave her a real home.