Walking down the street, Lu Nian’s phone kept ringing in her pocket.

She answered it, and it was Zhao Yayuan.

“My family’s car is coming to pick me up,” Lu Nian said. “No need for you guys to come.”

Zhao Yayuan responded, “Didn’t you say you were coming to my house for dinner? Now you’re getting picked up on the street by your family’s car? Are you stupid?”

Lu Nian, “…”

She was at a loss for words.

Maybe because she was in such a good mood, her intelligence seemed to have dropped.

“I’m at 45 Xifeng Avenue,” she reported her location, “in front of the cake shop.”

The car arrived quickly.

Zhao Yayuan sat in the back seat, with his long legs stretched out, giving her a mocking look.

He glanced up and down at Lu Nian, “In a good mood, huh?”

Lu Nian patted her cheeks, “Just okay.”

“You’ve been grinning like an idiot.”

Lu Nian, “…”

As the car drove slowly down the road, Zhao Yayuan lazily asked, “So, who did you meet this time?”

Lu Nian, “Personal matter, none of your business.”

Zhao Yayuan lounged back, “Fine, it’s none of my business. But remember, you promised to do something for me this time.”

He chewed on bubblegum and blew a bubble.

Lu Nian sat up straight, “What do you want me to help with?”

Zhao Yayuan had indeed helped her a lot recently. If it was within her ability, she would repay this favor.

“For example, be my girlfriend?”

The boy’s bright eyes seemed to hold a hint of a smile.

He propped his chin on his hand and looked at her sideways.

His appearance was so good that even this suggestion didn’t seem sleazy, more like a half-serious, half-joking proposal.

Lu Nian was stunned for a second.

She pointed to her head, “Did you hit your head?”

Zhao Yayuan leaned back lazily, “So, it’s a no?”

Lu Nian found it hard to believe, “…”

How could that be okay!

She rejected him without hesitation. Zhao Yayuan didn’t seem the least bit affected, which made Lu Nian more certain it was just a boring joke.

She simply put on her earphones.

Looking at her beautiful profile, Zhao Yayuan seemed to mumble to himself, his voice very low, “Then in the future, things might get a bit troublesome…”

The Zhao family car slowly arrived at the Lu residence.

Lu Nian had just entered the door when she saw Zhang Qiuping walking out cheerfully, “Miss, the master and madam are both at home today. They want you to come to the living room.”

Lu Nian’s heart sank halfway.

The spacious living room of the Lu residence had He Tian lying on a chaise lounge, putting on a face mask, and casually chatting with Lu Zhihong.

Lu Zhihong was wearing glasses, reading a financial newspaper.

With her there, it was like a perfectly assembled family of three.

“Did you go to the Zhao family just now?” Lu Zhihong’s expression was very gentle as he put down the newspaper. “Sit here.”

Lu Nian sat down and replied softly, “Yes.”

Lu Zhihong asked, “Was it Tingyuan who sent you back or Yayuan?”

Lu Nian answered honestly, “It was Yayuan.”

Lu Zhihong nodded, “As expected, you young ones tend to get along better.”

Lu Nian remained silent.

She usually spoke little in front of Lu Zhihong, only needing to listen to his arrangements.

“It’s a pity… that little boy we once took care of for a while, you never got close to him.” Lu Zhihong seemed to recall something, speaking with a sigh, “It seems that there really are differences in affinity between people.”

Cold sweat started to form on Lu Nian’s back, and she stiffened, “Hmm.”

Fortunately, Lu Zhihong didn’t dwell on that topic.

It was just a casual remark before he returned to discussing the Zhao brothers.

He asked, “What do you think of the Zhao brothers?”

Lu Nian lowered her eyes, “They are all very good.”

Lu Zhihong nodded, “Then get along well with them and communicate more.”

Seeing Lu Nian nod obediently, he glanced at her and said, “It’s not early anymore. Go wash up and sleep. Don’t stay up too late.”

Lu Nian breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly left.

In the spacious living room, only Lu Zhihong and He Tian remained.

The maids had silently replaced the tea and then left without a sound, leaving the room very quiet.

Lu Zhihong finally relaxed a bit.

He took off his glasses and closed his eyes to rest.

Speaking seemingly to He Tian, yet almost to himself, he said, “The eldest son of the Zhao family is indeed excellent. That boy is gentle and steady. I met him once before, and he is very much like his father, a gentle and considerate personality.”

He continued, “Zhao’s second son looks even better and has a closer relationship with Nian Nian. Unfortunately, his personality is lacking a bit, and isn’t he younger than Nian Nian by half a year?”

He Tian peeled off her face mask and sneered, “You sure think far ahead.”

“And about Nian Nian going abroad,” he said, “I’ve already contacted my former mentor.”

He added, “If she can’t get into the top schools here, then she might as well study abroad.”

He Tian stretched lazily, her tone mocking, “Don’t you think you’re being a bit too controlling? Do you think your daughter really agrees with you managing her life like this?”

A seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, with every aspect of her life monitored, deciding whom to meet and what school to attend all dictated by her family, did Lu Nian truly want this?

Lu Zhihong, feeling weary, said, “I only have her now. What do you want me to do, let her become another Ah Zhuo?”

His health had been declining recently, and Lu Yang was not up to the task.

SHe had to plan everything for his daughter in advance.

As long as Lu Nian followed the path he had laid out, she would have everything she needed.

Lu Nian returned to her bedroom.

She realized she was lightly sweating.

The window was half open, and the curtains fluttered in the breeze.

She took off her clothes.

Her young back was smooth, glistening with a thin layer of sweat.

She entered the bathroom and washed herself clean, water droplets clinging to her body and hair.

In the mirror, her face was pale and pink. Through a layer of mist, she saw her own graceful and delicate curves.

She wiped the water off the mirror and leaned in to see herself more clearly.

…

She smiled at her reflection, her lips curving as she thought of something, then suddenly felt shy, shaking her head to dismiss the thought.

How shameless.

“Miaomiao!” Dressed and with wet hair, Lu Nian called out as she returned to her bedroom.

Miaomiao, knowing she was taking a bath, had already prepared her supplies and came in to help dry and smooth her hair.

The girl’s long black hair, never permed or dyed, was well cared for and spread over her white, slender shoulders. It was a mesmerizing sight, both pure and captivating.

The night breeze in May was especially comfortable.

With her window half open, the white curtains fluttered, and the refreshing night air wafted in, carrying the scent of the garden’s plants.

She lay on her bed, kicking her two small white feet. Unable to resist, she reached for her phone.

She flipped to the contact with that name.

After a few seconds, she couldn’t resist anymore.

“Are you asleep?”

There was no reply from the other side.

“Lu Nian,” she muttered.

She tossed her phone aside, then picked it up again, her cheeks slightly flushed, suddenly feeling annoyed.

The phone she had tossed far away suddenly rang.

The girl’s eyelashes relaxed, and she picked up the phone again.

There were just two simple words on it, “I’m asleep.”

“You need to rest more now, go to bed early,” she typed quickly, kicking her feet, “Look, it’s so late, and you’re still replying so quickly.”

No need for that~ she wasn’t in a hurry anyway.

She thought for a moment, feeling like she hadn’t left him much room to reply.

So she quickly added another message, “I’m so sleepy, I’m about to sleep, don’t reply, goodnight.”

And sure enough, there was no reply from the other side.

Lu Nian, she muttered.

She threw the pillow she was holding, her cheeks pouting.

But the phone suddenly rang again.

Lu Nian quickly picked it up and saw three words on the other side, “Got it.”

She looked at the key that she had already placed in the innermost part of the cabinet, her eyes curved, unable to stop smiling, and pulled the blanket up to her chin.

She was used to his sarcasm, but it was the first time she had seen him so obedient.

Lu Nian wondered why she felt that he, weakened by illness, seemed even cuter than usual.

It’s a pity she can’t see him.

She imagined the look on his face when he said that, turned over, lips curved in a smile, and finally fell asleep slowly.

The fever had completely subsided, Qin Si rechecked his temperature, which was now very normal, and his stomach was no longer spasming.

Huang Mao saw that he kept lowering his head, as if reading a message.

In the dim light of the bar, the boy’s cool and handsome profile was half-lit, his contours almost perfect.

I don’t know what’s so interesting, looking so focused.

Huang Mao secretly observed for a moment, suddenly realized, nudged Small Qu, and said softly, “It must be a message from Nian Nian.”

Small Qu also looked around sneakily, “Definitely.”

Qin Si usually didn’t have this kind of idle mind, didn’t socialize except for work, and had almost no time or energy for this kind of thing.

The boy had already put away his phone.

Seeing that his mood seemed to be quite good, Huang Mao plucked up his courage, “Qin Ge, um, when is Nian Nian coming over for dinner again?”

The little girl was pretty and cute, and they all liked Lu Nian, genuinely liked her as a little sister.

Qin Si remained silent.

Just when Huang Mao and Small Qu thought he wouldn’t answer.

He said, “In a few days.”

Huang Mao was pleasantly surprised, “You’ve made a date with her?”

But Qin Si didn’t answer again.

He picked up his backpack from the side and slung it over his shoulder.

The boy was tall and slender, with a straight spine.

Even standing in the noisy crowd of the bar, he seemed very distant, eye-catching, yet people dared not approach him rashly.

He said to Ming Ge, “I’m leaving.”

He lowered his eyes and said faintly, “I won’t come over again before the college entrance examination.”

“Everything has been arranged for you,” he said in the same indifferent tone as always, “Just follow the instructions, and the idiot won’t make any more mistakes.”