Ming Ge chuckled, “Nian Nian is here too? It’s a handsome little guy, much better looking than Huang Mao. When are you guys coming over?”

He added, “Come tonight, we’re at Huang Mao’s place. His wife and child are already discharged from the hospital.”

As expected, Huang Mao looked radiant.

He wasn’t very old, with no parents and no relatives.

Now, suddenly, he had a wife and a child, giving him a home to work for, increasing his happiness exponentially.

The baby had a rosy face and, aside from crying, couldn’t do much yet.

But he was adorable, with everything so tiny.

“When are you planning to have one?” Ming Ge asked, seeing how much she liked the baby.

“After we get married,” Lu Nian replied.

She said it so casually, but it made him pause and look at her.

Lu Nian didn’t seem to notice, just looking at the adorable baby in the cradle, her heart melting.

She went off with Lan Lan to discuss childcare and childbirth.

Huang Mao waved, calling Qin Si over.

Ming Ge was there too, and the three men gathered in another room.

Huang Mao, now content with his child, was in high spirits, living comfortably.

Ming Ge, still single, suddenly grinned mischievously and asked Qin Si, “So, you and Nian Nian have made a lot of progress, huh? Have you reached that stage already?”

With his keen eye, he had noticed the subtle change in their relationship.

Qin Si, “…”

“Tsk, but weren’t you guys in Nanqiao? It’s all mountains and trees there, right? Did you… tsk?” Ming Ge speculated, rubbing his chin.

“Shut up,” Qin Si said coldly without looking up.

Ming Ge laughed, “I don’t have a mom, and neither do you.”

Huang Mao agreed, “Yeah, neither of us do. I don’t even remember what my mom looks like anymore.”

Qin Si was an orphan.

Huang Mao’s mother had left when he was three, running off with a businessman from out of town, never to return.

Ming Ge suddenly smiled, “Well, you have a wife and kid now, so who cares about her.”

“Besides, he’ll have one soon too,” he said, pointing at Qin Si.

They rarely gathered like this anymore.

The man in front of them, still quiet and handsome, had matured, becoming more reserved.

Yet, his current demeanor still held traces of his younger self.

For a moment, it felt like they were back in their spirited youth.

He was still that aloof and rebellious boy, full of thorns.

So many years had passed in an instant.

“It’s really nice,” Ming Ge sighed.

Back then, whenever Lu Nian visited, she’d stay for at least ten days.

Even though Qin Si never mentioned it, his mood would improve significantly.

Although he became tense and awkward in her presence, speaking less and more coldly.

“I can’t believe you actually managed to get the girl,” Ming Ge marveled. “Think about all the stupid things you said and did back then.”

Huang Mao chimed in, “Well, our Qin Ge has good looks. Chasing girls with his face alone worked perfectly.”

“Lan Lan has told me so many times,” Huang Mao said, a bit jealous. “She keeps saying how handsome you are.”

She knew their backgrounds and often marveled at how Qin Si managed to look so striking and carry such a good aura.

“Of course, he’s our bar’s little poster boy,” Ming Ge added. “You should have seen him at seventeen or eighteen, sitting in our bar doing homework. So many people would come by and buy him drinks, boosting my income for the night.”

Though Qin Si never paid them any mind, speaking coldly and showing a bad temper when annoyed, women still flocked to him, attracted by his aloof demeanor.

They thought the contrast would be even more appealing if they could win him over.

So when Ming Ge got his own place and wasn’t as busy, Qin Si stopped showing up there entirely.

Ming Ge was speaking so freely that he didn’t notice the door behind them opening.

“Oh?” Lu Nian sat down beside them with a mischievous smile. “How many people bought you drinks? I didn’t know you had such experiences.”

Qin Si, “…”

Ming Ge, “…”

Realizing his slip of the tongue, Ming Ge quickly said, “Of course, I didn’t drink with anyone! I promise.”

Lu Nian just smiled and said nothing.

After they left…

Lu Nian walked a little ahead, her mood seemingly quite good, as she stepped into the sunset.

Qin Si, trailing slightly behind, had his eyes downcast, lost in thought.

“Not a single one,” he suddenly said. “Only with you.”

“What do you mean, only me?” Lu Nian took a moment to understand.

She realized he was still bothered by the joke, afraid she might be angry.

How could he be so serious?

She wanted to laugh but held it in.

“Holding hands, hugging, kissing…” he trailed off, his voice fading away.

“And that night… was it not your first time?” Lu Nian teased, “Who else was there?”

He looked flustered, unable to respond.

“I only have you,” she tilted her head, taking his hand.

He stiffened for a moment, then gently squeezed her small hand.

To change the topic and ease his embarrassment, she said, “Huang Mao’s baby is so cute.”

He looked into the distance, the sunset casting a warm glow in his cool, dark eyes.

His voice was soft, “I don’t like kids.”

After marriage, he didn’t want children, if she was okay with that.

Lu Nian was silent.

She had health issues, and he feared for her safety.

And besides…

“When I was in the orphanage, there were many kids around,” he finally said after a long silence.

Lu Nian was taken aback.

Qin Si rarely talked about his past, often resisting even mentioning his teenage years with the Lu family.

He had never told her about his time in the orphanage before the Lu family took him in.

That orphanage was not official; it was privately run.

For most of the children there, life was like hell.

The older kids bullied the younger ones, and many of the weak, unadopted, or inherently disabled children were at the bottom of the food chain.

Due to a lack of funds, the food provided was insufficient, so it was common for the children to fight over it.

Proud and aloof, Qin Si usually didn’t compete for food, only taking his share.

The orphanage’s management was lax, and he could sneak out through the back wall, earning small amounts of money by helping with stalls, delivering things, and doing odd jobs, enough to buy buns and dumplings to stave off hunger.

There was never enough food.

When he saw a child crying from hunger, he quietly shared half of his bun.

But the next day, that same child reported him to the director.

For breaking the rules, he was harshly scolded and beaten, paraded in front of everyone for public criticism, and then confined for half a month.

Because of these experiences, he couldn’t bring himself to like children now.

They reminded him of the cries he heard in the orphanage and brought back those awful memories.

He didn’t elaborate further, but Lu Nian understood the depth of his words.

Qin Si had always been like that.

When hurt, he would quietly bear it alone, never seeking comfort from others.

By the time his wounds had healed, he wouldn’t even mention them.

She remembered when she first met Qin Si.

The young boy was sensitive, stubborn, and proud, never yielding, and always bristling with thorns.

His personality, so sharp and defensive, was the result of the hardships he had endured.

His self-protective instincts created layer upon layer of barriers, preventing anyone from getting close.

It had taken her a long time, through their entire growth together, to slowly walk into his heart.

“When the time comes, if you want it, we’ll have one. If you don’t, we won’t,” she said gently. “I’ll follow your lead.”

After returning from Huang Mao’s place, Lu Nian checked her long-neglected work email and was pleasantly surprised to find that she had received a commission from a well-known game company for a poster.

The boss had specifically requested her after seeing her work.

Lu Nian was thrilled.

Even though she didn’t lack money, this was an acknowledgment of her work.

“Though I’m a bit foolish, I can still draw well,” Lu Nian said proudly. “I’ll be able to earn another commission fee.”

She had resolved most of her inner conflicts and started seriously considering a future with him, truly seeing him as her boyfriend and future husband.

These past few days, she had tidied up the house, adding many little touches.

Everything was paired up, giving the place a cozy and refined atmosphere, unlike the model home it used to be.

She often prepared small gifts for him, all very unique—sometimes a nice tie, sometimes an eye-friendly plant for his office, sometimes a small drawing she made herself.

When she liked someone, she thought of them all the time, expressing her feelings and love openly and warmly, unlike him.

She was never shy about showing her affection.

He realized he had become greedier, increasingly unable to be without her, unable to tolerate even the slightest distance.

If she ever wanted to withdraw…

If she was just playing with him and those words were all lies…

He closed his eyes, deciding not to think about it anymore.

…

The ten-day holiday passed quickly.

He went to the company to handle some remaining matters.

When he came back, Lu Nian was working on a commission, fully absorbed in her workroom.

He didn’t disturb her.

In the evening, Lu Nian was still working on her drawing.

After his shower, he tidied up and saw her still focused on the screen, drawing intently.

He hadn’t kissed her all day.

Having gotten used to their constant intimacy, he found it hard to go back to how things were before.

Lu Nian stretched.

The man was working not far from her, seemingly discussing plans with someone, typing quickly, his sleeves slightly rolled up, his fingers long and clean.

His profile was especially sharp.

He had a naturally cold and aloof look, with dark pupils, long eyelashes, and narrow double eyelids that gave his eyes a slightly upturned, classic and handsome appearance.

Arrogant, cold, and proud.

He had always been like this since he was young.

After finishing his business call, he didn’t leave the living room but opened another document.

He kept glancing in her direction, seemingly waiting for something.

But when she looked his way, he would lower his eyes, pretending nothing had happened, continuing his work.

Lu Nian laughed inwardly.

Since she had decided to consider him her man, remembering the hardships he had endured only made her feel increasingly tender towards him.

Now, she just wanted to take good care of him.

She also wanted to see him show more of those restrained yet enticing expressions, like that night.

She put down her pen and deliberately asked, “Do you need something?”

He lowered his eyes, his voice soft, his jawline sharp and clean, making him appear indifferent and proud. “Nothing.”

“Then why were you looking at me?” Lu Nian pressed, “I saw you looking at me just now.”

He, “…”

She climbed onto the sofa, sat beside him, and wrapped her arms around his waist, sighing softly, “Why are you still so shy?”

His throat tightened, and he turned his face away, stubbornly saying, “…Not shy.”

“I’ve seen everything,” Lu Nian whispered in his ear. “I’ve touched everything, too. What’s there to be shy about?”

His face turned red instantly.

Her warm breath brushed against his ear, so close.

The faint scent of sea salt and milk from her bath still lingered on her skin.

She wore a sleeveless nightgown, her white, slender arms lightly brushing against him, her skin smooth and cool like silk.

But she wouldn’t touch him, wouldn’t get closer.

The teasing distance drove him mad.

His eyes reddened, and finally, unable to hold back, he bit her lip, silently begging for affection.

She smiled and finally responded, allowing him to get closer.