Qin Feng and she had been classmates in university. Back then, he was nothing like the man in sharp suits he was today; he was the classic, hardworking student, always buried in his books. While everyone else was caught up in romance, Qin Feng only had eyes for his textbooks. With his height and striking good looks, he received his fair share of love letters, but he turned every one of them down. What Shi Yu would never admit was that Qin Feng had once pursued her. Of course, she had refused. Back then… she was already entangled with Jiang Yichen, and beyond her feelings for him, there was no room in her heart for anyone else. Seeing him again after all these years stirred a touch of awkwardness in her. Had she known she was coming to Qin Feng’s home, she might have had second thoughts. Qin Feng, however, showed none of her discomfort, acting as if he’d forgotten all about the past. "Yes, this is my place. You never would have guessed, right?" he said. "A friend recommended a piano teacher, and when I saw your information, I thought it was just someone with the same name. I never imagined it was really you. My sister can be a bit of a handful, so I’ll be counting on you every weekend." Under his clear, steady gaze, Shi Yu felt a flicker of unease and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The words of refusal simply wouldn't come. "It's no trouble at all," she managed. "It's my job." Three hours every Saturday and Sunday afternoon, at five hundred bucks an hour. A rate like that meant she would be here, rain or shine. Right now, money was the one thing she couldn’t afford to refuse. When the lesson was over, Qin Feng offered to drive her home. Before she could even begin to politely decline, he gave her the perfect reason. "It's about to rain," he said, gesturing outside. "And I doubt you want to get caught in it." He always spoke with a smile, one that was warm and disarming. Once they were in the car, Qin Feng casually pulled out his phone. "Let's add each other on WeChat. It'll be easier for me to pay you. The little one has scared off several teachers before you. Now I can finally relax a little." Shi Yu agreed without hesitation, and after they'd exchanged contact information, she murmured a "thank you." By some unspoken agreement, neither of them brought up the past. They filled the silence with small talk until the car pulled up to the gates of the Jiang residence. Only then did the rain begin to fall, a soft drizzle that quickly grew, its drumming sound washing over the previous quiet. "Shi Yu, I need to know. Why was it never a possibility for us?" Shi Yu, who was just stepping out of the car, didn't quite catch what he said. "What was that?" she asked, turning back in confusion. Qin Feng just smiled. "Nothing. You should get inside before you get soaked." Standing under the eaves, she watched his car disappear down the street, her expression darkening. She hadn’t heard him clearly, but she’d heard enough. Piecing the fragments together, she knew what he had asked. All she could do was pretend she hadn't. Someone like her could never deserve a man like him. The rain was coming down harder now. Shi Yu dashed inside just as her phone chimed with a notification: a WeChat transfer from Qin Feng. She accepted the payment. It felt rude to leave it at that, so she politely typed out a reply: *The roads are slippery in the rain. Drive safe.* The sound of approaching footsteps made her look up, and her gaze met the stormy eyes of Jiang Yichen. He was already home. The fresh scent of soap clung to him, and he had changed into comfortable loungewear, an outfit that should have made him look relaxed. It didn't. "Have you eaten?" she asked out of habit. Jiang Yichen ignored her question. "Who brought you home?" he demanded instead. "A university classmate," she answered truthfully. She had no intention of mentioning the part-time job; there was no point. He would only accuse her of putting on some kind of act. His hand shot out, grabbing her shoulder and yanking her toward him. His voice was laced with a quiet fury. "Besides this piano teacher gig, what else are you doing? Are you that desperate for money? Or is this just an excuse to get close to rich men? Shi Yu, am I not enough for you? Do you have to be just as cheap as your mother? Is it just in your blood?!"