Lin Qingyan saw her standing there, a dazed look on her face. He gave her a light flick on the forehead. "Forgotten me already?" Wen Ying snapped out of it, forcing a smile. "Wh-what a coincidence. When did you get back?" "My flight landed this afternoon. I haven't been back long." "So, what brings you here?" "I was supposed to meet a friend, but something came up last minute," Lin Qingyan said, then added, "Have you eaten? We could grab a bite." Wen Ying’s grip on her purse tightened. "It’s too late. Some other time, maybe." Lin Qingyan glanced at the time and didn’t press her. "Then let me take you home." "You don't have to, I..." She had barely gotten the words out before Lin Qingyan took her by the wrist. "Come on." Following behind him, Wen Ying looked up and felt as if she had been transported back to high school. He had held her hand just like this, walking beneath the ginkgo trees. In that moment, it felt as if all her girlish longings from back then were magnified infinitely. The boy in the white shirt and jeans had been replaced by a man in a well-tailored suit. His aura was now one of refined elegance, the cool indifference and sharp edges of his youth softened. Sitting in the car, Wen Ying was staring out the window, lost in thought, when Lin Qingyan’s voice broke the silence. "I tried calling you, but it seems you changed your number." Wen Ying pulled her thoughts back. "Right... I did." Beyond that, she couldn't think of anything else to say. After a few seconds, Lin Qingyan spoke again, searching for a topic. "Are your aunt and uncle doing well?" Wen Ying lowered her eyes, her voice soft. "My dad's dead. My mom's in the hospital, and we don't know when she'll wake up." There was no point in sugarcoating it. Now that he was back, he'd hear about it sooner or later anyway. Lin Qingyan clearly hadn't expected that answer. This time, it was his turn to be silent. He pressed his lips together. "I'm sorry." Wen Ying let out a breath. "It's okay. It was a long time ago." With that, she turned to look at him. "What about your mother? How is she?" A faint smile touched Lin Qingyan's lips. "She's doing very well. Got everything she ever wanted." "Did she come back with you?" "I came a day early. Her flight is tomorrow." Wen Ying nodded. Lin Qingyan and his mother had grown up in the old factory complex behind her house. They had endured a lot of bullying and hardship, relying on each other to get by. That was why when he received the scholarship to study abroad, he had taken his mother with him. It seemed that things were finally heading in a good direction for them. After a moment, Lin Qingyan's voice came again. "My mother was just talking about you the other day." Wen Ying was surprised. "Me?" "Mhm," Lin Qingyan confirmed. "She was wondering how the little girl who always said she was going to marry me when she grew up was doing. She said if you weren't married yet, she'd love to have you as a daughter-in-law." Wen Ying’s face flushed crimson. "I... I was just talking nonsense back then. I can't believe your mother took it seriously..." Lin Qingyan chuckled. "It wasn't just her. I took it seriously, too." Wen Ying froze again. After a moment of stunned silence, her hands, resting on her knees, slowly clenched into fists. She quickly looked out the window, changing the subject. "The capital has changed a lot over the years. You should take some time to look around." "Okay." Ten minutes later, the car pulled up in front of her residential community. Wen Ying unbuckled her seatbelt. "Thanks. I'll get going, then." "Wen Ying," Lin Qingyan called out again. "Can I get your number?" Wen Ying opened her mouth but said nothing. "Didn't you tell me to explore the city?" he continued. "I'll need a tour guide." Wen Ying hesitated. "The changes aren't so drastic that you'd need a guide..." Lin Qingyan just held out his phone, watching her with a slight tilt of his head. Left with no choice, Wen Ying reluctantly took the phone and typed in her number. "I'm pretty busy with work," she said. "I can't promise I'll have time for you." Lin Qingyan smiled as he took his phone back. "That's fine. I've just returned myself and have a lot to sort out. Whenever you have time, we can go explore together." Wen Ying gave a dry laugh, opened the car door, and waved him off. "Goodbye." "Goodbye," Lin Qingyan replied. "Get some rest." Wen Ying stood on the spot, watching his car drive away. Suddenly, Chi Nanxue popped out of nowhere, slinging an arm over her shoulder. "Holy crap, a Bentley! Which rich kid is after you now?" "Lin Qingyan," Wen Ying said. Chi Nanxue: "???" Wen Ying turned and started walking, explaining as she went. "He happened to be passing by where I work part-time and gave me a ride home." Chi Nanxue wasn't buying it. "Nothing's ever that much of a coincidence. He was obviously there looking for you, trying to rekindle an old flame! The guy just got back and he's already making his move. Fast worker, huh?" Wen Ying just smiled. "Alright, let's go back. I'm starving." She had barely eaten all day. While they were eating, Wen Ying took an envelope from her bag and pushed it across the table to Chi Nanxue. "This is for next quarter's rent." "I told you, you don't have to..." Chi Nanxue said. "But where did you get this much money? I thought Huo Xingzhou..." The small apartment they lived in had been bought for Chi Nanxue by her parents. When Wen Ying had nowhere else to go, Chi Nanxue had taken her in. And though Chi Nanxue told her not to worry about rent, Wen Ying paid her share every quarter, down to the last dollar. Wen Ying kept her head down, eating her noodles. "I was working part-time at that French restaurant tonight. Huo Xingzhou and his fiancée were there. This was her tip." Chi Nanxue was speechless. Then, she said angrily, "I knew it! She did it on purpose!" Wen Ying wasn't stupid. After hearing what those girls said tonight, she knew these repeated encounters were no coincidence. What Liang Zhiyi was doing could have been a warning, a threat, or maybe a way of staking her claim. But she had chosen the wrong target. Wen Ying was just the donkey turning the millstone, completely powerless. To make any difference, Liang Zhiyi needed to go after the one cracking the whip. Chi Nanxue clenched her fist. "I don't get what's wrong with these people. Her fiancé is right there with her, but she can't do anything about Huo Xingzhou, so she takes it out on you instead. Always picking on the easy target." Wen Ying had been about to tell her about the disgusting things Huo Xingzhou had said in the car, but she swallowed the words back down. What was the point? Why rehash something so meaningless and upsetting? ... Later that night, Wen Ying sat on the bay window in her bedroom, scrolling through freelance translation gigs. But her mind kept replaying the chaotic events of the day. Twice today, she had heard someone say that Huo Xingzhou was tired of her. Wen Ying wished she could take them at their word. But judging by the current situation, not only was he not tired of her, he seemed to be getting even more worked up. Wen Ying tried to pinpoint where exactly the problem had started... She remembered, that night at the clock tower, when she told him the person she liked was coming back, Huo Xingzhou had said something then, too. What was it?