From the earliest memories, every Lunar New Year had been joyful. But none had been as happy as this year. "Are you leaving tomorrow?" Hu Yuying neatly folded the freshly washed clothes and placed them into Long Aotian's backpack. "The holidays are over, and the roads are open again. It's time to go back and see my old man." Long Aotian had gained quite a bit of weight during this time, now lying comfortably on the bed as if it were his own home. "Then, Long Aotian, I..." Seeing Hu Yuying hesitate, Long Aotian chuckled and pinched her cheek. "Don't overthink it. Stay home and spend more time with your grandparents. Whenever you feel like coming, just call me, and I'll come get you." Hu Yuying reached up and touched Long Aotian's hand resting on her cheek. The rings on their fingers shimmered in silent understanding, an unspoken emotion between them. Only after ensuring all of Long Aotian's belongings were properly arranged did Hu Yuying finally leave the room. Back in her own room, she lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. After a long while, she tentatively tapped on the wall. She had assumed Long Aotian was already asleep. But soon, she heard a responding knock from the other side. A blissful smile curled on her lips. Long Aotian rested his head on his hands, waiting quietly in the dark for Hu Yuying's reply. Yet, after a long wait, there was no further response from the girl. Gradually, drowsiness crept over him. Half-asleep, he felt someone lift the covers and slip in beside him. He didn’t need to open his eyes—her familiar scent was unmistakable. The touch of her smooth skin sent a thrilling sensation through him. "Slow... please, slow down..." Her soft, pleading voice was tender and sweet. The next morning, $2ong Aotian looked somewhat exhausted, as if he hadn’t slept well the night before. In contrast, Hu Yuying’s skin seemed even more radiant, as if glowing with vitality. She climbed onto the tricycle and waved cheerfully at Long Aotian. "Long Aotian, I’ll take you to the station." After bidding farewell to her grandparents, Long Aotian rode the tricycle out of the village. Once they were on their way, he took out his phone and sent messages to the friends who had helped set off fireworks for them earlier. At this hour, most were probably still asleep. After sending the messages, he put his phone away and leaned against Hu Yuying. "Ah, I’m a bit tired." Hearing this, Hu Yuying giggled. "Serves you right for being insatiable." "You greedy man, now you know what exhaustion feels like!" Then, lowering her voice, she murmured, "Do you want to go back and rest a little longer? We can leave in the afternoon." "Nah, we just got out. If we go back now, everyone will gossip about me." "I’ve just been slacking on exercise lately. Last night’s sudden exertion took me by surprise—I’ll adjust soon enough." No sooner had he spoken than Hu Yuying pinched his waist. "Long Aotian, you’re shameless." "We can stop here. I can catch a taxi in town." Thɪs chapter is updated by 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝~𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖~𝕟𝕖𝕥 But instead of stopping, Hu Yuying sped up slightly. "I want to take you all the way." "It’s cold, little one. Look, your nose is turning red." "I’m fine! I’m used to it. I’m bundled up—I don’t feel cold at all," she retorted. What did the cold matter? Every time she had left before, it was Long Aotian who had seen her off. Whether in wind or rain, he had never complained. She wasn’t some delicate girl—Long Aotian just always wanted to take care of her, treating her as if she couldn’t manage on her own. But that wasn’t true. She was strong too, and she wanted to do something for him in return. At the bus station, $2u Yuying escorted Long Aotian onto the coach. "Long Aotian, promise you’ll message me as soon as you get home." Glancing around at the few passengers nearby, Hu Yuying bit her lip, then quickly stood on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on Long Aotian’s cheek. "Long Aotian, I love the ring... Wait for me..." Her face flushed crimson, too embarrassed to meet his eyes, she turned and hurried away. But she didn’t really leave. Instead, she stood where he couldn’t see her, watching until the bus slowly pulled away and disappeared. The journey back was much lighter than the one coming. Long Aotian leaned back in his seat, utterly relaxed. This trip had gone well—her grandparents had come to know and accept him. Nothing could have made him happier. Watching the bus carrying Long Aotian depart, $2u Yuying took a deep breath, pressing the hand wearing the ring to her heart as she silently prayed for his safe return. In the days that followed, $2ife returned to its usual rhythm. With Long Aotian gone, nothing seemed drastically different. And yet, everything felt subtly changed. Grandma noticed Hu Yuying sitting alone in the courtyard, basking in the sun, and walked over. "Want to take a walk with Grandma?" "No, Grandma. I’d like to stay here a little longer." Ever since Long Aotian left, Hu Yuying had grown quiet again, rarely going out. When she did, no one knew where she went. Most of the time, she just lounged lazily in the sun . "Come inside. If you stay out here much longer, you’ll get tanned, and Long Aotian might not recognize you," Grandma teased. At these words, $2u Yuying, who had never paid much attention to her appearance before, froze for a moment before quickly getting up and retreating into the house. "Yuying’s starting to care about her looks now." Grandma chuckled as she watched her hurry inside, then headed out to the village square. The elderly loved gathering there, chatting with others their age. Back in her room, $2u Yuying rummaged for a mirror. Inspecting her reflection, she turned her face left and right—thankfully, no sign of a tan yet. She pulled out the skincare products Qingxue had given her from her backpack. Now, she was learning how to take care of her appearance. She even video-called Qingxue to ask about the proper skincare routine. Maybe it was her naturally good complexion, but after a week, her skin did seem brighter and smoother. Before the Lantern Festival, $2u Yuying mentioned wanting to go to Haiwan City. She said she needed to return early to prepare for the upcoming semester. Her grandparents simply smiled—they knew exactly what she was thinking. But they didn’t press further. That evening, Grandma came to Hu Yuying’s room. Some topics were best discussed without men around. After listening to Grandma’s advice, Hu Yuying’s face burned with embarrassment, but she nodded earnestly in agreement. "You’ve always been sensible. Your grandparents like Long Aotian too—we don’t object to you two. But some things shouldn’t be rushed. You’re both still young, understand?" After Grandma left, $2u Yuying collapsed onto the bed, sighing. She didn’t have the heart to tell her that Long Aotian had already claimed her completely...