Barbecue restaurants lined every street in Lianli, and eating barbecue was as ordinary as regular meals for Lianli locals.

Many people from nearby towns would make special trips to Lianli on weekends just for barbecue.

Zhang Sujin had once run a barbecue stall, where the beautiful proprietress often faced harassment from drunk customers late at night.

That’s how Zhang Shu got his reputation as Lianli’s little tyrant. A skinny teenager at thirteen or fourteen who looked like he’d fall apart if you picked him up, but people who underestimated him learned the hard way. Many thugs ended up crying and wailing after being beaten by him. When he got serious, he’d smash beer bottles on their backs without hesitation.

Han Xiao had seen Zhang Shu fight, his eyes flashing dangerously. It had made the then-well-behaved Han Xiao tremble, and he hadn’t dared approach Zhang Shu during their three years of middle school.

Although tourists were gone during New Year’s, people working outside had returned home. The streets were bustling, and Lianli’s nightlife only began at eleven.

“Lianli’s air is still the best – full of barbecue smell!” Han Xiao grabbed a small stool and sat down with a sigh.

“Old Du, add another pot of lamb spine!” Zhou Yingxiang called out, then asked, “Want anything else?”

Through the smoky haze of the barbecue stall, the owner’s response rang out clearly: “Coming right up! Han Xiao’s back too? Didn’t your mom go buy a big house in Nanli?”

Han Xiao shouted back: “Nowhere’s as good as Lianli – can’t get Old Du’s barbecue in Nanli!”

Old Du chuckled: “Hey, at least you know how to talk!”

The barbecue stall was crowded with people chatting amid the sound of firecrackers.

Laborers complained about difficult bosses, white-collar workers boasted about their amazing performance this year, and business owners discussed their grand plans for next year.

But regardless of status, at the barbecue stall, everyone just sat on small stools, alternating between meat and drinks.

“Shu, I heard from my dad that they’re turning your old house area into a historical town?” Han Xiao’s father worked in Lianli’s government as some kind of director, and his mother was the principal of Lianli Central Elementary School. With this background in Lianli, young Han Xiao had truly walked with his head held high.

Zhang Shu nodded: “That’s the plan.”

“Then your old house must be worth a lot now? Going to sell?”

“Don’t know.”

He’d never lived in the old house since birth and had no emotional attachment – it was all up to his sister now.

Han Xiao: “Hey, speaking of this historical town project, it was proposed by that person’s father. If it gets going, Lianli will see major development!”

Several brothers who went to school in Lianli didn’t understand: “Who?”

“Whose father?”

Zhou Yingxiang spoke proudly like an insider: “Your Brother Shu’s goddess’s father!”

“Who? Not Chen Mengyao?”

Zhou Yingxiang finally understood how Hou Junqi had felt and sneered: “Idiot.”

“…Who is it? Saw A-Shu’s post earlier, is he dating?”

“What does she look like? Let’s see!”

“Is she pretty?”

Zhou Yingxiang took on the role of spokesperson, jumping in: “Can’t describe it – ‘pretty’ is too superficial, right, A-Shu?”

Zhang Shu took a sip of his yellow intoxicating drink, saying nothing.

“Really? Prettier than Chen Mengyao?”

Zhou Yingxiang: “No comparison!”

“Damn, that’s something – let’s see!”

Han Xiao couldn’t be bothered and continued: “My dad says Sheng Mingfeng has solid political achievements. No special background just works hard, has ideas and abilities, and knows how to network. He’s served in some pretty impressive districts and counties and accomplished quite a bit. After going around, he came back to Nanli and became the top leader. At his age, he can probably go higher – maybe after a term or two he’ll be transferred to Dongzhou.”

“Dongzhou is a sub-provincial city. If he does well there, going up further means becoming someone ordinary people only see on the evening news.”

“That powerful…” Zhou Yingxiang mumbled, “Brother Shu, maybe stick with Chen Mengyao?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Han Xiao smacked the back of his head.

Zhang Shu also looked up, his gaze impatient.

“No, no, just joking around…” Zhou Yingxiang shut up.

Just as everyone was curious about this goddess’s identity, Zhang Shu’s phone rang – not a call, but a voice chat sound.

Zhang Shu was quite surprised too, making a gesture: “Keep quiet.”

Then he answered.

The others mouthed: Who is it?

Han Xiao: The goddess!

Everyone perked up their ears to listen.

Zhang Shu hadn’t turned on the speaker, so they couldn’t hear what the other side was saying, only his responses.

“What’s wrong?”

Just three words, but his tone lifted gently at the end, uncharacteristically gentle, ordinary yet sweet.

Zhou Yingxiang rubbed his arms. Heavens, how could Brother Shu have this kind of style?

“Not yet, I’m outside, mm, meeting some friends. It’s fine, don’t hang up, send it to me, I’ll look. Mm, good, very good, anything’s good. I’ll pick you up tomorrow. Hm? Okay then Yifang Bookstore, good, no rush, don’t… say a few more words… alright then…”

Now everyone exchanged glances, all rubbing their arms.

How could someone make people sick without saying any sweet words?

Zhang Shu finally hung up, but just as the group was about to gossip, he interrupted them again, calling to the owner: “Old Du, got paper and pen?”

“Yes!”

Soon the order-taking paper and pen arrived.

Zhang Shu didn’t fuss, looking at his phone while writing and drawing on the paper.

Everyone looked and was speechless.

He was solving a mathematical proof problem, and not a simple one by the looks of it, taking about five minutes.

The group just waited, occasionally whispering, then watched him finally finish, take a photo, and send it.

Then he looked at everyone as if nothing had happened: “What? Eat, drink?”

“Full.”

“I get it now – studying changes fate, knowledge achieves romance.”

“Regret not studying hard to get into the affiliated high school to explain problems to my goddess.”

Han Xiao snorted: “Heh, you think getting into the affiliated high school means you’ll have a goddess asking you questions?”

“Hahahahahaha!”

During their whispers earlier, everyone had mostly figured out the situation and asked: “A-Shu, is your girlfriend, uh, that secretary’s daughter?”

Zhang Shu said coolly: “Not girlfriend yet.”

“Huh?”

With that behavior, who would believe that?

“Would kids with that kind of background suffer through college entrance exams like us? I thought they all went abroad through connections.”

“I feel the same – even if not now, they’ll go eventually, right?”

“A-Shu, you’re going to study at Heyan University, right? It’s hard for others to get in there too?”

“Does this mean long-distance relationships are inevitable?”

Han Xiao said: “There are many good universities in Heyan, not just Heqing and Haiyan. Although the scores required are all high, Sheng Xia’s grades are pretty good, right?”

“The issue isn’t about grades, it’s whether she wants to go or not, right?”

“…”

…

The gathering lasted until early morning. Zhang Shu got home at two, and surprisingly, Zhang Sujin was still awake.

“Sis? What are you doing?”

“Waiting for you.”

Zhang Shu tossed his keys aside, “Why wait for me? You could have called?”

“You rarely come back to see friends, and you’re returning to Nanli tomorrow. It’s good to spend more time together, didn’t want to spoil your fun.”

“Got something to say?” Zhang Shu sat by the sofa.

Zhang Sujin hesitated: “About tomorrow’s meal…”

“Mm, what’s up, any changes?”

Tomorrow, Zhang Sujin’s boyfriend had arranged for both families to meet, decided on New Year’s Eve.

Zhang Sujin said: “No changes, just wanted to tell you about their family beforehand, so you won’t feel uncomfortable.”

Zhang Shu: “What, they have a mean mother-in-law?”

Zhang Sujin: “No, both his parents have passed away. Their family circumstances are quite good, that’s actually what I was worried about and why we hadn’t confirmed things. He has a nephew you know…”

“The one who used to be in our store’s afternoon care, your classmate, Lu Youze.”

The Lu family?

That’s way beyond just “quite good.”

Zhang Shu’s expression didn’t change, just his eyebrows raised slightly.

“You didn’t have a great relationship with him before, tomorrow you…”

Before Zhang Sujin could finish, Zhang Shu laughed: “Sis, what are you worried about? On such a good day, I won’t do anything to him. Think about it, having a big nephew isn’t bad?”

Zhang Sujin: …

She had an ominous feeling.

…

Sheng Xia went to bed early, though it was already midnight. Compared to her usual two or three AM, this counted as early.

Tomorrow she had to wake up early to move all her afternoon study tasks to the morning.

Because at three in the afternoon, she had agreed to meet Zhang Shu at Yifang Bookstore.

When setting her alarm, Sheng Xia hesitated.

Wake up at six?

Mm…

What if he asked her to stay out for dinner?

Then she should complete part of her evening tasks too.

Finally, she set the alarm for five AM, falling asleep with an unconscious smile.

The next afternoon, she skipped her nap and stood perplexed in front of her wardrobe.

Nanli’s spring came early, with temperatures nearly hitting 28°C during the New Year, truly giving winter no chance.

What should she wear?

She had quite a few clothes, mostly sportswear – complete sets for all four seasons that required no matching.

But… she didn’t want to wear sportswear today.

“Sis? Mom says you’re going out with Sister Zhizhi, can I come too?” Wu Qiuxuan suddenly appeared at Sheng Xia’s door, excited.

Sheng Xia avoided eye contact: “Well, we’re going to the bookstore, it’ll be very boring.”

“Still better than staying home!”

“You,” Sheng Xia randomly picked out a cotton dress, “aren’t you starting school tomorrow too? Don’t you have a lot of homework left?”

Wu Qiuxuan pouted: “Then I can take it to the bookstore to do it, change of environment! My brain’s not working anymore!”

Sheng Xia wasn’t good at lying and didn’t know what to say, pretending to be angry: “No, go play with your friends, how can you always hang out with your sister?”

Wu Qiuxuan was a bit confused, glancing at the dress laid out on the bed, “Sis? You’re wearing a dress?”

“Mm… still not sure what to wear…” Sheng Xia said worriedly, apparently still unsatisfied as she opened the wardrobe again, staring at the clothes in thought.

Wu Qiuxuan’s eyes turned playful as she walked in, “Going out with Sister Zhizhi, why wear a dress? It’s just the bookstore, why worry about what to wear?”

Sheng Xia panicked inside – what was up with A-Zhen, had she figured something out?

“You’re not going to see Brother Zhang Shu, are you?”

At this, Sheng Xia quickly closed the wardrobe, “What are you talking about, Wu Qiuxuan!”

“Hehehe, looks like I’m right. Then I won’t go – your little sister is very sensible!” Wu Qiuxuan backed out of the room giggling, whispering before closing the door, “Sis, don’t tie up your hair, wear a pretty hairpin!”

Sheng Xia stood in front of the mirror wearing the dress, looking at the crystal hairpin in her black hair, hesitating.

Would it seem… too deliberate?

She took off the hairpin, put it in her bag, and left.

Between riding her bike and taking a taxi, Sheng Xia chose to ride – in case he wanted to go somewhere else, they’d have transportation. Taxis were quite expensive, and he was so frugal.

For this reason, she went back home to get another helmet.

Watching her sister leave twice, Wu Qiuxuan mused: one beautiful, one handsome – she couldn’t decide whether to envy her sister or Brother Zhang Shu.

Remembering Tao Zhizhi’s principle that “you must never arrive early for the first date,” Sheng Xia had timed her departure carefully, but maybe she rode too fast – she arrived at two forty-five.

So she turned back, retreating to an intersection away from Yifang Bookstore, pulled over to the side, and browsed her phone, waiting for time to pass.

Unconsciously, she clicked into their chat again, still showing the voice message she’d sent him last night.

He had said to call him anytime she couldn’t solve a problem.

So last night, she did.

She hadn’t expected it to be noisy there, him gathering with friends. Thinking about so many people waiting for him made her embarrassed.

But he still solved the problem for her.

In front of everyone – could that count as… public favoritism?

Sheng Xia’s lips unconsciously curved upward. It had been a week since they’d met. The weather was warm now – what would he wear today?

He said he had a family lunch gathering today, so he should be dressed up a bit.

She hoped she wouldn’t seem too deliberate.

Time was almost up. Sheng Xia rode toward the store, pushing open Yifang Bookstore’s door right on time.

He wasn’t there yet.

Was he delayed by the lunch gathering?

Sheng Xia chose a sunny spot by the window, and ordered water first – they could order other things together when he arrived.

At quarter past three, he still hadn’t appeared. With nothing to do, Sheng Xia browsed her phone again – should she… ask?

It was just fifteen minutes – if he had something come up, she’d seem too eager.

So she gave up.

The phone screen went dark, reflecting an unhappy face.

Sheng Xia curved her lips into a smile for herself, then took out the hairpin from her bag and put it on.

At three-thirty, he still hadn’t come.

Sheng Xia opened their chat countless times, finally biting her lip and saying: “Where are you?”

Almost instantly, the chat showed the other party was typing.

But two minutes passed, and Sheng Xia still hadn’t received any message.

Hm?

Did he have something come up and couldn’t message?

Just as she was thinking this, her phone vibrated – [Song Jiang is inviting you to a voice call…]

Sheng Xia quickly answered.

“Hello, do you have…”

“Sheng Xia, you should go home first.”