Lu Huaizheng parked his car by the lake. As they talked, the lake’s surface seemed to be sprinkled with a thin layer of golden specks from the moonlight, scattering dazzling light. Yu Hao looked up, with moonlight encircling the windshield, meeting those eyes as deep as pond water, and was momentarily speechless.

“Beep beep—”

A car nearby needed to exit and honked loudly at them.

Lu Huaizheng smiled, closed the door, and walked around the front of the car to the driver’s seat. Once their car merged onto the main road, neither of them spoke another word.

When they reached the first intersection, Lu Huaizheng leaned against the window waiting for the red light, and finally remembered to ask, “Where do you live?”

Yu Hao gave her address.

Lu Huaizheng hadn’t been to that area much and turned his hand to find the navigation. Yu Hao said, “I know the way, just drive.”

He withdrew his hand and leaned back in his seat, his gaze idly wandering the street scenes outside while waiting for the green light.

When the light turned green, he released the brake, and the car slowly followed the traffic ahead.

“After the next traffic light, turn left.”

Lu Huaizheng gave a low “mm” in response.

“How did you know about that beef tongue…” She didn’t continue.

Lu Huaizheng understood what she meant. He leaned back in his seat, eyes firmly fixed on the road ahead, not answering.

Yu Hao thought he wouldn’t respond, but as the car turned left, the turn signal flashed on, and suddenly she heard him speak in a calm voice: “I saw it while smoking at the entrance. The billboard had it written in black and white—Saturday special.”

After saying this, he glanced at her askance and asked with a smile, “What? Did you think I’d been there with someone else?”

Yu Hao remained silent.

He curled his lips again, “I don’t have that much free time.”

“I’ve been to Qin Qing Gate,” Yu Hao blurted out.

Lu Huaizheng suddenly turned his head.

Yu Hao met his eyes, “I found the Lovers’ Eyes you talked about.”

In high school, he often told her tall tales. He couldn’t even remember exactly what stories he had made up at that time. Most were from books he’d read as a child, or stories his grandfather had told him, embellished and processed into incredible tales he would tell Yu Hao. Initially, he just wanted to tease her, but later he discovered that she listened attentively each time, and when he finished, she would still be fascinated, pursuing him with questions: “And then? And then?”

Then he would create suspense, smile, and refuse to continue.

In truth, there was no “and then”—he simply couldn’t continue making things up, yet she was so gullible.

Later, he told her about the Lovers’ Eyes. It was a place he had visited with his grandfather during a trip to the countryside. Qin Qing Gate had a famous mountain, unlike ordinary mountains that were jade-green and varied in height. The mountaintop was bare, covered with chaotic rocks, with a lake’s water flowing through. Wind and sun weathered the rocks over time, wearing away their sharpness, and these scattered rocks eventually weathered into a series of strange peaks, attracting numerous tourists.

The most famous was the Lovers’ Eyes, a secluded valley at the foot of the mountain. When birds flew over, their low calls were like the lingering whispers between lovers.

Visitors, seeking good fortune, would carve their names onto the rocks.

When Lu Huaizheng told this story, he patted Yu Hao’s head and said, “Next time I go, I’ll carve our names there.”

Those were all jokes from their youth. He was well-mannered and disliked random scribbling. Occasionally writing her name in the snow was a release—one wipe and the trace would disappear, no constraints.

If he were to seriously write their names on the Lovers’ Eyes, he would have felt embarrassed; it wasn’t something a real man would do.

Lu Huaizheng came back to his senses. The car had just stopped at her place. He turned off the engine, lowered the window, and smiled: “Is that so? Did you go looking for your name?”

Yu Hao blushed and turned away uncomfortably, “No.”

He took out a pack of cigarettes from the armrest box, held it in his hand, and casually shook one out. “Were you disappointed not to find it?”

When he received no answer, Lu Huaizheng looked up and found Yu Hao staring at him intently.

The already narrow space of the car cabin suddenly became cramped due to her burning gaze. Her eyes were darker and brighter than most people’s, carrying a kind of straightforward frankness because she didn’t understand subtlety.

She truly wore almost all her emotions on her face, not knowing how to conceal them at all.

From her panic and helplessness at the wedding banquet that night, to her evasiveness at the military district that day, to her current bold eagerness, he could see everything.

He could almost guess what she would say next.

The atmosphere in the car became intimate, with a subtle fragrance flowing. Lu Huaizheng thought it must be her perfume—very light and pleasant, irresistibly drawing people closer.

“Lu Huaizheng.”

Her voice had softened, somewhat like in the past when he teased her when she would chase after him in embarrassed anger, only to be caught and restrained by him, then plead with him in a soft voice.

Lu Huaizheng inexplicably felt hot, with sweat breaking out on the back of his neck.

This name had been called thousands of times. In high school, she would call him “Lu Huaizheng” just like this, regardless of how others addressed him, she would always give a crisp “Lu Huaizheng.”

And with his servile nature, he would always respond particularly quickly. One second he’d be chatting idly with Jia Mian, and the next, hearing her call him, his head wouldn’t even have turned yet but he’d already responded with an “mm.” Then he’d turn to look for her in the crowd, spot the girl’s figure, smile, quickly end his conversation with Jia Mian, and run over to find her.

Jia Mian said he was too eager, that he wouldn’t be treasured.

Just now, when she called him, he had initially been lowering his head to pull a cigarette from the pack, about to put it in his mouth. Upon hearing her, he had almost instinctively responded with an “mm.” The cigarette was still pinched in his hand, held at his mouth. He paused and turned to look at her.

He raised an eyebrow, gesturing for her to continue.

The pale moonlight penetrated through the treetops, gently falling on the car roof, with some residual light landing on her face, making those bright eyes even more captivating.

Lu Huaizheng felt he was no longer the young hothead he once was. This was nothing compared to then.

The next moment,

“I was quite happy today,” Yu Hao said with a smile, a smile that dazzled, with shallow dimples at the corners of her mouth.

Lu Huaizheng put the cigarette back in the pack, having lost interest in smoking. He tossed it back into the armrest box and turned his head casually to look out the window, the corner of his mouth slightly raised: “I could tell, it was practically written on your forehead.”

She stared at him, asking sincerely, “Really? Am I that obvious?”

Lu Huaizheng turned back to look at her: “Want the truth?”

She nodded.

Lu Huaizheng leaned forward a bit. The man’s breath suddenly drew closer. Yu Hao remained as still as a meditating monk, motionless with her eyes wide open looking at him. Then she heard him smiling, saying slowly word by word: “Because I know you too well.”

After saying this, he casually unbuckled her seatbelt. “You can go home now.”

…

As Yu Hao went upstairs, she was still immersed in his final ambiguous glance, feeling that she had become transparent before him. Yet she wondered, did he truly understand her?

Twelve years apart, he had become even better at… charming girls.

Her mind couldn’t help but recall the conversation he had with Wu Heping in the psychological release room that day, those words that made one blush and set the heart racing with wild imagination.

Was this what they called the inherent weakness of men?

When she entered the door, she heard the roar of a car downstairs. It must be him driving away, perhaps sitting in the car smoking a cigarette before leaving.

Feng Yanzhi leaned against the window, arms crossed, looking at her with interest. “You didn’t come back in Xiao Shen’s car? Whose car is that downstairs?”

Yu Hao lowered her head to change her shoes, not looking up: “A friend’s.”

Feng Yanzhi showed interest, “Male or female?”

Yu Hao answered truthfully: “Male.”

Feng Yanzhi nodded, “What does he do?”

Yu Hao threw her keys into the basket, standing in the entrance area glaring at her.

Feng Yanzhi clicked her tongue, “What? Can’t I show some concern?”

Yu Hao couldn’t be bothered to respond and turned to walk into the bathroom. Feng Yanzhi followed like a haunting spirit, “You and Xiao Shen have no chance?”

Yu Hao lowered her head, scooped a handful of water, and wiped her face, her voice muffled behind her hands: “Mom, if I promise to get married this year, will you stop bothering Senior Shen?”

Feng Yanzhi’s eyes lit up, “Alright, but don’t bring home some questionable person. Your father and I will need to evaluate them. We don’t require conditions like Xiao Shen’s, but at least they should have a proper job.”

Yu Hao lowered her head to think—that being in the military would count as a proper job.

“Fine,” she agreed with a nod.

Feng Yanzhi happily went to find Old Yu. Comrade Old Yu was half-leaning against the headboard, nestled in the blankets reading a book, with a faint light on at the bedside.

Feng Yanzhi pushed open the door and partially closed it behind her, leaving a thin gap.

“Our daughter is getting married.”

Pah!

Old Yu was so startled he nearly rolled off the bed. He sat up directly, dropped his book, took off his reading glasses, and looked at Feng Yanzhi with a wrinkled face, his eyes wide, exclaiming with earth-shattering shock:

“What?!!!!”

Feng Yanzhi let out an “aiyo” and covered her ears, walking over and quietly shushing him at the bedside.

“Lower your voice. I just heard her say she promised me she’d get married this year.”

Comrade Old Yu was extremely skeptical. “She promised you she’d get married this year?!” Still finding it incredible, he frowned and pointed angrily at Feng Yanzhi with his glasses: “Did you push her too far? Did she say she’d find anyone to marry? I’m officially notifying you, Comrade Feng Yanzhi, if you push her again, if you push her again! If you push her again, I’ll divorce you!”

Feng Yanzhi was stunned, her expression changed drastically, her voice cold: “Say that again?!”

“I’ll say it!” Comrade Old Yu snorted, “I’m saying if you keep forcing our daughter to get married, I’ll make sure you don’t have a husband!”

“Whoever doesn’t divorce is a grandson. We’ll go to the civil affairs bureau tomorrow!”

Feng Yanzhi was someone who never feared threats. With her temperament, she could follow through on such things in a heartbeat. Comrade Old Yu was very aware of when to back down.

He pursed his lips for a while, not speaking.

Seeing her expression soften somewhat, he quickly changed the subject, “What exactly did Hao say?”

Feng Yanzhi was still angry, “Go ask her yourself!”

“That was just said in anger, don’t be mad. I’m just worried you’ll push our daughter too far, and she’ll just marry anyone of unknown origin, which would ruin her life,” Comrade Old Yu explained, cushioning his words.

Feng Yanzhi stood with her hands on her hips, annoyed: “Just now I was at the window and saw her return in a strange man’s car. They sat in the car for a long time, who knows what they were doing. When she came in, her face was still flushed. It’s probably that man.”

Old Yu made a “yi” expression of disgust, “Isn’t that boring? Young people’s business, and you’re spying?”

Feng Yanzhi snorted.

“I’ve even noted down the license plate. Tomorrow I’ll have someone investigate what this man’s background is.”