1

Many years later when he thought back on it, Ye Rong had never actually spoken directly to him about Nie Xiguang. Many things he had heard from Zhuang Fei’s mouth.

One weekend after the start of senior year, after he had eaten and washed the dishes, he prepared to set out for his tutoring session at Jiang Rui’s house. Zhuang Fei followed him to the door, hesitating several times before speaking.

He sat on the stool changing his shoes when Zhuang Fei finally said it, “Brother, does Jiang Rui’s sister like you?”

“Who told you that?” Zhuang Xu stopped tying his shoelaces and straightened up.

“Sister Rong Rong said so.” After speaking, Zhuang Fei hurriedly explained, “She wasn’t speaking ill of others. She’s just a bit sad. Sister Jiang Rui seems very domineering—knowing about your relationship, she still said in the dorm she would definitely pursue you.”

Zhuang Xu was silent for a moment, then said, “I understand.”

“Brother, do you like her? I think the way she acts… is very bad.” Zhuang Fei had always been a very gentle boy. Using “very bad” to describe someone was already his limit.

Zhuang Xu didn’t answer him directly. He bent down again and carefully finished tying his shoelaces, “Focus your mind on your studies. These things aren’t for you to worry about.”

He stood up but didn’t leave immediately. After a moment, he lowered his eyes and said, “Just a few more sessions. After these are done, I won’t continue.”

After saying this, he walked out without looking at Zhuang Fei, but forgot to close the door behind him as he usually did.

Later when their mother was hospitalized, one day when only he and Zhuang Fei were eating at home, Zhuang Fei brought her up again, “Brother, can’t we borrow some money from Auntie and return Sister Jiang Rui’s money first?”

Zhuang Xu immediately looked at him, “Why do you say that?”

Zhuang Fei mumbled for a long time before saying, “Sister Rong Rong said everyone at your school knows about Sister Jiang Rui lending you money. Don’t know who spread it, but… she said in the dorm that since she helped you, you definitely have to be with her.”

Zhuang Xu gripped his chopsticks for a long time, still saying, “Don’t worry about these things. Study well.”

But it was also Zhuang Fei who, after seeing her once during the college entrance exam, said to him, “Brother, I don’t think Sister Xiguang is the kind of person Sister Rong Rong described.”

He had only just met her and already called her Sister Xiguang.

Xiguang… Nie Xiguang.

Of course she wasn’t.

Zhuang Fei knew after just one meeting.

But him at that time…

“You say you have misconceptions about me—what right do you have to have misconceptions about me based on what others said? But we spent an entire summer vacation and a semester together. I did so many things, said so many words—couldn’t you see or hear them? With your intelligence and emotional intelligence, could you really not understand? You just didn’t want to understand. You were just unscrupulous because you felt secure.”

Zhuang Xu stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows of his Lujiazui office, not understanding why he remembered that conversation from so many years ago so clearly.

He knew he hadn’t misremembered a single word.

Over these years, he had also come to understand long ago—she hadn’t said a single word wrong.

A light knock on the door came from behind, awakening Zhuang Xu from distant memories.

“Come in.” He said in a low voice.

The new assistant Xiao Chu pushed the door open, “Director Zhuang.”

He reported several work matters to him. Zhuang Xu stood by the window listening. Finally, Xiao Chu mentioned A University’s anniversary celebration, “The school has received our stamped donation agreement. Finance will transfer the funds according to the agreement in the next couple days. Also, the school has invited you to attend the donation ceremony on the 25th and the banquet that evening. The official anniversary is on the 26th—there’s the school’s anniversary assembly in the afternoon, then returning to the Business School for activities, with the Business School also having a dinner in the evening. The liaison for other activities sent me detailed introductions, which I’ve printed out.”

Xiao Chu handed him the anniversary activity schedule. Zhuang Xu took it and quickly reviewed it, “Skip the donation ceremony—the amount isn’t large, not necessary. I can attend the banquet. Adjust the afternoon meeting on the 25th.”

Xiao Chu nodded, but internally disagreed strongly. A personal donation of ten million wasn’t a large amount? Although there were indeed alumni who donated over a hundred million, those were veteran entrepreneurs approaching sixty. His own boss was only just over thirty—he really didn’t need to set such high standards for himself.

“So staying in Nanjing for one day?”

“Yes, come with me.”

“Great!” Xiao Chu’s face lit up with joy as he responded loudly.

He was a recent graduate of A University. Of course he couldn’t ask for more than to accompany his boss back to attend his alma mater’s anniversary. To some extent, having just graduated and entered this famous quantitative fund company, this could be considered returning home in glory.

Xiao Chu left the office excitedly. The spacious room fell quiet for a moment.

After standing for another moment, Zhuang Xu returned to his seat. Before him, several screens rapidly flickered with data hiding the code to wealth, while behind him was the brilliant and expensive Huangpu River view.

His partner and investor had smiled and said to him when he moved into this office, “Zhuang, from now on you also possess the Huangpu River.”

Zhuang Xu had only smiled. In fact, more often when standing before this floor-to-ceiling window, he felt more like this was a cliff he could fall from at any moment.

This mentality was also reflected in his investment style—always vigilant and restrained, waiting for the right moment to strike with certainty.

The phone set aside kept sounding WeChat notification tones. After finishing responding to an email, Zhuang Xu picked up his phone and opened WeChat.

The A University Business School WeChat group showed several hundred unread messages.

This group was usually very quiet, but recently, probably with the anniversary approaching, it had become unprecedentedly lively. Today everyone was especially enthusiastic. The cause of this wave of enthusiasm was that an hour ago, a classmate who stayed on as faculty had forwarded two campus network news items.

One was news about Guangyu Photovoltaic’s donation to A University, the other was news about Sequence Quantitative Fund’s donation.

After forwarding these two pieces of information, this classmate sent another message with an @, saying with a slightly official tone: @Nie Xiguang @Zhuang Xu Having you two is our Business School class’s pride.

About a month ago, Zhuang Xu had received A University’s centennial anniversary invitation. After receiving the invitation, he had remained very calm. No one had even appeared in his mind.

Until this moment when he was @mentioned.

That message with the @ had long been swept away and lost.

Zhuang Xu looked at the still continuously jumping chat records. He didn’t scroll up to look, so he didn’t know whether the other @mentioned alumna had replied. But out of politeness, he thought he should reply courteously.

He opened the text input box. However, having just typed the two words “too kind,” two new lines of information jumped out in the chat interface.

The alumna who had been @mentioned along with him first sent a somewhat lively emoji, then said cordially and appropriately: Was just in a meeting, everyone is too kind, this is what we should do.

If words were like meeting face to face, did this count as old friends reuniting?

She seemed to have never spoken in the alumni group, just like him.

At least this was his first time seeing it.

After WeChat became widespread, there were all kinds of groups among classmates, but everyone tacitly never put the two of them in the same group, except for public alumni groups like the A University Business School group.

And in reality, after Suzhou, he had never encountered her again, not even at classmates’ weddings.

Either he was absent due to commitments, or she missed it due to business trips. Heaven seemed to have suddenly severed all connections between them, no longer even granting coincidences.

Zhuang Xu held his phone for a long time before sending out his reply.

Night had fallen outside the window. He set the alumni group to do-not-disturb mode again, momentarily losing the inclination to continue working. There were still a dozen unread messages on his phone. He stood up, picked up his coat from the sofa, and walked out while scrolling through them.

Alex had sent him a message at noon saying A Bank’s former colleague Shawn had returned to China. He was treating him to a welcome dinner with some other friends, asking if he wanted to join.

Zhuang Xu simply replied with two words: Where?

2

At a Western restaurant along the Lujiazui waterfront, Alex put down his phone and said with feigned nonchalance, “A friend might come later—a former colleague of Shawn’s and mine at A Bank. Everyone doesn’t mind, right?”

Of course no one minded. At this kind of dinner, friends bringing friends was common. This was how networks expanded. In fact, there were two people at the table Alex was meeting for the first time.

But similarly, no one paid special attention, except Shawn who asked, “Who’s coming?”

Alex had been waiting for him to ask. He continued with the same indifferent expression, “Zhuang.”

Shawn was startled, “Who?”

“Zhuang. He was in the same department as us at first, then went to the investment banking division not long after. You forgot?”

How could Shawn forget? “Zhuang Xu?”

No prefix introduction was needed. Everyone at the table was in the finance circle. Someone immediately exclaimed, “Not the Zhuang Xu from Sequence, right?”

Alex nodded, “Who else? This name isn’t that common.”

Shawn was extremely surprised, “Zhuang was at A Bank for just over a year, right? I remember he left before I went abroad. You’re still so close now? He’s become quite famous these past years. Even abroad I’ve heard his myth of growing against the market.”

Alex almost rolled his eyes, “The way you put it—does success mean you don’t need friends anymore?”

Others couldn’t help joining their conversation, “Alex, you’re so low-key? You can call out such a big shot, but I’ve never heard you mention being so close with Zhuang Xu.”

Alex was modest, “It’s not like I’m the accomplished one. Talking about it isn’t interesting. Today is for Shawn’s return, so I asked if he’d come.”

Shawn quickly waved his hands, “I don’t have that kind of face. This is your influence, Alex.”

Alex was satisfied and became even more modest, “We were roommates after all, so we’re closer.”

Though he said this, Alex knew in his heart that if it weren’t for many years ago when Zhuang Xu abruptly contacted him, borrowing the pretext of business to go to Suzhou with him, they might still only be casual acquaintances to this day.

They truly became friends after returning from that photovoltaic company in Suzhou.

He still clearly remembered how Zhuang Xu looked on the way back that day—he tried so hard to maintain normalcy, yet every detail was falling apart.

That day after returning to Shanghai, he originally had plans with a girl he was interested in, but even after walking to the apartment complex entrance, he ended up calling to cancel on her. Returning home, he grabbed a bunch of beers and knocked on Zhuang Xu’s door.

Later, Alex inexplicably paid special attention to the photovoltaic sector.

He didn’t know if Zhuang Xu would do the same. In previous years when photovoltaic stocks were doing especially well, he would even suddenly wonder—would Zhuang Xu heavily invest in this sector?

Would that make him think of an old acquaintance?

Sometimes he felt that Zhuang Xu’s desperate departure from A Bank back then also had to do with that old acquaintance.

Large institutions were glamorous and respectable, but too slow.

While Alex was reviewing the past, the conversation at the table had already turned to Zhuang Xu’s private life. A friend asked curiously, “I heard he’s still single?”

Alex felt this wasn’t anything he couldn’t discuss, “Yeah, at least last time we met he still was. But that dinner was already three months ago.”

“I heard DC’s Grace was his girlfriend?”

“That’s ancient history.” Another friend answered, “They broke up long ago. They dated for a year or two. Grace found herself a young hottie now—posts on WeChat Moments every day.”

The Shanghai finance circle wasn’t large. All kinds of gossip and rumors spread fast. It wasn’t strange that someone knew. Alex had met this Grace—they had eaten together once, though they weren’t very familiar. He was more familiar with Zhuang Xu’s later girlfriend, Susie, a carefree and beautiful woman. She was his classmate when studying in the UK. They had even met through him. But a year ago, they had also broken up.

When men gossiped, they were actually more enthusiastic than women. Gradually things became unfounded. Alex quickly stopped them, “Don’t spread rumors. Zhuang is upright—he doesn’t have all these messy things you’re talking about. He’s only dated two girlfriends, both ended.”

“Did the big shot play around?”

Alex was annoyed, “Amicable breakups.”

So amicable that Susie would even still eat with them later.

He had privately asked Susie how she could be so unbothered. Susie said open-mindedly, “He didn’t commit any fundamental errors. Why can’t we be friends?”

“Then why did you break up?”

Susie asked back, “Does no error mean we can’t break up? What outdated notions you have.”

Alex was exasperated, “I’m afraid you won’t find another boyfriend with such good conditions in the future!”

Susie shook her head, “His conditions are good—excellent, handsome, wealthy, even thoughtful and gentlemanly. Who couldn’t love that? Being with him was truly joyful, but gradually you feel lonely. Alex, I don’t want to say these coy, old-fashioned things, but he doesn’t love me enough. I can’t torment my heart.”

“Welcome.” The server’s voice suddenly rang out.

Alex leaned forward to look toward the entrance. Sure enough, Zhuang Xu had arrived. He immediately waved his hand.

Everyone at the table followed his gaze. Upon seeing him, the friend who had been gossiping most enthusiastically clicked his tongue, “He really is that strikingly handsome. I thought the public photos were photoshopped.”

Alex: “…”

He looked at his old friend walking toward them—as always tall, lean, and refined. His mere appearance could easily change the atmosphere of the entire occasion. Time seemed to have left only benevolent marks on him. His bearing had become increasingly relaxed and natural in his movements.

Zhuang Xu walked to the table and naturally pulled out the chair beside Alex, “I’m late.”

Alex said with a smile, “No problem being late—just pay the bill.”

Zhuang Xu smiled faintly, “Of course.”

The dinner was enjoyable for all. They didn’t finish until after nine. Of course Alex wouldn’t actually let Zhuang Xu pay—after all, he had organized the gathering. That Zhuang Xu came and stayed until the end had already given him great face.

After saying goodbye to everyone at the restaurant entrance, Alex asked Zhuang Xu, “Walking back?”

Zhuang Xu nodded. His home was nearby.

“Then let’s go together. I’m going back to the office to get my car. We can walk part of the way together.”

Along the way, Alex kept lamenting, “I should have gritted my teeth and bought a place here back then. I could sleep at least half an hour more in the morning.”

Zhuang Xu teased slightly, “That doesn’t sound like something the party king would say. Which weekend in the past didn’t you party until almost dawn?”

Alex got goosebumps, “No, no, don’t mention past titles—too cringeworthy. Now that I’m older, I need to take care of myself.”

Chatting casually, they walked a stretch. The two passed by the apartment complex they had once rented in. Their footsteps almost simultaneously slowed.

Alex looked at the familiar complex entrance and suddenly laughed, “Actually, when I asked you to live together, I had ulterior motives.”

Realizing the ambiguity, he quickly remedied, “Not those kinds of ulterior motives. I’m a married man with normal orientation. What I mean is, when I asked you to share a rental, I was thinking since you’re so handsome, many girls would definitely want to meet you. If I lived with you, I could meet more girls through you.”

With time passed, Alex could now joke about his little schemes from the past.

“I guessed a bit.”

“You guessed?” Alex was astonished.

“We weren’t that close back then. You suddenly came to tell me rent would be sixty-forty in your favor, letting me take such a big advantage—there had to be some reason.”

Alex immediately felt dissatisfied upon hearing this, “You knew it was a big advantage, yet you still deliberated for so long?!”

“Forty percent wasn’t cheap either.” Zhuang Xu looked up at the building he had once rented in—this was his habitual action every night when coming home and entering the complex.

He smiled and said, “I must have struggled quite a bit.”

Alex looked at his expression and somehow thought again of that person buried in memory.

He remembered before going to Suzhou, they had also encountered that Miss Nie in the complex. At that time, Zhuang Xu didn’t seem enthusiastic, and had even started actively joining the social activities he organized.

So before Zhuang Xu agreed to share a rental with him, did he know or not know that she also lived in this area?

Zhuang Xu withdrew his gaze and walked forward. Alex caught up, saying lightly, “Zhuang, you and Susie broke up over a year ago, right? Haven’t dated anyone since?”

Zhuang Xu’s manner was also relaxed, “What, going to introduce me to someone?”

Alex was speechless, “You still need me to introduce you? With the circles you’re in now, everyone is exceptional.”

“Hey, you haven’t forgotten that girl from Suzhou, have you? It’s been years.” Alex counted the time and said in amazement, “Almost ten years.”

After Alex spoke, he expected Zhuang Xu to immediately deny it. Who knew he would instead lower his eyes and say lightly, “I haven’t reached the age of forgetting yet.”

But it wasn’t that kind of not forgetting.

Actually, if not for the anniversary, he felt he seemed to have stopped thinking about it.

At the next intersection, they went their separate ways. Alex watched Zhuang Xu’s tall, lean figure walk away, and somehow recalled Susie’s words—being with him feels lonely.

At this moment, however, he felt that Zhuang Xu might not have wanted to disappoint his girlfriends. He was also serious and invested, only his fundamental nature was lonely.

Then he felt himself ridiculous.

This friend of his now managed nearly ten billion in funds as a rising star in finance. His personal wealth was probably in the nine figures. How was it his place to feel the man was lonely?

Moreover, if one could possess such a career at such a young age, even if somewhat lonely, who wouldn’t be willing?

3

On the way to Nanjing, Xiao Chu kept sending WeChat messages. Zhuang Xu replied to several emails on his phone. When he looked up, he happened to catch sight of his brilliant smile.

Xiao Chu noticed his gaze and immediately put away his phone, nervously explaining, “I don’t have any work at the moment, so…”

“It’s fine.”

Xiao Chu relaxed and said somewhat shyly, “My girlfriend is messaging me. She’s also from A University, hasn’t graduated yet. She’s asking me what to eat for a late-night snack.”

Zhuang Xu nodded slightly. Xiao Chu thought he was off the hook when he heard him ask, “Is He Sheng still open?”

Huh? Xiao Chu was somewhat confused.

Seems it closed long ago. “What about Old Lin’s rice bowls?”

“Never heard of it.” Xiao Chu scratched his head.

“The beef noodle shop at the North Gate?”

“That one exists.” Xiao Chu quickly nodded, “My girlfriend and I go there often—just always have to wait in line.”

His boss’s expression seemed distracted again. The closer to the anniversary, the more frequently he spaced out. Xiao Chu suddenly remembered what his girlfriend had just said on WeChat about rumors regarding his boss during his university days.

Supposedly, back then at school, many female students liked him.

Xiao Chu hadn’t been working long. He still retained some of a university student’s innocence and courage. He immediately forgot the nervousness of just being caught by his boss and couldn’t resist asking curiously, “Director Zhuang, did many girls like you in college?”

Zhuang Xu seemed surprised by this question. He looked up in astonishment. Meeting those cool eyes, Xiao Chu immediately regretted it. He was done for—this question seemed too presumptuous.

Just as he was regretting it, his boss answered him.

“Not sure, but.”

But what?! Don’t leave me hanging! Xiao Chu didn’t dare ask this time, but his eyes stared at him unblinkingly, revealing a hundred thousand percent of curiosity.

“I did like a classmate though.”

“What happened later?” Xiao Chu asked without hesitation. This time he wasn’t being rash—his boss clearly had the desire to confide and chat! It would be derelict of him not to follow up.

“Later?”

His boss’s gaze became somewhat distant. He curved his lips slightly and said, “Later, she said it was my delusion.”

Xiao Chu was extremely shocked.

What situation was this? His boss confessed and was rejected? How was that possible? And the other party was too ruthless—rejecting was one thing, but to completely deny his boss’s feelings.

His gaze fell on that extremely refined face before him. He couldn’t understand at all how, not even mentioning how excellent his boss was, just based on this height and looks alone, there could be a girl who could reject him.

He couldn’t help thinking of his boss’s legendary rise to success. His boss’s humble origins were well known. Could that girl have rejected him because he was too poor during his school days?

That lacked foresight.

Xiao Chu immediately imagined some counterattack face-slapping scenarios—thirty years east of the river, thirty years west; don’t look down on poor youth, and so on. He said with satisfaction and certainty, “She must regret it now.”

He was almost immediately refuted, “No, she’s doing very well now.”

Huh? Xiao Chu felt like he had flattered the wrong leg. His face looked somewhat awkward.

His boss paused then said, “Even if not well, she wouldn’t regret it.”

Xiao Chu had ten thousand questions in his mind. His curiosity intensified. What kind of girl could make his boss defend her like this even after she rejected him?

But his boss clearly didn’t plan to answer his questions. After saying this, he seemed to suddenly lose interest in chatting and closed his eyes, leaning back against the chair.

Xiao Chu felt somewhat embarrassed about flattering wrongly and decided to stay quiet for a while. However, after the car drove another stretch, he heard his boss say softly, “It was my fault. If I can see her this time, I think I should say sorry to her.”

4

Although tomorrow was the official anniversary, A University already had an anniversary atmosphere.

At least the traffic jam outside the North Gate had already begun.

Xiao Chu stuck his head out the car window and looked for a long time. There was still no sign of traffic moving ahead.

“Seems like there’s a minor car accident. Good thing we left early.” He closed the window and reported to Zhuang Xu.

Zhuang Xu nodded, raised his wrist to check his watch, and instructed, “You and the driver go to the school first. I’ll walk there myself in a bit.”

Xiao Chu was startled. Their vehicle had been registered and could drive directly into the school. The school was so large—it wasn’t close to walk to the dining location.

But before he could say more, Zhuang Xu had already pushed open the car door and gotten out.

Xiao Chu’s gaze involuntarily followed him, watching his tall, lean figure pass through the line of cars, then walk forward a bit more, finally stopping at—the beef noodle shop?

Xiao Chu rubbed his eyes. What was going on? After all that, his boss was hungry and wanted to eat noodles?

That was understandable. There were still over three hours until the banquet. They had rushed out at noon and only ate sandwiches.

But how could his boss eat alone? He was hungry too! Why didn’t his boss bring him along!

Xiao Chu felt aggrieved.

Zhuang Xu stood at the entrance for several minutes before reaching out to push open the noodle shop door. A familiar aroma of food immediately wafted toward him.

The noodle shop seemed unchanged. The tables and chairs were still the original wooden ones. The walls had been lightly touched up, not much different from before. The servers were vaguely the same people from before, just a bit fatter, their hands and feet still nimble.

The only difference was probably that payment was now required first. The cashier lady actually recognized him, “I know you. You’re back for the anniversary, right?”

“Yes.”

“I remember the handsome ones. You look like you’ve done well too. Alone? Don’t have a girlfriend yet?” The lady was a bit gossipy.

Zhuang Xu wasn’t put off by her curiosity. He smiled and answered her, “Not yet.”

“Then you need to work harder.”

“I will.” He said seriously.

After paying at the counter, he took his receipt to find a seat.

Probably many alumni came to reminisce. Although it was past mealtime, there were still quite a few diners in the noodle shop. Only a few seats remained empty.

Zhuang Xu’s gaze fell on one of the empty seats.

Time seemed to suddenly flow backward.

He remembered that time when he and Ye Rong came out of school and passed by here, he was suddenly pulled into this noodle shop. At that time his mind was in turmoil—on one hand seeming to celebrate that he could finally let go, on the other involuntarily thinking about how to convince Ye Rong not to publicize this matter at school.

It wasn’t until she stood up that he discovered she was also here.

That was the last time he came to this noodle shop during his university days.

The him of those days used almost all his strength to resist that feeling that went against his will, yet would do many inexplicable things.

When returning money, he would return more, secretly hoping she would ask why, so he could naturally tell her this was his gain from a trip to the stock market.

The financial market never had guaranteed profits. His principal was only just over thirty thousand. If he had lost, it would have taken much longer to repay. Fortunately he won. The excitement and sense of achievement in that moment—even though he later maneuvered hundreds of millions in funds through the secondary market reaping enormous wealth—could never be compared. At that time, though he had made up his mind to stay away, he incomparably yearned for her surprised and admiring gaze, just like in Jiang Rui’s house when he brought out a plate of fried rice from the kitchen and she looked at him that way.

How clumsy and how self-centered you were, Zhuang Xu—he said to his former self.

Past events had played repeatedly during a certain period in the past, but many things only gained the courage to see clearly after success and fame, to analyze minutely.

He also finally went from initially needing to clench his fists to endure such self-flagellation, to shaking his head with a smile when remembering, to now almost never thinking of it anymore.

His gaze lingered on that empty seat for a long time. He ultimately still sat elsewhere.

The noodles were brought up.

This beef noodle dish finally wasn’t like last time, tasteless. The freshly simmered bone broth was fragrant and rich, the noodles soft yet chewy. He calmly finished eating, even drank half the soup, before standing up to leave.

Traffic had resumed on the street. Vehicles and pedestrians came and went. He looked through the glass door, then pulled it open. Outside the door, a woman was on the phone, her back to him, in a long dress with long hair, wearing a beige sweater—a very gentle color.

He was about to walk past her ordinarily, like passing by any random passerby in daily life, but then he heard her voice.

“Where did you park?”

Zhuang Xu abruptly stopped in his tracks.

“That far? Then I’ll wait for you at the entrance… won’t go in first. This shop’s sign isn’t obvious—I’m afraid you’ll spend forever looking for it. I’ll be a landmark for you… Huh? This counts as insulting you?”

She laughed. He couldn’t see her expression, but felt that smile must be lively, joyful, and light.

“Okay, okay, then I’ll go inside and wait for you. If you’re not here within ten minutes, you have to admit you’re old with failing eyesight and bad at finding places.”

While speaking, she laughed and turned to walk inside. Probably not expecting someone to be standing behind her, she bumped into him without warning.

“Ah.” She let out a soft exclamation.

Zhuang Xu reflexively wanted to reach out to steady her, but in the next second restrained himself with utmost control and withdrew.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, I just bumped into someone. I’m sor…” She explained to the person on the phone, raising her head as if to apologize, but upon seeing him clearly, instantly fell silent.

A thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers, rushing through the starry night. The moment he looked into her eyes, he knew—regarding her, he had finally reached the destination.

How wonderful, he thought. She came here without any grudge. She didn’t care at all.

He hadn’t left any scratch on her happy life.

He felt as if some secret corner in his heart had been completely opened. He smiled, looked at her, and said, “I’m sorry.”

She was startled, as if surprised, and also as if understanding. Finally, she broke into a smile and said to him, “It’s okay.”

——End of Prelude