The sun shone brightly in F City as Meng Ting carried a basket of clothes to hang in the courtyard.

Her grandmother wiped her hands on her apron and hurriedly said, “Let me do that. That old man, how could he let you do this?”

Meng Ting smiled, “Grandfather and Grandpa Li went fishing.”

Grandmother grumbled, “At their age, running around outside all day.”

Grandfather’s house was a small building in the countryside, quite respected in the area. When Meng Ting arrived a few days ago with her bags, she thought she would be chased away with a broom like in her previous life.

However, to her surprise, she appeared in front of this old building wearing a sky-blue backpack.

Grandmother took one look at her and covered her face, tears flowing.

Even Grandfather’s eyes reddened.

Meng Ting resembled her mother, Zeng Yujie, only slightly. But that slight resemblance was enough to bring tears to the eyes of the two elders.

Grandmother said nothing, silently going to clean a room, letting Meng Ting stay in her mother’s former bedroom.

The room was clean; they had always kept it tidy.

During dinner, Grandfather finally spoke seriously, “Since you’ve come back, stay for a while. Consider this your home.”

Meng Ting held her bowl, her eyes stinging.

Her guess was correct. In her previous life, her Grandmother had chased her away because her Grandfather had broken his leg. It couldn’t be treated, and it would have been a huge burden for any family, so they didn’t acknowledge her. But in this life, Meng Ting came earlier. Both grandparents were healthy, and they accepted her, telling her this was her home too.

Blood relations ran deep. Having lost their daughter, the two elders fully accepted this young girl who resembled their daughter in just one day.

Meng Ting was even prettier than Zeng Yujie in her youth, perhaps because she had a handsome but irresponsible scoundrel for a father.

The old man had taught in the countryside all his life. When he heard that Meng Ting could rank first in her grade, the pride in his eyes nearly soared to the sky. Today, taking advantage of the good weather to go fishing, he wanted to show off to old Li.

Meng Ting didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. After hanging the clothes, she decided to go check on her grandfather.

The time of the accident was approaching, though she didn’t know which day exactly. Meng Ting only knew it involved falling from a small hill, so she had cautioned her grandfather not to go up any hills.

The fishing pond wasn’t near any hills, but Meng Ting decided to go take a look anyway.

She finished hanging the clothes and called out to her grandmother, “I’m going to watch Grandfather fish.”

Grandmother smiled, “Go ahead, come back early for dinner.”

Meng Ting nodded.

It was April, and the countryside was beautiful. The wheat in the fields wasn’t ripe yet, still a lush green. Wildflowers bloomed brilliantly, and as she walked along, the pear blossoms in the countryside had opened, covering the ground in white. F City was hot, and she wore a soft yellow blouse. Pear blossoms fell on her shoulders.

Children playing on the small path stared at her.

Their clothes were stained with mud, and the girls had leaves in their hair.

The youngest, Niuniu, asked her brother with a flushed face, “That big sister is so pretty, is she a mermaid princess?”

She had been listening to her mother’s stories about the mermaid princess lately, who was said to be very, very beautiful.

Her brother blushed and stammered, “Silly Niuniu, there’s no such thing as a mermaid princess. Mom was just fooling you.”

Niuniu didn’t believe him. She picked a wildflower with her chubby hand and toddled towards Meng Ting. Her brother couldn’t stop her and stomped his foot in frustration. How embarrassing!

She ran over and tugged at Meng Ting’s clothes without saying a word. Her big, watery eyes looked up at Meng Ting.

Meng Ting felt a softness in her heart. She smiled and patted the little girl’s head, taking two candies her grandmother had given her from her pocket and giving them to Niuniu.

Meng Ting must have said something because Niuniu happily nodded and returned to her brother’s side.

This brief encounter delayed Meng Ting, and she hadn’t yet reached the pond when she heard someone shouting that someone had fallen in!

“Quick, save him! Oh no, old Zeng!”

Meng Ting’s heart sank, and she ran towards the pond.

The village pond was said to have existed since the Republic era. It started as a lake that shrank year by year until the villagers used it for fish farming. The water was still very deep, especially after rising recently.

Meng Ting’s face turned pale. Despite the warm April weather, she felt as if she had plunged into an icy cavern.

When she reached the pond, she immediately saw the person in the water.

Her grandfather was struggling on the surface, slowly sinking.

She only knew a little swimming, and most of the elderly onshore were in their seventies or eighties.

The spring water was still icy, and though they wanted to help, they lacked the strength to do so.

Meng Ting didn’t hesitate and prepared to jump in.

Grandpa Li beside her held her back, “Wait, girl, don’t rush. Someone’s already jumped in.”

She calmed herself and looked. Sure enough, a moment later, a young man’s black hair surfaced. He dragged the person up from the water, his expression sour.

Grandfather had swallowed water and kept coughing, clutching the young man’s clothes tightly.

Spit and murky lake water on his face made his already fierce expression even colder. He wiped his face, “Damn it.”

He wasn’t gentle at all, roughly dragging the old man to shore before climbing out himself.

Jiang Ren hadn’t noticed before, but as he climbed up, the first thing he saw was a pair of black embroidered cloth shoes. The shoes were embroidered with delicate plum blossoms. Because of the girl’s dainty feet, they didn’t look rustic at all.

Then he looked up and saw that face he had been dreaming of day and night.

Tears of worry glistened in her tea-colored eyes, her long black eyelashes trembling. Spring pear blossoms had fallen on the girl’s head.

She was as tender as the pear blossoms that bloomed in this clear and beautiful place.

She knelt beside the old man he had rescued, patting his back.

After the old man coughed up the water he had swallowed, she finally raised her eyes to look at him.

Jiang Ren was dripping wet, soaking the ground around him.

His thin spring clothes clung to his body, faintly revealing the contours of his muscles. His long legs were slender yet powerful as he looked down at her.

With a hint of mockery.

Meng Ting didn’t know why, but she felt a bit guilty and embarrassed.

Old Li said, “That was terrifying. Thanks to this young man. Old Zeng, are you alright?”

The old man on the ground glared and, after catching his breath, had enough energy to scold, “This is what happens when you fight me for the fishing rod. Would I have fallen in if you hadn’t?”

After scolding, Grandfather felt pain in his leg.

A throbbing pain made his face pale. “Tingting, help me up. I’ve twisted my foot.”

Meng Ting quickly said, “Should we go to the hospital to check it out?”

The old man’s expression changed, “No, no! It’s not a big deal. Let’s go back and have your grandmother rub some medicinal wine on it.”

Jiang Ren lowered his head to wring out the water from his clothes, not responding to what the people around him were saying.

When others thanked him, he coldly acted as if he hadn’t heard.

He truly hadn’t expected that the person he casually saved would be Meng Ting’s grandfather.

After a while, he heard a soft “Thank you.”

It was as sweet as the April breeze.

Jiang Ren looked over. She was struggling to support the old man, planning to go home first to check on his foot injury.

An inexplicable anger rose in Jiang Ren’s heart, burning hotter when he saw her.

The crowd that had gathered to watch the excitement teased that Teacher Zeng would surely be scolded by his wife when he got home.

Jiang Ren didn’t speak to her either, but he crouched in front of the old man, “Get on.”

The old man, of course, remembered this young man who had saved him. He was full of strength, but too rough. His grip still hurt the old man’s bones.

Caring for his granddaughter, he had to let this young man carry him, “Thank you, young man. Thank you so much.”

Jiang Ren replied flatly, “Mm.”

Jiang Ren pressed his lips together and glanced at Meng Ting beside him.

Meng Ting was still shocked at how Jiang Ren had appeared here, but he had saved her grandfather. Seeing him look at her, she stammered, “Thank you, sorry for the trouble.”

The way home was long; it would have been truly difficult for her to support him back.

Jiang Ren’s eyes were cold as he looked away, seemingly not accepting her gratitude. He had at least responded to her grandfather, but to her, he didn’t make a sound.

Meng Ting could see he was in a bad mood, but when had she ever offended him?

Along the muddy path covered in fallen flowers, Meng Ting followed behind him.

The young man’s steps were steady.

Pear blossoms fell on his head, but rather than making him more elegant, they only irritated him further. He turned back and said to her, “Go in front and lead the way!”

Meng Ting didn’t mind his fierce tone at all and moved ahead to lead the way.

He could finally look at her properly.

She was as pretty as the pear blossoms. She had found this outfit from somewhere – a soft yellow blouse with toggle buttons and a plaid skirt below.

Further down were those black embroidered cloth shoes. Not rustic at all, but very beautiful. They had an almost gentle and elegant Republican-era feel.

Her waist was so slender he felt he could break it with one squeeze.

Her long hair fell over her shoulders, and around her, the pear blossoms bloomed brilliantly.

Young in years, but with a beauty that penetrated to the bone.

He didn’t need to imagine how disheveled he looked. His white shirt was stained yellow and black in patches, his jeans were wet, and his leather shoes were full of mud from the small lake.

The mud had accumulated for a long time, giving off an odor.

He smelled as bad as the drenched old man on his back.

He couldn’t look presentable no matter what.

Just like now, even though she was right in front of his eyes, Jiang Ren still felt she was so far away from him.

“Hey.”

Meng Ting turned back, “What is it?”

Carrying the man on his back, he said to her, “Come here and get this stuff off my head.”

Meng Ting looked up and saw that indeed, the spring breeze had covered him in pear blossoms too. She knew Jiang Ren was a rich person with a nasty temper, so without thinking much, she walked in front of him and said in a soft voice, “Lower your head.”

She smelled nice, and looked charming, with a faint smile in her eyes.

His eyes were pitch black as he lowered his head.

Suddenly, a rough old hand brushed over the top of his head. The old man on his back said warmly and generously, “There you go, young man. It’s gone. If more fall, I’ll brush them off for you.”

Meng Ting froze for a moment, then thought, “Oh no.”

The young man, whose expression was already sour, had his head touched by someone. His face turned murderous.

Meng Ting panicked a little too.

Why did Grandfather have to touch someone else’s head? She still remembered how much Jiang Ren hated that.

This person already had a bad temper. He might throw Grandfather off and beat him up.

In her panic, before he could lose his temper, she stood on her tiptoes and removed the newly fallen pear blossoms from his black hair.

Meng Ting’s clear almond eyes were moist, and her tone was gentle, like when she had comforted Niuniu earlier, “Now they’re gone, see?”

The white petals were in her palm.

For the first time, she treated him with the same gentleness and closeness as she did others.

Jiang Ren had been about to get angry. He was going to get angry. Who did this person on his back think he was, daring to touch him? But in the end, looking at the pear blossoms in her palm, he muttered, “Mm.”