Men, more often than not, are blindly overconfident.

Jiang Yan assumed that because Jiang Ruoqiao was willing to hear him out, there was still a chance for them to reconcile. His earlier gloom lifted entirely. He thanked Lu Yicheng and left the Lu residence, taking a taxi back to Mingmen Huafu. For reasons he couldn’t quite explain, stepping back into the Lin family home gave him a complicated feeling. He would think of Lin Kexing, of that night’s chaos, and strangely, in this moment, he found himself somewhat afraid to face her. As for Jiang Ruoqiao — he couldn’t bear to be away from her for even a moment. But when it came to Lin Kexing…

Jiang Yan deliberately kept his eyes away from the main building and didn’t look up at the second floor the way he usually did out of habit.

He walked in, eyes straight ahead, and entered the side building.

The moment he stepped inside, he ran into his mother.

Jiang Yan’s mother felt a wave of comfort wash over her when she saw him return. No matter what had happened, even a weary bird eventually finds its way back to the nest. These past two days, wherever he had been, whoever he had been with, he had still come back here in the end — back to the Lin family home. The truth was, if Kexing could just bring herself to focus on this, she would know that patient waiting would eventually yield sweet fruit. Unfortunately, Kexing seemed to have been too eager. She had made a wrong move, and now the situation was heading in an uncertain direction.

“Ah Yan, come in here with me for a moment,” Jiang Yan’s mother set down what she was doing and called to him.

Jiang Yan responded softly.

He followed his mother into the suite in the side building. Once she had locked the door behind her, her expression shifted sharply. Before Jiang Yan could react, she struck him across the face with considerable force. The blow snapped his head to the side. He stood frozen, and slowly lifted his eyes to look at her.

Jiang Yan’s mother’s eyes were tinged with red, her hands trembling slightly — as if she regretted hitting her son. She turned away, her voice catching in her throat. “Ah Yan, do you know how much the Lin family has done for us? The debt we owe them is immeasurable.”

Jiang Yan hung his head, his hands instinctively clenching into fists at his sides.

These past two days, all he had been thinking about was how to earn Ruoqiao’s forgiveness.

Nothing else. It was as if, in this moment, at this juncture, nothing else and no one else mattered.

Jiang Yan stayed silent.

His mother continued. “I’ve failed Madam Lin. Back then, she was the one who took us in, a mother and son with nowhere to go. Over these ten years, she gave us a peaceful home to live in, and she even helped with your schooling. And now my son is hurting her only daughter! I cannot live with that, Ah Yan. Have you taken leave of your senses? Kexing has always treated you like her own older brother!”

Jiang Yan closed his eyes, his jaw tightening, his whole body drawn taut.

“These past two days, Kexing has been in pain, and she’s been crying. I can see it clearly — she truly thinks of you as a real brother. All these years, you’ve seen how Madam Lin and Kexing have treated us. Kexing is such a poor child — her other two brothers are more than ten years older than her and not from the same mother. From the time she was small, she treated you like her own family, like a real brother…”

Jiang Yan’s mother knew, of course, that she couldn’t let Ah Yan find out about Kexing’s true feelings. Not even a hint of it.

So she had to keep emphasizing that Kexing’s feelings for Ah Yan were those of a family member — of a younger sister for an older brother.

But she didn’t know what Jiang Ruoqiao had said to Jiang Yan that day — those cutting, sardonic words.

And so now, as Jiang Yan listened, the words “older brother” and “younger sister” grated on him more painfully than ever. His mother’s words overlapped with Ruoqiao’s, and the ache inside him became unbearable.

He truly could not stand it anymore.

He couldn’t bear to hear those words — brother and sister — for another second.

They made him think of that night, of Ruoqiao’s clear, cool eyes looking at him, her voice calm as she asked: *Is she still just your little sister now?*

For the first time, he cut his mother off mid-sentence. His voice came out low and heavy. “Don’t say it again. She’s not a younger sister. She is not my younger sister, and I am not her older brother.”

His mother went still.

Both from the shock of what he had done and from what he had said.

As his mother, she understood him too well. When he said those words, it carried no ambiguity. It was not the kind of thing you said about someone you were simply close to.

Jiang Yan said in a quiet, steady voice, “When all is said and done, Kexing and I have no blood relation whatsoever. We are not siblings. I’m sorry for what happened. I’ll deal with the more pressing matter first, and after that, I will give Kexing a proper apology. Mom, please stop saying that she is my younger sister and that I am her older brother. It serves no purpose except to humiliate me.”

His mother was at a loss.

“One more thing, Mom.” Jiang Yan tightened his fist, steeling himself. “I’m moving into the dormitory soon, and when breaks come around, I probably won’t be coming back here anymore. I’ll find a way to rent my own place. If you want to see me, come there.”

He had thought it through.

If he wanted to win Ruoqiao back, he would need to cut all ties with the Lin family side of things.

It would be difficult, but there was no other way.

And besides — after what had happened between him and Kexing, he had no face left to go on living under her roof as if nothing had happened. From now on, the best approach would be to minimize contact as much as possible. That way, it would be easier for both of them.

His mother was completely stunned.

What was happening? Why was he saying all of this out of nowhere?

Her anxiety showed plainly on her face.

Jiang Yan pinched the bridge of his nose, looking utterly exhausted. “I remember every kindness Madam Lin has shown me. Whenever she needs anything in the future, I will never refuse. But… there are other things I need to consider as well, Mom. I’m sorry.”

With that, Jiang Yan went to the bathroom to wash up and rest — he wanted to be in the best possible state for the meeting.

His mother was left standing there, overcome by a creeping dread. What was going on? Why were things moving in the worst possible direction?

She had known her son liked Jiang Ruoqiao, but she hadn’t known the depth of it ran this far — deep enough that he was willing to leave the Lin family home.

—

Jiang Ruoqiao arrived at the company right on time that afternoon.

The interview was far more serious than she had anticipated. Not only did she face the HR interviewer, but also the department supervisor and manager. Fortunately, she had prepared thoroughly. She hadn’t neglected her studies at school, and combined with two years of photography work, she was able to hold herself steady and carry herself with composure even in such a formal setting. Sure enough, she could tell that both the supervisor and manager were quite impressed with her. They said nothing outright, but it showed on their faces.

Quietly, she let out a breath of relief.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this job was as good as hers.

At the end of the interview, the supervisor who had been most pleased with her called out to stop her.

The supervisor was a capable-looking woman in her mid-thirties.

She smiled and gave Jiang Ruoqiao’s shoulder a light pat. “Xiao Jiang — is it alright if I call you that?”

Jiang Ruoqiao nodded quickly.

The supervisor winked. “I’m actually a fan of yours.”

Jiang Ruoqiao blinked. “…Excuse me?”

“I’ve watched all of your videos.” The supervisor laughed. “When I saw you walk in, I already had a sense of it. Xiao Jiang, you are an exceptionally talented student. This interview was an exception that required special approval from above, but if we offer you the position, it will be entirely because your own abilities are more than sufficient for the role.”

The supervisor genuinely liked Jiang Ruoqiao.

She had followed her by chance and recognized from the start that this was a remarkable young woman — her attention to detail was evident in every piece of work she had posted.

Whether it was the written test or the interview, both were just soundings of the depths. And yet this girl who hadn’t even graduated yet was more impressive than the two candidates who had come before her.

Hearing this, Jiang Ruoqiao was both pleasantly surprised and genuinely moved.

“Alright, Xiao Jiang — wait for the notification email from our HR team.” The supervisor smiled warmly.

Jiang Ruoqiao nodded with conviction. “I will!”

Walking out of the company building, Jiang Ruoqiao felt a surge of fighting spirit she couldn’t quite explain.

In truth, she was still a long way from being a working professional, but for some reason she felt full of anticipation for her own future.

All these years of hard work… all this time… had not been wasted.

Even the thought of meeting Jiang Yan couldn’t dampen her spirits now.

Jiang Ruoqiao was still thinking about Lu Siyan.

Once she entered the subway station, she called Lu Yicheng.

He picked up quickly. His steady, unhurried voice came through to her ear. “Hello.”

He paused, then offered what sounded like a polite pleasantry. “How did the interview go?”

Jiang Ruoqiao’s tone was light. “Not bad. Should be fine.”

Lu Yicheng gave a small laugh. “Then — congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Jiang Ruoqiao added, “How is Siyan? Is he okay?”

“He took his medicine and slept for a while. I just took his temperature — the fever’s broken.” Lu Yicheng replied.

“That’s a relief.” Jiang Ruoqiao asked, “Is he there?”

“He is.” Lu Yicheng paused. “Would you like to talk to him?”

“Yes.”

Lu Yicheng handed the phone to Lu Siyan, who had been staring at him with wide, hopeful eyes, and said quietly, “Your mother wants to talk to you.”

He said this without covering the phone, so Jiang Ruoqiao heard it clearly. At that moment, the subway line she needed to board had just pulled in. She stepped inside the car, and strangely — perhaps because she was on the phone with him — she found herself thinking of yesterday, when the three of them had squeezed onto the subway together.

Lu Siyan’s lively voice burst through. “Mama!!”

Jiang Ruoqiao found herself a spot to stand and her eyes curved with a smile. “Siyan, have you been listening to your father?”

“I have — I even took that horrible medicine like a good boy.” Lu Siyan said this and then felt he really had been quite the little man about it. “It was so bitter, and I still took it.”

Jiang Ruoqiao laughed. “Then you really are very impressive. Would you like a reward?”

“Mama, did your interview go really well?” Lu Siyan asked with excitement.

“It went alright.” Jiang Ruoqiao was quite modest around the child. “I just performed at my normal level.”

“Then it’s definitely fine!” Lu Siyan cheered. “Mama is very capable to begin with — she can do anything well —” This seemed a bit over the top, and he caught himself. “Except cooking!”

Jiang Ruoqiao: “…”

Lu Siyan then asked, “Mama, are you coming back now?”

Jiang Ruoqiao said with a slight wince, “Not yet. I still have something to take care of. I might be a little late, but I’ll definitely be back to have dinner with you.”

Lu Siyan gave a disappointed “Oh.” “Where are you going then?”

Jiang Ruoqiao replied, “Just to a park on the street across from the hotel — Lakeside Park. It has lots of play equipment. Once you’re fully better, I’ll take you there.”

Lu Siyan was overjoyed. “Really?!”

He then moved the phone away and bragged triumphantly to Lu Yicheng. “Papa! Mama said she’s going to Lakeside Park later for something. She’ll take me there to play next time.”

Lu Yicheng was caught off guard for a moment.

So — she had arranged to meet Jiang Yan at Lakeside Park?

After hanging up, Jiang Ruoqiao made her way to Lakeside Park as quickly as she could. She had chosen this spot after careful consideration — it was lively and had heavy foot traffic, and it was also close to the hotel, making it a good place for a conversation. Once she had settled things with Jiang Yan, she could head back to the hotel early to have dinner with Siyan.

Lakeside Park was as busy as ever.

When she arrived at the agreed-upon spot, Jiang Yan hadn’t yet come.

If Jiang Yan were still her boyfriend, this kind of behavior would have earned him a thorough scolding.

But now he was history, and what he did or didn’t do was of considerably less concern to her.

The lakeshore was bordered by a wide stretch of grass.

People were walking their dogs, children were kicking footballs, and some people were simply lying on the grass looking up at the sky. It was wonderfully leisurely.

She sat off to the side, waiting for Jiang Yan.

After a little while, she noticed a football rolling to a stop at her feet. Looking up, she saw a small boy of about five or six approaching somewhat shyly. He immediately made her think of the little one back at the hotel — around the same age, about the same height. Of course, he wasn’t nearly as cute as her own little one! She hereby officially declared that Lu Siyan was the most adorable little cub in the entire world.

Jiang Ruoqiao used to go out of her way to avoid children whenever she saw them.

Something had changed in her now.

Whenever she saw a child around Lu Siyan’s age, she thought of him.

And thinking of him, her face would naturally break into a smile without her realizing it.

And so what Jiang Yan saw when he arrived — stopping a short distance away — was this: a beautiful, delicate-featured girl with a gentle, warm expression, returning the football to the little boy and saying something to him. The boy was shy and bashful, while she wore the softest smile.

All these years, Jiang Yan’s life had appeared to lack for nothing.

Yet no matter how good the Lin family home was, it wasn’t truly his home. No matter how kind Madam Lin was to him, they weren’t truly family.

And so for these past ten years, he had been, in a sense, living under someone else’s roof. That feeling was not something easy to sit with.

Deep down, he had always longed to have a home of his own. Now, watching this scene before him, he thought of the future — a future where he was with Ruoqiao, where they dated and married and bought a place together, and had a sweet, adorable child. That was the most beautiful future he could imagine.

Lost in this daydream, Jiang Yan walked over.

Jiang Ruoqiao noticed him approaching and let the smile fade from her face.

Meeting again like this, with none of the tenderness from before, Jiang Ruoqiao was expressionless.

Jiang Yan also sat down beside Jiang Ruoqiao. The two of them looked out at the various scenes of life playing out on the grass, and it was Jiang Ruoqiao who broke the silence first. “What is it you still wanted to say?”

She added, “If it’s an explanation — you don’t need to bother.”

What good would it do at this point? The breakup was already a fact.

Jiang Yan’s voice came out subdued and pained. “She and I… it really isn’t that kind of relationship. I never had a single thought like that about her.”

“And what about her feelings for you?” Jiang Ruoqiao couldn’t hold this back — especially when she thought about her own ending in the original story. Whenever she thought of it, it was like a fishbone stuck in her throat. “Anyone with eyes can see she likes you. There’s no point in denying it. If you can’t see it, that’s your own problem. Take that night, for example — did she struggle? Did she say anything to tell you that you had the wrong person? She didn’t, did she?”

Even with all her frustration toward Jiang Yan, there was one thing Jiang Ruoqiao was quite certain of: at this stage, Jiang Yan genuinely had no romantic feelings for Lin Kexing whatsoever.

He had mistaken Lin Kexing for her.

If Lin Kexing had struggled even a little, he would have stopped immediately.

That much she believed.

Or if Lin Kexing had spoken up to let him know he had the wrong person — he would have stopped then too.

This was not about shifting all the blame onto Lin Kexing. Rather, Jiang Ruoqiao felt that both Jiang Yan and Lin Kexing bore responsibility for what had happened.

But right now, Jiang Yan seemed not yet to have grasped this. It made Jiang Ruoqiao genuinely wonder — what had she ever seen in this person? Was she blind?

Lin Kexing had feelings for him, and he hadn’t even noticed!

Truly astounding.

Jiang Yan went quiet. He was honestly not sure about this.

That night had been so chaotic that even now, he couldn’t remember whether Kexing had struggled, whether she had said anything to stop what was happening. He didn’t remember, and he would not make claims about things he couldn’t be certain of.

“Ruoqiao…” Jiang Yan wanted to say something more. His expression was grave, his brow tightly furrowed.

Jiang Ruoqiao stopped him. Her expression settled into something calm and composed. “Don’t bring up your childhood bond with her again. I don’t want to hear it. Jiang Yan, I didn’t come out to meet you today to listen to explanations, and I’m not here to debate what your relationship with her is or isn’t. To be perfectly honest — whatever you two are to each other right now, I genuinely don’t care anymore.”

She said, “Jiang Yan. Let’s part on good terms.”

Even if tomorrow Jiang Yan turned around and married Lin Kexing, she wouldn’t feel a single ripple inside.

All she wanted was to keep her distance from both of them. That was all.

Was a little basic consideration really so much to ask?

—