The three cars entered the garage one after another.

As soon as she got out, Mother Jiang’s gaze fell on Lu Yan. Seeing that Lu Yan was indeed as beautiful and graceful as Aunt Liu had described, her smile widened as she closed her car door and walked toward them.

Coming closer, Jiang Chengyi gestured to Lu Yan and said to his mother, “Mom, this is Lu Yan.”

Then he said flatly to Lu Yan, “This is my mother.”

Though Lu Yan felt a strange sensation in her heart, she still smiled at Mother Jiang and said, “Hello, Auntie.”

Mother Jiang warmly shook Lu Yan’s hand: “Hello, Miss Lu.” She was well-preserved – though over fifty, her skin remained fair and firm, with only light laugh lines around her eyes.

More remarkably, her gaze was clear and her smile pure, evidence of a life lived smoothly without time’s ravages.

Unlike Lu Yan’s mother who, though a striking beauty in her youth, had aged considerably.

Mother Jiang didn’t recognize Lu Yan. Firstly, Jiang Chengyi hadn’t had the chance to introduce Lu Yan to his parents before they broke up. Secondly, even if she had glimpsed her at the basketball court and had some impression, eight years had faded those memories.

Mother Jiang examined Lu Yan with a beaming smile, looking increasingly pleased: “You were just out with Chengyi?”

Jiang Chengyi coughed, interrupting: “Mom, why did you come today?”

Mother Jiang gave her son a sideways glance: “I was just passing by, happened to see your car, and followed to check on you. I won’t stay long.”

At this moment, Ding Jing hurried over in her high heels.

Non-residents’ cars could only park in temporary spots. Although she had managed to drive in, she had circled unable to park until Mother Jiang’s phone call just now.

As soon as she arrived, she linked arms with Mother Jiang, complaining affectionately: “Auntie, you didn’t even wait for me.”

But Mother Jiang’s attention remained on Lu Yan, asking her gently: “You work at First Affiliated Hospital? Is the work very tiring?”

Lu Yan answered honestly: “Yes, I work there. It’s not too bad, I’m used to it now.”

Inwardly, though, she felt increasingly puzzled. Glancing over, she saw Jiang Chengyi standing in front of the three of them but looking to the side, appearing very indifferent, and she worried she might be misinterpreting things.

Ding Jing, left hanging on the side with no chance to speak, finally noticed something and remarked strangely: “Hey, Jiang Chengyi, did you forget to call the elevator?”

Mother Jiang finally remembered Ding Jing and said to her: “No hurry, no hurry. I’m going to visit Chengyi’s aunt afterward, so I won’t be going up with them. I’ll just chat a bit and leave. Oh right, Jingjing, does your friend live here too? In the same building as Chengyi?”

Ding Jing smiled stiffly: “My friend hasn’t returned yet. I thought I’d wait for her to come back before visiting.”

Mother Jiang asked her: “Didn’t you have some strange experiences recently and wanted to talk to Chengyi about them? Since you’ve run into him today, you should tell him about it properly.”

Ding Jing looked at Jiang Chengyi, paused for several seconds, then smiled casually and shook her head: “It’s nothing new. I was probably just too tired then and getting paranoid.”

“Alright then.” Mother Jiang checked her watch and said to Jiang Chengyi, “It’s getting late. Come here, Chengyi, Mother has something to tell you.”

Seeing the hint of craftiness in his mother’s smile, Jiang Chengyi hesitated before following her.

Only Lu Yan and Ding Jing remained.

Neither spoke. In the past, Lu Yan might have felt uncomfortable, but she had always kept her distance from Ding Jing, never intending to engage in superficial pleasantries.

Standing quietly to the side looking at notes on her phone, she quickly put Ding Jing out of her mind.

Ding Jing stared at Lu Yan for a while, and seeing her complete indifference, suddenly stepped closer and said: “Lu Yan, have you heard of ‘Winter Solstice’?”

She watched Lu Yan intently after saying this, as if afraid to miss even the slightest change in her expression.

Winter Solstice? Lu Yan was baffled – wasn’t that just a solar term?

She didn’t respond.

Ding Jing’s eyes narrowed, and seeing that Lu Yan showed not even the slightest hint of recognition, her face instantly turned ashen as she nervously said in a low voice: “Stop pretending, you must know, right?”

Lu Yan calmly looked back at Ding Jing: “I’m sorry, but I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Ding Jing froze, then slowly shook her head, enunciating each word: “No, you know. I’ve long suspected this was all your doing.”

Lu Yan coldly watched Ding Jing, seeing her expression becoming increasingly unstable, and felt annoyed: “What exactly are you trying to say?” Just then, Jiang Chengyi and his mother returned.

“Little Lu.” Mother Jiang came over and warmly took Lu Yan’s hand, patting the back of it, “Next time Auntie comes, we’ll have a meal together.”

Then she opened her car door and gracefully waved to Ding Jing: “Jingjing, Auntie’s leaving first.”

The white headlights came on, and with the roar of the engine, the sports car drove away.

Jiang Chengyi turned to Lu Yan and said: “Let’s go.”

The two entered the elevator, but Ding Jing remained rooted to the spot.

Before the elevator doors closed, Lu Yan glanced out and saw Ding Jing staring vacantly into space, her expression extremely unpleasant, as if struggling to figure something out.

She turned her head again and found Jiang Chengyi also watching Ding Jing, his gaze notably cold.

She was stunned for a moment, suddenly struck by a strange suspicion – could it be that Ding Jing’s real purpose wasn’t to see Jiang Chengyi, but to find her?

But how did Ding Jing know she was at Jiang Chengyi’s place?

When they entered the apartment, Aunt Liu came to greet them: “You’re back.”

She brought them each a glass of lemon water.

Lu Yan thanked her repeatedly.

Aunt Liu smiled and said: “Lunch will be ready soon. I’ve made sweet and sour yellow croaker.”

Lu Yan froze, secretly glancing at Jiang Chengyi. Sweet and sour yellow croaker was her favorite dish, but Jiang Chengyi disliked it. When they were dating, she had willfully ordered it several times while dining out. Once when she forced him to eat it, he had to drink lots of soda afterward, still complaining about the lingering fishy taste, and refused to kiss her that evening.

Thinking of this, she suddenly couldn’t stay in the entryway anymore and mumbled, “Um, I’ll go back to my room to check some materials,” before walking inside.

Just as she reached the corridor, Jiang Chengyi called out from behind: “From my mother to you.”

As he approached, one hand in his pocket, he held out a bag to her.

Besides the one for Lu Yan, he still had another bag in his hand.

Lu Yan hesitated before accepting it. The bag was exceptionally elegant and light, with an English brand name that looked familiar – she vaguely remembered seeing it in Tang Jie’s closet.

She felt relieved, thinking it probably wasn’t an expensive gift, but when she opened it and looked inside, her mind exploded – it was a white lace nightgown set, with barely enough fabric for either the top or bottom.

She quickly looked up at him and found him watching her obliquely, his expression as calm as his gaze. But somehow, just in that brief exchange of looks, her ears began to burn traitorously.

He must have looked inside beforehand, or even if he hadn’t, the packaging alone would have told him what was inside.

Struggling to maintain her composure, she forced out a dry smile and said: “Please thank Auntie for me.”

He made a sound of acknowledgment in his throat and walked on.

Lu Yan watched his retreating, suddenly incredibly curious.

If Mother Jiang had given her a bag containing lingerie, what was in the bag she’d given to him?