Lin ZhiHua carried Snow Jiao on his back, heading in one direction. For more than twenty years, he had always been rational.

Getting soaked in the rain.

Such a thing would never have appeared in his dictionary.

But today, because of the girl on his back, he was willing to get drenched.

Only with the cold rainwater hitting his face did he feel alive.

Lin ZhiHua told himself not to feel distressed. It was completely normal for young men and women who spent time together every day to develop a bit of confused affection.

Her feelings for him probably weren’t that deep either. At most, it was just a slight emotional mist that emerged from youth.

He knew and understood that such feelings wouldn’t last.

She was still young. This couldn’t even be considered love.

But still…

He felt terrible.

Like someone was taking a knife and slicing his heart piece by piece.

She was crying as she lay on his back. Though she was so light, Lin ZhiHua felt as if he was carrying a mountain, weighing heavily on his chest.

Jiao Jiao…

You’ve finally grown up a little, but your eyes… the first person they saw wasn’t me.

Snow Jiao lay on Lin ZhiHua’s back, something in her eye sockets flowing out with the rainwater.

She felt somewhat sad, but she also knew that she and Yi TianYu weren’t compatible at all. He was sensitive, impulsive, yet extremely earnest.

She was rational and restrained, even to the point of being bound hand and foot.

Snow Jiao let the rain soak her, crying her heart out completely, then allowing this relationship that end before it even began to fade like her past cold.

Catching an illness at the tail end of high school.

And then, making a full recovery.

Now Snow Jiao felt miserable, but long after today, when she looked back, she would just smile.

Because she understood that it wasn’t love.

The small buds of adolescence, because they accompanied our parting, seemed particularly pure and precious.

If in the rest of our lives, we cannot meet someone we truly love, this first budding hidden deep in our memories will be our most nostalgic, most cherished memory. Longing to possess this feeling is like longing to possess youth that never fades.

But if we can meet true love for the rest of our lives, we’ll understand that such small buds, compared to love, are insignificant.

And love had always been by her side.

Lin ZhiHua carried Snow Jiao to his apartment, which was in the city center. There was a path along the side of the No. 7 Middle School that led directly through, and after walking across two more streets, they arrived at the back entrance of his apartment.

His apartment matched his characteristics very well—cold, hard, mechanical, with gray-white walls and European-style decoration.

Except for practical items, there was nothing else. Cabinets and tables with distinct edges and corners.

Everywhere was empty and bare, making it feel lonely and desolate.

It was hard to imagine what kind of feeling he had when sitting alone in this home.

Lin ZhiHua placed Snow Jiao on the sofa, then walked to a cabinet nearby and took out a first aid kit.

He knelt in front of her, one hand holding her foot.

Snow Jiao’s foot was a bit cold, but Lin ZhiHua’s hand was very warm.

“Ah!” Snow Jiao, who had been in a daze, suddenly exclaimed. His action was unexpected.

Lin ZhiHua gently removed her shoe, revealing her pearly white small foot. The rain had seeped into her shoe, making it appear even paler.

His gaze deepened. His left hand held her calf, and his right hand opened the first aid kit to take out medicine.

“I’ll do it myself,” Snow Jiao’s voice was still a bit hoarse, filled with urgency and embarrassment.

Lin ZhiHua shook his head, his voice calm. “Let me massage it first. You’ve twisted your ankle. If you don’t massage it, it will swell.”

As he spoke, he had already taken out the medicine and started gently massaging.

Snow Jiao’s foot retracted slightly, feeling a bit of pain.

She looked at the person kneeling in front of her. His face was cold, but his eyes were serious, and his movements were as gentle as possible.

His fine suit was already wet, and combined with carrying her earlier, the wrinkles on his suit were clear, making it look somewhat awkward.

She had wanted to get soaked in the rain, but she’d caused Lin ZhiHua to join her…

“I’m sorry… thank you,” Snow Jiao looked at him, her red eyes filled with embarrassment, her voice hoarse, but these six words were spoken very sincerely.

She felt like she didn’t know how many times she had said thank you to Lin ZhiHua already…

Feeling both guilty and grateful, complex emotions swirled around.

This person had always been by her side, helping her.

When she saved him initially, it was truly coincidental, but his repayment had far exceeded expectations.

Lin ZhiHua’s hand paused, and he looked up at her.

“Jiao Jiao, have you read ‘The Little Prince’?”

Snow Jiao was stunned for a moment, then nodded.

The books Lin ZhiHua had sent her—”The Little Prince” was the first one she read.

“The fox taught the Little Prince what love is. The Little Prince left this world for his rose… Jiao Jiao, do you think the Little Prince truly loved that rose that hurt him?” Lin ZhiHua stopped his actions and put away the medicine.

Snow Jiao was stunned, blankly shaking her head.

Lin ZhiHua smiled. “See, you don’t even understand what love is. What is there to be sad about?”

His eyes looked at her very seriously. “You’ve read ‘The Little Prince.’ Have you ever thought, if he accepted that clever fox who was willing to be tamed by him, what would his life be like?”

Lin ZhiHua recited a line from the fox word by word: “If you tame me, we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world.”

He forced the corners of his mouth into a smile. “Perhaps the Little Prince didn’t like that thorny rose that made him unhappy, but rather his planet. Just like if a thornless rose had appeared on his planet instead of a thorny one, the Little Prince might have liked that thornless rose.”

“So you see, what matters isn’t the rose, but the flower that happened to appear on his planet at the right time. Jiao Jiao, your current teenage troubles are just a small part of the scenery on your path to growth. He’s not the person who will accompany you in the future, nor is he the person you love. Taking a step back, you’re just friends, former classmates.”

Lin ZhiHua looked at Snow Jiao. He hoped he could teach her about love, and then she would fall in love with him.

Not that immature rose.

You’re just friends… former classmates…

Snow Jiao repeated this phrase, her eyes somewhat blank.

Lin ZhiHua stood up. “Go take a shower quickly, or you’ll catch a cold.”

He led her to the bathroom, then turned on the heater, and grabbed a shirt, pointing to the dryer nearby.

“After you take off your clothes, throw them in there. Summer clothes will dry in twenty minutes. Wear mine first after showering, then change back once yours are dry. You need to shower quickly to avoid catching a cold.” After a pause, Lin ZhiHua held up the shirt. “It’s new, washed.”

After speaking, he placed the clothes aside.

“You go first,” Snow Jiao held him, her eyes concerned.

The gloom in Lin ZhiHua’s brow cleared a little. His Jiao Jiao, even in her most distressed moments, still thought of others first.

“Silly girl, there’s another bathroom.”

Hearing this, Snow Jiao immediately let go, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

Lin ZhiHua closed the door behind him, urging, “Go shower quickly.”

Footsteps gradually receded.

Snow Jiao looked at the clothes beside her, momentarily stunned.

Actually, coming alone to a single man’s home was a very dangerous thing. This was something Snow Jiao knew from her education in both lives.

But Snow Jiao had an extraordinary trust in Lin ZhiHua.

She reached out and turned on the hot water.

After showering, she should leave quickly. She had troubled him enough today.

Thirty minutes later, Snow Jiao opened the door with wet hair.

The living room was empty. Snow Jiao looked around but couldn’t find anyone.

Then, a sound came from nearby. She walked closer and saw Lin ZhiHua wearing an apron, cooking.

Sensing her gaze, he suddenly looked up, then smiled lightly.

“Jiao Jiao, come here.”

Snow Jiao confusedly walked over. Lin ZhiHua ladled some soup from a pot nearby and gave it to her. “Drink quickly.”

She accepted it. The temperature was a bit hot.

But holding it felt just right. The smell of ginger was quite noticeable.

Snow Jiao took a sip. The warm temperature transferred to her body, and even her heart seemed to warm up considerably.

A moment of peace.

“Thank you,” she didn’t know how many times she had said thank you to Lin ZhiHua.

He continued cutting vegetables. Snow Jiao took a few more sips of ginger soup, watching the man in casual clothes in front of her.

“Lin ZhiHua, I should go back—”

Before she could finish, he had already stopped and turned his head.

“I’m already cooking. If you leave, I’ll have to eat alone.”

Snow Jiao: “…”

She chuckled lightly, saying, “Alright then, I’ll be honored to taste your cooking again.”

Lin ZhiHua, seeing her slight smile, said, “You look better when you smile.”

Snow Jiao: “…”

She leaned against the door, watching his busy figure, feeling touched.

That heart that had felt a bit sad seemed to gradually improve under his care…

Those sorrowful, painful feelings gradually faded from her mind.

“Snow Jiao,” Lin ZhiHua turned his head, his voice suddenly serious, calling her full name.

Snow Jiao instinctively shuddered. “Yes?”

“You didn’t blow-dry your hair again,” Lin ZhiHua’s voice was quiet.

Snow Jiao: “…”

Her scalp tightened. She suddenly remembered that when she was at home before, even through the screen, he seemed to know that she hadn’t blow-dried her hair.

Then he would seriously remind her not to go to sleep with wet hair.

“I-I-I-I’m not going to sleep.”

Lin ZhiHua looked disapproving, even stopping his vegetable cutting.

“You just got soaked in the rain, you—”

“I’ll go, I’ll go,” Snow Jiao immediately raised both hands in surrender.

She left the kitchen doorway and walked toward the bathroom.

At this time, a couple was coming up in the elevator of the apartment.

“Chang Ping, are we just going straight up?” Mrs. Lin’s tone was filled with worry.

Mr. Lin’s face showed false bravado. “Leaving his parents outside and not letting them return, is that what a filial son does?”

On this point, Mrs. Lin nodded in complete agreement, replying, “Indeed, ZhiHua has become more and more outrageous these past few years.”

Lin Chang Ping continued to criticize, “Just because we wanted him to meet the neighbor’s child of the old master, he sent us away. The old master already said that he was deceived during that car accident. This is the grandfather who raised him, yet he can’t be a bit more forgiving?”

“Right, right,” Mrs. Lin nodded, fully agreeing. “And for more than a year now, he has only let us come back a few times, and doesn’t allow us to stay long.”

Mrs. Lin’s words were an exaggeration. Lin ZhiHua would let them come back periodically.

But when they returned, they would either continue to meddle with the old master or insist on introducing Lin ZhiHua to potential matches.

As a result, shortly after returning, Lin ZhiHua would send them away again.

In their view, it was Lin ZhiHua only allowing them to return to the country for a few days every so often, rather than them being sent away again for making mistakes.

These two never really understood why they were sent away…

“This time I’m not leaving. If he wants to send me away again, he’ll have to send my corpse away,” Lin Chang Ping’s attitude was fierce.

He wanted to control Lin ZhiHua’s temper.

“Oh my, Chang Ping, don’t say such things,” Mrs. Lin quickly pulled him.

“Hmph!” Lin Chang Ping snorted coldly, seeming quite imposing.

Mrs. Lin suddenly thought of something and said, “The old master said a few days ago that as long as ZhiHua marries the granddaughter of the Sun family’s famous psychologist, he will support him continuously and give him the rest of his property. Should we mention this today?”

Lin Chang Ping frowned, continuing his false bravado. “Why not mention it? We’re doing this for his good. Why doesn’t he understand? What’s wrong with finding a girlfriend? Why is he so stubborn?”

Mrs. Lin nodded, and the two eagerly rushed toward Lin ZhiHua’s door.

Snow Jiao had just reached the bathroom when she heard sounds from the living room.

“Bang bang bang!” Someone was knocking on the door.

The sound was very loud, sounding like someone looking for trouble.

Snow Jiao was slightly startled. She walked out and looked toward Lin Zhi Hua in the kitchen. He was stir-frying and hadn’t heard.

So she called out, “Lin ZhiHua, someone’s knocking at the door.”

Lin ZhiHua heard her voice, turned around, frowned slightly, then said, “Can you open it for me?”

“Oh, okay.” Snow Jiao walked over.

With Lin ZhiHua around, she wasn’t afraid of any bad people.

Snow Jiao opened the door. Outside stood an angry middle-aged man with his hand still raised to knock, and beside him stood a middle-aged woman dressed very elegantly and nobly.

Originally, both had angry faces, but upon seeing her, their expressions changed.

The two now looked at her with rigid faces, as if they had seen a ghost.

“Who are you looking for?” Snow Jiao was completely puzzled, asking blankly.

The two stood frozen for quite some time, then said, “Sorry, wrong door.”

Snow Jiao: “…”

Lin ZhiHua stuck his head out, asking Snow Jiao, “Who?”

“They left. Said they got the wrong door.” Snow Jiao was even more confused.

Lin ZhiHua frowned slightly.

Outside the door, the Lin couple, who had used every connection to find Lin ZhiHua, were a bit dumbfounded.

“Old Lin, I remember it’s this place.”

“Our son moved away.”

“We’ve been here before, it’s this place.”

“Impossible. He’s so protective of his things; even if he moved, he definitely wouldn’t let others live here.”

“Then why is there a girl inside?”

The two looked at each other, and then their eyes simultaneously lit up.

Inside the door, Snow Jiao was preparing to dry her hair.

The door sounded again.

This time, the knocking was very gentle, as if afraid of startling someone.

Snow Jiao opened it. The same couple from before stood at the door, smiling brightly at her.

Their gazes first landed on her still-wet hair, then moved inside, noticing the figure cooking in the kitchen.

Mr. and Mrs. Lin smiled even more brilliantly, their eyes narrowing into slits, gleaming with excitement, full of joy.

Compared to their expressions before, they now looked as if they had suddenly won fifty million.

Snow Jiao puzzled, “You are…?”

“Girl, I’m your mom.”

“I’m your dad.”

Snow Jiao: “…”

She had a terrified expression, as if struck by lightning, then blankly said, “You… I…”

This couple had problems with their brains.

At this moment, Lin ZhiHua, who had just placed the stir-fried dishes into plates, came out.

He frowned deeply, asking Mr. and Mrs. Lin, “You just came back and you’re already causing trouble? Do you want to leave again?”

Sometimes Lin ZhiHua wondered if this couple, when giving birth to him, had also given him all their brains. Otherwise, why would they always do such inexplicable things?

Mrs. Lin smiled brilliantly, her eyes never leaving Snow Jiao.

Snow Jiao felt a chill down her spine from her stare, awkwardly moving her foot.

So these were Lin ZhiHua’s parents…

She was wearing Lin ZhiHua’s slippers. Mrs. Lin noticed this and smiled, revealing two rows of not-so-straight teeth, giving Snow Jiao the creeps.

“Please come in,” Snow Jiao said softly. Since they were Lin ZhiHua’s parents, she couldn’t turn them away now.

Lin ZhiHua looked at them without much emotion.

Mr. and Mrs. Lin glanced at each other and smiled.

“We won’t come in, we won’t come in. You two continue, to have a good time, girl. Mom and Dad will leave first. You’re too thin. Come to our home in a few days, Mom will cook soup to nourish you. Whatever soup you want to drink, Mom will make it, very nourishing.”

After saying this, the two left happily one after another, even closing the door for them.

Snow Jiao was dumbfounded, looking at Lin ZhiHua in complete confusion.

Lin ZhiHua helplessly said, “Don’t mind them.”

“Oh, oh, oh, oh.”

Lin ZhiHua’s parents… why did they seem not quite normal?

Snow Jiao went to blow-dry her hair in a daze. Halfway through, she froze.

These Lin parents… they didn’t mistake her for Lin ZhiHua’s girlfriend, did they?

Thinking of this, she was only left with regret.

They left so quickly, that there wasn’t time to explain…

Snow Jiao was only focused on her regret, having temporarily forgotten her previous sadness and troubles.

And she didn’t even notice.

By the time she finished blow-drying her hair, Lin ZhiHua had already prepared the meal. The dishes were all set on the table, waiting for her to come and eat.

Snow Jiao walked over quickly, looking at the dishes on the table. “You’re getting more and more impressive. Is there anything you don’t know how to do?”

She started to admire Lin ZhiHua. This man had achieved success in his career, knew more than her academically, and was more talented than her.

High IQ, was exceptionally clear-sighted about things, and could even do housework.

Such a man was truly all-capable.

Lin ZhiHua chuckled lightly, pulling out a chair for her. “I’ve already answered this question before and refuse to answer a second time. Eat quickly. Time is tight, so I just made a few simple dishes.”

“This is still simple?” Snow Jiao was shocked.

There was shredded pork with garlic sauce, stir-fried vegetables, and egg drop soup.

Including the shower time, it was less than an hour in total…

Lin ZhiHua smiled without saying anything, just continuously serving her food.

“Try it.”

Snow Jiao took a bite and gave a thumbs up. “Excellent.”

She was indeed a bit hungry. She just hadn’t been in the mood to think about eating earlier. Now that she had put her troubles aside, she felt hungry.

Both ate very earnestly. Lin ZhiHua had personally cooked the meal, so eating it seriously was a sign of respect.

He occasionally served her food and said a few words. The atmosphere was pleasant.

Lin ZhiHua, seeing that she seemed to have put her unpleasantness and that person behind her, smiled and raised his glass. “I haven’t congratulated you yet on breaking the record with your college entrance exam score.”

Breaking the score…

She felt somewhat helpless, looking at him. “Lin ZhiHua, if you had written the Chinese composition during your college entrance exam, that record would have been yours. I wouldn’t have been able to break it. No one would have been able to break it.”

If he had written the composition, that would have truly been a godlike score.

Thinking about the college entrance exam, her thoughts drifted back to this morning…

Lin ZhiHua paused, obviously noticing that her thoughts were wandering, and said:

“Do you know why I didn’t write the composition?”

As soon as he spoke, Snow Jiao’s thoughts immediately came back. She looked at him and curiously asked, “Why?”

“That year’s Chinese paper was called the easiest in history because the composition topic was simple: family affection.”

Snow Jiao froze. She suddenly remembered what Lin ZhiHua had once said…

His parents had hurt him, and his grandfather and second uncle had tried to murder him.

Lin ZhiHua lowered his head, laughing self-mockingly. “That was precisely the time when my father wanted to sever our father-son relationship, and my parents unintentionally hurt me. I was also young and impetuous. No matter how calm I appeared on the surface, I was very upset and angry inside. So looking at the topic of family affection, I didn’t write anything. I didn’t know what to write.”

Snow Jiao stared at him blankly. Severing father-son relationship… attempted murder…

Lin ZhiHua’s family was far worse than Li SiTong had been.

Snow Jiao looked at him with sympathy, her throat somewhat choked, not knowing what to say.

“Of all my relatives, only my grandmother was good to me when I was little, but she passed away early. The rest were relatives who, under the banner of love, continuously hurt me.” Lin ZhiHua’s voice was very calm, with a hint of dryness. These words seemed to have been spoken with great difficulty.

Snow Jiao felt bitter in her heart. She understood this feeling.

Once, she too had faced such a situation. Fortunately, later on, Cheng Shuo, her father, gradually came to understand her.

Along with that, Li SiTong began to reflect and change herself.

Snow Jiao moved her chair a little closer to Lin Zhi Hua.

Then she reached out her small hand, tentatively patting his back, her voice soft:

“I’m not very good at comforting people, but I remember you once taught me… we’ve already grown up. For such relatives, we can no longer hope for love, but we also don’t have to give love. Only by trying not to care about them will they no longer bring us harm. We must repay them for raising us, but we also have the right not to give love.”

Her eyes were very serious, filled with concern.

Unlike Lin ZhiHua’s eyes, which were as dark as ink, her eyes were clear to the bottom.

Lin ZhiHua looked at these eyes of hers, feeling her light pats of comfort.

“Okay,” he smiled.

Snow Jiao also smiled in response.

Lin ZhiHua took a deep breath, stood up, and prepared to clear the dishes.

Snow Jiao hurriedly stood up too, saying anxiously, “You’ve already cooked, let me wash the dishes.”

Her voice was urgent, her eyes serious. Lin ZhiHua looked at her, nodding with a smile. “Alright, thank you for your trouble.”

Snow Jiao smiled, collecting the dishes while saying, “You rest a bit first. Don’t think about those unpleasant things. Let’s talk about the books you sent me.”

“Okay,” Lin ZhiHua stood at the kitchen doorway.

Snow Jiao was tidying up while talking. “I also really like the book ‘Pride and Prejudice.’ In it…”

Lin ZhiHua leaned against the doorway, watching her chatter away with a smile on his lips.

He knew she wanted to comfort him.

He had long since stopped needing comfort.

Those feelings of distress and the impulsiveness of youth had already turned into indifferent detachment. Time was a terrifying and merciless thing.

But if these past events could make her feel sympathy for him, make her forget her unhappiness…

Lin ZhiHua didn’t mind “selling misery.”

After getting drenched in the rain and having a full meal, those feelings of melancholy and trouble seemed to have been forgotten by Snow Jiao.

She walked out of the kitchen, drying her hands. “Well, Lin ZhiHua, I should be going now.”

“Mm, I’ll take you,” Lin ZhiHua grabbed his keys.

“No need, I can—”

“I want to take you. I’d be worried otherwise.” Lin ZhiHua was very serious.

Snow Jiao smiled lightly, shaking her head. “It’s not like I’ll get lost.”

His attitude was firm, so she had to agree.

The two went downstairs together. Lin ZhiHua drove, and Snow Jiao sat beside him, her head leaning against the window.

“What are you thinking about?” Lin ZhiHua glanced at her.

Snow Jiao lifted her head, shook it, and said, “Thinking about this city.”

Lin ZhiHua raised an eyebrow. “Reluctant to leave?”

“A little.” Snow Jiao nodded. She had been in this city when she first arrived, and now she was about to leave. She did feel somewhat reluctant.

She suddenly thought of something and looked at Lin ZhiHua. “We’re leaving tomorrow at 2 PM.”

“What a coincidence,” Lin ZhiHua raised an eyebrow.

Snow Jiao was startled. What did he mean by coincidence?

“I’m also leaving tomorrow at two o’clock. Are you taking a flight or driving yourselves?”

Snow Jiao replied in a daze, “Taking a flight. Dad said it’s too far, and Uncle Xing and one of his friends will drive the car over.”

Right, Lin ZhiHua’s company was in Jing City. He only came here occasionally…

“We have the same timing. My flight is at 2:15.”

Lin ZhiHua’s smile widened. “What a fate.”

The last word “fate,” he emphasized a bit heavily.

Then, he chuckled lightly. “Would you mind introducing this friend of yours to your family?”

Snow Jiao hurriedly shook her head, hesitated for a moment, then said, “I don’t mind, but my dad might be shocked.”

Cheng Shuo had always admired Lin ZhiHua, highly praising him. She wondered what would happen then…

But she had always wanted to formally introduce Lin ZhiHua to Cheng Shuo and the others as this great teacher and friend who had helped her enormously.

Lin ZhiHua was in a very good mood, the morning’s gloom completely dispersed.

At this moment, the car had just arrived outside Snow Jiao’s home. Lin ZhiHua stopped and opened the door.

“We’re here. See you tomorrow at two.”

Snow Jiao got out of the car, saying helplessly, “Okay, see you tomorrow at two.”

Lin ZhiHua kept watching her figure. The young girl looked small, but her heart was actually very strong.

Her heart was soft, and she was nice to everyone.

Whenever someone came to her, she generally wouldn’t refuse.

But…

She seemed to have never experienced much warmth since childhood, appearing somewhat distant with everything.

Lin ZhiHua was certain that if he told Snow Jiao now that he liked her.

She would probably immediately avoid him like the plague.

Lin ZhiHua had always been aware of this, so he had never made a move. But after what happened between Yi TianYu and her this morning…

He realized that Snow Jiao’s heart walls were even thicker than he thought. She was cautious and very afraid.

Getting in would still take some time.

He took out his phone and made a call.

“Secretary Chen, help me book a flight for tomorrow at 2:15 PM.”

Fate could be premeditated.

Snow Jiao returned home. The family was still packing. She smiled.

“Mom, Dad, I’m back.”

“You’re back. Have you eaten?”

“I’ve eaten. I’ll go upstairs to pack my things first.” After saying this, Snow Jiao returned to her room.

Cheng Shuo and Li SiTong looked at each other.

“What’s wrong with her?”

“She doesn’t seem to be in a good mood.”

“Is she reluctant to leave her classmates and friends?”

“Possibly.”

“Let’s not disturb her. Let her be alone for a while.”

“Okay.”

Meanwhile, Lin ZhiHua returned to his apartment. A man and a woman were standing at the entrance.

It was Mr. and Mrs. Lin, who were supposed to have left.

Lin ZhiHua wasn’t surprised at all and opened the door on his own.

He knew that this couple had definitely been observing and wouldn’t possibly leave.

Mrs. Lin eagerly asked, “ZhiHua, why did you send her away? Couldn’t she stay longer? Is your company too busy?”

Lin ChangPing quickly interjected, “If your company is too busy if needed, I can go to your company and cover for you for a while. Dating is more important.”

Lin ZhiHua: “…”

He had no patience left.

“My affairs, please don’t worry about them. Go out and enjoy yourselves. Whether you want to travel or develop interests, it’s all fine. Just don’t focus on me.” Lin ZhiHua’s voice showed no emotion as he poured himself a glass of water.

Mrs. Lin became anxious. “How can it not matter? Your marriage is a big family affair!”

Lin ZhiHua frowned. How did this turn into marriage?

“Is that girl a bit young?” Lin ChangPing suddenly seemed hesitant.

Lin ZhiHua placed his cup on the coffee table and suddenly said very seriously, “Mom, Dad, in the past I’ve indulged you. I couldn’t be bothered to care about whatever you did. But Jiao Jiao is my reverse scale. I don’t want you to interfere in my matters, nor do I want you to contact her. If you create trouble for me, Mom, Dad, I’m sorry, but you’ll retire in the Maldives from now on and never come back.”

His voice was so cold, so serious that Mr. and Mrs. Lin were frightened.

“No, no, no interference!”

The next afternoon, Cheng Shuo, Li SiTong, and Snow Jiao, carrying two suitcases, were driven to the airport by Uncle Xing.

Snow Jiao looked back, watching the gradually receding house.

That was the place where she had just arrived, containing all her memories in this world.

Li SiTong patted her head. “You’ll have the chance to come back in the future.”

Snow Jiao nodded, slowly turning her gaze away.

Goodbye, my high school.

Goodbye, my youth.

Goodbye, my deskmate, Yi TianYu.

Those unforgettable, important, reluctant-to-part-with things, would eventually become memories of the past with time.

1:55 PM.

“Let’s go, time to board.” Cheng Shuo pointed ahead.

Snow Jiao looked at the time, and hesitantly said, “Mom, Dad, I have a friend who happens to be going to Jing City with us.”

“Friend?” Cheng Shuo and Li SiTong were both startled.

But they didn’t think much of it, after all, Snow Jiao had so many classmates.

“Where is your friend?” Cheng Shuo looked around.

Snow Jiao was also looking, her eyes wandering around in confusion, when suddenly they fixed on something ahead, her lips carrying a smile.

“He’s here.”