The twilight was like water, with a crimson sunset glow falling on the windshield. Yu Hao felt a bit hot, remembering a conversation she had accidentally overheard in the bathroom between Song Xiaotao and Yuan Jing a few days before the wedding.

At that time, Yuan Jing’s voice was somewhat shocked, raised in surprise yet forcibly lowered, each word filled with tension: “So you’re not pregnant?”

Song Xiaotao shushed her, gesturing to keep her voice down, and then spoke with apparent unconcern: “Lin Chang has had so many girlfriends, and he had no plans to get married, you know? All his childhood friends are the same way—one is childish, one is cold, and then there’s that soldier. He seems fine and gets along well with everyone, but never sincerely. I was forced into this situation.”

Yuan Jing couldn’t believe it: “Do you have to marry him?”

Song Xiaotao: “Yes, and don’t doubt what I’m saying. Forget about his childhood friends—even someone with Lin Chang’s conditions would be hard to find these days even if you searched with a lantern. I can’t miss this opportunity, you know? Besides, I heard that a woman he has always liked is about to return to the country. I’m afraid of being overthrown, which is why I resorted to this strategy.”

Yuan Jing was stunned: “So he still likes that woman?”

Song Xiaotao laughed coldly: “Yes, he does.”

Yuan Jing couldn’t understand: “And you’re still marrying him?”

Song Xiaotao mocked: “Young lady, do you think men like those in novels still exist? So what if he likes her? I like our senior too, but I choose to marry Lin Chang, not just because I like him but more because he can give me the life I want, while our senior can’t. Do you understand?”

Yuan Jing lowered her voice: “What if the person he likes comes back, and the two of them…?”

Song Xiaotao: “There’s a saying: keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half-open after marriage. Besides, once the rice is cooked, what can happen? If he wants a divorce, I have ways to deal with him.”

Yuan Jing asked what methods.

Song Xiaotao was coy and unwilling to say, vaguely passing over it: “You don’t need to worry about that. I’m just telling you, in a few days when that soldier comes back, I’ll introduce him to you. Don’t look down on him, his conditions are really good. His father was a martyr, and his associates aren’t ordinary people. You know Boiya Group? That’s his uncle’s company. Isn’t he a premium catch in the dating market? Both parents deceased, has a car and house, decent job, and a wealthy relative.”

Yuan Jing found it jarring but knew Song Xiaotao’s personality and didn’t say much more. As the conversation was ending, Song Xiaotao touched up her makeup and added: “You’ll like him. I’ll help you for sure. This method works every time.”

…

Song Xiaotao felt a headache coming on. She knew Lu Huaizheng liked to joke, but he rarely made jokes about relationships between men and women. If he wasn’t somewhat interested, he wouldn’t have said it. The fact that he said it meant that he at least had some feelings for Yu Hao.

She glanced at Yuan Jing, smiled, and said to the man in the car, “You love to joke. Yu Hao’s boyfriend would be worried if he heard this. I met Professor Shen next door just yesterday.” The latter part was directed at Yu Hao.

Lu Huaizheng shook his head and smiled. No wonder she was so cold towards him—she already had a boyfriend. His face showed no change as he leaned back in his seat and replied indifferently: “Is that so?” Then he smiled again, looking outside with slightly narrowed eyes: “With such a beautiful girlfriend, he should feel a bit threatened.” Saying this, he turned to look at Song Xiaotao, nodding towards Yu Hao, “Does that guy treat her well?”

“Very well, extremely well. Whatever happens to Yu Hao, he’s more anxious about it than she is. And at just thirty-two, he’s already a specially appointed professor at our school. His classes are always full—very popular. I heard they’ve known each other since childhood, childhood sweethearts—”

Lu Huaizheng initially had a smile at the corner of his mouth, but as Song Xiaotao continued, his face gradually froze, his smile faded, and his hand resting on the window sill gradually tightened. His knuckles turned white without him even noticing.

“Song Xiaotao, aren’t you going home early with your pregnancy? Is your belly fake?”

Yu Hao’s words had a hidden meaning, her gaze was quite cold as she sat coolly in the car. Her eyes held a chill, looking extremely sharp as she glanced at Song Xiaotao.

Song Xiaotao had just intended to say a few casual words but was extremely nervous. When she heard Yu Hao mention the fake belly, her heart was suddenly gripped with fear. The warning in Yu Hao’s eyes told her that she seemed to know something, which made her somewhat flustered.

Lu Huaizheng, however, smiled particularly sharply: “Since we’ve gotten this far, what’s a few more minutes? Keep going.”

Song Xiaotao looked at Yu Hao again. She had her arms crossed over her chest, her gaze even colder. She pursed her lips and said: “No more talk. I need to go home. My stomach doesn’t feel well.”

Anyway, it was enough for Lu Huaizheng to know that Yu Hao had an ambiguous relationship with a male friend.

“Wait.”

This time it was Yu Hao who called out to her.

Song Xiaotao turned back, feeling somewhat impatient inside—first telling her to leave, then not letting her go, what exactly did she want? But she didn’t dare show it on her face. “What is it?”

The sky was darkening, and Yu Hao’s voice was like a soft water-piercing stone—powerful and cold.

“‘Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half-open after marriage’—does that sound familiar?”

Song Xiaotao was puzzled at first, then thought carefully. She felt she had just said this somewhere recently, and then, connecting it with related conversations, her expression completely froze. She looked at Yu Hao anxiously several times, but the latter ignored her, simply saying, “That’s all, you can go now.”

Song Xiaotao paused for a few seconds, looking at Yu Hao as if wanting to say more but holding back. Yu Hao didn’t even look at her, and Song Xiaotao knew that in front of Lu Huaizheng, it wasn’t convenient to ask more. So she left in a daze, pulling Yuan Jing along.

She had only said those words that day, and Yu Hao’s comment was a reminder not to set her sights on Lu Huaizheng, or who knows what might happen. This sister, who usually appeared mild and harmless, actually had quite a devious mind.

As Song Xiaotao left with Yuan Jing…

On this side, Lu Huaizheng raised the car window and lowered his head, searching for something in the armrest box. Not finding it, he angrily threw the car keys back into the armrest box. After a while, he explained irritably: “Song Xiaotao wanted to introduce that young lady to me. I found it annoying, so I just used you as a shield, saying it casually. Don’t mind it.”

He spoke without any sincerity.

But Yu Hao finally understood, “You saw through it?”

After his father’s sacrifice, he lived as a dependent with his aunt for a period. His former uncle was a scoundrel, indulging in all vices—eating, drinking, gambling, and visiting prostitutes. Life wasn’t easy. To avoid beatings, he learned to read people’s intentions better than most children. His aunt divorced after giving birth to her child and raised the child alone for two years before meeting his current uncle.

Most of his temperament and character he learned from his current uncle. There are some people whose thoughts you can read at a glance.

Not to mention students like Song Xiaotao, who at twenty-four or twenty-five had their schemes and calculations written all over their faces.

Lu Huaizheng chuckled, “Isn’t ‘matchmaker’ written right on her forehead?” After saying this, he felt the atmosphere was too relaxed, so he suppressed his smile. His gaze had never once rested on Yu Hao as he laughed self-mockingly: “I just learned today that you like older men.”

“Have you forgotten what Professor Han said at noon?” Yu Hao said.

Only then did Lu Huaizheng turn his head suspiciously, his hand still resting on the steering wheel.

“Professor Han just introduced me to you at noon. Do you think someone of his status and position would deceive your leader? If he knew I had a boyfriend, would he have said those things?”

Lu Huaizheng felt his brain knot for an instant, asking what was perhaps the stupidest question of his life.

“So Professor Han doesn’t know you have a boyfriend?”

“…”

“Or do you not have a boyfriend at all?”

Yu Hao asked in return: “Is your earlier invitation still valid?”

“What?”

“Saturday.”

“I suppose so.”

Why add that “I suppose”? Lu Huaizheng felt it made him seem a bit more casual, not so eager.

“I’ll check my schedule when I get back and then reply to you because there’s a project that Professor Han needs to confirm before I can change the time.”

Lu Huaizheng had always thought she was like a machine, planning everything perfectly, not allowing any mistakes, and always locking herself into some framework. Such people bear a lot of pressure; no wonder she smoked.

He grunted, his voice softening somewhat.

“Do you still smoke?”

“Not much.”

Then there was nothing more to say, and a silence fell over the car for a moment.

“I should go now,” Yu Hao said.

Lu Huaizheng gave her a casual glance and said: “Leave your phone number.”

The car was quiet. Yu Hao seemed to be waiting for him to take out his phone, when he suddenly remembered, “My phone is at the base. Just tell me.”

Yu Hao thought for a moment and said, “Why don’t you give me yours instead? I’ll call you when I’ve confirmed.”

“138xxxxxxxxx.”

Lu Huaizheng quickly recited a string of numbers, then added, “I don’t check it much. Send a message, and I’ll reply when I have time.”

Yu Hao returned to the research institute and checked her schedule.

On Saturday night, she was supposed to help Professor Han conduct a psychological evaluation for a distant relative. It could have been scheduled for Saturday afternoon, but she had a psychology lecture at the Second Hospital until six o’clock that afternoon.

Yu Hao called Professor Han.

When Han Zhichen received Yu Hao’s call, he was having dinner with Li Hongwen, with Lu Huaizheng accompanying them.

“What is it?”

“Do you have something on Saturday night?”

“That can be rescheduled, it’s not urgent. But why do you suddenly have plans?”

“Alright, I won’t ask. You should have some time for yourself. The Institute Director was right last time—I shouldn’t always keep you by my side. I should give you more time to go out and find a boyfriend.”

Saying this, Han Zhichen held the phone and looked up at Lu Huaizheng sitting across from him, continuing: “Old Li’s men aren’t reliable. I think young Shen is quite dependable.”

Li Hongwen protested indignantly: “How can you say that? The Chinese Air Force isn’t reliable? What is reliable?” Then he patted Lu Huaizheng’s shoulder, “Do you know how many people he has saved?! It’s these people who charge into danger for you when you’re in trouble. I don’t like hearing you talk like that. During the Wenchuan earthquake…”

Han Zhichen interrupted: “Then how many days out of 365 are you at home?” Looking at Li Hongwen, “I regard Yu Hao as my daughter. I don’t want her to suffer with you all. Old Li, you care for your soldiers and want to find a good daughter-in-law, but I also care for my students. Don’t try to play matchmaker. What I said at noon was just a joke, don’t take it seriously.”

“But I am taking it seriously!”

“You…!”

“A gentleman’s word cannot be taken back, even by a team of four horses!”

“How childish!”

Han Zhichen hung up the phone and began arguing earnestly with Li Hongwen.

Lu Huaizheng kept his head down, silently eating his meal, pretending not to hear anything. He quickly finished the remaining rice in his bowl, then leaned back in his chair with a smile at the corner of his mouth, watching the two old men argue.

Maybe they could go see a movie on Saturday. He would wear that white shirt she liked the most.

She would like that.

He thought.

The last time he wore that shirt, she seemed quite enthusiastic.