Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
Advance chapters available for patrons on Patreon. And a chapter can be sponsored by buying me a ko-fi.
You Xu suddenly felt like running, so she got up early the next day for her morning run.
Duan Min’s building only had seven floors, but it occupied a large area, and the surrounding avenues had been widened. Running around it was almost like running on a track, and there were few people and cars, so she ran around that area.
Before she had even run a kilometer, she was panting heavily, stopping and resting until she had run three kilometers, then she started walking upstairs.
You Xu reached the seventh floor and saw people in the corridor. She moved over, panting, and greeted Duan Min: “Good morning! Can you feel the beautiful morning air and sunshine?”
She had thought she would wake him up for breakfast after her run. He even said he couldn’t get up. Ha, men.
Duan Min had his hands in his sweatshirt pockets, leaning lazily against the wall, looking down at her as she rested her hands on her knees, bent over, panting.
She wore an orange tracksuit, looking as warm and inviting as a little sun. A few stray hairs from her high ponytail, loosened from her workout, appeared fuzzy in the morning light.
She was so vibrant, as lively as the rising sun, bursting into his stagnant life with a powerful energy.
He never liked to delve into or think about anything deeply, partly out of laziness, and partly because nothing was truly worth his time.
He used to have trouble remembering faces, always finding them blurry and indistinct, leaving no impression.
But You Xu was different. At first, her face was also blurry to him; he only remembered her smiling and being quite talkative. But slowly, her face became clearer, like a three-dimensional, vibrant person rising from the page.
When exactly did it begin?
He didn’t know.
…
You Xu, covered in sweat, took a quick shower, changed into looser clothes, and started making breakfast.
She didn’t like greasy food in the morning, so she made millet porridge, some toast, and fried two eggs, sharing breakfast with her boss. After Duan Min finished eating and drinking, he washed the dishes and went back to his room to catch up on sleep.
You Xu lay on the sofa, gazing at a small fish-shaped wind chime hanging outside the window, thinking that since she had nothing to do today, she might as well go to the flower and bird market and buy two goldfish to raise.
Just then, her phone beeped with a text message.
You Xu picked up her phone and swiped to open it, seeing a message from a contact named Zhao Yiyan: “[Next Saturday is Lan Lan’s birthday, there’s a celebration banquet, would you like to come?]”
You Xu paused, searching her memory for relevant information. Back in university, she had a senior in the same major, Zhao Yiyan, who had taken good care of her. Zhao Yiyan and Lin Lanlan were classmates, and it seemed their relationship was quite good.
Considering Lin Lanlan’s later actions against the You family, forcing You Qi to his death, to prevent the plot from going astray, You Xu had to meet this key figure, Lin Lanlan.
You Xu typed back: [Thank you for the invitation, senior brother. Of course I’d like to go.]
The reply came quickly: [Are you free today? We haven’t seen each other in a long time, how about we catch up?]
You Xu thought for a moment and typed: [Okay.]
Zhao Yiyan immediately sent the location of a restaurant and arranged a lunch time with You Xu.
After reading it, You Xu casually tossed her phone onto the sofa, squinted, and rubbed her hands. It seemed she had something to do today and couldn’t choose fish.
She put on light makeup, tidied herself up, and went out.
The agreed-upon place was a very high-end Western restaurant. When You Xu arrived, Zhao Yiyan was already waiting. He was wearing a well-tailored dark blue suit, his hair styled back to reveal a smooth forehead, making him look mature and steady.
You Xu walked over and smiled politely: “Senior brother, long time no see.”
Zhao Yiyan smiled as well: “It has been a long time. Xiao Xu has become even more beautiful.”
After exchanging a few pleasantries, they sat down and ordered.
The food arrived quickly, and the waiter poured them red wine. Zhao Yiyan raised his glass: “Come on, Xiao Xu, let’s have a drink.”
You Xu clinked glasses with him, took a couple of sips, and continued chatting: “Senior brother is building his own business now, so young and accomplished. You were admired even back in college.”
“Oh, not really. I just run a small business now,” Zhao Yiyan said. “Xiao Xu was much more famous than me back then. She won every award without batting an eye. She was beautiful and had great charisma. She had so many suitors that they could line up from the teaching building to the cafeteria.”
“Not at all. Senior brother won all the girls’ hearts.”
….
As the conversation progressed, from reminiscing about college days to their current work and life, both of them let down their guard after not seeing each other for so long.
Seeing the atmosphere was just right, You Xu casually swirled the liquid in her glass and asked, “It’s my senior’s birthday next week, and I still don’t know what to give her.”
Zhao Yiyan glanced up and said, “Just give her anything, a token will do. It’s just a casual visit anyway.”
To be honest, he hadn’t expected You Xu to actually agree. Ever since he met her, he’d noticed that she was aloof and solitary, not fond of crowds or socializing, making her stand out among the many girls he knew.
Back in college, he’d pursued her for quite a while, but she hadn’t even blinked an eye.
Now, she had changed quite a bit. She was talkative and cheerful and had definitely become more beautiful. She wore light makeup, a light blue floral dress, and her long hair was draped over her shoulders with slightly curled ends.
She possessed an indescribable tranquillity that was both comforting and captivating.
“Is she easy to get along with?” You Xu asked worriedly. “I’m not good with words, I’m not very good at talking.”
At this, Zhao Yiyan understood. No wonder You Xu agreed to his dinner invitation today; she just wanted him to play matchmaker. But he didn’t mind. Using favors to lure her in and then pulling the strings later— that was the best approach.
Zhao Yiyan rested his chin on his hand, leaned forward slightly, and smiled, raising an eyebrow. “With me here, don’t worry.”
Smart people didn’t need to spell things out; they understood each other perfectly.
Having achieved her goal, You Xu chatted for a while longer before saying goodbye and insisting on splitting the bill. Zhao Yiyan agreed without objection.
As she stood up with her bag, she intentionally glanced around the restaurant. She had been vaguely sensing people watching her, and not just one gaze, but now she couldn’t see anything unusual.
You Xu took a taxi back and first went to a nearby supermarket to buy some groceries and fruits, then carried back bags of them.
Reaching the seventh floor, You Xu immediately saw Duan Min leaning expressionlessly against her door.
You Xu walked over and explained, “I had to go out today, so I’m a little late.”
Although Duan Min wouldn’t starve, he habitually waited at the door while she had already eaten out, and thinking about it, she felt inexplicably guilty.
Duan Min looked down at her, his voice indifferent: “What were you doing?”
You Xu casually handed him the bag she was carrying, then rummaged through her bag for her keys: “Going to see a college friend.”
Duan Min took the things from her, his tone not very friendly, but very certain: “A guy.”
“Yes, a senior.” You Xu opened the door, turned around to take the things back, but Duan Min didn’t let her, silently carrying the things inside and placing them on the table.
It was already past 2 PM. She didn’t know how long he’d been waiting outside. She’d intended to come back earlier, but Zhao Yiyan had deliberately kept her there, and she’d also gone to the supermarket to buy groceries, so she’d unknowingly been delayed.
Worried that Duan Min might be hungry, You Xu quickly cooked two dishes.
But Duan Min didn’t seem to have much of an appetite today; he only ate a couple of bites before putting down his chopsticks. You Xu, having already eaten, couldn’t eat much either.
Fortunately, there wasn’t much food, so it wasn’t too wasteful.
….
In the following days, Zhao Yiyan often invited You Xu out to eat. You Xu knew he was a womanizer; he’d changed girlfriends at a breakneck pace during college and had even pursued the original owner of this body. But the original owner had little interest in anything, and Zhao Yiyan, after pursuing her for a long time without success, gave up.
She could easily guess Zhao Yiyan’s intentions from his current enthusiasm.
But Lin Lanlan had her own circle, and You Xu would have to build a bridge if she wanted to integrate. Not for any other reason than to prevent future developments; if Lin Lanlan wanted to harm the You family, she wouldn’t be able to escape.
You Xu would occasionally accept Zhao Yiyan’s invitations, but fortunately, he didn’t do anything out of line; it was just normal socializing— dinners and chats.
Guys, ads are my only source of revenue, so please do not turn on the AdBlock when you are accessing this website…. Thank you, this would be a great help…
You can buy me a ko-fi and sponsor a chapter on: https://ko-fi.com/midnightrambles
Or become a Patron on: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=45665005
If you support me, I would be able to provide more chapters….
Previous • Table of Contents • Next
