Qin Jiao had just finished a practice test and was feeling more relaxed. She was about to check on her little sister Xiao Shi’s handwriting when she heard a noise at the window.

It sounded like small pebbles were tapping against the glass, making a clear, crisp sound.

She stood up, walked over, and saw Shen Yi on the neighboring balcony.

Shen Yi was tossing a small stone in his hand. He waved a few photos in his other. "I just got the photos developed—the ones of us together. I haven’t given you your copy yet."

Qin Jiao had been wondering what on earth he wanted. The moment she heard him mention their picture, the corner of her mouth twitched.

’I’d almost forgotten about that picture!’ 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Back then, she’d only done it because she was worried about how upset Shen Yi was. After all, he had just caught his father embracing another woman and found out he had a half-brother... That was the only reason Qin Jiao had reluctantly agreed to take a picture with him.

She didn’t want it at all.

Qin Jiao said, "I don’t want the photo. You can keep it."

"I had two copies made. Besides..." Shen Yi’s voice sounded a little forlorn in the night breeze. "This is the first picture I’ve ever taken with a good friend." The boy on the balcony wasn’t wearing a thick coat, just a thin sweatshirt.

He looked utterly dejected.

Like an abandoned pup.

Qin Jiao, bundled up in her own padded coat, finally gritted her teeth. "All right, fine. Give it to me!"

A fair hand reached over the railing between their balconies. Shen Yi glanced down, fighting a powerful urge to reach out and grab it.

But he didn’t dare.

He handed Qin Jiao an envelope containing the photos. "Look at them when you get back inside," he said. "It’s cold out."

’It’s pitch-black out here,’ Qin Jiao thought. ’I couldn’t see them clearly even if I wanted to.’

’No, that’s not it. I’m just not in the mood to look at some stupid photos!’

Worried she might get carried away if she stayed on the balcony any longer, Qin Jiao took the photos, turned, and went straight back inside.

The moment she stepped inside, she was enveloped in warmth. Xiao Shi, her hair in two little pigtails, looked up curiously. "Sis, what’s wrong? Why is your face so red?"

Qin Jiao casually rubbed her face. "It’s just the cold."

She hadn’t given it much thought before, but now, it struck her that the Shen Yi of today was becoming less and less like the one from her past life.

How could she describe it? He was still the same person, yet sometimes he would say or do things that would instantly shatter the image she held of him from her past life.

And without her even realizing it, the two of them were growing closer.

This feeling of losing control sent Qin Jiao into a deep contemplation. After Xiao Shi fell asleep, she went into her pocket dimension to see the fish. It had grown several sizes larger. She fell silent.

’I’ll have to be more careful from now on.’

They were getting a little too close.

**

Chen Feng looked as if he’d lost his soul. He pushed his bicycle, walking aimlessly down the road with a vacant expression.

He was in a relationship himself, so he knew perfectly well what he’d seen. His mother and that Shen Zhengfeng had hugged several times, and he’d seen the affection swirling in their eyes.

It was impossible for it to be just a friendly hug.

But at the same time, Chen Feng couldn’t believe his mother would do something like that.

He had never once considered the possibility of his mother remarrying. Chen Feng had always studied diligently, pushing himself to excel so that one day he could take good care of her.

Besides, even if his mother had found someone else she liked... how could it be a married man!

Lin Nian looked at him, exasperated by his despair, but she didn’t voice her frustration. Instead, she said patiently, "Ah Feng, don’t jump to conclusions about your mom just yet. Why don’t you wait and ask her about it? Maybe there’s some misunderstanding or a reason we don’t know about. I really don’t think your mom is the type of person to wreck someone else’s family."