She looked at Xu Xiaoya. "Xiaoya, you decide."

Xu Xiaoya was surprised. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"I’m about to leave for South Country," Yan Xixi explained.

"Didn’t you say you were going in August?" Xu Xiaoya asked, startled. "Why are you going so soon?"

"It’s not that early anymore. I figure it’s fine to go a bit sooner. After all, it’s an unfamiliar place, so it’s better to go early and adapt."

"Are you going alone?"

Yan Xixi smiled. "I’m going to study, not for anything else. Do I need a crowd to go with me?"

"Won’t Wan Donglin accompany you?"

Xu Xiaoya immediately grew anxious. "Xixi, you’ve never been out of the country before. You can’t go to such a faraway place all by yourself. You should let Wan Donglin take you..."

Yan Xixi dismissed it casually. "You’re underestimating me. Do I need an escort just to go study? In this day and age, are you really worried I’ll get lost? Alright. I need to prepare my luggage for departure these next few days. The store will be entirely up to you."

"Xixi... How about I go with you? Two people are always better than one. Even though I might not be much help, at least I can give you some moral support."

"Silly girl!"

She patted Xu Xiaoya’s hand, giggling. "You have a big responsibility now. Harvard’s tuition is quite hefty, and living expenses aren’t cheap either. For the next few years while I’m studying, I’ll have to count on you to support me."

Xu Xiaoya laughed too. "Don’t worry. I promise to manage the store well and ensure you have no worries about food and clothing."

When the cab stopped at the entrance of her residential community, Yan Xixi happened to see another water truck whizzing past. She chuckled, then took out her phone. After a moment’s pause, she decisively blocked "Foot Scratching Guy."

When she looked up again, Wan Donglin was standing in front of her. This time, he was much neater. He had shaved, and his expression was no longer haggard. Dressed in a white shirt, he had regained his former elegance. My heart suddenly skipped a beat, she thought, standing rooted to the spot.

"Xixi..." His voice was surprisingly gentle.

He reached out his hand. She had intended to pull hers back, but somehow, she let him take it.

Inside the house, nothing had changed.

Wan Donglin stood on the terrace, taking a deep breath of the summer air. However, the intense heat of the preceding days meant that even the lush forest park nearby brought no freshness. The atmosphere felt heavy and oppressive.

From the kitchen came the bubbling sound of boiling water, followed by the aroma of coffee diffusing through the air. After a while, Yan Xixi emerged with a cup of coffee and placed it before him. "Drink."

He took a sip of the coffee, feeling that something was off. It wasn’t until he finished the cup that he pinpointed what it was. Her politeness! She’s being incredibly polite to me. So polite it borders on distant.

It was just like their first two years together. Whenever he returned home from an outing, she would be impeccably respectful. Except, back then, she used to call him "Mr. Wan." Now, she didn’t call him anything.

She no longer habitually called him "Foot Scratching Guy" either.

"Xixi, have you had dinner?"

Instead of answering, she countered, "Are you hungry?"

"A little," he admitted.

"Let me make you a few small dishes. Go sit for a while. I’ll have them ready quickly."

He had wanted to stop her, but he didn’t say anything.

In less than an hour, the food was on the table: rice from the rice cooker, two meat dishes, one vegetable dish, and a kelp soup. She served him a bowl of rice, her manner still meticulously respectful. "Eat."

He sat opposite her, savoring this long-awaited dinner for two.

She remained very quiet.