Lin Huanyue walked away gracefully, with an air of indifference visible even from her back.

It seemed like she had just bumped into a friend and exchanged a casual greeting.

In truth, who knows how she’s cursing in her heart.

Mu Qiu picked at the edge of the flowerpot, telling herself she shouldn’t judge others like this—it’s impolite—but she couldn’t help rolling her eyes.

The brim of her hat was suddenly lifted a bit. Cheng Zhirang’s fingers pushed it up, taking the hat off and catching her off guard with his smiling eyes.

"Shall we go home?"

The gloom in Mu Qiu’s heart dissipated mostly, and she reached out to hold his hand, saying, "Okay. Did you put the water cup back? I’m really thirsty now."

"Let’s go back and have some herbal tea, honeysuckle, it’ll help cool you down."

"Okay."

Lin Huanyue, who had already walked out of the area around the Cheng family, stopped beyond the lawn, unable to resist turning back for one last glance.

The two of them were intimately close, holding hands as they headed down the path through the flowers. Cheng Zhirang turned his head to listen to the person beside him speak, then lifted her hat and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Their good relationship was obvious to anyone who saw this. They weren’t just putting on an act for the show.

After all, Cheng Zhirang wasn’t the type to pretend for appearances, and he wouldn’t be so intimate with someone he didn’t like.

But knowing all this made Lin Huanyue even more unwilling to accept it.

Just one glance, and she pressed her lips tight, turned her face cold, and continued walking home.

...

After dinner together, Mu Qiu and Cheng Zhirang prepared to leave.

The blue flowerpot still ended up planted with small daisies, actually from that flower path, with two tiny lavender-colored fleabanes added inside.

Mu Qiu held the flowers in her arms, waving goodbye to Cheng Zhirang’s parents, her eyes curving with her smile, putting anyone who saw her in a good mood.

He Jia stepped forward to hold her hand and say a few words, finally reminding them to be careful on their way back.

Cheng Zhirang put on his mask and hat, leaned over from the driver’s seat, and reached out to help Mu Qiu get in the car.

The car had a somewhat high chassis, and with one hand holding the flowerpot and wearing a skirt, it wasn’t easy for her to get in.

He Jia smiled as she watched from outside the car, and even after Mu Qiu got in, she was still talking about arranging another meeting next time.

Mu Qiu felt too embarrassed to refuse, so she just nodded with a flushed face. Then Cheng Zhirang signaled a nod to the outside, and drove out of the villa area.

"Let’s go home." Cheng Xun walked back with his hands behind his back, and He Jia took one last look before smiling and following him.

"Now you can rest assured," she said gently with a smile,

"He’s not against dating, just hadn’t met the right person before. Now he has, and it’s like with everyone else."

"I wasn’t worried," Cheng Xun replied.

He Jia playfully chided him, "Then why were you talking to Old Lin just last week about arranging a meeting between him and Huanyue? I’ve told you, with that face of his, plenty of people are interested."

"A face by itself is no use. Enough about that; no need to worry anymore. He seems to really like her, so there shouldn’t be any issues for now."

"I noticed, the way he looks at her, his eyes are always filled with smiles."

She shook her head with a smile, beginning to clean up the honeysuckle tea Cheng Zhirang had just brewed.

On the other side.

Mu Qiu placed the flowerpot behind the windshield, turned her head toward Cheng Zhirang, and said, "Your mom is so gentle and looks really young. You look like your uncle, but your personality is like your mom’s."

"Really? My mom says my personality is more like my dad’s. How did you adapt today?"

"Not bad, your uncle and aunt are indeed easygoing. But your two friends seem to not really like me."

"Can’t really call them friends," Cheng Zhirang said as he drove, "I was classmates with them before I debuted, but we didn’t interact much due to the boy-girl thing. After I debuted, it was either studies or acting, so there was even less time.

To me, they’re just childhood family friends’ daughters whom I see during holidays. If we’re talking about friends, I get along better with a few male friends."

Mu Qiu nodded thoughtfully, "I noticed. That’s why it didn’t bother me too much."

If it were a close friend, Cheng Zhirang wouldn’t have spoken in a way that slighted Lin Huanyue.

Cheng Zhirang recalled her speaking back to Lin Huanyue that afternoon, and his smile deepened, "Not bothered? Then why didn’t you let her call me Brother Cheng?"

"Because I don’t like it."

"Then, if you were bothered, what would it be like?"

"If I were bothered, once we get back, I’d pack a small bag, go sulk at my little villa."

She glanced at the flowerpot before her and added, "And before leaving I’d toss this pot of flowers on your bed, scatter dirt all over it."

Cheng Zhirang chuckled quietly.

Kids throw tantrums like that sometimes; she can be like a child.

No wonder she’s been on Chengcheng’s mind for so long.

He remembered the dream he had a few nights ago.

Perhaps because Mu Qiu hadn’t been feeling well recently, after a big argument that night, she had become much clingier.

But he couldn’t bully her even if she was clingy, so he hadn’t been sleeping well and ended up dreaming of a fantastical story.

Mu Qiu had turned into a child.

With little hands and feet, cheeks so tender they seemed to ooze water, and clear black-and-white eyes fixed on him, asking for a hug. His heart almost melted.

Despite it being a dream, the details were vivid enough that he felt certain she must have been like that as a child—having little temper but very understanding, adorably breaking the rules.

When he woke the next day, he found himself inclined to treat her even more tenderly.

Children like having someone wholeheartedly devoted to them, someone who thinks only of them. When they find someone who treats them like that, they focus all their attention on that person.

Innocent children understand basic human principles: you get what you give, give-and-take, exchange and reciprocity.

She’s like that too.

Cheng Zhirang turned his head to look at her again.

It was getting darker outside, and the car’s lights weren’t on. She had already closed her eyes, resting with her face turned toward him.

He just watched her like this through the dim evening light for a few seconds, then turned his gaze back, lowering his eyes with a gentle smile as he accelerated.

They reached Yishan at exactly nine o’clock. Mu Qiu had slept for half an hour in the car, so she was quite awake and curled up on the sofa browsing Weibo.

Yesterday she hadn’t been able to catch spoilers for the next episode, but logically there should be some today.

The show’s social media manager was a talent, always managing to provoke fans into playful threats and then soothing them with emoticon-filled appeasements.

Perhaps reading too many trashy novels, their wording was a bit melodramatic.

Upon opening Weibo, she saw a notification from the show’s account @her, clicked in, and sure enough, the next episode’s spoilers were out.

["Different Variety Show" Official Weibo v: Want to see a game where success or failure depends entirely on oneself /dog head.

Want to see how they interact with their own friends? Interested in their private revelations? This time, they’re bringing their best friends to avoid coming last~]

"?"

Mu Qiu carefully read it twice again, then exited to check the program group’s small chat group messages.

Moments later, she enthusiastically shouted into the phone she had just dialed.

"Zhao Yu!! I’m gonna take you along to make a name for ourselves!!!"