Now with some free time and nothing else to do, she might as well paint some more.

But once seated at the table, with a pen in hand, Jiang Ran didn’t quite know where to start.

Designing sketches also requires inspiration.

It’s not like copying an article—picking up a pen and copying without any thought.

After sitting and pondering for a while and still having no inspiration, Jiang Ran simply gave up.

After all, there’s no rush; she could always wait until later, when inspiration strikes, to paint.

——

Pei Yang rode his bicycle out the door, pedaling at a leisurely pace with the sunlight on his back and a gentle autumn breeze hitting his face.

On the roadside, fallen yellow leaves lay scattered, and the trees were almost bare, leaving only shiny, sunlit branches.

Many people sat under the trees, chatting leisurely with those beside them and basking in the sun.

When the weather was hot earlier, during times like this, barely anyone would be on the roadside.

Now, as the crowd increased, it seemed as if the city had come alive.

Pei Yang’s destination was the flea market.

There, many old items were for sale, often quite intriguing.

Of course, if you want to find something truly satisfying, you need to browse slowly.

Arriving at the market, Pei Yang felt it was quieter here than on his way over.

Perhaps because it was the afternoon, there weren’t many people shopping.

Not only were there fewer buyers, but each vendor exuded a laid-back demeanor.

Some shopfronts had a lounge chair set amidst the goods, with the shopkeeper lounging leisurely in the sun.

Some even pulled out radios, playing opera tunes.

Because of the street’s silence, a single radio was audible to everyone up and down the block.

The melodious opera drifting from the radio, combined with the afternoon sun, was incredibly soporific.

Even Pei Yang, who had just arrived, felt it might be nice to find a spot to sit and enjoy the tranquility.

But fortunately, Pei Yang hadn’t forgotten why he’d come.

He was here to shop. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Whether he found something or not, he figured he should at least roam around.

Thinking this, Pei Yang parked his bike and began to stroll down the street.

Some people relaxing in lounge chairs heard his footsteps, opened their eyes to glance at him, and then quickly closed them again.

Perhaps they thought someone Pei Yang’s age wasn’t really here to shop but driven by curiosity to see the world a bit.

Pei Yang also didn’t want anyone chattering noisily beside him, introducing all sorts of items.

With no one paying him any mind, he felt perfectly at ease.

If he didn’t see anything that caught his interest, he would just keep pushing his bike forward, albeit slowly.

When he spotted something he liked, he would stop to take a closer look.

However, when uncertain about buying, Pei Yang refrained from asking for prices.

He didn’t want to disturb others’ rest.

Walking and observing along the way, Pei Yang soon halted.

Because ahead, he saw two people walking side by side.

Though he could only see their backs, he instantly recognized who they were.

It was Chen Bing and Shen Yueyue.

What were they doing here?