Three years after our breakup, you came back to China, and I'm just giving up. Why are you cryi

"Zhou Mengmeng, when did you become so gossipy?"

Lu Hao irritably ruffled his hair and glared at her.

"I have a feeling there's definitely something going on between you two." Zhou Mengmeng didn't flinch or dodge; instead, she moved even closer, their noses almost touching. "Su Yu asked me to help her company shoot a promotional video, and she's already coordinated with my company."

"Isn't that a good thing? If there's money to be made, then go for it." Lu Hao tried to push her away, but she held on tightly.

"But I feel like you don't want me to take this job." Zhou Mengmeng's eyes shone brightly in the dim light. "You have an inexplicable hostility towards Su Yu."

Lu Hao was amused by her words. He sat cross-legged, facing her, and pointed to his nose: "Me? Hostile towards her? Zhou Mengmeng, you really need to wash your eyes."

"A woman's sixth sense."

"You are not a woman."

"Lu Hao!" Zhou Mengmeng's voice rose, "Su Yu, isn't she your ex-girlfriend?"

"Heh..." Lu Hao smirked and sneered, "With a little more imagination, why don't you just say she's my fuck buddy?"

"If she were your casual sex partner, would you still be willing to come back tonight?" Zhou Mengmeng's words immediately exposed his pretense.

Lu Hao's roguish smile froze for a moment, then melted away, and he replied lazily, "That's because I know my little cutie is waiting for me in bed."

Zhou Mengmeng rolled her eyes at his shameless behavior and decided to cut to the chase: "The way she looked at you was complicated. There was expectation, disappointment, and... a very deep feeling."

"Stop, stop, stop... It's just a pair of eyes, how can you see all the aspects of life?" Lu Hao quickly raised his hand to interrupt her.

"She's either your ex-girlfriend or the white moonlight you couldn't win over," Zhou Mengmeng insisted.

Lu Hao shrugged, shifted his body, leaned wearily against the headboard, fumbled for a cigarette case on the bedside table, shook out a cigarette, and lit it.

The bluish-white smoke sprayed onto Zhou Mengmeng's face, but she didn't flinch; she just stared at him quietly.

"How come your women's intuition is so accurate?"

"Because everything's written all over your face." After saying that, Zhou Mengmeng moved closer to him, mimicking his gesture, and hugged his arm, resting her head on his shoulder. "Can you tell me about you two?"

Lu Hao didn't answer immediately, but took two deep drags on his cigarette. The nicotine relaxed his tense nerves a little.

He chuckled softly, "Zhou, you're so curious, aren't you?"

"Hmm." Zhou Mengmeng's eyes no longer held the aggressive look from before; only silence remained.

"She was my first love. We were together for four years, from university until graduation. Later... she felt there were better prospects abroad, so she left..."

Lu Hao's voice was very soft and intermittent, as if he were telling someone else's story.

There were no heated arguments, no dramatic betrayals; just a few simple words summed up that unforgettable period of youth.

Zhou Mengmeng listened silently, her arms around his arm tightening unconsciously.

When Lu Hao's voice trembled slightly, she looked up and saw a tear slide down his cheek from the corner of his eye.

She didn't say anything, but simply reached out her finger to wipe away the moisture.

The story is over, and the cigarette is almost burned to the end.

Lu Hao took one last deep breath, looked down at Zhou Mengmeng's pained expression, and gave a self-deprecating laugh: "So, what do you think? Do you think I'm utterly useless?"

"What could you possibly feel? It's not like it's cheating or infidelity; it's just that the two of you are pursuing different things."

Zhou Mengmeng's tone was unexpectedly calm. "Everyone has their own pursuits. You can't expect someone to change for you just because you want to. What you need to do is find a way to enter her world."

"Enter her world?" Lu Hao repeated her words, his eyes somewhat dazed.

"Yes, you take a step into her world, and she takes a step back into yours. Find that balance between the two of you. Instead of trying to change her and make her a part of your world."

Lu Hao stubbed out his cigarette, and the room was instantly filled only with the sound of their breathing. He stared at the swirling white smoke, as if he were being separated from reality and his memories.

"So, was it because of this that you and your ex-boyfriend got together?" he suddenly asked.

"I guess so." Zhou Mengmeng said frankly, even smiling. "Love is something that comes on strong and goes quietly. At first, I felt like I couldn't live without seeing him for a day, but later I felt nauseous just looking at his face."

"Is it that exaggerated?" Lu Hao sat up straight and stared at her.

Zhou Mengmeng tilted her head, her long, black hair falling to one side. She thought for a moment, then blinked: "It's pretty much like how you look at Su Yu now."

"I didn't find her nauseous at all."

"Hehe, then I don't know you."

Zhou Mengmeng chuckled. "I told you before, he married into the family for the sake of his future. At the time, I really wanted to kill him, but then I thought about it, and what right did I have to hate him? People strive for better things, and water flows downhill. He wanted a better life, and from his perspective, he wasn't wrong."

Seeing the relieved smile on Zhou Mengmeng's face, Lu Hao nodded as if he understood.

Before he could process what she was saying, Zhou Mengmeng pounced on him and pinned him to the bed.

She rolled over and lay on top of Lu Hao, her bright eyes fixed on him. "Why think so much? Let's welcome the birthday present I'm going to give you."

Lu Hao was both amused and exasperated; this little girl had a hidden trump card up her sleeve.

The indoor lights had been turned off at some point, and moonlight streamed in through the window, casting the shadows of the curtains that swayed and undulated on the wall.

……

1902.

Ning Shu followed Xiao Xiyue in.

Her bright eyes curiously surveyed the room.

Xiao Xiyue walked to the sofa and sat down, patting the seat next to her, signaling Ning Shu to come over.

"Sister Xiyue, what are you thinking?" Ning Shu sat down next to Xiao Xiyue and asked in confusion.

"I just agreed to someone's request," Xiao Xiyue said casually.

Ning Shu shook her head. "I don't understand."

Xiao Xiyue didn't explain much. Leaning back on the sofa, she looked up at the ceiling and asked, "What do you think Lu Hao is doing right now?"

Ning Shu pouted, "What else can we do but stay home and roll around in bed?"

"Rolling in the sheets?" Xiao Xiyue turned her head and looked at Ning Shu in surprise.

"Uh..." Ning Shu was taken aback, realizing that she might have said something wrong, and quickly explained, "His... the bed is so big, who can roll around like that by himself?"

Xiao Xiyue stared at Ning Shu for a long time, making Ning Shu feel very uncomfortable. She lowered her head guiltily.

"Heh...he's in some woman's bed, isn't he?"

"I didn't say that."

Xiao Xiyue ignored Ning Shu, got up and walked to the TV cabinet, took down a yo-yo from it, and a sly glint flashed in her eyes.

"His company is in Tomato Community, right?"

"Um……"

"Those little brats really like playing with this stuff, don't they?"

Xiao Xiyue looked at the yo-yo in her hand and muttered to herself.

Ning Shu nodded and replied softly, "Mmm..."