The younger sister mistakenly identified her brother when visiting relatives and was kissed by the c

Qiao Xinxin sniffed: "It smells so good."

Following the aroma, I saw a cart parked at a street corner not far away. The stall owner was an old man wrapped in a tattered cotton-padded coat, his hands tucked into his sleeves, tending to a dark, rusty tin stove. The enticing sweet fragrance was wafting continuously from that stove.

When the old man saw someone stop, he immediately started calling out enthusiastically:

"Comrade, how about two roasted sweet potatoes? They're fresh out of the oven, still warm, and super sweet—guaranteed to be delicious!"

Lu Baizhou looked down at the sweet potatoes sizzling and browning on the stove, then turned to the girl beside him and asked gently:

"Would you like some?"

Qiao Xinxin had already eaten some snacks at the teahouse and wasn't feeling hungry yet, but the sweet, caramelized aroma stirred something in her stomach, instantly whetting her appetite. She pursed her lips slightly, a little embarrassed, and nodded:

"Let's have one then, and share it."

"Sir, two, please," Lu Baizhou said.

"Alright!" The old man deftly used tongs to pick up two slightly cracked sweet potatoes that were oozing molasses, wrapped them in thick old newspapers, and handed them over.

Lu Baizhou paid and took the sweet potatoes. He didn't immediately hand them to Qiao Xinxin. Instead, he took one himself and carefully peeled off the outermost charred skin little by little with his calloused hands, revealing the golden, soft, and steaming sweet potato flesh inside, before handing it to Qiao Xinxin.

"Here, be careful, it's hot."

Qiao Xinxin looked at the cleanly peeled, easy-to-eat sweet potato in front of her, and a thought flickered in her mind. She took the sweet potato and took a small bite.

"Ouch—it's so hot!"

Qiao Xinxin recoiled from the heat, her little mouth panting as she tried to spit out the hot air, mumbling softly, "Mmm, but it's so sweet! So delicious!"

Looking at her, who looked like a little squirrel from the burn, both delicate and adorable, a faint smile unconsciously appeared in Lu Baizhou's eyes. He himself did not realize how gentle his gaze was at that moment.

He didn't say anything, but simply handed her the sweet potato he was holding, which he had already peeled, and whispered:

"If you like, you can have this too."

Qiao Xinxin quickly waved her hand, her little mouth stuffed full, and said indistinctly:

"No need, one is enough. Brother Lu, you eat it yourself, don't just think about me."

Seeing that she really didn't want it, Lu Baizhou withdrew his hand and took a bite of the sweet potato in his hand. It was indeed sweet, sweeter than anything he had ever eaten during his field training, sweetness that went straight to his heart.

……

After finishing the sweet potatoes, Lu Baizhou led Qiao Xinxin onto a side road.

This road is much narrower than the main street we just passed. Most of the houses on both sides are old-fashioned single-story brick houses, some with red lanterns hanging at their doors, giving them an antique feel in the night.

After walking for a while, Lu Baizhou stopped in front of a tall gray brick building.

This building looks quite old, like a guild hall left over from the old society. A wooden plaque hangs above the door with the five large characters "Folk Customs Exhibition Hall" written on it.

"What is this place?" Qiao Xinxin blinked curiously and peeked inside.

Lu Baizhou reached out and pushed open the heavy, worn wooden door, which creaked open with a dull sound. He stepped aside to let Qiao Xinxin go in first, and explained:

"I heard it's a temporary exhibition held during the Lunar New Year, showcasing some local old objects and photos. I saw it a few days ago when I passed by, and thinking you might be interested, I brought you to see it."

Qiao Xinxin stepped over the high wooden threshold and went inside, and was momentarily amazed by the scene before her.

The exhibition hall wasn't very large, but it was decorated with great care. The white walls were covered with framed black and white photographs, showing what the street looked like decades ago when it was first built, as well as pedestrians wearing old-fashioned long gowns and cheongsams.

The rows of glass display cases against the wall showcase a variety of old objects full of historical charm: an enamel mug with a red double happiness symbol and some peeling paint, a kerosene lamp covered in dust, an old-fashioned "Butterfly" brand sewing machine with rust, and several comic books with yellowed covers and curled corners...

Looking at these things, Qiao Xinxin suddenly felt a vague and inexplicable sense of disorientation.

As a time traveler, these things, which are considered "antiques" by modern people, are now truly in her life. But now, being displayed so centrally in the exhibition hall, along with those old black and white photographs, gives her a surreal feeling of being out of place in time. It's as if she's standing in a crack in time, watching scenes from two different eras overlap and intertwine before her eyes.

Lu Baizhou had been silently following beside her. Seeing her staring blankly at a kerosene lamp, he asked softly:

"What are you thinking about?"

Qiao Xinxin snapped out of her daze, gave him a forced smile, and shook her head:

"It's nothing, it's just that...time flies so fast, and these things are quite moving."

The two walked side by side through the entire exhibition hall, finally stopping in a corner in front of a small stall selling old books and magazines.

The stall owner was an elderly man wearing reading glasses, engrossed in reading a book.

Qiao Xinxin casually flipped through the books at the stall when suddenly an old booklet telling local folk tales caught her attention. The cover of the booklet was yellowed and damaged, but the illustrations inside were extremely vivid and lifelike, all of which were figures and street scenes drawn with a brush, exuding a strong folk art atmosphere.

She hesitated for a moment, then reached out and picked up the booklet, turning the pages one by one.

Lu Baizhou keenly noticed her movements and lowered his head slightly to ask her:

"Do you like this?"

Qiao Xinxin turned the pages of the book and nodded, saying, "Hmm, these pictures are quite interesting. They're different from what I've seen before, and they're quite fun."

Lu Baizhou didn't say anything more. He walked directly to the stall owner wearing reading glasses and asked the price in a low voice. Then, he took out some change from his pocket and handed it over.

By the time Qiao Xinxin realized what was happening, Lu Baizhou had already put the old booklet into a clean brown paper bag and handed it to her.

"Here you go." Lu Baizhou looked at her, his voice low and serious. "This is for you, consider it a souvenir of our outing today."

Qiao Xinxin stared at the brown paper bag handed to her, momentarily stunned. She wanted to refuse, after all, they weren't officially dating yet, and it wasn't appropriate to keep accepting gifts from others. But looking into Lu Baizhou's sincere and expectant eyes, the words of refusal stuck in her throat.