I was born and listened to my neighbor's older sister talk about her family of origin.

After dinner, Hao Mei looked at the sky outside.

As the sun set, only a faint crimson glow remained on the horizon.

She nudged her son with her elbow: "It's getting late, let's see the fish off."

It's inappropriate to leave a young woman here so late at night.

Jiang Cheng tried to persuade him to stay, saying, "Why are you going back so early? Sit a little longer."

Hao Mei glared at him.

Xu Zhiyu readily agreed and stood up.

"Auntie, Uncle, I'm leaving now. I just moved in today, and there's still a lot of stuff to sort out."

Jiang Ye wiped his hands clean and said to Xu Zhiyu:

"Let's go then, I'll see you off."

The two changed their shoes one after the other and went downstairs.

In the old building corridor, the motion-activated lights flickered on and off.

Xu Zhiyu followed behind him, stepping on his shadow one step at a time, her gaze fixed on his straight back, unblinking.

I wonder what he's thinking.

The person in front of her suddenly stopped, turned around, and asked, "Where do you live now?"

Xu Zhiyu immediately lowered her eyes, concealing the emotions in them.

"Qingshui Huating".

Jiang Ye took out his phone, swiped his finger across the screen a few times, and a map app popped up.

He recognized the name. It was a high-end residential community that had been developed in Jiangcheng in recent years. It was known for its strict security, good location, and high prices that would make ordinary working-class families give up their fantasies after just one look.

It's not close to here, but it's not too far either.

Taking the bus is the most convenient way.

"Let's take the bus then, it goes directly there."

Xu Zhiyu shook her head, her lips slightly pursed.

"A-Ye, I want to ride on your bicycle."

Jiang Ye was stunned, scratching his head and saying:

"It would take half an hour to ride a bicycle, which is a bit far, and the back seat is so hard, my butt would definitely hurt after sitting for a long time."

His gaze involuntarily drifted downwards; the girl's two slender, white legs were dazzling in the dim hallway light.

With such delicate skin, wouldn't your butt get flat from sitting for half an hour?

Xu Zhiyu had no idea what Jiang Ye was thinking. She didn't shy away from his gaze at all, and even took a half step forward.

"It's okay, I just want to sit."

Jiang Ye really didn't understand why Xu Zhiyu was deliberately making herself suffer, but since they had finally met, he wouldn't refuse her request.

So he could only nod.

"Alright, just don't come crying halfway there saying your butt hurts."

Xu Zhiyu smiled slightly: "No way!"

No sooner had she finished speaking than Jiang Ye turned around again, said "Wait for me," and ran upstairs again.

Xu Zhiyu stood there, somewhat puzzled.

In less than half a minute, Jiang Ye came down, carrying a black coat.

"Walk."

He pushed his bicycle out of the first-floor bike shed, pushed it in front of Xu Zhiyu, and then folded his coat several times and carefully placed it on the back seat.

As Xu Zhiyu watched him finish doing all this, the softest part of her heart was gently touched.

So it was all for her...

Xu Zhiyu looked gently at Jiang Ye's lowered head.

Sure enough, no matter how long it's been, Ah Ye is still the same Ah Ye...

Jiang Ye patted the clothes that were cushioned on the back seat to make sure they wouldn't fall off, then raised his chin at Xu Zhiyu and grinned.

"This should be better, your butt won't suffer as much."

After saying that, he took a long stride, supported himself on one foot, and sat steadily in the car, looking back at her.

"Come up."

Xu Zhiyu looked at Jiang Ye in front of her.

The night breeze ruffled the stray hairs on his forehead, and the boy's silhouette was elongated under the streetlights, making him taller and more handsome than the boy she remembered.

Xu Zhiyu felt her heart pounding uncontrollably, like a deer's.

I like it, I like it, I like it so much...

What should I do?

When they met again, she found that she liked Jiang Ye even more than before.

Moreover, this fondness erupted almost explosively upon their next meeting.

It's like compressing all the feelings from the past two years into this moment, and then finally releasing them freely.

It's completely out of control.

A slight blush appeared on her fair face, barely noticeable in the darkness, as her slender white fingers gripped her small bag tightly.

Xu Zhiyu tried hard to suppress her heartbeat so that Jiang Ye wouldn't notice anything unusual about her.

She sat sideways and shrank back, the hem of her white dress falling to the side of the bicycle frame, which she gently pressed down with her hand.

Jiang Ye reminded him without turning his head: "Hold on tight, don't fall."

Xu Zhiyu hummed in agreement, stretched out her hand, but her fingertips suddenly hovered in mid-air.

The hem of his T-shirt swayed gently in the evening breeze, within her reach.

She hesitated for two seconds, then bypassed the fabric and pressed herself directly against the narrow, lean muscles on his side.

Even through the thin T-shirt, the heat from the boy's waist made her fingertips twitch, but she showed no sign of shyness or backing down.

A warm, smooth touch came from her waist, and Jiang Ye involuntarily paused for a moment, feeling a tingling sensation where she touched him.

"cough......"

He coughed somewhat awkwardly, then pedaled his bike and rode out of the residential area.

The streetlights receded one by one.

Xu Zhiyu sat on the back seat, her entire weight leaning against him almost imperceptibly as the bicycle bounced around.

The scent lingering around my nose was that refreshing soapy smell emanating from him, exactly the same as it had been two years ago.

Her gaze fell on Jiang Ye's back.

Ji Xiaoxiao probably sits in this position every day, right?

They went to school together, came home together, and stayed together all the time.

Ji Xiaoxiao would grab his clothes, eat behind him, and bicker with him.

You might even bump your head on his back.

But she was absent for two whole years.

I also missed Ah Ye for two whole years.

Lost in thought, Xu Zhiyu felt a sharp prick in her heart, and her fingers tightened slightly.

Jiang Ye's body tensed up again, thinking he was riding too fast, and he gradually slowed down.

Feeling that the conversation was getting a bit awkward, he started trying to find topics to talk about.

"Did Aunt Cheng come back with you this time?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhiyu replied, "No."

Jiang Ye was somewhat surprised.

That control freak Cheng Jinglan didn't come back with Xu Zhiyu?

That's strange.

Seemingly sensing Jiang Ye's surprise, Xu Zhiyu didn't hide anything and said directly, "It seems that something has happened to the Song family recently. Mom and Uncle Song are very busy, so they sent us back to avoid the storm."

Jiang Ye was slightly startled again.

Something happened?

What could possibly warrant sending your child to another city to avoid trouble? This must be serious...

However, Jiang Ye didn't intend to ask too many questions about such secrets of wealthy families.

He can only listen to this as gossip; it's not something he can interfere with now.

However, he keenly noticed two other words in Xu Zhiyu's words.

"You? Who else is there besides you?"

A figure flashed into his mind, and his lips twitched.

"Could it be your stepson, Song Zixuan?"

Xu Zhiyu blinked, a slight smile playing on her lips: "Yes."

"So now, the two of you are living together?"

Xu Zhiyu nodded, "Yes, Aunt Liu is with us too."

Jiang Ye frowned.

Xu Zhiyu lives with Song Zixuan and doesn't have any parents to look after her.

She didn't have a high status in the Song family to begin with, and she had a rather indifferent personality. She usually didn't say a word when she was wronged.

She's living with that rich kid now, who's going through a rebellious adolescence.

Wouldn't Xu Zhiyu be bullied to death by that kid?!