Reborn in 2006, I met Mr. Zhou from the past.

As soon as she sat down, Su Fengnan asked somewhat embarrassedly, "You said you came with your mother, where is your aunt?"

Zhang Xinrui then slapped her forehead in frustration, exclaiming, "Oh no, I'm still in the shop!"

Just as Su Fengnan was about to get up to invite her, Zhang Xinrui's mother walked over with a smile, sat down next to Su Fengnan, and joked, "Girls really are a handful once they grow up! They forget their mothers as soon as they see their best friends?"

Zhang Xinrui shrank back, her cheeks slightly flushed, and awkwardly pleaded, "Mom..."

"Alright, alright, it's your birthday today, so I won't hold it against you."

Upon seeing this, Su Fengnan quickly and politely greeted her, "Hello, Auntie!"

Looking at the beautiful and sensible girl in front of her, Mrs. Zhang smiled and said, "Hello! My daughter Rui Rui has always said that the desserts at her best friend's dessert shop are absolutely amazing, better than anywhere else, and she insisted on dragging me here to check it out. Now it seems they really are great."

Su Fengnan smiled shyly, "Thank you for your approval, Auntie."

Seeing that her daughter and Su Fengnan got along very naturally and harmoniously, and that the girl gave off a very comfortable feeling, unlike the people she usually encountered, Zhang's mother didn't object to her daughter's interaction with her. Instead, she became a little curious and casually asked, "How did you two meet? Why haven't I heard Ruirui mention it before? You should bring her home to play sometime."

Upon hearing this, Su Fengnan subconsciously looked at Zhang Xinrui, her eyes filled with questioning: Didn't you tell Auntie and the others about that matter?

Zhang Xinrui lowered her head guiltily, sipping her hot drink, and for a moment she didn't know how to respond.

Sensing the subtle change in the girls' expressions, Zhang's mother immediately realized something was amiss, and her previously gentle tone turned serious: "Tell me honestly, what's going on?"

Since November, the weather has quietly turned cooler. Fortunately, today is a rare sunny day, and the three of us can bask in the warm sunshine while sitting under the umbrella.

But at this moment, Zhang Xinrui felt cold inside and out, her fingers gripping the cup tightly, afraid that if she told the truth, she would be scolded by her mother.

Zhang's mother stared intently at her daughter, finding it unbearable to look at her dejected, wilted appearance. Whenever something happened, this girl would always lower her head and remain silent, as if she had suffered a great injustice; no matter how she asked, she couldn't get her to open her mouth.

Su Fengnan wanted to break the suffocating tension, but when she turned her head, she met Zhang's mother's scrutinizing gaze. She instantly shuddered, inwardly groaning—she didn't want to become the "sandwich" between this mother and daughter!

"Our Rui Rui usually calls you Feng Nan, so Auntie calls you that too. Feng Nan, tell Auntie, what's going on?" Zhang's mother softened her tone, but the inquiry in her eyes did not diminish at all.

Su Fengnan glanced at Zhang Xinrui, who was hanging her head, and then met Zhang's mother's gaze. She smiled and casually admitted, "Xinrui, I just helped you with a small favor. Why are you acting like it's something you're ashamed of?"

Zhang Xinrui suddenly looked up, meeting Su Fengnan's gaze with confusion, not understanding why she would say such a thing. Su Fengnan winked at her discreetly and continued her fabrication, "It's just that Xinrui accidentally lost her bag last time, and I happened to find it. I waited for her to come back looking for it, and then I returned the bag to her."

At this point, she turned to look at Zhang's mother, her tone light: "Auntie, Xinrui must have been careless and afraid you'd criticize her for not learning from her mistakes, that's why she didn't dare to say anything. She was also afraid you'd worry."

Looking at Su Fengnan's open and honest smile, Zhang's mother's doubts finally dissipated somewhat, but she still harbored some skepticism in her heart.

"Alright, I won't blame you this time. Luckily, you ran into Feng Nan. Be more careful next time you go out, and don't always forget things."

"I understand..." Zhang Xinrui replied weakly, her head lowered.

Zhang's mother didn't ask any more questions, but she secretly made up her mind that she would have to find someone to investigate this matter thoroughly, and not just listen to her child's side of the story.

Seeing her mother finally relent, Zhang Xinrui secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Su Fengnan, standing beside her, also quietly patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief as well. She had clearly sensed that Zhang's mother's aura was too strong, that kind of imposing and authoritative feeling; no wonder Xinrui was so afraid.

The mother and daughter didn't stay long before saying goodbye and leaving. Before leaving, Zhang Xinrui wrote down her home address and slipped it into Su Fengnan's hand, telling her to come over that evening.

Mrs. Zhang also extended a warm invitation from the side, with a polite smile on her face: "Fengnan, you must come to our house for dinner tonight! Auntie must thank you properly for helping Ruirui with such a big favor."

Su Fengnan smiled and nodded: "Auntie, you're too kind. See you tonight then."

"You must come, I'll be waiting for you," Zhang Xinrui urged expectantly from the side.

"Okay, don't worry, I'll definitely attend your coming-of-age ceremony. See you tonight."

Watching the two figures disappear completely around the street corner, Su Fengnan turned away and went back into the shop. She unfolded the note in her hand, her gaze falling on Zhang Xinrui's address—the distance didn't seem far.

However, when she saw the area clearly, Su Fengnan's heart skipped a beat. That area... seemed to be entirely comprised of government officials' family compounds? She instinctively pressed her hand to her chest, her heart pounding uncontrollably. Could that be the home of some high-ranking leader? A strange sense of tension instantly welled up inside her.

Lost in thought, Zhou Chenyu heard the wind chimes by the door tinkle softly and stepped inside. He immediately spotted Su Fengnan standing alone in the corner, lost in thought, clutching the note in her hand.

He walked to her side, and a deep voice asked, "What are you daydreaming about?" instantly pulled Su Fengnan back from her wandering thoughts.

Su Fengnan turned around, and upon seeing him, her eyes instantly curved into crescent moons: "Brother Zhou, what brings you here?"

Zhou Chenyu smiled and said, "Come on, I'll show you something."

"Huh? What is it?"

Before she could finish speaking, Zhou Chenyu had already naturally taken her hand and led her outside. Su Fengnan didn't even have time to say goodbye to Yanzi and the others before she was led out of the store.

No sooner had the two left than Tian Tian couldn't resist crowding around the cashier, nudging Yan Zi with a gossipy look on her face: "Sister Yan Zi, was that handsome guy Nan Nan's boyfriend?"

Yanzi glanced at the two departing figures from afar and said meaningfully, "Probably. But if you see this brother coming in the future, just be polite and don't say anything."

Tian Tian clearly didn't quite grasp the deeper meaning behind Yan Zi's words, and was still swooning over him, resting her chin on her hands: "Wow, he's so handsome! Sister Nan Nan is so lucky."

This scene was witnessed by Hai Ge through the window of the inner room. He silently kept it in mind, secretly planning to ask about it when he got back, determined not to let his younger sister suffer any loss.

Zhou Chenyu led Su Fengnan to the new store next door, which was hidden by a curtain. They lifted the curtain and went inside. The store had already been renovated, and the air still had a fresh and clean feel to it.