The white rose I picked up cried and said she liked me.

"Waaaaah, I never thought you'd be the first one to find a boyfriend, Yao Yao."

Xu Xi grabbed Wen Yao's pillow, hugged it to her chest, lay down on the bed, stared blankly at the ceiling, and pouted slightly.

She truly hadn't expected that Wen Yao would actually end up with Xu Bowen.

"Hehe, tell me quickly, isn't my outfit pretty?"

Wen Yao finally finished dressing up and stood in front of Xu Xi, turning around beautifully.

"pretty!"

Xu Xi sat up and gave a thumbs up.

It must be said that, if you don't compare her to Xu Xi, Wen Yao is quite a beauty.

She has long hair, a pretty face, very well-proportioned features, fair skin, and a high nose bridge.

Apart from the fact that her long-term stay-at-home lifestyle has caused her to lose some of her figure, there is almost nothing wrong with her.

This fitted dress completely concealed the only flaw in her figure.

"Hmph~ Magic mirror, magic mirror, who is the fairest of them all?"

"It's Yao Yao!"

"Oh ho ho ho ho ho~"

Wen Yao gave a witch-like smile, left Xu Xi with a dashing back view, and turned to walk out the door.

"I'm going to see my eight-pack abs~ Hehehe..."

"By the way, Xibao, don't tell Linlin about this. I told her just a few days ago that I would never be with Xu Bowen~"

"Okay!"

Xu Xi solemnly assured him.

As soon as Wen Yao walked away, Xu Xi couldn't wait to run downstairs.

"Linlinlinlin! I want to tell you something, I want to tell you something..."

"Is it about Yao Yao going out on a date with Xu Bowen?"

Zhao Lin spoke without looking up, while busily unpacking a case of cola in her hand.

"Huh? How did you know that, duck...?"

Xu Xi immediately deflated, and even the ahoge (cowlick) on her head drooped limply.

"It's so obvious. I've never seen her dressed so beautifully before. I could even smell perfume on her when she passed by me just now."

Zhao Lin smiled and neatly stacked the case of cola on the shelf.

"I never expected that she would be the first among us to find a partner."

Xu Xi squatted down to help Zhao Lin sort the goods.

"Linlin, when did you and Qi Yu officially become a couple?"

"Me?"

Zhao Lin wiped the sweat from her face and tucked the stray strands of hair that had fallen across her forehead behind her ear.

"It should be early, I'm waiting for him to confess his feelings to me first."

"But he seems to have a lot of concerns, or maybe he doesn't like me, because he hasn't made a move."

"Actually, when I think about it carefully, we don't know each other well enough. Unlike Yao Yao and Xu Bowen, who have known each other for three years, I still don't know A Yu's background and past."

Similarly, he has no idea what kind of awful person I used to be.

As she said this, Zhao Lin lowered her head somewhat dejectedly.

Since she started living with Xu Xi and Wen Yao, her perception has undergone a complete transformation.

Whenever she recalls her extravagant past, she feels ashamed of herself.

Smoking, drinking, dyeing hair, clubbing, and hiring a bunch of thugs to follow him around and support him...

No wonder Song Jiayi wouldn't like her; any boy would run far away from a girl like that.

"Linlin, don't think like that. You're a very outstanding person now, capable in both formal and domestic settings."

Xu Xi reached out her little hand and patted Zhao Lin's head to comfort her.

She could no longer see in Zhao Lin the way she used to use her arrogant and domineering exterior to cover up her lonely and insecure heart.

"Thanks."

Zhao Lin forced a smile and shrank her ankle, which bore a scar from a cigarette butt that had once burned her.

Just then, her phone rang.

When Zhao Lin saw what was on the screen, her face instantly turned panicked.

"Xu Xi, can you do me a favor?"

"What kind of help?"

Zhao Lin quickly wiped the dust off her face and retied her hair.

"Could you watch the shop for me? Ah Yu asked me to go out for a bit, and I probably won't be back until tonight."

"Okay, leave it to me!"

Zhao Lin rushed upstairs, took three steps at a time, and went into the bathroom to start getting ready.

The warehouse was very dusty. After sorting goods all morning, she was covered in dust, looking like a little pig that had just rolled in the mud.

When she learned that Qi Yu would be coming to find her soon, she panicked.

If Qi Yu saw this image, it would definitely lower his impression of me.

Her worries were unnecessary, or perhaps... too late.

Because Qi Yu was very fast, he was already standing in the convenience store on the first floor before she had even finished washing her face.

"Ah Yu...why didn't you tell me beforehand..."

Zhao Lin tied her hair up as she went downstairs, not even having time to wipe the water droplets off her face. She had just hurriedly changed into a clean set of clothes.

More than her image, she didn't want to keep her sweetheart waiting for her.

"Sorry, I haven't had any orders lately, so I decided to contact you at the last minute."

"I'll wait for you for a while. It was my oversight. We'll leave after you're done."

Noticing Zhao Lin's slightly flustered expression, Qi Yu smiled awkwardly and rubbed the back of his head with his rough hand.

After the college entrance examination, he returned to Xu Hu's team and continued to work as a food deliveryman.

Save some more money before going to university, just in case.

"It's okay, I just finished my work too."

Zhao Lin gave Xu Xi, who was sitting at the cashier, a look that said, "I'm counting on you."

Xu Xi then gave an OK sign, indicating that she would leave it to him.

The two left the convenience store together, not by bike, but by holding hands and taking a walk.

Without a destination or a clear direction, they would simply ask each other where they wanted to go at each intersection.

Unbeknownst to them, they had arrived at the edge of a lake.

This is Dingxiang Lake, the most famous lake park in Yuncheng.

Being here, even the summer heat seems to lessen a bit.

Scattered tree shadows, and the shimmering lake surface.

Around the lake, there is a pedestrian walkway specially prepared for people to stroll, where a few people walk sparsely.

They strolled along the sidewalk around Lilac Lake, feeling their hearts drawing closer to each other.

Zhao Lin has always felt that taking a walk is a very private thing.

She can eat and chat with anyone, but taking a walk is something she does with her closest people.

When did I fall in love with this man who had a rough appearance, like a former construction worker of my father, yet possessed a touch of refinement?

Zhao Lin touched her rapidly beating heart and asked herself the same question.

Was it the words on that snowy night that woke her from her confusion? Or was it the tired figure of him tutoring her, a poor student, until late at night after a long day? Or perhaps it was the occasional hint of concern that shone through his rough and carefree nature?

This is the first time I've ever been the one to let someone hold my hand and walk with me.

Even her father and her long-deceased mother never took her for a walk.