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

After discussing the requirements with Gu Shuchang, Xu Xi gave Gu Shuchang a break so he could focus on creating the management system.

During this period, he was still provided with three meals a day, which were delivered to his dormitory by other deliverymen.

However, Gu Shuchang, a computer science student, didn't even have his own computer.

When he tentatively suggested that the time limit could be extended so that he could work on it in the computer lab during class, Xu Xi flatly refused and borrowed the laptop that Wen Yao had won in a prize some time ago.

If Gu Shuchang can really create a system that meets her needs, it will greatly reduce her workload.

The sooner the project is completed, the fewer sleepless nights Xu Xi will have to work.

......

During the seven-day National Day holiday, the number of orders decreased significantly because many students went home or traveled.

Xu Xi plans to give the food delivery team members a rotating break.

One delivery person is assigned to each building, working two shifts a day.

Wen Yao grumbled about wanting to go on a trip with Xu Bowen, and Xu Xi gave her four days off. He patted her on the shoulder and reminded her to take safety precautions, which Wen Yao scolded for five minutes with a red face.

Qi Yu and Zhao Lin were not so lucky. The former took over Xu Nian's job after leaving school, while the latter worked non-stop from 10 am to 8 pm at school.

Of course, Xu Xi also generously gave them three times their wages, silencing their grievances.

Xu Xi herself slept in her brother's arms for two days and two nights after Wen Yao returned, which almost scared Xu Nian so much that she called 120 (emergency services).

On the last day of the National Day holiday, a spirited Xu Xi took her brother on a trip.

The destination was the seaside, where we hadn't had enough fun last time.

They didn't bring anyone, especially Wen Yao; it was just the two of them.

They set off early in the morning, taking a taxi instead of taking the bus to save money.

The taxi sped along the overpass, the meter jumping three times a minute, each jump costing several yuan, making Xu Nian's heart pound with fear.

Xu Xi, however, smiled and stretched out her little hand to cover her brother's eyes.

Today she wore a pure white long dress, paired with white stockings and white sneakers, looking like a little angel descended from heaven, ethereal and otherworldly.

"Shh~ Brother, don't worry about it. We're not short of money now."

Xu Nian looked at her younger sister's pure and sweet face, and her vision blurred for a moment.

The dilapidated suburban buildings outside the car window blurred into afterimages as the car sped past at 80 mph.

Gradually, the scenery was replaced by magnificent high-rise buildings.

Yes, a life of poverty is a thing of the past.

For them, whose combined monthly income is 20,000 yuan, a bus fare of a hundred yuan or so is really nothing.

Xu Nian felt like she was having a dream.

Three years ago, he huddled in a shantytown that leaked rain in the summer and drafts in the winter, struggling to make ends meet for the next meal, which he didn't know when.

Now, dressed in clean clothes that make his body ashamed, he no longer has to worry about making a living and even has the energy to enjoy life.

If my past self met my present self, I'd probably slap myself in the face with a cold laugh and tell myself to stop dreaming unrealistic dreams.

And all of this was bestowed upon her by the angelic girl before her.

Unbeknownst to her, that hazy feeling transformed into a crystal tear, which slid down Xu Nian's cheek.

"Why are you crying, brother?"

Xu Xixiang gently brushed her soft fingertips against his face, and the salty tear stains turned into the fragrance of white roses.

"Xiaoxi, pinch me."

"Um?"

A small head, a big question.

Although she didn't understand, Xu Xi listened to her brother.

She lifted Xu Nian's arm, opened her small mouth, and gently took a bite.

"Awoo~"

A row of faint teeth marks were left on it.

Okay, I didn't listen to it all.

Xu Nian rubbed the bite mark; a slight pain still lingered.

I wasn't dreaming...

A smile appeared on Xu Nian's lips.

"Brother, don't you feel like your life right now is unreal?"

Xu Xi hugged her brother with a grin, burying her little head in his arms.

"Yes, a little..."

Xu Nian gently ruffled her hair and sighed.

From the moment he met Xu Xi, his life became "unreal".

Family ties and friendships, these seemingly "ethereal" things, gradually became part of his life.

If it weren't for Xu Xi's arrival, he would probably be all alone, huddled up in that shantytown, lost and confused.

He may already be dead, having quietly departed this painful world as he wished.

Just like that passage in Xu Zhimo's "Saying Goodbye to Cambridge Again".

"I came quietly, and I leave quietly;"

"I wave my sleeves, without taking away a single cloud."

Now, he has long since put that idea out of his mind.

Life is unpredictable; you never know what will happen next.

A wonderful world is beckoning to him.

......

The fare totaled 138 yuan, and the taxi driver kindly helped the two of them take their luggage out of the trunk.

The beach was bustling with activity during the National Day holiday, with tourists everywhere coming to play in the water.

Finding a flat, open spot on the beach is no easy feat.

The two laid out a mat and arranged the sandwiches, sushi, and fruit they had brought.

After lunch, Xu Xi wiped her mouth and prepared to change into her swimsuit.

"Wow! This line is so long!"

A long queue had formed outside the women's changing room.

Xu Xi stood on tiptoe and looked out; there were dozens of people waiting to change clothes in front of her.

At this rate, it will probably take half an hour to get there.

"Haven't you had your turn yet?"

Xu Nian had already changed her clothes and came to Xu Xi's side.

It was less about changing clothes and more about stripping down to just a pair of swim trunks.

There's no need to even go to the locker room.

Men are just convenient.

He looked at the long queue, his brows furrowing slightly.

Xu Xi's eyes darted around, and an idea came to her.

"Brother, come with me."

She returned to the mat, took off the fruit basket and backpack one by one, picked up the mat, and shook off the sand.

"Brother, please use this to wrap myself up."

Xu Nian took the mat and, as Xu Xi had instructed, wrapped it around her, covering her completely.

"Hey! This is not bad."

Xu Nian raised an eyebrow and exclaimed in surprise.

This is equivalent to creating a changing room.

Xu Xi was also pleased with her intelligence, but just as she was about to take off her clothes, she found that she was wrapped too tightly and had no room to move her arms.

"Brother, loosen your grip a little, I can't move."

"Okay."

Xu Nian loosened the mat a little to give Xu Xi more room to move around.

The padding area is not large; as soon as it is loosened even a little, obvious gaps are revealed.

"No, Xiaoxi, if you loosen it, it won't cover you anymore."

Xu Xi also noticed the problem, and her brows furrowed involuntarily.