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

After locking the electric scooter, Xu Nian took off her gloves and returned to the shop.

He quickly cleaned up the restaurant, clearing away the clutter from the tables, wiping away the dust, and mopping the floor as well.

Since they are Wen Yao and Zhao Lin's friends, they should not be neglected.

After getting everything sorted out, he turned on all the lights in the shop.

Warm-toned spotlights illuminate the wooden tables and chairs, accompanied by soothing background music.

On the dining table were smooth, white dough and flour, while steam rose from the pot.

A heartwarming scene was thus captured.

Apart from the incongruous signboard at the entrance, everything else about it is no different from a restaurant that is open for business.

On a bleak winter day, a bowl of steaming hot dumplings is a wonderful thing.

Xu Nian felt that if she had continued running the dumpling restaurant, the business would probably be doing very well now.

Unfortunately, Xiaoxi insisted that he could no longer go back to the life of getting up at dawn to prepare meals and working until midnight to close up shop.

Sigh... Speaking of streams...

The spot on my lip where she bit me still hurts a little...

I should stay away from Zhou Xiaoman from now on.

Although I don't dislike being around her, it's really unpleasant to have Xiaoxi inexplicably angry every time.

Xu Nian rubbed her nose, took out a new bag of flour, and started adding water and kneading the dough.

The dough left over from lunch was only enough for one person; it would definitely not be enough for three people.

The doorbell rang crisply, and a gust of cold wind blew into the room.

A few grains of flour were blown up and landed on Xu Nian's chef's uniform.

He raised his head with a smile, ready to greet his new friend.

When he saw that beautiful, smiling face, his smile froze completely.

"Xiaoman, let me tell you, my brother Xu Nian's dumplings are absolutely amazing, the kind that are so delicious they'll bring tears to your eyes."

Wen Yao introduced the situation with a smile, but then realized that the atmosphere seemed a little awkward.

Xu Nian stood frozen in place, motionless.

Zhou Xiaoman also stopped, her eyes brimming with undisguised joy.

"What a coincidence, Mr. Xu, we meet again."

......

Yuncheng University, School of Business Administration, third floor, classroom 314.

As the bell rang to signal the end of get out of class, the students who had been lying on their desks woke up and started yawning.

Microeconomics, a course whose very name makes you sleepy, is definitely an elective you'll have to sleep through.

Instead of getting up immediately, they leaned back in their seats, ordered takeout from Xiaoxi Canteen, and waited for their leg muscles to slowly regain feeling.

"Want one?"

"Let's go! I'm so sleepy!"

Several students walked out of the classroom arm in arm.

Behind them followed Xu Xi, who was wearing a leather jacket.

The girl closed her notebook as she walked, putting her pen into her pocket.

Her boots clicked on the stairs as she hurried down, heading towards the academic hall.

Just ten minutes ago, she learned about the author meet-and-greet from the campus's official WeChat account.

My brother once said that the woman was a member of the Yuncheng Writers Association.

In other words, the event she attended at Yuncheng University was the author meet-and-greet that Yao Yao had previously invited her to.

Damn it, why didn't I realize it sooner!

Xu Xi gritted her teeth and quickened her pace.

If she had known she would see that woman, she would have skipped the elective class.

She wanted to see what kind of woman she was, daring to swarm around her brother like a fly time and time again!

When we arrived at the academic hall, it was deserted, with only a few students cleaning up.

"Student, has the author meet-and-greet ended yet?"

Xu Xi grabbed a classmate's arm and asked anxiously.

"It ended an hour ago."

That's what the student replied.

Another one who missed the deadline.

He silently recited it in his mind.

Xu Xi stomped her foot angrily, her fists clenched tightly.

Just then, her phone rang, and a WeChat message appeared on the screen.

Gu Shuchang: Sister Xi, I found it. The off-campus order from this morning, the address is 3021, Shuixin Hotel, and the phone number is 130***...

Xu Xi put her phone in her pocket and quickly left the school.

Cross the zebra crossing, walk across the street, enter the hotel lobby, take the elevator, and go upstairs.

Standing in front of room 3021, Xu Xi stood with her hands in her pockets, coldly staring at the closed door.

She crouched down and gently sniffed the doorknob.

It has a faint scent of violet perfume.

right here!

"Knock knock knock!"

Xu Xi knocked on the door.

Nothing happens.

"Knock knock knock!"

...

"Knock knock knock!"

...

After a long time, the door remained tightly closed.

There was not a sound from inside.

Xu Xi's eyebrows were furrowed.

Not here?

Or perhaps, they are afraid to face themselves?

Then we'll wait here until she opens the door or comes back.

Thinking this, Xu Xi crossed her arms, leaned against the wall, and quietly waited for time to pass by, second by second.

After a while, a cleaning staff member pushing a cleaning cart came to the front of room 3021.

She looked at Xu Xi for a moment, then asked in confusion.

"Miss, do you need help?"

"No need, I'm waiting for someone."

Xu Xi replied.

The cleaning staff pointed to the door of room 3021.

"Are you a guest in this room?"

"Yes."

"Miss, room 3021 was checked out two hours ago. Your friend should have already left."

Have you checked out?

Xu Xi's heart skipped a beat.

It wasn't until she saw the cleaning staff swipe their room card to open the door, enter the room, and start cleaning that she realized she had been doing useless work.

My heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally died.

He finally had a chance to confront that woman head-on, but he squandered it all.

hateful...

"Take care, and welcome back next time."

After leaving the hotel, Xu Xi stood in the wind, lost and confused for a long time.

I have a class in twenty minutes. Should I go back to school now, or go back to my brother's shop?

Go back to school. If you go to the store at this time, you probably won't be able to get back to the classroom before class starts.

So, Xu Xi crossed the road and walked towards the school gate.

But for some reason, she felt uneasy.

It felt as if something that belonged to me was being quietly dug away.

......

"What a coincidence, Sister Xiaoman and Brother Xu Nian are such good friends."

Leaving the restaurant, Wen Yao was still amazed by this wonderful coincidence.

Throughout the meal, she kept asking about the relationship between the two, but Xu Nian and Zhou Xiaoman seemed to have an unspoken agreement and didn't say anything.

However, Wen Yao keenly noticed that Xiao Man always had a smile on her lips when she looked at Xu Nian.

"What a small world! I wouldn't dare write something like that in my novels."

Zhou Xiaoman smiled faintly and glanced back at the restaurant's sign.

She remembered this place.

"Xiaoman, let us take you back to your hotel."

Zhao Lin suggested.

"No need, I've already checked out."

"Thank you both for your kind invitation, which led me to a magical journey."

"Then we'll take you to the station."

Wen Yao and Zhao Lin held Zhou Xiaoman's hands and walked together to the bus stop.

While waiting for the car, Wen Yao touched her pocket and made a sound of surprise.

"Linlin, you stay here with Xiaoman while we wait for the bus. I think I left my phone at Xu Nian's shop. I'll go back and get it."

"it is good."