Qiu Yingying is reborn and bound to a learning system.

The next day, they walked hand in hand along the cobblestone path deeper into the ancient town, the air filled with the faint scent of flowers and the sweet aroma of roasted milk fan. Qiu Yingying, dressed in a red dress, stood out against the gray tiles and white walls; her plaid shawl, bought in Dali, with its fuzzy trim, was perfect for warding off the morning chill. Meng Yanchen, in a black tracksuit, was so handsome that girls on the street kept staring at him.

She casually adjusted her collar and turned to look at Meng Yanchen beside her: "Look at that family's windowsill, they have so many succulents, they're so chubby and cute."

Meng Yanchen looked in the direction she pointed and saw a dozen or so succulents neatly arranged on the gray-blue windowsill, their leaves plump and covered in morning dew.

He stopped and waited for her to get closer before speaking, his voice softer than usual: "You like it? Should we ask if we can buy one?"

Qiu Yingying shook her head, her fingertips lightly touching the dewdrops on the windowsill: "No need, just look at it. Taking it home would require a lot of care."

As she turned her head, the ends of her hair brushed against Meng Yanchen's wrist, like a feather gently tickling him. Qiu Yingying looked away first, then smiled and walked forward: "There seems to be a craft workshop up ahead, shall we go take a look?"

Meng Yanchen followed behind her, walking together and enjoying a rare moment of leisure.

The workshop displays a variety of tie-dyed products: tablecloths, scarves, and handkerchiefs. Irregular white patterns shimmer on the indigo background, resembling clouds or mist. This natural combination of sky blue and white is both natural and artistic.

The proprietress, a local auntie, greeted them with a smile as they entered: "Are you two traveling together? Take a look and see what you like; everything is handmade."

Before Qiu Yingying could explain, Meng Yanchen responded, "Yeah, just looking around." He turned to look at her, a hint of amusement in his eyes. Qiu Yingying's ears burned a little. She didn't argue, but picked up a handkerchief with daisies printed on it and whispered, "This is pretty. It'll be perfect for wiping my hands."

"Take it if you like it." Meng Yanchen naturally took the handkerchief from her hand and handed it to the proprietress. "Take two more scarves, and get these blue and white gradient ones." He pointed to two scarves hanging on the wall, the colors of which matched Qiu Yingying's cloak.

"One is for you, and I'll wear the other." Meng Yanchen looked down at her, his dark eyes reflecting the light and shadow in the store. "It's very pretty, I like it too."

The proprietress laughed and joked from the side, "Young man, you really know how to take care of people. You two are dressed well together, red and black, very festive."

Qiu Yingying's cheeks flushed even more. She lowered her head and fiddled with the ties of her cloak, saying nothing.

Meng Yanchen paid for the scarf, handed one to her, and casually draped his own over his arm.

Leaving the craft workshop, there was a small stall selling flower cakes at the alley entrance, its sweet aroma wafting through the air. Qiu Yingying stopped, her eyes sparkling: "It smells delicious! Want to try some?"

"Let's buy a few." Meng Yanchen pulled her to the stall and asked the owner, "Which filling sells best?"

"Rose and jasmine ones, made with fresh flowers." The owner handed over two freshly baked ones. "Try them first, if you don't like them, you don't have to pay."

Qiu Yingying took a rose-filled pastry, blew on it, and carefully took a bite. A crumb of pastry fell onto the back of her hand, which she hurriedly licked off with her tongue. Her eyes curved into crescent moons: "So sweet! The rose flavor is so strong!"

Looking at her, Meng Yanchen couldn't help but laugh. He took out a tissue from his pocket and gently wiped the pastry from the corner of her mouth. "Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you." When his fingertips touched the corner of her lips, Qiu Yingying's breath hitched, and the sweetness in her mouth seemed to intensify. She whispered, "I can do it myself."

"Hmm." Meng Yanchen withdrew his hand, handed her the tissue, picked up another flower cake, and took a bite.

He doesn't usually like sweet things, but at this moment the sweetness on his tongue felt just right. Perhaps it was because the smiles of the people around him were so bright that even ordinary flower cakes seemed exceptionally delicious.

They strolled around slowly, and Qiu Yingying found everything new and interesting. There was a small stall selling handmade silver jewelry by the roadside. She squatted down in front of the stall, holding up a small silver ring and saying, "This ring is so unique."

The stall owner, a young woman, smiled and said, "Yes, it's carved according to the wave pattern, and it makes your skin look fairer."

Qiu Yingying slipped the ring onto her index finger and turned to ask Meng Yanchen, "Does it look good?"

Meng Yanchen squatted down beside her and examined the ring closely. The silver of the ring was very shiny, making her slender, fair fingers appear even more striking. "It's beautiful," he paused, then added, "It suits you very well."

Qiu Yingying also bought him a silver pendant, which he could hang in his car; it was shaped like a cat.

Around noon, the two found a small restaurant by the river and ordered local spicy and sour fish and a few side dishes. The river water was clear, and weeping willows lined the banks, their branches swaying gently in the breeze.

Qiu Yingying took a sip of chilled tamarind juice and sighed contentedly, "It's so comfortable here. The scenery is beautiful, the pace of life is slow, and the people here are so welcoming. Every time we pass by a small shop, they are very friendly and offer us samples. It's much cooler than Shanghai."

"If you like it, you can come often in the future." Meng Yanchen picked up a piece of fish for her, removed the bones, and said, "Eat more, we still have to go shopping this afternoon."

"Really? You're the CEO? I remember you being so busy with work," Qiu Yingying's eyes lit up. She thought she was starting to enjoy traveling. Now that she had plenty of money, she wouldn't suffer any hardship on the trip; it would be all happiness and joy. She could even bring her parents along for a trip.

"Work is busy, but I need to rest. It's okay if my dad keeps an eye on things occasionally!" Meng Yanchen looked at her. "Besides, I need to spend time with my girlfriend."

After dinner, the two strolled along the riverbank. Qiu Yingying saw a vendor selling sugar figurines and pulled Meng Yanchen over, saying, "I used to love this when I was little. I haven't seen it in so long."

The sugar-blowing master smiled and asked, "What kind of shape would you like, little girl? We have dragons, phoenixes, and little rabbits."

"I want a little bunny, it's cute." Qiu Yingying stared wide-eyed as she watched the master craftsman skillfully knead the sugar syrup, blowing and pinching it until a chubby little bunny was finished, dyed pink.

Qiu Yingying took the little rabbit and handed it to Meng Yanchen: "Look, isn't it cute?"

Meng Yanchen nodded, watching her carefully hold the sugar figurine as if it were a precious treasure, and the smile in his eyes deepened. He took out his phone and quietly took a picture of her. In the photo, Qiu Yingying was wearing a red dress and a cape, holding a pink sugar figurine in her hands, her eyes crinkling with laughter, and the sunlight falling on her face made her look exceptionally sweet.

"You took a picture of me without my permission?" Qiu Yingying noticed him taking pictures and laughed as she tried to snatch his phone. "Let me see, is it good or not?"

Meng Yanchen pulled her into his arms and pinched Qiu Yingying's cheek. He handed her his phone: "The photos are very beautiful."

Qiu Yingying looked through the photos, a smile involuntarily creeping onto her lips. She saved the photos, opened the camera app, and pulled Meng Yanchen along, saying, "Let's take a group photo."

Meng Yanchen moved closer to her cooperatively, and Qiu Yingying raised her phone, capturing the two of them, along with the river and weeping willows behind them, in the photo. She wore a red dress, and he wore black; they looked exceptionally well-matched standing together. Looking at the photo, Qiu Yingying whispered, "We look just like a pair of chivalrous heroes."

Meng Yanchen's gaze fell on her face, and he said softly, "Then let's wander the world together for the rest of our lives."

Qiu Yingying's heart suddenly raced. She looked up at him and met his deep eyes, which reflected her image. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know what to say. Pretending to look at the scenery by the river, she said, "There's a coffee shop over there. Let's go get a cup of coffee."

"Okay." Meng Yanchen didn't ask any further questions, but simply followed silently behind her.

The café was a small courtyard filled with greenery and furnished with a few wooden tables and chairs. The two found a seat by the window; Qiu Yingying ordered a hand-drip coffee, and Meng Yanchen ordered an Americano.

While waiting for her coffee, Qiu Yingying took out her phone, looked through the photos she had taken that morning and the souvenirs she had bought, and said with a smile, "I bought so many things today, and I also brought souvenirs for Andy and the others. I can hardly fit them all in my phone."

The coffee was served. Qiu Yingying took a sip and found it to be lightly fruity, not bitter or astringent, and quite delicious. This coffee was good.

The two chatted over coffee. Qiu Yingying talked about her life in Shanghai, a monotonous routine between home and work, with immense work pressure and little time for leisure. She added that in her previous life, she had wasted her entire existence, rarely having time to relax since starting work.

"Actually, I used to envy people who could travel everywhere. I always felt that I didn't have the time or energy. But after coming out this time, I realized that life can be so comfortable."

Meng Yanchen listened quietly, nodding occasionally in response. He thought about his own life; from a young age, he had been required to be mature and sensible, to focus on his studies. Later, after taking over the company, he was even more filled with work. He had never been able to come out and have fun so carefree, trying so many new things, as he was now. "This is the first time I've felt this relaxed," he said, looking at Qiu Yingying. "Thank you. With you, I've experienced so many firsts in my life."

"You're welcome?" Qiu Yingying said with a smile, "You're my boyfriend, I'll protect you."

The two smiled at each other, and a faint sense of ambiguity and sweetness filled the air.

After finishing their coffee, the two continued strolling through the ancient town. Qiu Yingying couldn't resist the food stalls, wanting to try everything from roasted milk fan to cold chicken rice noodles. She bought a bowl of cold chicken rice noodles and handed it to Meng Yanchen: "Try it, it's sour and spicy, very delicious."

Other people's girlfriends would take a bite and give the rest to their boyfriends. Qiu Yingying felt a little embarrassed because she probably wouldn't be able to leave any. While buying delicious food, she also took some videos to record the material, which she planned to post on her food blogger account.

Meng Yanchen took the chopsticks, took a bite, and found the flavor, while distinctly local, surprisingly to his liking. "Delicious."

"Right?" Qiu Yingying smiled smugly. "I knew it, the snacks here are amazing." She took a bite herself, her eyes squinting from the spiciness, but she still couldn't stop eating.

Meng Yanchen watched as she ate until her face was flushed. He took out a tissue from his bag and gently wiped the soup from the corner of her mouth. "Eat slowly, don't choke." His actions were natural, with a kind of doting tenderness.

Qiu Yingying's cheeks flushed slightly, and she whispered, "Okay." She lowered her head and continued eating, her heart pounding like a rabbit's. Good heavens!!! He's so gentle, so handsome!! Qiu Yingying told herself, "You have to control yourself, you have to control yourself, you can't be lovestruck!"

They strolled into a small shop selling wood carvings. The shop displayed various wooden sculptures—cats, dogs, little houses—all carved with remarkable lifelike detail. Qiu Yingying picked up a small wooden rabbit, which resembled the sugar figurine she held, and said with a smile, "This looks just like my sugar figurine!"

They selected many wood carvings to display in their home.

Qiu Yingying took the little rabbit and put it in her bag, intending to let the little rabbit keep her company. She also bought two kittens, one of which looked a lot like Duoduo. She gave one of them to Duoduo, and Duoduo rolled around happily.

In the adult world, giving money and time to someone is the most direct form of love, without exception.

They were willing to patiently accompany each other through these small shops, fulfilling each other's various little wishes. It felt wonderful to be cared for by the other person.

As evening approached, the two bought many souvenirs. Meng Yanchen carried several bags containing tie-dyed scarves, wooden carvings, scenic postcards, and local specialties. Qiu Yingying offered to help carry one, but he shook his head, saying, "It's not heavy, I can manage."

"You're carrying so much, let me help you carry some." Qiu Yingying insisted on carrying it, and Meng Yanchen had no choice but to give her the lightest bag.

Qiu Yingying sighed, shook her head and frowned. Versailles: Her boyfriend spoils her too much. He doesn't know that she has plenty of strength and means.

Looking at their photos, Meng Yanchen edited a post on her WeChat Moments with the caption: "Cangshan and Erhai, life is worth living." She then attached several photos, including a picture of the two of them together, the scenery of the ancient town, and the sugar figurine and wooden rabbit in her hand.

Qiu Yingying also posted on her WeChat Moments, mainly showing photos of food and her boyfriend, which can be considered as their official announcement.

Shortly after it was posted, the comments section was flooded. Qu Xiaoxiao's comment was the most active: "Wow, is Little Qiu Ying completely letting loose? Congratulations on getting together! Congratulations, when are you sending out red envelopes?" It was followed by a string of firework emojis.

Andy's comment was gentle: "The scenery in Dali is beautiful. You two look very happy. Enjoy your time together and be careful."

Fan Shengmei commented with a smile: "Yingying is getting prettier and prettier, and her boyfriend is handsome too. This couple is so pleasing to the eye. I hope you have a great time."

Guan Juer commented: "Yingying, the photos are so beautiful! I'm so envious that you were able to travel to Dali. I hope you had a great time!"

Liang Jiaozhou commented: "Brother, you've finally found love. Wishing you a long and happy relationship."

Liang Jiaoyue commented, "I'm totally shipping them! This red dress and black shirt combination is amazing! When are they having their wedding banquet? I'll definitely be there."

Fu Wenying: "Great. Let's go home for dinner sometime."

Meng Huaijin: "Yan Chen had a great time, and Dad is happy for you."

Qiu Yingying's colleagues also left messages envying her for having such a good vacation, and some even asked for travel tips for Dali.

Qiu Yingying scrolled through the comments, her eyes crinkling with laughter, and handed her phone to Meng Yanchen: "Look, everyone is wishing us well."

Meng Yanchen took the phone, slowly scrolling through the comments, his voice low and gentle: "Yes, best wishes to us."

"It's getting dark, let's go have dinner," Meng Yanchen said softly, withdrawing his gaze.

"Okay." Qiu Yingying