It was almost midnight when I finished my work.

Chu Fang looked around. It was quiet, and there were no other colleagues besides him and Zhong Tingyue.

"Let's go." Zhong Tingyue packed her things and patted him on the shoulder.

The two left the office together.

As he went downstairs, he looked back at the skyscrapers, still brightly lit and bathed in moonlight, clearly indicating that many workers were still working overtime.

Living in Shanghai is not easy; people must work hard to make a living.

"Phew..." He exhaled.

"You've never seen Shanghai at midnight before, have you?" Zhong Tingyue stopped and tilted her head to look at him.

"I've seen it before," Chu Fang replied, "but I've never seen a city like this."

He had seen Shanghai at midnight, as well as at 2 a.m., 4 a.m., and even 6 a.m., but those were in bar streets, nightclubs, KTVs, or bathhouses.

On the other side, Shanghai is a bustling, vibrant city, a dazzling spectacle of lights and luxury cars speeding through the streets, filled with beautiful women, handsome men, rich kids, and rebellious youths...

But he had never seen the residential and commercial areas of Shanghai before. Tonight was his first time working overtime and also the first time he had seen a different side of Shanghai.

Ordinary people work hard and dedicate themselves to their lives, their children, their marriages, and their parents.

Shanghai is a bustling metropolis where land is incredibly valuable and luxury goods are everywhere, but these things are irrelevant to ordinary people.

Zhong Tingyue frowned slightly, noticing the complex emotions in Chu Fang's heart—irritability, worry, sorrow, and repression... She couldn't understand why a recent college graduate, who should be full of vigor, would have such complicated emotions.

She quickly changed the subject: "Let's go. You can't help me tonight, so I'll treat you to a late-night snack."

"Okay." Chu Fang pulled his wandering thoughts back and nodded in reply.

He's just an ordinary person, at most a little rich, so thinking about those inexplicable things is pointless.

The two slowly made their way towards the Tanhua residential area.

"Thank you for today." Chu Fang put his hands in his pockets.

"fine."

"You mean... why did Ma Junjie drag me to that social event?" Chu Fang walked slowly by. Ahead, the willow branches were bent and hanging in mid-air. He took a few steps, jumped up on the ground, raised his hands, grabbed the green willow branches, and broke off a small piece.

The branches are covered with green leaves, a vibrant emerald green, each leaf resembling a gently undulating flat boat.

He turned around, nodded at Zhong Tingyue, and asked with a smug attitude, "Isn't he handsome?"

"Handsome!" Zhong Tingyue pursed her lips.

"How handsome?"

"Hmm... how to describe it?" Upon hearing this, Zhong Tingyue stroked her chin, "Handsome as a jade tree, surpassing even Pan An; a pear blossom overshadowing a crabapple."

"Tsk tsk tsk." Chu Fang's eyes narrowed as he handed the willow branch to the other person. "It can talk. Here, take it. Thank you for your help today."

Zhong Tingyue asked, "That's it?"

Others would express their gratitude by treating him to a meal, or at the very least by sending him flowers. But he did it differently; a willow branch sufficed, which he had broken off from the roadside.

"The gift doesn't have to be expensive, nor does the sentiment matter; it's the thought that counts," Chu Fang said righteously. "Quickly say thank you."

"..." For a moment, Zhong Tingyue felt like she owed him something. She rolled her eyes, but still accepted the willow branch. "Thank you, Ao."

"You're welcome."

“... ..."

Depend on!

Between us, who is the helper and who is the one being helped?

The two walked slowly, and Chu Fang repeated the question from before: "By the way, you still haven't answered why Ma Junjie asked me to go to a social event?"

"How would I know? I'm not a mind reader."

"Doesn't he like you?"

Upon hearing this, Zhong Tingyue felt a little uneasy, but maintained a calm demeanor: "I don't like him."

"So what kind do you like?"

"Handsome, rich, family-oriented, gentle, considerate, patient..." Zhong Tingyue counted her expectations for her future boyfriend on her fingers. Chu Fang's pupils dilated, and he was momentarily stunned. Seeing his stunned expression, she chuckled.

Coming to his senses, Chu Fang said angrily, "Why don't you just go to the temple and make a wish?"

"What's it to you?"

"If the road is uneven, someone will level it; if something is unfair, someone will take care of it. Today, I'm going to teach you a lesson. People need to be down-to-earth, and the same goes for finding a partner..."

I won't listen.

Zhong Tingyue covered her ears as she walked forward.

A short while later, they arrived at the Tanhua residential area.

At this moment, the area outside the residential compound is bustling with activity, with food stalls selling fried rice, barbecue, and ice jelly... all catering to office workers who are working overtime and need a late-night snack.

They chose a barbecue stall, ordered some simple barbecue, and sat down in the open.

The barbecue stall is a typical husband-and-wife business, with the husband grilling in the back and the wife serving customers in the front, occasionally cleaning up the ingredients, each doing their own thing.

A moment later, the proprietress brought out the barbecue and said with a smile, "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Auntie is fine." Chu Fang picked up a skewer of squid, took a bite, and gave the proprietress a thumbs up: "It tastes delicious."

Judging from his status as a chef, the grilled squid was fresh, springy, delicious, and fragrant. His grilling skills and control of the heat were just right.

"Hi, my husband used to cook at a big hotel a few years ago." The proprietress smiled and waved her hand. "As long as you enjoy your meal."

"Then why didn't you continue?" Chu Fang asked after looking around and seeing that there were few customers.

"Sigh." The proprietress took advantage of the absence of customers to chat with him for a while longer. "That hotel couldn't stay in business, so we lost our jobs and had to run this little stall to earn a meager living."

"You must be very tired?" Chu Fang asked.

“Of course, no job is easy, but I have to keep going for my family,” the proprietress replied, glancing back at her husband who was grilling. “I’m not that tired, he’s the most tired. I can take a break while you’re eating, but he has to stand from the start of his shift until the end.”

Zhong Tingyue listened to the two chatting while glancing at Chu Fang.

She increasingly felt that Chu Fang's words... weren't a single word of truth.

He always talks about being a rich second-generation, but he lives a more down-to-earth life than the average person. He casually sits at a small stall and chats with the couple about everyday life, without any of the arrogance often associated with rich kids.

"Auntie, you must be tired too." Chu Fang gave her a thumbs up.

"Husbands and wives should always be considerate of each other." The proprietress waved her hand and glanced at the two of them. "Just like you two, working outside is not easy. Working overtime until midnight together is also very tiring. Even so, you two have no regrets and work hard together for your little family. I admire you very much."

have to!

The proprietress has misunderstood.

They've started treating them like a couple.

Chu Fang did not answer. He glanced at Zhong Tingyue, whose expression was calm as she chewed her food, looking completely indifferent. Seeing her calm demeanor, he immediately lost his interest in teasing her.

He turned his head, did not refute, and said with a smile, "I hope so."