The nights in Shangyang are also lively. Groups of tourists stroll along the cobblestone streets, someone is playing guitar and singing in the distance, children are playing games in the square, and older men and women are dancing gracefully to the music...

A gentle evening breeze blew by, and Ye Zhao sighed with great enjoyment, while the little boy she was holding in her hand had already drifted off to play with the group of children.

Ye Zhao knew what he was thinking without even looking at him, so she reached out and patted his head, saying, "Go play, Mom will wait for you here."

Little Yuanbao looked up at her with a delighted expression, his eyes sparkling, and said, "Thank you, Mom!"

After saying that, she couldn't wait to let go of Ye Zhao's hand and ran over with her short legs.

Ye Zhao smiled helplessly and sat down on the steps by the square.

Her face was fair and delicate, her features exquisite and three-dimensional. Her long, silky hair flowed in the wind, and in the dim light, she looked both gentle and mysterious.

Ye Zhao watched Yuanbao laughing and playing among the children, a faint smile on her face.

Before long, someone sat down next to her. Ye Zhao turned her head and met a pair of slightly immature eyes.

"You...you're here to have fun too?" the other person asked.

Upon hearing this, Ye Zhao glanced at him and noticed his casual and comfortable attire, along with a black crossbody bag. For some reason, she suddenly asked, "What year are you in?"

Perhaps it was that...clear yet foolish look in his eyes? That made Ye Zhao subconsciously think he was a college student.

The boy was clearly taken aback for a moment, then replied with a shy smile, "Second year. What year are you?"

His voice was clear and melodious, sounding like that of a young person who hadn't yet entered the workforce.

Ye Zhao smiled upon hearing this: "What grade do I look like?"

Upon hearing this, the boy turned to look at her, his gaze somewhat shy, yet he did indeed scrutinize her. Fortunately, the darkness of the night concealed some of the expression on his face.

"Sophomore, or junior?"

Ye Zhao smiled, then suddenly turned to look at the group of children laughing and playing, and said with a gesture of her lips, "My child is three years old."

The boy's expression stiffened for a moment, then, after a moment's thought, he chuckled and said, "You're not lying to me, are you?"

Ye Zhao replied with a half-smile, "Do I look like I'm lying?"

The boy's expression froze for a moment, then he turned to look at the group of children, then at Ye Zhao's smiling eyes, and chuckled, "Don't tease me..."

Before he finished speaking, Little Yuanbao came running over from not far away and rushed straight into Ye Zhao's arms.

Ye Zhao reached out and hugged him, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Little Yuanbao chattered, "Mommy, Mommy, Hao Hao is going to the zoo tomorrow, I want to go too!"

Ignoring the male college student next to her whose expression had cracked, Ye Zhao wiped his sweat and said, "Sure, how about we go with Hao Hao tomorrow?"

Little Yuanbao smiled broadly, hugged Ye Zhao happily, and said, "Thank you, Mom!"

Only after he finished speaking did he notice the boy next to Ye Zhao, and asked Ye Zhao with a puzzled expression, "Mom, who is this uncle?"

The boy snapped out of his daze, stood up abruptly, and said, "No... I'm sorry to bother you."

Without waiting for Ye Zhao's reaction, he turned and left in a hurry.

Ye Zhao smiled and patted Xiao Yuanbao's head, saying, "He's an uncle who's here to play..."

Little Yuanbao watched the boy's back as he walked away, puzzled. Then, attracted by the voice of her friend, she got out of Ye Zhao's arms and ran over.

Just then, the phone Ye Zhao was holding rang. She picked it up, glanced at it, and answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Where is my son?" Cheng Yu asked lazily.

Ye Zhao glanced at the children in the crowd and replied, "Playing."

Cheng Yu sighed and said, "That heartless little brat, he didn't even miss me after two days without calling?"

Ye Zhao smiled and said, "Of course I miss you. I think about you several times a day. How are you doing? Are you done with work?"

Cheng Yu works for a multinational company, and due to the nature of her work, she still needs to travel abroad frequently.

Speaking of this, Cheng Yu sighed again: "Sigh! It's still a long way off, I don't even know when I'll be back..."

Ye Zhao thought for a moment and said, "Why don't you quit your job? I'll open a bed and breakfast to support you!"

Without even thinking, Cheng Yu spat and said, "Give me a break. I'm a modern, independent woman. Do you think I need you to support me?"

Ye Zhao sighed helplessly, "Fine, fine, you're amazing, okay?"

Cheng Yu said smugly, "Of course!"

The two chatted idly for a while, then Cheng Yu, as if remembering something, suddenly said, "By the way, I heard some news, have you heard it?"

Ye Zhao was taken aback and asked, "What news? There's nothing?"

Cheng Yu added, "I heard that Shen Du and his secretary are getting together, but I don't know if it's true..."

Upon suddenly hearing these two names that he hadn't heard in a long time, Ye Zhao paused for a moment, then said indifferently, "Whether they're true or not, it's none of my business."

Cheng Yu added, "Back then, the rumors about him and Shu Yang were so widespread that I really thought they were a couple. How did they end up as secretaries?"

Although Ye Zhao was not in City A, she had heard about these things, but she just listened to them as gossip and then put them aside.

Ye Zhao sighed and said, "How would I know? I'm not him."

Anyway, she avoids the male and female protagonists' affairs as much as possible. Although the plot related to her has deviated from the original book by a huge margin, she really doesn't like that circle or Shen Du.

Cheng Yu didn't have any other thoughts when she mentioned Shen Du; she just chatted casually about gossip and then put it aside.

The two chatted for a long time when Xiao Yuanbao came bouncing over. Hearing Ye Zhao talking to Cheng Yu on the phone, he excitedly snatched the phone away.

"Auntie, you haven't been back for so long, don't you miss me?" Little Yuanbao pouted and complained.

Cheng Yu's heart melted at the sound of his soft, sweet voice, and she quickly began to comfort him.

After a long while, Xiao Yuanbao reluctantly hung up the phone, and Ye Zhao then took him home.

As night deepened, the cobblestone streets grew rather deserted. Little Yuanbao chattered excitedly about the games he had just played, but his voice suddenly lowered as he spoke.

Ye Zhao noticed something was wrong, but didn't say anything.

It wasn't until Yuanbao tugged at Ye Zhao's sleeve, looked up at her, and asked hesitantly, "Mommy, why do Xiaojiu and Haohao both have dads? Where's my dad?"

Looking into Yuanbao's vulnerable eyes, Ye Zhao felt a sudden pang of emotion. She then squatted down and said with a smile, "Yuanbao has a father too, but Mommy and Daddy don't live together. Daddy lives in another place!"