During the first semester of their sophomore year, Yu Nian and Luo Sheng finally had their winter break. Since their families were old friends, Luo Sheng's family often visited Yu Nian's home.

Ring ring!

Mother Yu: "Yu Nian, the doorbell is ringing. Go quickly and see if it's your brother Luo Sheng and his family."

“Mom, he’s not my brother Luo Sheng,” Yu Nian said, looking at her elegant mother.

This sentence was overheard by a family of three who had just entered the house.

“Niannian, why isn’t Luo Sheng your brother Luo Sheng? Our Luo Sheng is a full four months older than you. When he was little, he liked you very much as soon as he saw you. He told me every day that he wanted to come to his Uncle Yu’s house to see his little sister.”

Luo's mother had always liked Yu Nian, her future daughter-in-law, and now that she saw Yu Nian growing up to be even more beautiful, she liked her even more. As soon as she entered the door, she abandoned Luo's father and Luo Sheng and pulled Yu Nian straight to the living room.

"Niannian, I've missed you so much! Yu Nian's mom, look at how you've raised your daughter! That pretty face, that slim waist—she's such a perfect match for our Luo Sheng! If you two started dating while you were in college, you could get married right after graduation..."

Yu Nian and Luo Sheng were both startled when they heard the last sentence.

"mom--"

"Aunt--"

The two spoke in unison, which amused everyone present.

"Mom, please stop joking about me and Niannian. We're all grown up now." Luo Sheng couldn't help but speak up first.

Luo's mother was slightly surprised to hear her son's words. In previous years, when she tried to match him with Niannian, he never objected. This year, he must have seen a ghost to be shy.

Feeling that her son was being uninteresting, Luo's mother pulled Yu's mother into the kitchen.

Yu Family Balcony.

Several adults were talking or busy inside the house.

Yu Nian and Luo Sheng habitually went to the balcony to play and get some fresh air.

Luo Sheng: "Niannian, don't take what my mom says to heart. She just likes to joke around."

Yu Nian looked at the slightly apologetic boy in front of her and smiled bitterly to herself, but quickly regained her composure.

Yu Nian: "Okay."

Luo Sheng: "By the way, Niannian, we're planning to go to the market this weekend. Why don't you come with us?"

Yu Nian nodded: "Okay."

He seemed to have a secret, a secret he kept hidden in his heart, a secret that would make him willingly sever ties with her.

At the dinner table.

The two sets of parents were discussing work-related matters.

Unlike previous years, the two unemployed college students were unusually silent at the dinner table this year, and even when they sat together, they had very little conversation.

Yu Nian glanced at the boy sitting next to her. The boy was focused on the WeChat page on his phone, which was filled with a name called "Baijiu" (white liquor).

It turns out they were still in contact.

When Luo's mother saw that the two people who used to whisper to each other were now ignoring each other, she wondered if they had a fight.

Luo's mother: "Shengsheng, who are you chatting with? Your eyes are practically glued to your phone! Why aren't you two talking today? Did you two have a fight?"

Luo Sheng frowned: "Mom, what nonsense are you talking about again? I was just talking to a friend. Niannian and I are doing great, right, Niannian?"

As if afraid of having his secret discovered, Luo Sheng hurriedly cast a pleading look at Yu Nian.

Caught off guard by being called out, Yu Nian was jolted awake from her reverie.

Yu Nian gave an awkward laugh: "We didn't have any conflict, Auntie. We're best buddies, how could we have a conflict!"

Since he's unwilling, let's just go along with it and sever their inappropriate relationship.

Luo Sheng: "Yeah, Mom, stop worrying all the time. Come on, read this to me. Happy holiday, cheers!"

Yu Nian gripped the cup tightly in her hand. Although her face was full of smiles, only she knew how painful it was inside. They seemed to be very close, yet also very far apart.

There were so many things she didn't have the courage to ask.

"Luo Sheng, right now I really want to ask you, is baijiu (Chinese liquor) really just a friend to you?"

"Friends?"

"I don't believe it."