Confession

Ou Liyao also got up; she didn't want to see anything happen to her good friend again.

I had only taken two steps forward when I heard her say, "I'm going out for a bit." She disappeared without even taking her keys.

She took her house key and chased after them, only to see a suggestive scene under a streetlamp not far away.

The two ran towards each other at the same time. In just a few steps, she saw Xu Changjia's psychological defenses collapse completely. Without saying a word, he buried his face in the chest of the black hoodie.

Zheng Ruoqian gently patted her back with one hand, and waved to Ou Liyao, who was standing at the entrance of the building, with the other hand, indicating that she should go back first, and that he would be there for her.

She finally felt relieved, her tense nerves relaxed, and she went upstairs, turning the keychain on her wrist.

Sure enough, after all these years, only he truly understands her.

Zheng Ruoqian received a WeChat message from his senior classmate and, without a moment's hesitation, wanted to return to China immediately.

However, group activities are absolutely essential and should not be missed.

After repeatedly communicating with his agent, he finally managed to squeeze out three days to allow him to return to China and accompany Xu Changjia on this final journey of his life.

After the event, he rushed back to Junzhou without stopping. Fortunately, it wasn't too late; the ceremony had just ended, and he sent the portrait and memorial tablet home.

Hearing the hoarse sobs, his heart ached. He gently comforted Xu Changjia, telling her that everything was alright, that he was back, and that no matter what happened, he was there for her, along with his group of good friends.

He comforted her and she gradually calmed down, her trembling lips conveying her sadness, "Zheng Ruoqian, I don't have a mom and dad anymore."

He held her by the back of her neck with one hand, rested his head on her forehead, and said with burning eyes, "Xu Changjia, you still have me. I can be your family too."

“Xu Changjia, look at me, don’t be afraid of being alone.”

"Xu Changjia, we are all by your side."

......

He called her name repeatedly, telling her over and over again that there were people in this world who loved her, pitied her, accompanied her, and pampered her, and that she was not a lonely individual.

She sniffed, her eyes darting around, "But one day, you'll all leave me like Mom and Dad, you won't be able to stay with me forever..."

He tightened his grip on the back of her neck, making her look directly at him, and said very seriously, "No, Xu Changjia, as long as you're willing, I'll stay with you for the rest of my life, just like your parents."

She blinked, her mind still reeling, when she heard him say what he hadn't finished.

"I will always stay by your side as your lover. Are you willing to accept me, to accept a partner whose private life may be exposed to the public eye?"

He frowned, realizing that things weren't so simple. "So, you're telling me your feelings, are you confessing your love to me?"

What he didn't say was that he had already noticed her silently ever since that summer when he first sensed her presence at the Children's Palace.

She always stayed quietly by herself, watching Ou Liyao laugh and play, but she didn't see that there was always a gaze following her, wherever she went, that gaze followed.

Xu Changjia is so outstanding, she doesn't need to belittle herself. She is also the focus of attention in the crowd, so why does she always make herself suffer?

So let him bear the pain and tears; all that matters to his loved ones is that the bright moon and gentle breeze accompany them, and that they enjoy lasting joy and happiness.

"yes."

He didn't hesitate at all, and his honesty made Xu Changjia a little uneasy. But having lost both her parents, she also wanted to be brave for herself.

"Okay, from now on we'll weather the storms together, share the joys and sorrows, my boyfriend."

Summer rain can come and go in an instant. He had finally managed to bring a smile to his girlfriend's face, but he didn't want her to get sick again, so he took her soft little hand and ran towards a place called home.

She vaguely realized that every time she hesitated or wavered around Zheng Ruoqian, it was because she cared too much, and that's why she chose to be so cautious.

After finally confirming their feelings for each other, even the summer rain seemed less bothersome, and her deceased parents could finally rest in peace, because she finally had someone by her side to take care of her.

It's a pity that Dad didn't get to drink the cup of tea that his son-in-law wanted at the last banquet. But today, Zheng Ruoqian personally placed the wine glass in front of his portrait, which can be considered as a way of sending him off with wine from afar.

Ou Liyao laid out towels and hot water for them, and then sent them to the bathroom to take a hot shower to prevent them from catching a cold if they got wet in the rain the next day.

Then I started preparing some food for the three of them. These past few days, I've been busy taking care of them, so they either ordered private restaurants to deliver their meals or ate out. Occasionally, my senior cooks a meal or two, and there are still quite a few dishes he bought in the refrigerator.

Since it's just going to be a waste to leave it there, she might as well cook it all in one pot and eat it herself.

She was a pampered princess who never lifted a finger, but after the college entrance exam, she had nothing better to do, so she started experimenting with cooking online.

Practice makes perfect, and that's how you really hone your cooking skills.

They didn't prepare much; the shrimp and tofu with fish-fragrant sauce, winter melon and chicken drumsticks, and seaweed and egg drop noodles were enough for the three of them.

She, a minor celebrity, along with a boy band idol and a young girl who had recently lost her appetite, thought that one pot of noodles should be enough to feed them all.

But the reality was exactly the opposite of what she expected.

She had only eaten a small portion of noodles, and the winter melon and drumsticks on the table were reduced to just skin. The shrimp and fish-flavored tofu were practically swept away like fallen leaves in autumn, almost as if they were about to pour some rice on top to wash away all the broth.

Zheng Ruoqian, who was sitting opposite him, had just finished a bowl of noodles. When he was getting himself a second bowl, he also scooped half a bowl for his girlfriend, with whom he had just opened up.

Aside from keeping his head down and silently eating, finishing every last drop of food from his bowl, he was still just eating.

Ou Liyao looked up at the two of them. The soup in their noodles was almost gone. She began to wonder if she had underestimated the appetite of the three of them. "Are you two full?"

Xu Changjia finished the soup, put down his chopsticks, and felt that he had a particularly good appetite today. He smiled shyly and praised her, "Yaoyao, your cooking is really good."

Zheng Ruoqian was in a hurry to finish his trip and hadn't eaten much along the way. So when he saw the food, he was naturally thinking about filling his stomach. He didn't even have time to praise his good friend. He just gave a thumbs up and devoured the food like a whirlwind.

After they finished eating, they leaned back in their chairs and started talking about serious business.

He's only back for three days this time, and if we take today, tomorrow, and the day after, he won't have much time to spend with her.

So Zheng Ruoqian simply told Ou Liyao that he and Xu Changjia were officially dating today.

But she showed no surprise. Stirring her coffee, she said slowly, "I always thought he understood you best, Jiajia. Sometimes he even put me, his best friend, aside. Now that you two are together, I have nothing to say but congratulations. I hope you can make it work."

Zheng Ruoqian took her hand, accepting the blessing from his friend without hesitation, and then asked, "My senior classmate told me that you took quite a long leave. He had already used up all his annual leave and still didn't have enough, so he took two more days off before leaving. How did you manage to take it?"

She didn't explain much, only saying, "I've finished my last gig, so please ask your agent not to schedule any work for me for the next month."

Xu Changjia turned his head and saw that her fingers were tapping on the coffee cup. He was afraid that things were not like that.

She pinched Zheng Ruoqian's palm with her hand, and he understood what she meant from the look in her eyes. He didn't ask any more questions and made the excuse that it was getting late, so they should all go back to their rooms to rest.

He didn't want to make too much of a fuss, so he settled down here. Fortunately, their house was a large single-level apartment with four bedrooms and two living rooms. In addition to the room where she and her parents usually lived, there were two guest rooms and a study that hadn't been used much.

With some tidying up, two more people can fit in.

Zheng Ruoqian didn't want to trouble her, so she continued to sleep on the bed that her senior had slept on the previous two days. She had just closed the door and was about to turn around and go back to her room.

The next second, there was movement behind him. He pushed open the door and said with a smile, "Goodnight, girlfriend."

Carrying this warmth with her, she prepared to go back inside, only to see Ou Liyao still sitting thoughtfully on the living room carpet. She took off her shoes and sat with her for a while.

The grief on her face from the past few days had lessened, and now she was even taking the initiative to comfort her.

"Yaoyao, you said we'd be best friends for life, so we'd share joys and sorrows, and weather any storms together, right?"

Ou Liyao held her hands, smiled and nodded, indicating that she was fine and not to worry. "I did run into some things, but I can handle them myself. I'll let you know if I need anything. When have you ever seen me being polite? Go back to sleep. You haven't had a proper rest these past few days. Zheng Ruoqian is here, so you have peace of mind now."

Seeing that she really didn't want to say more, Xu Changjia felt relieved. This meant that she could handle it herself. He said "goodnight" to her, closed the door, and prepared to go to sleep.

Lying in bed, recalling the events of the past few days, it felt like a dream. Sometimes, she couldn't even distinguish between reality and illusion. Perhaps the real her really did die in that car accident?

Her little head, which had just cleared up for a moment, was immediately turned into a complete mess by her wildly wandering thoughts.

She heard a "ding-dong" sound, and it seemed like there was another sound in her mind. She immediately sat up straight again, her hands gripping the sheets tightly and twisting back and forth, and even her breathing slowed down.

The question was asked with a degree of caution and apprehension, "Memory Book No. 001, is that you?"

The prolonged silence made her think that this time, like the countless times she had asked before, there would be no response, which inevitably made her somewhat disappointed.

A few minutes later, a sound came from my mind again, a rustling sound, somewhat like a machine malfunction, and somewhat like a rusty lock that I couldn't turn.

A slightly hoarse voice, unlike the previous cold, mechanical one, rang out, "Host, it's me, Memory Book No. 001 has returned, and I'm here to serve my twelfth host once again."