The last day of the exams, winter break has arrived.

Wan Qiu and Chu Yigui went home together.

Chu Yigui carried her own schoolbag, helped Wan Qiu carry her schoolbag with one hand, and held Wan Qiu's hand with the other.

Wan Qiu looked around at the students leaving school together; they were scattered about.

He wouldn't see his classmates for a while during the winter break, and unintentionally, Wan Qiu thought of the class monitor.

"Yi Gui, do you show favoritism to those around you?" Wan Qiu tilted her head and asked Chu Yi Gui.

"Mm," Chu Yigui replied.

Wan Qiu nodded and continued, "Then who are the most important people in Yi Gui's heart?"

“It’s Wanqiu,” Chu Yigui replied naturally.

Chu Yigui kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead.

It was snowing, and the ground was a bit slippery. Chu Yigui was half a body ahead of Wan Qiu as she chose a suitable path to walk on.

When answering questions, they blurt out the answers without thinking.

Wan Qiu looked up at Chu Yigui in the falling snow.

Snowflakes were piled up messily in the folds of his hair and shoulders.

Chu Yigui noticed Wan Qiu's gaze and stopped in her tracks.

The crunching sound of footsteps on the snow also disappeared.

Chu Yigui turned her head, and some snowflakes fell: "What's wrong?"

"I'm waiting for you to finish speaking," Wan Qiu said.

"Finished?" Chu Yigui recalled the conversation just now. "I've already finished speaking."

Wan Qiu blinked.

Snowflakes landed on his eyelashes, but instead of shaking off when he blinked, they melted into water droplets due to the autumnal temperature.

Countless snowflakes fell everywhere, covering the sky and the ground.

On tree branches, on windowsills, on school gates, on the ground...

Only this one piece remained on his eyelashes.

Chu Yigui, like a snowflake, chose only Wan Qiu's eyelashes, which were not easy to fall on.

Chu Yigui said that the most important person to him was only him.

Wan Qiu held Chu Yigui's hand and could feel Chu Yigui's warmth.

It felt familiar, as if it were his own warmth.

As Wan Qiu pondered this, he seemed to understand the reason why there had to be a distinction between close and distant relationships.

It makes you happy if you hold a very important place in other people's hearts.

But Wan Qiu wondered why he hadn't immediately realized that Chu Yigui was the most important person.

Was it because he wasn't good enough to Chu Yigui?

This winter vacation was a little different from previous ones, as Wanqiu received many travel invitations.

Since her last eighteenth birthday, Wanqiu has been receiving invitations from various people every now and then, but Wanqiu has to go to school and attend tutoring classes.

Because she couldn't refuse, Wan Qiu handed the account over to Chu Yigui.

It was my older brother who suggested doing this; he said Yi Gui was his assistant.

But now that he's on winter break, he can no longer ignore those messages.

However, people who had only met once before were always sending messages to ask for communication, which were completely unfamiliar to Wan Qiu, and she did not know how to respond.

Wan Qiu thought for a moment and decided that perhaps he should ask Chu Zhang or Yang Ze for their advice.

They should know what to do.

When Wan Qiu found Yang Ze while holding her phone, Yang Ze took her to his room.

When Wan Qiu sat on Yang Ze's sofa, he noticed that the sofa, which he used to think was very big, didn't seem as spacious as he remembered.

But when Wanqiu saw Yang take out the stored milk from the refrigerator and heat it up, Wanqiu felt that nothing had actually changed.

"Second Brother, do you drink milk often?" Wan Qiu asked.

“I occasionally drink some that’s about to expire.” Yang placed the milk in front of Wan Qiu, and a faint milky aroma filled the air.

This milk was always reserved for Wanqiu.

"Didn't you have class with Yi Gui today?" Yang asked.

“I’ve already attended. Yi Gui said that during the holidays, we have classes in the morning and can do whatever we want in the afternoon and evening.”

Yang nodded: "Yes, it's true that you need to relax a bit during the holidays. Yi Gui is about to take the college entrance exam, and he needs his own study time."

Wan Qiu took out his phone from his pocket: "Yi Gui said that I can start socializing appropriately now."

Yang thought about Wanqiu's circle of friends. Although many people came to celebrate his birthday, only a few of them were his age.

"It's fine to make more friends if you want to, but there's no need to force it if you don't want to," Yang Ze said.

Wan Qiu asked, "Didn't Mom and Dad ask me to add these people so that I could become friends with them?"

"It's just giving you a chance to make friends, not saying you have to make friends."

That birthday celebration was less about Wanqiu actively making friends and more about giving others the opportunity to befriend him.

"I see. So, it's fine for me to accept these invitations or not?"

"Of course, it depends on whether you like it or not." Yang Ze's tone unconsciously revealed a hint of arrogance towards the Chu family's status.

Wan Qiu wasn't very good at saying no, let alone saying no repeatedly.

Even through the phone, Wan Qiu couldn't tell if the other person was truly sincere.

Wouldn't it be better to make more friends?

"This person said they wanted to invite me to a race..." Wan Qiu found a message and inquired.

Yang Ze: "No, you can't go there, it's too dangerous."

Wan Qiu was taken aback.

He then looked down and found another message. Wan Qiu said, "This person invited me to join a road trip."

“No, it’s easy for an accident to happen if a bunch of people are playing around in one car,” Yang Ze said.

Wanqiu blinked.

"This person said we could go to his newly opened bar..."

"Why go there? Bars are places where all sorts of people mingle, and it's easy for problems to arise."

"..." Wan Qiu looked up at Yang Ze in confusion.

Yang vaguely realized that he was almost entirely opposed to it.

Yang rubbed his temples with a hint of helplessness.

He didn't know how to explain it to Wanqiu.

If you think about it carefully, those who usually take the initiative to invite people out to play are basically spoiled brats who frequent private clubs and other exclusive venues.

The wealthy heirs who generally enjoy making money and enriching themselves tend to prefer interacting with people of value. Wanqiu, being a high school student, not inheriting the family business, and just coming of age, is indeed not very good at integrating into the environment.

Yang had attended several social events, but none of them suited Wanqiu's current situation.

In addition, he personally didn't like Wan Qiu participating in these activities.

"Or... why don't you throw a party?" Yang hesitated for a long time before slowly saying, "Choose a few people you think are suitable."

"Will it be the same as celebrating your birthday before?" Wan Qiu only had experience organizing birthday parties, and he had prepared for more than half a month that time.

"No need, it doesn't have to be that complicated." Yang thought for a moment, then said, "I'll contact your older brother for you. He might have some better suggestions."

Compared to Yang Ze, Chu Zhang was more suited to the social interactions of a staff officer.

"Hmm..." Wan Qiu hesitated, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the edge of his phone. "Is making friends with these people such a complicated thing?"

Yang did not want Wanqiu to come into contact with this complex, chaotic, and decadent world.

Yet, paradoxically, I hope Wanqiu will have the ability to enjoy life.

He felt conflicted, wanting to protect Wanqiu while also wanting her to see the world for herself.

"Making friends is not something that needs to be done deliberately."

Yang thought for a moment and tried to choose his own language.

"There are always many opportunities for friendship to be formed. If you approach friendship with an active mindset, you may not get good results."

Wan Qiu did not understand Yang Ze's meaning.

Yang coughed; he really wasn't good at this kind of persuasion.

“What I mean is, you can choose your friends. These…” Yang pointed to Wan Qiu’s phone, “It’s just an opportunity. It’s okay if you accept all the invitations, but you have to have your own bottom line when it comes to making friends.”

Wan Qiu looked at his phone, somewhat hesitant.

"When you feel uncomfortable with someone, just refuse to be friends with them, that's all."

Yang, however, believed in Wanqiu's character.

Although Yang Ze really didn't want Wan Qiu to come into contact with some of the darker aspects of this circle.

But if it's Wanqiu...

He believed that Wanqiu would make the right choice.

"Hmm... I understand." Wan Qiu nodded. "Then I'll contact my eldest brother first. Thank you, second brother."

As Yang watched Wan Qiu leave, he stood up and also watched Wan Qiu go.

Wanqiu returned to his room.

Yang felt very sad.

Although he generously chose to believe Wanqiu, the thought that someone might actually try to corrupt Wanqiu made him feel extremely frustrated.

But then again, Wanqiu is already fighting.

Maybe we won't necessarily be bullied.

Yang was extremely restless and conflicted.

Wan Qiu sent a message to Chu Zhang while lying in bed.

However, just when he thought he would receive a response the next day, Chu Zhang called him the very next second after seeing the message.

"Wanqiu wants to make friends?" Chu Zhang asked.

Wan Qiu, holding her phone, lay on the bed: "Because they keep sending me messages inviting me."

"If you don't want to go, then don't go. We have our own friends to hang out with in Wanqiu."

“But…” Wan Qiu gave his account to Chu Yigui for a while, and Chu Yigui compiled a list of the people who had been messaging him during his school years.

There is a lot of information, and there are also duplicate invitation messages.

"It must be very upsetting to keep getting rejected."

"No way, these people are shameless." Chu Zhang's tone was nonchalant. "Don't be fooled by their constant messages. Even if you don't go, they still have fun. There's a high chance they're not inviting you, but rather a whole bunch of other people."

Wanqiu choked up.

"Besides, you wouldn't understand the things they play."

Wan Qiu: "..."

"If you insist on following Wanqiu, you won't have any fun. So why go there? They're all sycophants. Even if Wanqiu doesn't force you to socialize, your older brothers will take good care of you in the future."

Wanqiu couldn't quite grasp the logic behind Zhang's words.

But it doesn't seem like a compliment.

"However, if Wanqiu wants to date, you can talk to Yigui and ask her to pick a few people. Yigui should know the details very well, right?"

Wan Qiu was taken aback: "How would Yi Gui know?"

"Of course he knows, this is his job. Wanqiu is the boss of Yigui!"

Wanqiu was somewhat at a loss.

"As for where to go, let's go skiing. Didn't you go skiing once before with Zhou Peiyu? It's easier to entertain friends in a familiar place, right? There are probably many of them who know how to ski."

Wan Qiu sat up, holding his phone, and listened as Chu Zhang began to ramble on about all sorts of information.

Wan Qiu anxiously ran to the side, took out paper and pen, and began to take notes.

"So Wanqiu, if you don't like someone, just ignore them and don't contact them again. We Wanqiu don't need to please anyone. It's their loss if they can't please us Wanqiu, understand?"

Wan Qiu agreed, his mind already filled with a jumble of chaotic information.

"Doesn't Big Brother make friends with these people?" Wan Qiu heard nothing but indifference in Chu Zhang's tone.

"Friends? If you really want to call them friends, then yes, but I have tons of friends." Chu Zhang seemed completely unconcerned. "Once we meet and get to know each other, we're friends, haha!"

Wan Qiu sensed the sarcasm in Chu Zhang's tone.

"They're all friends, but there are degrees of closeness, right?"

"Oh? Of course." Chu Zhang's laughter rose. "If you really want to talk about Big Brother's best friend, it would be Brother Zhao. As for the other friends, hahaha."

Wan Qiu blinked and asked directly, "What about me?"

"Wanqiu is definitely a little angel! Do you know what a little angel is? The kind with little wings, wearing a white dress, flying in the sky. In our big brother's heart, Wanqiu is unique and no one can surpass her. How about Wanqiu comes and takes a set of angel photos with big brother sometime?"

Wan Qiu chatted with Chu Zhang, while casually touching the pen in his hand.

Their toes rubbed together under the table.

There's a quiet, subtle joy, like cotton candy melting in water. It dissolves quickly, not even sweetening the water, yet you can still taste a delicate sweetness.

After the second day's classes ended, Wan Qiu took the initiative to ask Chu Yigui if he could find a suitable person to invite.

Chu Yigui quickly tidied up for Wan Qiu.

Wan Qiu, holding the list given to him by Chu Yigui, and Chu Yigui, following Chu Zhang's suggestion, outlined the itinerary and reported it to Chu Jianshu.

Wan Qiu watched expectantly as Chu Jianshu glanced at Wan Qiu's list and nodded.

It felt like... I had done my homework and then handed it to Chu Jianshu to grade.

"Have fun, these people should be fine," Chu Jianshu said.

Wan Qiu blinked.

As expected, my elder brother was right; Yi Gui truly knows how to choose the right people.

Chu Jianshu had Song Wenqiu accompany him on this trip.

Although Wan Qiu found it a bit strange, he did not refuse.

Chu Yigui primarily chose men who were her age or slightly older, and when contacting them, they would ask if she could bring her partner.

Wan Qiu was stunned when he heard that someone was actually bringing their partner.

Wanqiu saw so many people on her birthday that she could barely match the photos with her memories of that day.

On their birthdays, all of these men were accompanied by female companions, and Wan Qiu only now realized that they must have been their girlfriends.

Song Wenqiu drove to the ski resorts around the city, a journey that would take about two or three hours, and met up at a hotel near the ski resort.

Upon hearing Wan Qiu's question, Song Wenqiu took the initiative to say, "At important banquets, people usually come with their fiancées or partners they are dating. However, since this is an occasion for the Chu family, it will almost always be the fiancées who come."

“But aren’t they about my age?” Wan Qiu asked.

"You can have a fiancée pretty much," Song Wenqiu said with a smile as he drove. "A fiancée is a wife who hasn't been married yet, meaning someone you can marry when you reach a certain age."

"But it's not like you can't have a relationship early on." Wan Qiu was completely hesitant.

"Nothing is impossible," Song Wenqiu said with a smile. "Even dating is fine. Wanqiu, would you like to date?"

"Dating will get you expelled from school." Wan Qiu really couldn't understand this logic.

"Then just don't date at school. Let Yi Gui help you think of some good-natured young ladies you can introduce to someone for a try, okay?"

Song Wenqiu's words were more of a joke than a serious statement.

"If you find someone you like, don't give up on them, because it's not easy to meet someone you like."

Wan Qiu wanted to say something, but he couldn't quite put his thoughts into words, and his face flushed slightly with anxiety.

Seeing this in the rearview mirror, Song Wenqiu suppressed a laugh and changed the subject: "Has Wanqiu never met a girl he had a special feeling for?"

Wan Qiu began to think about how to answer Song Wenqiu's question.

Chu Yigui remained completely silent from beginning to end.

“Zhou Peiyu, Wang Yue…” These are Wan Qiu’s only two female friends.

"No, I mean, do you have any special feelings for the other person?"

"A special feeling?" Wan Qiu didn't quite understand what "special" meant.

"For example, you want to hold her hand?" Song Wenqiu asked.

“He Yigui,” Wan Qiu said immediately.

"..." Song Wenqiu choked for a moment, "The people you usually secretly visit?"

“…I remember returning.” Wan Qiu answered very seriously.

"So you want to chat together, or are you interested in anything she's interested in?" Song Wenqiu continued to ask.

Wan Qiu: "It's Yi Gui..."

Song Wenqiu suddenly fell silent.

An eerie atmosphere filled the car.

Song Wenqiu couldn't help but glance at Chu Yigui in the rearview mirror. Chu Yigui was looking calmly in Wanqiu's direction.

He was so calm that even after hearing something so obviously amiss, he maintained an indifferent expression.

Wan Qiu seemed to think that these questions had answers that were obvious.

Wan Qiu looked up and asked Chu Yigui, "Yigui, who do you want to hold hands with?"

"Ten thousand years," Chu Yigui said.

"Then secretly watching people?" Wan Qiu asked.

"Ten thousand autumns."

"What if you want to chat together, or are interested in things that interest her?"

Chu Yigui answered naturally, "Wanqiu."

Song Wenqiu's face turned slightly pale.

"So, actually, the person I like is Yi Gui?" Wan Qiu came to this conclusion. "If Yi Gui were a girl, would I have to date her, and would Yi Gui be my fiancée?"

Chu Yigui opened her mouth, about to say something, when she was suddenly interrupted by Song Wenqiu.

"Not necessarily, even close friends can do that!" Song Wenqiu felt that continuing this topic was really a bit dangerous.

"How do you tell if your fiancée likes you?"

Wan Qiu felt that he liked Chu Yigui very much, and that he liked her the most.

He couldn't imagine liking anything more than this.

Because of her strange mood, Song Wenqiu even slowed down her driving speed.

“Shy, yes, shy. Would you be shy if Chu Yigui touched you?” Song Wenqiu immediately came up with a way to tell and said.

At this moment, Wan Qiu shook his head.

The contact with Chu Yigui was far too frequent, so frequent that it felt as natural as if his own hands and feet would touch.

Wanqiu doesn't feel shy about touching his own hands and feet.

Song Wenqiu breathed a sigh of relief, her expression finally relaxing: "If someone bumps into you and you don't dislike them, or even feel a little shy, then maybe they like them."

Wan Qiu touched his cheek.

shy.

"Yi Gui, have you ever met someone who makes you shy?" Wan Qiu asked Chu Yi Gui.

Song Wenqiu's heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously held her breath, wanting to hear Chu Yigui's answer.

“Shyness isn’t necessarily a criterion for judgment,” Chu Yigui said to Wan Qiu, turning her head slightly. “It’s just a normal physiological reaction that can happen in any situation.”

This wasn't a direct answer, yet it still left Song Wenqiu speechless, unable to swallow a mouthful of blood.

Chu Yigui gazed at Wan Qiu and said, "Just by looking at her, you'll know you like her."

Song Wenqiu couldn't help but glance at the rearview mirror several times.

"Does Yi Gui mean you've met someone you like?" Song Wenqiu asked.

In the rearview mirror, Song Wenqiu saw that Chu Yigui finally shifted his gaze from Wan Qiu and looked at him.

Suddenly, Song Wenqiu forgot what she had asked.

"What kind of preferences do you and your wife have, Uncle Song?"

Song Wenqiu then thought of his wife.

"My wife and I aren't as complicated as you describe. We were introduced by our families, and then we thought the other was nice. We started dating and spending time together, and everything just happened naturally and smoothly."

“Of course.” Chu Yigui looked at Wan Qiu again. “Right?”

Compared to Wan Qiu, who was still somewhat confused, Song Wenqiu remained silent.

Indeed, when he saw his wife, he knew he loved her.

"But you're too young. Chu Zhang and Yang Ze haven't even started dating yet, so there's no rush for you. It's one thing for Chu Zhang to be in a relationship because of his profession, but Yang Ze is too serious. All he knows is work..."

Song Wenqiu kept rambling on and on about Chu Zhang and Song Wenqiu.

It's as if they're avoiding something.

"So how did your parents fall in love?" Wan Qiu suddenly asked.

Song Wenqiu's expression was somewhat subtle.

"It's... the result of many considerations," Song Wenqiu said simply. "But they're a good match, and because they're a good match, it's easy for them to fall in love."

Song Wenqiu had followed Chu Jianshu since she was young and witnessed Chu Jianshu and Yang Xiaoyu's love and marriage firsthand.

Indeed, it's impossible to simply explain what it means to like something.

Looking at Chu Jianshu and Yang Xiaoyu now, who would have thought that they didn't love each other when they first got married?

but……

Song Wenqiu glanced at Chu Yigui, seemingly unintentionally.

No matter how mature or intelligent a person is, age is an insurmountable barrier.

Chu Yigui is still young; without having truly experienced liking someone, how can she understand something like that...?

Even if it's just theoretical discussion, this is so specific that it's impossible to refute.

Every time Song Wenqiu looked in the rearview mirror, she could see Chu Yigui looking at Wanqiu.

That look in his eyes was as bland as tasting plain water.

It is impossible to define the relationship between Chu Yigui and Wan Qiu as anything more ambiguous.

However, Chu Yigui deliberately avoided the topic of the person he liked from beginning to end.

Just looking at Wanqiu...

Song Wenqiu frowned.