Nestled in a traditional courtyard house, this three-Michelin-starred vegetarian restaurant boasts a rustic yet elegant ambiance. Facing the Yonghe Temple to the east and adjacent to the Confucius Temple and the Imperial College to the south, it feels like a secluded paradise despite being in the heart of the city.

Song Yunxi focused on the food in front of her, eating her "beauty rice," while Rong Youze stared intently at her, a smile playing on his lips.

"When did you start to like eating vegetarian food? I remember... you used to love meat when you were little."

"Hmm? How did you know I loved eating meat when I was little?" Song Yunxi glanced at him suspiciously.

Rong Youze chuckled. It seemed that she wouldn't remember unless he reminded her.

"Do you still remember that little kid who used to follow you around all the time in kindergarten? Sister..."

The way the older sister pronounced the last sentence was like a delicate hook, captivating and mesmerizing.

Song Yunxi jolted, almost dropping her chopsticks. She looked up at the man in front of her, then swallowed the food in her mouth hesitantly. Kindergarten? Older sister? Little bean?

She tried desperately to recall all the memories associated with those keywords...

After a long while, she suddenly widened her eyes, her mouth slightly agape, and looked at Rong Youze opposite her in astonishment, "Ah! So that little bean sprout was you!"

Song Yunxi looked at him with delight, "Wow, you were so tiny back then, with a girl's face, big eyes and long eyelashes, always chasing after me. Now you're so much taller than me, but..."

"But what?" Rong Youze suddenly became nervous.

"Your face is as beautiful as ever, with feminine features, you are a blessed person."

Knowing that he was the little boy from kindergarten, Song Yunxi's tense heart instantly relaxed.

Rong Youze lowered his head slightly, but his eyes remained fixed on her, full of tenderness.

"You haven't answered my question yet, Yunxi."

"Hmm? What's the problem?" Song Yunxi asked, holding her bowl and eating happily.

Why did you suddenly start liking vegetarian food?

He was another stubborn person; he wanted to know about every little change in her.

Song Yunxi bit her spoon and thought for a moment, "There's no reason why. I just suddenly felt like eating it, so I ate it. People are always fickle, they have a different idea every day."

As soon as he said those words, a sharp pain shot through his chest.

The real reason she became a vegetarian was because of Xu Muyao. She started being a vegetarian as soon as he began his mission, and she has persisted for five or six years. Now she has slowly gotten used to it.

"How about I take you to eat meat next time?"

Song Yunxi put down her chopsticks and stared blankly at him, her heart as calm as still water, without a ripple.

The man in front of her was a perfect match for her in terms of family background, height, and appearance. But could feelings really be cultivated over time?

At that moment, it seemed as if two little people were arguing fiercely in my mind...

One person said, "I think Rong Youze is a very good person and trustworthy. You can try to accept him."

The other immediately retorted, "No, no, what about Xu Muyao? He has his reasons; you can't abandon him."

"He's already married, does he expect Yunxi to wait for him her whole life?"

"What if the marriage is fake? Even if it is real, they can get a divorce. They've had so many years of relationship; they can't just let it go like that."

"Pah! Yunxi won't marry a divorced man. Yunxi deserves better, and better is right in front of her right now."

"..."

Song Yunxi quickly shook her head, trying to clear her mind of all the jumbled thoughts.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Rong Youze asked her with concern.

"It's nothing, I'm just a little tired after a long day at work." Song Yunxi raised her hand and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Next time... let me treat you to dinner."

Upon hearing this, Rong Youze's eyes lit up instantly, and he nodded emphatically, "Okay, definitely."

After returning home, Song Yunxi took out all of Xu Muyao's belongings and put them into a box.

Looking at these things, waves of heartache washed over her, making it hard for her to breathe. Song Yunxi pressed hard against her chest, her eyes stinging with unbearable pain.

“Xu Muyao, you have crushed my heart under your feet, and even crushed it with your feet. Remember, it was you who didn’t want me, it was you who didn’t want me… Since you want to let go, let this step be a new beginning.”

Song Yunxi rubbed her sore and stinging eyes, let out a heavy sigh like a deflated balloon, kicked the box into the storage room, closed and locked the door, all in one swift motion.

Longhu Yuhe Villa District.

In the dead of night, the rain arrived quietly. Spring is more than halfway over, yet it is still cold.

Rong Youze sat alone in his study, flipping through a photo album. Rain pattered against the window, a soft, rhythmic sound that mirrored the turmoil in his heart.

Yunxi was like a bright moon in his heart, deeply hidden there since childhood.

How could he not know all about her and Xu Muyao's relationship? In fact, he cared even more about whether Xu Muyao was still alive and whether he could return safely than Song Yunxi did.

He longed for Yunxi to be happy more than anyone else. When he learned of Xu Muyao's sacrifice, his heart clenched instantly. What would become of Yunxi?

He suppressed his restless desire to return home. Instead, he secretly used his connections to search for Xu Muyao's whereabouts.

Because he knew that, being as stubborn as she was, he would do for her what she wanted to do but couldn't.

She waited, and he silently stayed behind her, waiting with her, until one day a phone call came—a call from Rong's mother, like rain after a long drought, making him overjoyed.

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