Following the river downstream, a cool evening breeze carried moisture, "Achoo—"

Seeing this, Fu Jue draped his coat over Tao Zhizhi's shoulders, and with concern opened her arms to help her put it on. His fingertips brushed against her cheeks, and he tucked the stray hairs that had been blown by the wind behind her ears.

The lingering warmth and subtle fragrance of the suit jacket eagerly enveloped Tao Zhizhi, making her appear exceptionally petite due to Fu Jue's oversized jacket.

Besides the mist from the river, the aromas from the nearby night market street also wafted over to their noses. Tao Zhizhi looked at the brightly lit food street ahead and exclaimed in surprise:

"Fu Fu, we've already arrived at the East and West Night Markets!"

"I love the grilled squid at that stall in the middle the most, let's go!"

Tao Zhizhi excitedly pulled Fu Jue forward quickly. The night market was full of lively atmosphere, with vendors shouting their wares and diners laughing and sharing snacks. The East and West Night Markets were always crowded, and the two moved slowly, close together.

The enticing aromas of various snacks drew Tao Zhizhi forward. Swallowing hard, she finally squeezed her way to the stall selling her favorite grilled squid, and reached down to tug at it:

"Fu Fu, do you want to give it a try?"

Fu Jue smiled and nodded at Tao Zhizhi's expectant gaze. Then Tao Zhizhi called out to the stall owner:

"Boss, two large squid to go!"

"Okay!"

The squid stall owner is a cheerful uncle who is always smiling. He uses a spatula to press the skewered fresh squid onto the hot plate, making a sizzling sound. He flips the squid with his left hand and sprinkles barbecue seasoning with his right, and the pungent aroma of the seasoning spreads with the heat.

Tao Zhizhi saw other squid stalls nearby, waved her right hand to signal him to lower his head, and whispered in his ear:

"This uncle's ingredients are the freshest on this street, and only his food doesn't give me diarrhea."

Fu Jue chuckled: "Zhizhi knows this place very well?"

Tao Zhizhi patted her chest proudly and said:

"Of course! This used to be the site of my primary school. I used to look for good food here when I was a child. Later, due to development and changes, high-rise buildings were built here. Fortunately, this food street was preserved, otherwise I would have to look for it all over again."

"When I was little, my mom wouldn't let me eat food from street vendors, so I would buy snacks from uncles and aunts while she was buying groceries. By the time she found out, I had already taken a bite out of the snacks. I figured out how to find out where this street was by secretly trying out each stall!"

Just listening to this, Fu Jue could imagine little Tao Zhizhi deliberately avoiding her mother's gaze, while her mother silently allowed her to secretly exchange food with the vendors. Afraid that her mother wouldn't give her any, she would take a bite of each food and give her mother a sly and cute look.

"Little girl, your squid is ready! Come back if you like it!"

Tao Zhizhi took the steaming hot squid and took a big bite without caring that it was too hot. The squid's chewy texture, combined with the rich flavor of spices, wasn't amazing, but it was enough to satisfy her cravings.

"Ouch, it's so hot—Uncle's cooking skills are still as consistently excellent as ever!"

Fu Jue had eaten at roadside stalls before, but he rarely went out to buy them himself. He usually had someone bring them to him. Although the food was still warm, it didn't taste as good as freshly cooked food. However, compared to the dishes made by Tao Zhizhi, these street snacks still didn't suit his taste.

Tao Zhizhi became engrossed in her shopping, buying from one end of the street to the other. At first, she even wanted to buy Fu Jue's share, but Fu Jue stopped her in time, shaking his head helplessly with his hands full of snacks.

"Zhizhi, I no longer hold your hand."

Tao Zhizhi smiled shyly, took a portion of it, and intertwined her fingers with his:

"It seems like we've had too much. Let's find somewhere to eat."

Fortunately, there was a small square near the Dongxi Night Market where many elderly people were doing square dancing. So the two of them sat at a small stone table, enjoying their dance moves while eating snacks.

Tao Zhizhi was lost in thought, unable to eat anymore. Suddenly, she remembered Fu Jue's privileged upbringing and asked him for confirmation, her eyes lighting up.

"Fu Fu, have you ever done square dancing?"

Fu Jue knew exactly what she was up to at a glance, and chuckled softly:

"Would Zhizhi like to invite me to dance?"

After he finished speaking, the elderly men and women on the field changed the song and started dancing ballroom dances in pairs. Fu Jue stood up, placed his left hand behind his waist, and extended his right hand towards her with a slight bow. The noble prince was inviting his beloved girl.

Tao Zhizhi smiled and surrendered herself to him, and the two of them leaped onto the dance floor to dance a graceful waltz.

Suddenly, such a pleasing couple appeared in the square, and the center of attention on the dance floor shifted to them. Tao Zhizhi felt the gazes coming from all directions, and suddenly took a wrong step, stepping on Fu Jue, causing her dance steps to become chaotic.

"I'm sorry, does it hurt?"

Fu Jue tightened his grip around her waist, lifted her slightly, and pressed his forehead against hers to comfort her.

"Zhizhi, don't be nervous, just follow my steps."

In an instant, Tao Zhizhi's steps were light as she danced gracefully, following Fu Jue's movements with ease. Perhaps it was because of the exercise, but Tao Zhizhi felt the air getting hot despite wearing a coat.

The lights in the old square weren't very bright. In the deep darkness of the night, the two gazed at each other with deep affection, as if they were the only two people left in the world. A group of elderly people, tired from dancing, watched the two with loving eyes. A passerby, moved by the moment, took the opportunity to capture the beautiful scene.

After the music ended, Tao Zhizhi's feet were finally able to touch the ground completely, giving her a sense of solidity. The older women led the applause, and the older men grinned from ear to ear.

"This waltz is something only young people like you can dance. It reminds me of how my wife and I used to jump into the center of the dance floor like this, haha."

"That's right, this young couple is so loving!"

"Young man, you jump well. You must have studied it."

Facing the teasing glances from the elderly folks, Tao Zhizhi blushed slightly in the dim light, and her sweet voice rang out:

"Thank you for the compliment, Uncle and Aunt. We won't disturb your dancing any longer."

He shyly fled the center of the crowd, while the elderly men and women laughed heartily, teasing Fu Jue:

"The little girl is just shy, go back and coax her a bit!"

"Back in the day, you ran off like this too, haha."

"What nonsense are you talking about? You were the one who was shy back then, not me!"

Seeing this scene, the elderly couple, who had been dancing together for decades and whose temples were now gray, couldn't help but feel sentimental about the beautiful memories left by time.

The heat on his face lingered even after returning to the small stone table, and Fu Jue laughed heartily, seemingly envisioning his future with Tao Zhizhi:

"Zhizhi, when we retire, how about we dance in the square without any worries, just like them?"

Upon hearing this, Tao Zhizhi pictured the two of them with graying hair and wrinkles creeping around their eyes, and said coquettishly:

"When did I ever say I wanted to grow old with you?!"

"Alas, I have already given my heart away. There's nothing I can do but beg Zhizhi to stay with me until we grow old."

The two gazed at each other deeply, his tone filled with anticipation but not a trace of regret.