"So you're finally admitting these flowers were stolen?"

I was taken aback for a moment, then laughed and said, "You not only know how to joke, but you also love to compete... Dali is known for its beautiful scenery, and what it has in abundance is flowers..."

"Banks have no shortage of money... According to your logic, as long as you bring the tools along, you can say you found it?"

I stared at Ye Zhi in disbelief. When she got serious, she was really hard to handle!

I chuckled awkwardly and then chose to shut up... Gradually, in the moonlight, I seemed to see a more distinct Ye Zhi, and away from those heavy topics, we could also joke and tease each other.

...

She finally planted the marguerite in the flowerpot, and when she handed it back to me, she said with great emotion, "You really don't know there are such fun things in life until you experience them deeply... It's like watching something so beautiful bloom in your own hands."

"Yes... provided you're willing to look down and see."

Ye Zhi looked at me and replied, "I know what you mean by that... In life, I think you can be my teacher. Your little gadgets are really interesting... I always thought that flower pots should be bought, but I never thought that you could make flower pots from terracotta pots yourself."

Her words made me feel very accomplished, and I laughed and said, "Of course, kids from the mountains know a lot."

Ye Zhi smiled in response, then went to the pool and washed the mud off her hands.

She picked up her handbag from the clothes rack and said to me, "It's getting late, I should go."

"You're afraid of the dark, I'll take you out."

"No need. Once you overcome some fears, they're not as scary as you imagined... The same goes for you. When you encounter difficulties, don't think about what trouble they will bring you. Instead, think about it from a different perspective: when you have the ability to solve these difficulties, isn't that also a kind of enjoyment?"

Ye Zhi was serious at this moment, and I unconsciously became serious as well. I nodded... just like a student.

...

After Ye Zhi left, the whole room became quiet and deserted. I habitually sat on the recliner and lit a cigarette... I was no longer as anxious as before, and I tried to find a way to resolve this contradiction from a macro perspective.

Lost in thought, my phone vibrated again. This time it was a WeChat message from Yang Sisi, who asked, "Did Ye Zhi come to see you?"

Although I had many questions, I simply replied with an "Mm" without showing any emotion. I knew Yang Sisi's personality; the less I said, the more she would talk.

Sure enough, she asked again, "Did she help you resolve Cao Xiaobei's father's matter?"

"We just had a meal together...and chatted briefly."

"Not resolved?... How could she do this? It's not like she's incapable of helping you!"

"Putting her aside, I just want to know what you were thinking... Why did you contact her and tell her about my troubles?"

This time, Yang Sisi took a long time to reply to the message, but she didn't mention her reasons for doing so. She replied, "I tricked Cao Xiaobei out, why don't you tie him up... Cao Jinbo, that old turtle shell, cherishes this son the most... If you use him as a hostage, you'll definitely get him easily!"

I gave a helpless, wry smile, unable to tell whether she was genuinely unreliable or just joking with me.