In that instant, he could clearly see the girl's face: almond-shaped eyes, cherry lips, and porcelain-white skin—she was a complete human being!

He didn't know if Zi Xi's appearance could be considered beautiful, but in his eyes, Zi Xi was extremely beautiful.

He clearly remembered that day when she sat next to him, her profile as she wrote physics problems. The shadows of the leaves outside the window fell on her face, her hair swayed gently in the breeze, and the pen tip made a soft rustling sound on the paper, which also cut a wound in his closed heart.

It turns out that human eyes can be so bright, eyelashes so long, and a tiny dimple appears on the left side when the lips are pursed.

It can be so cute, yet so infuriating.

He pictured Zi Xi without makeup, with clear eyebrows and eyes, a calm gaze, and pink lips that were mostly pursed into a straight line.

Zi Xi would look beautiful when she smiles.

She was his only exception.

But can he be an exception for Zixi?

Jiang Yanli scratched her head in frustration. What was that phrase again? The road ahead is long and arduous...

He felt that he still had a long way to go before Zixi could understand him.

Wait, what do you mean by "enlightened"?!

Does he like Zi Xi?!

Impossible, absolutely impossible! He's definitely not a superficial person. He wouldn't easily fall for that exceptional person just because of this one!

Absolutely not! He's just been in the dark for too long and wants to get some sun!

He just wanted to get closer to Zixi and become friends!

His only purpose in approaching Zi Xi was to become her friend, a good friend. He absolutely had no ulterior motives towards her!

Jiang Yanli quickly walked back to her room and covered herself with a blanket.

The phone suddenly vibrated in her pocket. When Jiang Yanli took it out, the lock screen showed a photo of Zi Xi that she had secretly taken yesterday. It was a profile picture of Zi Xi with her head down, writing a problem in the morning light. Her eyelashes cast clear fan-shaped shadows under her eyes, and even the fine hairs on her skin were clearly visible.

The only high-definition portrait in his world.

He opened the new message: [XiXi: Remember to do your homework. I'll check it before it's due tomorrow.]

Jiang Yanli stared at the screen for a full minute, her thumb unconsciously stroking the words on the screen.

"Young master, the master and madam have returned. The master would like you to come down for dinner in ten minutes."

Suddenly, the housekeeper's voice came through the loudspeaker, interrupting Jiang Yanli's thoughts. He gave a soft "hmm" and went to the bathroom to wash his face.

Mr. and Mrs. Jiang were away on a business trip for half a month and just returned today.

Jiang Yanli knew from a young age that her father always took her mother with him wherever he went. In her opinion, her father had a strong desire for control. The key point was that her mother was very easygoing and accepted her father's love.

The table was filled with Jiang Yanli's favorite dishes: sweet and sour pork ribs, steamed sea bass, crab roe tofu, and a pot of rich, fragrant slow-cooked soup.

Jiang's mother was also wearing a name tag with the word "Mom" on it, along with a small flower and a smiley face. Beneath the blurry black swirls on her face lay a deep smile, and her voice was gentle: "Xiao Li, eat more. I haven't seen you for a week. Have you lost weight recently?"

"No, I've just gained muscle."

Jiang Yanli lowered her head and ate her rice, giving a vague reply.

"Uncle Wang told me that you...made a friend at school these past few days?"

The nameplate on Jiang's father read "Dad," with several bitter faces drawn next to it. His facial features were still a blurry black shadow in Jiang Yanli's eyes. She asked in a gentler tone than usual.

Jiang Yanli paused with her chopsticks, and the ribs fell into her bowl.

"Just an ordinary deskmate."

He answered, feigning composure.

Jiang's mother and father exchanged a glance. Although Jiang Yanli couldn't see their expressions clearly, he could sense that they seemed to be laughing at him after they looked at each other.

"We heard that you even bought her breakfast? Oh my, we've never had breakfast bought by you before..."