In the morning, half past seven.

Chen Xu brought breakfast to the rental house, opened the door with the key, and saw Chen Ziqi standing in front of the bed with two suitcases beside him. He was startled and said, "What are you doing..."

"I want to go back." Chen Ziqi put his hands behind his back and looked down at his toes. "My dad will come to pick me up soon."

Chen Xu was dazed for a moment. There was a period of time before that when he thought she would live here forever.

"It's time to go back. How long have you been absent from school?" He quickly recovered, put the soy milk and rice rolls on the table, and asked, "What about your father..."

Chen Ziqi raised her head with a smug smile on her face, "It's solved. They have officially broken up."

"I didn't expect you to subdue your father so quickly."

"That's nothing. Actually, that woman just can't handle pressure well." Chen Ziqi said disdainfully, "I put a little pressure on them, and she couldn't stand it. She had a big fight with my dad a few days ago, asking him to choose between her and me. Tsk."

"When he got to my dad's age, he wanted a stable life, and he liked the obedient and docile type the most. That woman could still pretend before, but after I made a fuss, her true colors showed up. How could my dad not feel annoyed? If I fanned the flames again, they would break up."

Chen Xu looked at her with a strange look in his eyes, "Where did you learn all this from?"

"Do I need to learn this? I can see through Old Chen's thoughts at a glance." Chen Ziqi's eyes were full of pride.

"I know you're awesome."

Chen Xu praised her for a rare moment, saying, "When you go back, you must study hard, understand?"

"Chen Xu, can we not do this? I have a father, and that's enough." Chen Ziqi couldn't stand it any longer, "Save these words for your future daughter."

The sadness that Chen Xu had just felt was interrupted. He became a little embarrassed. He rubbed her head and said, "Okay, I'm going to work. Remember to eat breakfast."

After saying that, he turned around and walked towards the door.

"Chen Xu, bring your girlfriend back to your hometown during the New Year." Chen Ziqi called him.

Chen Xu looked back at her and said, "Don't be disrespectful. I am your brother."

Chen Ziqi moved her lips, but when he walked out the door, she still couldn't shout. She walked to the balcony and looked down at the bottom of the building. After a while, she saw Chen Xu coming out from the stairs.

"Brother." She called softly.

………………

Chen Xu was in the car when he received a call from his third uncle, who said he was coming to pick up his daughter.

After hanging up the phone, he felt inexplicably empty inside, and he particularly hated this feeling.

When he was young, his parents were doing business outside, leaving him alone in his hometown with his grandparents. He was only taken back to reunite with them during summer and winter vacations.

Every time the vacation ended and he had to separate from his parents and return to his hometown, he would feel an inconsolable sense of loss in his heart, and every time, he would feel uncomfortable for a long time.

When I arrived at the company and held the regular meeting, Luo Xiyun still did not show up.

"Chen Xu, what's wrong with you? You seem a little depressed." Dai Zixin noticed his abnormality and asked.

"Nothing, maybe I'm tired." Chen Xu replied while packing his things.

Dai Zixin asked hesitantly, "Well, did you receive the money?"

"Yes, I got it." Chen Xu said, "Just say whatever you want to say. It hurts to see you like this."

Dai Zixin was a little embarrassed and said, "It's about the live broadcast. Do you have time these days? Can you help me?"

"I really can't spare the time recently." Chen Xu said apologetically.

"Oh, forget it." Dai Zixin was a little disappointed.

"I'm going out. Bye." Chen Xu packed up his things and went out to work.

The day passed quickly, and after changing into his sportswear, Chen Xu ran all the way to his rental house.

Chen Ziqi left in the morning, and the rented house was now empty. For more than a year, he thought he had gotten used to being alone. Now he realized that deep down in his heart, he still longed for someone to accompany him.

This was the case in the dream, and it was also the case in reality. However, in reality, he had been suppressing it, and after a long time, he thought he was used to it.

He ran, but his heart couldn't calm down.

Before he knew it, he came to that alley again.

This time, there was no girl under the electric pole. Instead, there were three mottled kittens, hiding their small bodies in the leeward place, with their heads slightly raised, looking in one direction, as if expecting something.

Chen Xu looked at the three kittens, walked to the small supermarket opposite, bought a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, stood at the door, lit a cigarette, and took a deep breath.

He doesn't smoke normally, he only smokes when he's in a bad mood.

He looked up at the sky. In the dark night, the clouds were also dyed black, looking particularly depressing.

call--

He exhaled a puff of smoke and heard footsteps. He turned around and saw the girl. She was still wearing her school uniform, carrying a schoolbag and wearing earplugs, as if she had just come back from school.

He thought she was going to buy something in the store, so he stepped aside. Unexpectedly, she walked right up to him, her bright and clear eyes showing a hint of embarrassment, and she asked in a low voice, "Can you lend me some money?"

This was the first time he heard her speak, and her voice was very nice.

"How much do you want?" he asked.

The girl slowly stretched out a finger.

"Um?"

The girl walked into the store and picked up a sausage.

One piece? ...

Chen Xu watched the girl run to the electric pole, pinch the sausage into small pieces, and put them in front of the three kittens. He felt inexplicably better.

He threw the cigarette butt on the ground, stomped it out, and walked towards the rental house.

………………

"Boss Yang, this is the information you requested."

In the car, Yang Jinxia asked her secretary to go upstairs first, and took the USB flash drive handed over by the driver, Sister Lin, while there was no one around.

Sister Lin said, "My friend said that he hopes you can delete it after reading it."

"I will." She put the USB drive away, opened the door, got out of the car, and walked towards the elevator.

When she reached the corner, she heard her secretary's voice, "It will take me a while to get off work. You guys go ahead and send me the address."

Listening to the sound is sending voice.

She didn't care much about the secretary's private life and walked away without paying any attention.

The secretary received a reply very quickly. Just as she clicked on the voice message, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around and put her phone behind her. She could still hear the voice of the phone ringing, "I have sent the location. Remember, the store name is 2003..."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Yang." The secretary hurriedly turned off the voice, lowered his head, and did not dare to look at her.

After a few seconds of silence, Mr. Yang's voice rang out, "Please play the voice message again."

She gritted her teeth and replayed the voice message, "I've already sent the location. Remember, the name of the store is 2003 Noodle House."

There was silence for a few seconds. The secretary was feeling nervous when he heard Yang Jinxia say, "Do you have a date?" Her voice was particularly gentle.

She was a little confused and replied, "Yes, with some college classmates."

"Well, I just happen to have something to go out for, so I'll take you there."

"ah?"

(End of this chapter)