There are barbecue restaurants everywhere in Lianli. For the people of Lianli, eating barbecue is as common as one of their three meals a day.

Many people from nearby towns come to Lianli on weekends to eat barbecue.

Zhang Sujin previously ran a barbecue stall, and the beautiful proprietress was always picked on by diners who drank until late at night.

That's how Zhang Shulian got his reputation as the little bully. A skinny boy of thirteen or fourteen, so frail that he looked like he would fall apart if he was picked up. But because they looked down on him, he often beat up the scoundrels until they cried and screamed. When he got angry, he would throw a bottle of wine on his back and smash it without any panic.

Han Xiao had seen Zhang Shu fighting, and his eyes flashed with ferocity, which made Han Xiao, a well-behaved boy at the time, tremble in fear. During his three years in junior high school, he did not dare to get close to Zhang Shu.

Although there are no tourists during the Chinese New Year, people who work away from home have returned, and the streets are bustling. At 11 o'clock in the evening, the nightlife in Lianli has just begun.

"The air in the lotus is still the best, it smells like barbecue!" Han Xiao pulled Xiao Maza over and sat down, sighing.

"Old Du, add another bowl of scorpions!" Zhou Yingxiang called, and then asked, "Do you want anything else to eat?"

The barbecue stall was filled with smoke, and the boss's voice was particularly loud and clear: "Good! Han Xiao is back too? Didn't your mother go to Nanli to buy a big house?"

Han Xiao also shouted, "Nowhere is better than Renli. There's no barbecue like Lao Du's in Nanli!"

Lao Du laughed and said, "Hey, you are a good talker!"

The barbecue stalls were bustling with people chatting amid the sound of firecrackers and fireworks.

Workers talk about how their bosses and employers make things difficult for them, white-collar workers brag about how great their performance this year was, and bosses talk about what big news they plan to make next year.

No matter who you are, once you get to the barbecue stall, you'll sit on a stool and eat some meat and drink some wine.

"Shu, I heard from my dad that the area where your old house is is going to be turned into an ancient town?" Han Xiao's father worked in the government in Lianli, as a director of some kind, and his mother was the principal of Lianli Central Elementary School. With these positions in Lianli, Han Xiao really walked sideways when he was a child.

Zhang Shu nodded: "That's true."

"So your old house is worth a lot of money? Do you want to sell it?"

"have no idea."

He hasn't lived in the old house since he was born and has no feelings for it, so it all depends on his sister.

Han Xiao said, "Hey, speaking of this ancient town, it was that person, her father who proposed to build it. If it is really developed, there will be great development in Lianli!"

Some of the students who were studying in Lotus didn't understand and asked, "Who is that?"

"Who's dad?"

Zhou Yingxiang said proudly as if he were an insider: "Your brother Shu is the goddess's father!"

"Who? Isn't it Chen Mengyao?"

Zhou Yingxiang understood how Hou Junqi felt at that time, and sneered, "Idiot."

"…Who is it? I saw A Shu post that said that they were in love?"

"What does it look like? Come and see!"

"Isn't it beautiful?"

Zhou Yingxiang acted as a spokesperson and said, "I can't describe it. The word 'beautiful' is too superficial, isn't it, Ah Shu?"

Zhang Shu took a sip of the yellow drink and said nothing.

"Really? Prettier than Chen Mengyao?"

Zhou Yingxiang: “There’s no comparison!”

"Damn, it's so amazing, take a look!"

Han Xiao was too lazy to listen and continued, "My dad said that Sheng Mingfeng has very solid political achievements. He doesn't have any background, but he works hard, has ideas, abilities, and is good at communication. He has served in powerful counties and districts and has made a lot of achievements. After returning to Nanli, he has become the top leader. At this age, it is estimated that he can be promoted. He may be transferred to Dongzhou after serving one or two terms."

"Dongzhou is a sub-provincial city. If you do well, you can move up to a position that ordinary people can only see through the news broadcast."

"So strong..." Zhou Yingxiang murmured, "Brother Shu, how about Chen Mengyao?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Han Xiao slapped him on the back of the head.

Zhang Shu also raised his eyes, his look impatient.

"No, no, I was just chatting nonsense, chatting nonsense..." Zhou Yingxiang shut up.

A group of people were wondering about the origin of this goddess when Zhang Shu's cell phone rang. It was not an incoming call but a voice call.

Zhang Shu was also quite surprised and gestured, "Stop making noise."

Then I clicked answer.

The people next to him lip-read: Who is it?

Han Xiao: Goddess!

Several people pricked up their ears to listen.

Zhang Shu did not turn on the broadcast, so they could not hear what the other party said, but could only hear Zhang Shu's words.

"What's wrong?"

The first three words he uttered had a light and rising ending, which was unspeakably gentle, ordinary yet sticky.

Zhou Yingxiang rubbed his arms. Oh my god, how could Brother Shu be like this?

"No, I'm outside, um, meeting some friends, it's okay, don't hang up, take a picture for me, let me see, um, OK, great, anything is fine, I'll pick you up tomorrow, ok? Okay, then let's go to Yifang Bookstore, okay, no rush, don't... say a few more words... okay..."

Now everyone looked at each other and rubbed their arms.

How could someone be like this, making someone so disgusted without even saying any sweet words?

Zhang Shu finally hung up the phone. The group was about to gossip when he interrupted them again. Zhang Shu called the boss: "Lao Du, do you have paper and pen?"

"have!"

After a while, paper and pen for taking orders were delivered.

Zhang Shu was not picky. He looked at his phone and wrote and drew on paper.

When everyone saw it, they were speechless.

He was solving a math proof problem, which looked quite difficult and took him about five minutes to finish.

A group of people just waited like this, whispering occasionally, and then saw him finally finish writing, take a photo and send it out.

Then he looked at everyone as if nothing had happened and asked, "What are you doing, eating, drinking?"

"Full,"

"Studying changes destiny, knowledge makes marriage happen, I understand."

"I regret it now. I also want to study hard and get into the affiliated high school, so that I can give the goddess a lecture."

Han Xiao sneered: "Haha, do you think that if you pass the entrance exam to the affiliated high school, you will have a goddess to ask you questions?"

“Hahahahahahahahaha!”

After whispering to each other, several people almost understood the situation and asked, "Ah Shu, your girlfriend is really, the daughter of a secretary?"

Zhang Shu said calmly: "Not yet a girlfriend."

"ah?"

In this situation, who would believe it?

"Will a child of this status suffer the same hardships as us in the college entrance examination? I thought they all went abroad through connections."

"I feel the same way. If you don't go now, you will have to go in the future, right?"

"Ah Shu, you are going to Heyan to study at university, right? It's also difficult for others to get in, right?"

"Does this mean that we are destined to be in a long-distance relationship?"

Han Xiao said, "There are many universities in Heyan, not just Heqing and Haiyan. Although the scores are not low, Shengxia's grades are not bad, right?"

"The question is not about grades, but whether people want to go or not, right?"

“…”

The gathering lasted until the early morning. Zhang Shu returned home at two o'clock. Surprisingly, Zhang Sujin was still awake.

"Sister? What are you doing?"

"Waiting for you."

Zhang Shu threw the key aside and said, "Why are you waiting for me? Are you going to call me?"

"It's rare for you to come back to see your friends. You'll be back at NNU tomorrow. It would be nice to spend more time with them. I won't spoil your fun."

"What do you want to say?" Zhang Shu sat down on the sofa.

Zhang Sujin hesitated: "About tomorrow's dinner..."

"Well, what's wrong? Has anything changed?"

Tomorrow, Zhang Sujin's boyfriend arranged a meeting between the two families, which was decided on New Year's Eve.

Zhang Sujin said, "Nothing has changed. I'll tell you about their family in advance so you don't get uncomfortable."

Zhang Shu: "Why, does he have an evil mother-in-law?"

Zhang Sujin: "No, his parents have passed away. His family conditions are quite good, and I was worried about this before, so I haven't made up my mind yet. He has a nephew, you know him..."

"He's your classmate, Lu Youze, who also attended our store for lunch."

From the Lu family?

That's not just good conditions.

Zhang Shu's expression did not change, but his eyebrows slightly raised.

"You didn't have a good relationship with him before. Tomorrow you..."

Before Zhang Sujin finished her words, Zhang Shu laughed and said, "Sister, what are you worried about? I won't do anything to him on such a good day. After all, having another nephew is not bad, right?"

Zhang Sujin: …

There is always a bad feeling.

I went to bed early in the middle of summer. Even though it was already midnight, it was still early compared to the two or three o'clock on weekdays.

She will get up early tomorrow and move all the study tasks originally scheduled for the afternoon to the morning.

Because she and Zhang Shu had an appointment to meet at Yifang Bookstore at three o'clock in the afternoon.

When setting the alarm, midsummer has a hint of hesitation.

Get up at six o'clock?

Um……

What if he invites her out for dinner?

Then let's complete some of the tasks for the evening.

Finally, she set the alarm for five o'clock and fell asleep with her mouth curled up unconsciously.

The next afternoon, she didn't take a nap and stood in front of the closet, feeling troubled.

It's been a warm spring in South China, and the temperature during the New Year's Day has reached nearly 28°C, leaving no room for winter.

What is she wearing?

She actually has a lot of clothes, most of which are sportswear. She wears suits all year round and doesn't even need to match them.

But...she didn't want to wear sportswear today.

"Sister? Mom said you and Sister Zhizhi are going out to play, can you take me with you?" Wu Qiuxuan suddenly lay down at the door of Shengxia's room and said excitedly.

Shengxia avoided his gaze and said, "Well, we are going to a bookstore. It will be boring."

"It's better than being at home!"

"You," Shengxia picked up a cotton skirt casually, "you guys are going to start school tomorrow, right? You still have a lot of homework to finish, right?

”

Wu Qiuxuan pouted: "Then I'll just take her to the bookstore to do it, change the environment! My brain is so confused now!"

Shengxia was not good at lying, so she didn't know what to say. She pretended to be angry and said, "No, you can find your own best friend to play with. How can you play with your sister all day?"

Wu Qiuxuan was a little confused and glanced at Shengxia's skirt spread on the bed, "Sister? You want to wear a skirt?"

"Well... I still don't know what to wear..." Shengxia said in embarrassment. Perhaps she still felt dissatisfied, so she opened the closet again and looked at the clothes in thought.

Wu Qiuxuan walked in with a playful look in her eyes. "Why would you wear a skirt when you go out with Sister Zhizhi? Why do you have to think about what to wear when you're just going to a bookstore?"

Shengxia was startled. What happened to Axuan? Did she see something?

"You're not going to meet Brother Zhang Shu, are you?"

Hearing this, Shengxia closed the closet at once, "What are you talking about, Wu Qiuxuan!"

"Hehe, it seems so. Then I won't go. I am still a very sensible sister!" Wu Qiuxuan smiled and left the room. Before closing the door, she whispered, "Sister, don't tie your hair. Wear a beautiful hairpin!"

Shengxia changed into her skirt and stood in front of the mirror, looking at the crystal hairpin on her long black hair, and hesitated.

Isn't it... too deliberate?

She took off her hairpin, put it in her bag, and went out.

Between riding a bike and taking a taxi, Shengxia chose to ride a bike. In case he wanted to go somewhere else, he would have a means of transportation. Taking a taxi is quite expensive and he is so frugal.

To do this, she returned home and got another helmet.

Wu Qiuxuan watched her sister leave twice and sighed: one is beautiful, the other is handsome. For a moment, she didn't know whether to envy her sister or brother Zhang Shu.

Shengxia remembered Tao Zhizhi's principle of "you must not arrive early for the first date" and calculated the time to leave. But maybe she drove too fast, she arrived at 2:45.

So she turned around again, retreated to an intersection away from Yifang Bookstore, pulled over, checked her phone, and waited for time to pass.

Before she knew it, she had clicked into his conversation box again, and the conversation was still on the voice message she had called him last night.

He said that he would not be voice-checked while doing the exercises.

So last night, she called.

Unexpectedly, there was so much noise over there. He was having a party with his friends. She felt embarrassed thinking about so many people waiting for him.

But he still solved the problem for her.

In public, does it count as blatant favoritism?

Shengxia's lips curled up unconsciously. It had been a week since we last met. The weather was getting warmer. What would he wear today?

He said that there is a dinner party at home this afternoon, so he should dress up a little, right?

Wouldn't it seem like she's trying too hard?

The time was almost up, Shengxia rode her bike towards the store and pushed open the door of Yifang Bookstore at the exact moment.

He hasn't arrived yet.

Was the dinner delayed?

Shengxia chose a seat by the window with great sunlight and sat down. She ordered a glass of water first and would order the rest when he came.

It was a quarter past three and he was still nowhere to be seen. Shengxia had nothing to do, so she started checking her phone again. Do you want to ask?

It was only a quarter of an hour. If something really happened to him, it would make her look very anxious.

So he stopped.

The phone screen went black, with an unhappy face reflected on it.

Shengxia curled the corners of her mouth and gave herself a smile, then she took out the hairpin from her bag and put it on.

At half past three, he still hadn't come.

Shengxia opened his chat box countless times, gritted her teeth, and sent a line of words: "Where are you?"

Almost instantly, a message will appear above the chat box: The other party is typing.

But two minutes passed and Shengxia still hadn't received any message.

Um?

Is he busy and can't send a message?

Just as I was thinking about it, my phone started vibrating - [Song Jiang invites you to have a voice call...]

Shengxia picked up the phone quickly.

"Hey, you have..."

"Shengxia, you go back first."