Chapter 1

Liu Jincheng mumbled: "Your mouth is still so powerful, no wonder no one pursues you in university"

Dad went on a business trip to the county, and Auntie has gone to Grandma's house. She also asked me to take you there, saying she has prepared the dishes you love to eat

Xu Nuo pounced over and nestled against her grandmother, acting spoiled. The old lady held her dear grandchild and affectionately exclaimed, first saying she had lost weight, then saying she had tanned, as if her granddaughter was not going to school but rather enlisting in the military. The two were about to stage a comedic version of Lin Daiyu entering the Grand View Garden.

Liu Jincheng pouted and pointed at his hair with a sense of grievance, "Look, it's all gone"

The already somewhat dazed mind of Xu Nuo became even more disoriented under the influence of the hot wind, making it difficult to find direction

You seem to have lost a bit of weight

Qin Haoge seems to have grown taller compared to last year, appearing increasingly slender. He is dressed in a white shirt and dark gray casual pants, looking very neat and tidy. He turned his head to examine Xu Nuo, who still had that chubby and plump appearance, her skin smooth and radiant like jade, which many girls envy.

Xu Nuo smiled and said, "I have heard that Classmate Liu, due to a heartbreak, did not even manage to get into the town's secondary school for the high school entrance examination. Today, seeing you alive and well, I am quite surprised; Uncle Liu truly showed mercy."

Grandmother's house is a three-story wooden building facing the street, with a sign that reads: "Yunlai Inn." In front of the building stands a ginkgo tree, which was planted as promised when I first arrived years ago, and it has now grown to the height of the second floor

The boss is already an adult, yet still called by such a childish nickname. However, every time Xu Nuo hears it, she becomes infatuated and delighted.

Xu Nuo was unable to get up, and Liu Jincheng came over to pull her. After one attempt, he still could not move her, and it was only after exerting more effort on the second pull that he managed to lift her up

A whistle descended from the sky, and only then did the large dog release its grip. Xu Nuo quickly pushed it away, but Da Bao still stubbornly stuck out its long tongue at her

Stepping off the long-distance bus, I was met with a wave of scorching heat, as if I had plunged into a pot of boiling water. After being in the car's air conditioning for so long, my body quickly reacted; the constricted pores opened immediately, and then sweat rushed out in a flurry.

Sister! Hey! It's still Da Bao who finds people the fastest

Haoge, I have arrived home. Grandma said you came to look for me

As soon as she stepped into the hall, something rushed past with a whoosh, a dark shadow pounced on her, and a damp tongue swept across her face accompanied by excited breaths

Xu Nuo did not mind him at all, taking off his clothes by himself, "I won't be home for dinner, I'm busy with work, and you shouldn't be lazy either"

His hair used to be long enough to reach his ears, dyed in various colors, resembling a shuttlecock that girls play with. After the results were announced, Uncle Liu was furious, grabbed a pair of scissors, caught him, and swiftly cut his hair clean. If it weren't for Xu Nuo's mother intervening, his entire outfit of hippie clothes would have been reduced to rags.

Liu Jincheng was listening on the side and laughed, "Indeed. Just looking at the silhouette would be enough to scare someone away"

Liu Jincheng laughed at her: "Are you still on a diet? I see you haven't lost any weight?"

The cicadas on the big locust tree are shouting hoarsely, and there is not a breath of wind in the air. The sun resembles a broken yellow egg, and the concrete ground is a dazzling white, reflecting light.

The nameless creature became even more excited; not only did it rest its front paws, but it also wanted to leap up with its hind legs, much like a wolf that has tasted fresh meat

Is Haoge back already

Mother Xu shouted from behind: "You ungrateful girl, after cooking the meal you won't eat it; if you have the guts, don't eat the food I made!"

The old lady asked mysteriously and ambiguously: "Don't play dumb, what I am asking about is the boy."

Indeed. Grandmother also said, "That child has grown quite a bit in just one year, looking really handsome, almost unrecognizable. Hey? Where are you going?"

Liu Jincheng sneered, "I knew it was that kid."

Xu Nuo, in a fit of rage, grabbed his old fist and chased after him, with the two of them causing a commotion from inside the store to outside.

Xu Nuo ran away in a flash

Liu Jincheng ran over joyfully, waving a dog leash in his hand

She put down the phone and immediately opened the box to change her clothes

At this moment, Xu Nuo's mood improved somewhat, and he laughed at him, saying: "Even if you are well-fed, you still lack the strength to bind a chicken."

Is that so? Xu Nuo was taken aback for a moment, then his eyes lit up, and he touched his waist, saying, "I feel the same way; my clothes have become a bit loose."

Ms. Zhang, in her forties, walked out of the kitchen while wiping her hands. She maintained a good figure, with fair and delicate features, and it was evident that she was a cheerful and capable person

A row of shops across from the school sells fruits, music CDs, stationery, and books. The "Qingyuan Milk Tea" shop, which had not been seen for half a year, surprisingly expanded its business and opened a small internet café. The business is bustling, filled with adolescents, and the atmosphere inside is quite smoky.

Xu Nuo rushed back upstairs, rummaged through her luggage to find her phone, and indeed, it was out of battery. She hurriedly replaced the battery and carefully dialed the number.

Xu Nuo nodded with a bitter smile

Before Xu Nuo even entered the door, she was already calling out "Grandma, Grandma"

This is truly a challenging question. Liu Jincheng pondered with distress, then cleverly replied: "This color suits your skin quite well"

The promised stomach rumbled in agreement, feeling even hotter.

A tall young man was chatting with the shopkeeper, facing away from the street. Xu Nuo's heart raced violently in her chest, unable to be suppressed. It was as if the man had heard her heartbeat, as he turned around.

Little Liu's younger brother is tall and thin, resembling a compass from a distance. His skin is as dark as the bottom of a pot from sun exposure, and his hair is so short that his scalp can be seen. On his T-shirt, he has drawn some alien symbols that he himself does not understand. His father is Xu Nuo's stepfather, and he is four years younger than Xu Nuo. The two have been siblings for ten years.

Xu Nuo replied: "I am reluctant to lose weight; if I share a bit of the flesh on my body with you, we would both be more proportionate."

Qin Haoge's voice remained gentle and refined, "I returned yesterday afternoon, and today I stopped by to see Auntie and Grandma. It's good that you are back; Xiaoman also returned this morning. We had ice at the milk tea shop across from the school. Would you like to join us?"

Grandfather was playing cards with a few old men, reluctant to stop. He turned his head and added, "Nono, Xiao Qin came by around noon, did you get home?"

The brother and sister finally made their way out of the station after some pulling and tugging. The scorching heat outside made them cry out. The bus had no air conditioning, and it felt like a large steamer, with the wooden benches burning their backsides. The siblings shared a bottle of iced black tea, swaying with the motion of the bus.

Nono!

After two rings, the call was connected, and a calm and gentle male voice came through: "Nono?"

Liu Jincheng walked in with his eyes covered, "Is it Brother Qin?"

Xu Nuo continued to talk nonsense, "What boy dares to follow me?"

Xu Nuo replied: "Everything is great. I have passed the CET-6 in English, so it has become much easier now"

Xu Nuo suddenly released his grip, and Liu Jincheng fell backward into the castor bean bushes by the roadside

The elderly lady held her granddaughter's hand and asked, "Was the journey difficult? Did you come back alone?"

Xu Nuo was both surprised and amused, "I didn't come back alone, could it be that someone is following me?"

The school is Qingshi Primary School, where they all studied in those years

During the summer vacation, business is thriving, with guests seated under the grape trellises in the lobby and on the platform, including many foreigners with blonde hair and green eyes

Xu Nuo hurriedly said: "Don't heat it up, I can eat it cold."

Xu Nuo asked him: "What about your family?"

I still remember the promise, that summer of my sophomore year, when Qingshi Town was unusually hot

The streets of the old town are narrow and long, paved with grayish-blue stone slabs, which is why this town is called Qingshi Town. When Xuenuo was a child, she and other children loved to run on the sparsely populated small streets in hard-soled sandals, listening to the clattering sound of their footsteps, as if it were the most wonderful music. Later, as tourists gradually increased, the town became bustling from morning until midnight, and there was no longer a quiet street to be found.

Qin Haoge has thick eyebrows, a straight nose, and is handsome and charming. Anyone who sees him would praise his spirited and attractive appearance

Caught off guard by the promise, he let out a cry and retreated several steps, "Dabao?"

"Nono is quite capable," Qin Haoge said happily, and quickly added, "Xiao Man scored five points lower in her Level 4 exam and is complaining to me about it. When you see her later, please don't mention anything about English.

Xu Nuo felt like crying without tears, yet she still combed her hair and went out

Xu Nuo exerted considerable effort to put on the newly purchased peach-colored dress. She asked Liu Jincheng, "Do I look thin?"

Liu Jincheng gasped, "The train is delayed by almost an hour, and I have been waiting for you on an empty stomach."

Xu Nuo retreated step by step, finally sitting down on the ground again. Da Bao joyfully pounced on her, smearing saliva all over her face.

She looked at her daughter and smiled, "Wasn't it said that you would arrive by noon? The food has gone cold; I will heat it up, and you can eat with the second one."

Oh dear! My college student is back! Look at this face and body covered in sweat!

Qin Haoge smiled and said: "Still working hard to lose weight? You must also pay attention to your health"

Xu Nuo smiled foolishly and cautiously walked over, as if afraid of waking from this wonderful dream. "Have you been waiting for me for a long time?"

Old Lady Xu was at the front desk calculating accounts. Upon seeing Xu Nuo and the others enter, she handed the task over to a staff member and welcomed them out.

Qingshi Town is not large. In recent years, it has developed its tourism industry relying on the old houses of the ancient town, and has constructed a new urban area. However, Xu Nu's grandparents still live in the old city. The houses in the old city are uniformly characterized by white walls and gray tiles, with doors and windows painted in deep tung oil.

The young man broke into a joyful smile. The hot air dissipated, the colorful clouds spread across the sky, the returning birds sang on the treetops, and the night flowers began to bloom

Come, come, come! "I promise to jump up, I will go find you all right now!"

Xu Nuo shouted: "Liu Jincheng! Liu Jincheng!"

Qin Haoge said with a gentle smile: "Not really. I was originally scheduled to meet Xiaoman here. How have you been over the past six months?"

The bus arrived at the outskirts of the old town, and two people, a dog, and a large suitcase all got off the bus