Only allow myself to scratch others, not allow others to tease me.

Chapter 34: 

After soaking the noodles, Li Ting handed a bowl to Fang Huaining and then carried his portion to sit down on a chair in the convenience store. He noticed Fang Huaining still standing there, looking perplexed, so Li Ting tilted his chin slightly, wondering why he wasn't coming over.

Reflecting on the last time they sat on the ground eating cold noodles, Li Ting felt that at least this time there were tables and chairs, which was a significant improvement.

Having this comparison brought him a sense of satisfaction, prompting Fang Huaining to walk over reluctantly.

This was Fang Huaining's first time eating something from a convenience store, but given Li Ting's familiarity, it was evident that he was a regular customer.

Fang Huaining wanted to suggest, "Next time, let me treat you. Just tell me what you want to eat."

But he kept the thought to himself.

The noodles quickly softened, and just as Li Ting was about to enjoy his meal, Fang Huaining suddenly stood up, circled the counter, and returned with something to hand over.

Li Ting looked to see that it was a band-aid.

"It's scraped here; wrap it up," Fang Huaining said.

Li Ting glanced at the back of his hand and realized that a small patch of skin had been scraped off and was slightly bleeding; it must have been from the scuffle with Cheng Peng earlier.

Noticing that Li Ting didn't seem to care, Fang Huaining tore open the packaging and said, "Since it's already opened, don't waste it."

Li Ting looked at his indifferent face and reluctantly accepted it, though he seemed to rarely use such things and struggled to find the right angle to apply it.

Noticing this, Fang Huaining naturally took the band-aid from him.

As he applied it, he casually asked, "Is that a classmate?" His question was clearly directed at Cheng Peng.

Li Ting replied, "Do you think so?"

Fang Huaining thought, not at all; it was more like a rivalry. But what kind of deep-seated grudge could two college students have to provoke each other into a fight? It was like two overly dramatic teenagers.

Li Ting explained, "Just a little incident from high school."

Fang Huaining was curious, "Does it have anything to do with that..." He hesitated, wanting to ask if it was related to what he had mentioned.

Li Ting was more direct, "Are you talking about my criminal record?"

As Fang Huaining felt a weight in his hand, Li Ting realized that what he had just said had been overheard.

Li Ting continued, "It's not a big deal."

Fang Huaining listened intently.

Li Ting looked at him and said, "It was just that I accidentally... killed someone."

Fang Huaining met his gaze, and perhaps due to their earlier conversations, he remained particularly calm this time, responding quickly.

"That person who was killed must have been very wealthy..." Fang Huaining said seriously.

Li Ting's eyes flickered, somewhat surprised by how quickly Fang Huaining had caught on, then he shot him an unhappy glance.

Only allow myself to scratch others, but not allow others to tease me.

A domineering little cat.

Fang Huaining thought.

Because he had helped apply the band-aid, he and Li Ting were on very close terms. In the bright convenience store, the distance between them was so minimal that Fang Huaining could clearly see Li Ting's face, as well as his dense, brush-like eyelashes that fluttered with each glance, brushing against Fang Huaining's chest with every movement.

His heart raced...

Thanks to the skills he had honed over the years at food stalls, he managed to maintain his composure at that moment, but he vaguely sensed that his emotions were becoming difficult to control.

Li Ting seemed to sense this as well; after a moment of hesitation, his gaze connected with Fang Huaining's once again.

The imagined friction began anew, and just as the sparks were about to ignite completely, an untimely ringtone shattered the charged atmosphere between the two.

It was Li Ting's phone.

Li Ting pulled his hand back from Fang Huaining and answered the call.

Tian Dian's voice came from the other end, "Li Zi!! Where are you???"

Li Ting replied, "Outside."

"Hurry back! Our house is about to collapse!!!!" Tian Dian shouted.

Li Ting opened the lid, scooped a spoonful of noodles into his mouth, and remained calm, "Wait until I finish eating."

After hanging up the phone, he turned his head to see Fang Huaining staring at him, and Li Ting poked him in the face with a fork: "Don't waste any."

Fang Xiaolin hurriedly picked up his bowl, eating while stealing glances at Lì Tíng. In the convenience store, they were the only two customers; in such a quiet atmosphere, the voice on the other end of the phone sounded ambiguous, as if it couldn't decide whether it was male or female, and Fang Xiaolin felt compelled to turn away from it.

"Are you okay?" he couldn't help but ask.

Lì Tíng quickly chewed and swallowed his food before responding, "I don't know."

You can still eat like that after everything that happened?

Lì Tíng had no trouble eating at all, and noticing that Fang Xiaolin hadn't touched his chopsticks, he looked at him disapprovingly.

Fang Xiaolin noticed Lì Tíng's bowl was nearly empty and instinctively pushed his own bowl over to him.

"I'm on a diet."

This guy is just bragging, Lì Tíng thought, though he probably assumed that Fang Xiaolin simply disliked the food. Without hesitation, he speared two large portions of food along with the soup, drinking it all in one gulp along with the noodles.

After Fang Xiaolin managed to finish his meal, Lì Tíng got up and walked out, with Fang Xiaolin trailing behind him.

When they reached the bridge below, they approached the parked electric tricycle. However, they discovered that a number of other vehicles were parked behind it, blocking their way.

Lì Tíng rolled up his sleeves and was about to get involved, but Fang Xiaolin, concerned about his injury, stepped forward first to start moving the obstructing cars out of the way.

Lì Tíng watched silently, but it was evident that Fang Xiaolin's strength was limited. As a privileged high-ranking student used to a life of comfort, he was unaccustomed to such physical labor.

After they had pushed the cars aside, only one motorcycle remained, and Lì Tíng said, "Let me handle it."

Fang Xiaolin ignored him and attempted to push the motorcycle himself.

However, the motorcycle wouldn't budge.

He pushed again, but it still refused to move...

Fang Xiaolin's grip on the handlebar tightened, and then he glanced at Lì Tíng, who casually approached, took the handlebars from him, and effortlessly pushed the motorcycle to the side.

Fang Xiaolin: "..."

"Stop dieting," Lì Tíng remarked as he maneuvered his own tricycle and climbed on.

Fang Xiaolin: "..."

...

When Lì Tíng arrived home, he found a sizable crowd gathered downstairs, complete with flashing lights and a police car on the scene.

Dì Diàn had already started working at the restaurant, and his irregular schedule had improved somewhat. He had been anxiously waiting since around 8 or 9 o'clock this morning, sensing that something was amiss. Seeing Lì Tíng, he rushed over, worry etched on his face, and said, "Lì Zǐ, we might end up sleeping on the streets!"

This place is remote, and the rent is cheap; most of the residents are laborers or others with similar backgrounds, leading to a generally low quality of life. Just last time, there was a fight between the neighbors, and the next day, someone even dug a huge underground room on the first floor of their building! The building has been neglected for years and is now structurally unsound.

The police stated that they need to assess the danger and determine whether it is safe for people to live there; they will announce the date later. In the meantime, Lì Tíng and his friends have been forced to become homeless.

Dì Diàn had already packed their clothes and was standing there, holding their luggage and looking worried. "So what do we do, Lì Zǐ?"

Lì Tíng thought for a moment, "Let's check into a hostel for two days first..."

Dì Diàn was about to nod in resignation, but his phone suddenly rang. It was a message from one of his colleagues, and something in it caught his attention.

"Oh, Lì Zǐ, I think I found a place where we can probably stay!"

Lì Tíng is a high-ranking student at Xiān Dà, and Xiǎn Míng is a student in the department of economics. Fang Xiaolin, on the other hand, is a student in the department of literature and history.

As agreed, Fang Xiaolin had asked Lì Tíng to join him for dinner at a restaurant in the city, but today, Fang Xiaolin was late. He rushed in, apologized to the waiter, and then took his seat.

The restaurant was quiet, with only a few other customers scattered around. Fang Xiaolin quickly ordered his meal and pulled out his phone to check his accounts.

The day before, his friend had forgotten to log his expenses, but today, he finally did. However, the only entry was for the machine repair fee: 97 yuan.

Fang Xiaolin felt dissatisfied.

As he closed his phone and stood up to leave the table, he remembered that Lì Tíng had treated him to dinner last time, but this time, Fang Xiaolin was determined to cover the bill. Just as he was about to take out his wallet, Lì Tíng excitedly grabbed his arm.

"Lí Míng, Lí Míng, I'm telling you, that... that..."

Fang Xiaolin asked, "What?"

"That guy I told you about," Lì Tíng pointed across the restaurant, "I didn't expect him to be here too!"

Fang Xiaolin glanced over, and when he recognized the person's face, he suddenly stiffened.

"You mean... him?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with you? Can't you tell the difference between a man and a woman? He even scared me while I was swimming!"

As a professional swimmer, Lì Tíng was used to a certain level of fitness and training. He looked at Fang Xiaolin with concern.

Fang Xiaolin had never been keen on exercise, and his daily routine was generally quite laid-back. But today, he seemed to be in a different mood.

Surprised, Qian Kun's voice rose slightly, drawing the attention of the person sitting across the room as well.

The same surprise appeared on the other person's face and, in the next moment, the person walked directly towards them. "Hello! You... you are... uh, Fang, Fang Huaining, right?" Tian Dian greeted them with no hint of shyness.

He then turned to Qian Kun: "And, um, you..." Qian Kun quickly intervened, "We just met at the swimming pool!"

Tian Dian remembered: "Ah~ I work part-time at the restaurant downstairs from the swimming pool. The restaurant's restroom was broken, so I went up to borrow one."

When he turned back, he found Fang Huaining still staring at him in a daze. Just as Tian Dian was about to speak, someone called him from behind: "Tian Dian, why haven't you finished the bill? You just became the team leader, and a little leader who says he's treating can't be out of money!"

"Who said that?" Tian Dian responded, his composure momentarily breaking down. He regained his senses, took the bill from the waiter, and gasped quietly upon seeing the amount. "Why is it so much? Does your restaurant have any discounts?"

When the waiter said no, Tian Dian's demeanor deflated in disappointment. Frantically, he opened his phone and skimmed through the payment app.

Fang Huaining finally regained his composure while digging through his belongings for some money. He then asked, "How's your place..." As Tian Dian was momentarily confused, he suddenly realized Fang Huaining was talking to him.

The place? How did he know about his living situation?

But he honestly replied, "Oh, I've moved into my current staff dormitory, just two streets behind the swimming pool, in Youyou Community." Youyou? It's just one street away from where Fang Huaining was currently living. Fang Huaining nodded and suddenly smiled at Tian Dian while pulling the still somewhat dazed Qian Kun away. That smile was so handsome that Tian Dian was mesmerized for a couple of seconds. After a moment, he finally pulled out his credit card, just as the waiter said, "The bill for your table has already been settled." Tian Dian: "Huh?" Waiter: "That handsome guy just now paid for it."

Chapter 35 The other side of the wall and door is either a garden or an abyss; only by walking over can one find out. The dormitory where Li Ting and Tian Dian temporarily stayed was a one-bedroom apartment layout, with both the living room and the bedroom converted into bunk beds, each accommodating two to three people. The shower and kitchen were shared. The houses in this area were quite nice; although Youyou Community had some history, the rooms were bright and spacious. The few rooms borrowed from the restaurant owner were half-finished, which had its pros and cons. However, there was nothing for Li Ting and Tian Dian to complain about; they were only renting. Especially for Li Ting, if the dormitory were fully occupied in the future, he would have to give up his place.

The environment was a significant improvement from their previous rental, and overcoming difficulties was not an insurmountable challenge for Li Ting.

After showering, Tian Dian flopped onto the bed, rolled around in the upper bunk twice, and exclaimed excitedly, "Li Zi, my boss actually promoted me to team leader! I never saw it coming."

Li Ting continued reading without looking up, "Work hard, be obedient, never ask for a raise, and don't even expect insurance coverage; any employer would want an employee like that."

Tian Dian replied, "Come on, don't say that. I've caused my boss a lot of trouble over the years, so it's already a blessing that he hasn't fired me. We should appreciate the good things people do for us, just like how you've always been good to me – I'll be grateful for it my whole life."

Li Ting remained unmoved by such sentimental remarks.

Tian Dian, undeterred, looked at him and said, "By the way, guess who I met today?"

Li Ting showed no interest in guessing and stayed silent.

After waiting for a while, Tian Dian could only reveal, "A scientist! I met a scientist today."

Li Ting asked reluctantly, "Is your restaurant near the Science Museum?"

"No," Tian Dian replied, "it's that scientist – the extremely handsome one... " Tian Dian gestured enthusiastically, "Don't you remember? The one from the hospital."

Li Ting thought for a moment before realizing who Tian Dian was referring to; he recalled that Tian Dian had mentioned him before.

Li Ting raised his head, his attention now piqued.

Seeing that he finally responded, Tian Dian quickly said, "It was when Xiao Mi and the others wanted hot pot at the entrance of A University. I ran into him there, and he actually talked to me first! He had been so cold last time, and not only that, but you wouldn't believe how it developed afterward—he even smiled at me! He smiled at me?! And he paid for my meal!" Li Ting looked at Tian Dian, who was excitedly kicking his legs, with an expressionless face and asked, "So what? What's your conclusion?" Tian Dian exclaimed, "I just didn't expect him to be such a friendly person; he's a scientist!" Then he turned serious and asked Li Ting, "Is it because of you? Besides you, I don't know him at all. You have to be honest—what's your relationship with him?! Do you still keep in touch after leaving the hospital?" Li Ting closed the electronic document full of notes on his phone and replied calmly, "No relationship, not familiar." Tian Dian was suspicious: "Really?" Li Ting lowered his head again. Tian Dian stared at the back of his head for a while, muttering to himself, "There's no way he got captivated by my good looks, right? But that scientist looks like a straight man, not someone who would fall for anyone easily." At this point, Tian Dian suddenly sighed, "Such a person is hard to win over, but once they do, they should be extremely good to the one they like."

"I wonder what kind of girlfriend such a handsome guy will have in the future; just thinking about it makes me envious." This was genuine jealousy from someone who had a track record of attracting bad boys. Li Ting gently rubbed the band-aid on the back of his other hand that hadn't been torn off, without answering.

On the other side, Fang Huaining was lying in bed deep in thought. Although living with a male roommate didn't mean that Li Ting didn't have a boyfriend, the misunderstanding surrounding a male-female living arrangement was much greater than that of two male roommates. The difference between Li Ting having a girlfriend and the Li Ting who supposedly had a boyfriend was also significant; the former felt worlds apart, while the latter was merely separated by a wall or a door. As for whether the other side of that wall or door was a garden or an abyss, one could only find out by walking over.

Luo Huining understood in his heart that it all boiled down to one thing: whether or not Li Ting was single. However, he couldn't just barge in and pry into Li Ting's private life; that wasn't like him to be so reckless and impulsive. Besides, Little Cat's mood was as unpredictable as ever, and with both of them in an already precarious situation, it was easy to accidentally provoke Li Ting into a fit of anger. If he pushed too hard, it might just snap their already fragile connection in two.

So, Luo Hui Ning decided to maintain a safe distance to observe, learn, and wait patiently—at least until he and Little Cat became closer and more familiar with each other before making his move.

Finally, the extended break was coming to an end. A Da was reopening the school, and Feng Xin Zi's small shop was also about to resume operations.

Li Ting left before 7 PM, but as soon as he stepped out of his residential area, he spotted a familiar figure ahead. The other person's tall stature and long legs stood out against the backdrop of the setting sun. Luo Hui Ning's heart skipped a beat as he wondered if it really was him.

Luo Hui Ning appeared startled when he looked up to see Li Ting and smiled slightly in surprise.

"It's a coincidence, huh?" Luo Hui Ning said cautiously.

Li Ting responded, "Yeah, it is quite lucky."

"You..." Luo Hui Ning looked at Li Ting and then glanced back at the row of residential buildings behind him, a mixture of curiosity and confusion on his face.

Li Ting briefly explained, "I'm staying here temporarily."

"Oh," Luo Hui Ning nodded and stopped asking questions, pointing to the high-rise across the way. "I live here too."

Li Ting looked at him and then unexpectedly remarked, "You took the stairs down, didn't you? On a day this hot, why didn't you use the elevator?"

Luo Hui Ning: "?"

Li Ting shook his head. "Never mind."

Li Ting was heading to the commercial street, while Luo Hui Ning was on his way to school, so they naturally walked together.

Before long, they reached the bus stop. To Luo Hui Ning's surprise, Li Ting walked right past the stop without hesitation. Luo Hui Ning called out to him.

"Hey... "

Li Ting turned around.

Luo Hui Ning spoke softly: "You're not taking the bus, right?"

Li Ting raised an eyebrow, looking puzzled: "This distance? There's no need for public transportation."

Luo Hui Ning paused, taken aback: He stopped in his tracks for a brief moment before continuing on his way.

Li Ting waited a few seconds before asking again: "Are you taking the bus then?"

Luo Hui Ning stopped, turned around, and said, "No, I'm walking too."

Li Ting nodded briefly and remained silent.

A bus ride was only a few stations long, while walking took at least three or four times as long. Although it wasn't as hot as it was during the summer, it was still quite warm under the autumn sun, and walking for over 10 minutes felt quite strenuous.

Li Ting noticed that Luo Hui Ning was carrying a notebook computer and a large bag, so he couldn't help but sneak a peek at it.

Luo Hui Ning caught him looking and extended his hand: "Want to eat something?"

He then took out a bag from behind him, which contained at least five or six types of breakfast items, including a variety of cakes and rice balls. Li Ting was taken aback.

Luo Hui Ning explained: "I'm bringing breakfast for my classmates."

He added: "If you haven't eaten, you can just pick one. Otherwise, it'll be a waste."

Li Ting had indeed skipped his breakfast.

He had been busy and wasn't in the habit of eating breakfast. Seeing all these pastries in front of him made him want to dig in. Luo Hui Ning encouraged him again, and Li Ting finally took out an egg pastry from the bag.

To his surprise, it was still warm from the oven.

"Thanks," Li Ting said, looking down.

"No need to thank me," Luo Hui Ning replied casually.

It took nearly 40 minutes to cover a distance that could typically be done in 10 to 15 minutes. Li Ting entered Fēng Xìn Zǐ's small shop, while Luo Hui Ning headed to school.

Luo Hui Ning was a member of the Computer and Science Association of A Da, also known as Ji Kē Xié Huì. This association mainly comprised academically outstanding students from relevant disciplines. They often participated in group projects throughout the semester or organized events to promote teamwork and competition. The association also had a specialized competition department focused on preparing and training students for prestigious competitions. As a past winner who had easily clinched the prize, Luo Hui Ning would help his juniors whenever he had the time, but his assistance was mostly superficial, as he couldn't provide more in-depth guidance due to his own busy schedule.

However, today many members of the association arrived early and were taken aback to see their leader having breakfast with them.

One of the members, a junior named Zhou Ming Cheng, looked at the leader's bag of breakfast items and couldn't help but stare in amazement: "Am I dreaming? Is this a sign that I'll get first prize in the regional competition this year?"

The person next to him sighed wistfully: "Yeah, it is. I'm craving food too. I didn't even get to have breakfast..."

He gazed at the association's leader, who was chatting with some other people, and felt a pang of envy.

Luo Hui Ning turned around and saw the junior, Zhou Ming Cheng, but he was momentarily taken aback before recognizing him. He couldn't believe his eyes: Wasn't Zhou Ming Cheng Li Ting's younger brother?

Zhou Ming Cheng thought that Luo Hui Ning looked displeased and quickly explained: "Luo Teacher, ah...this is my high school friend. He's in the computer science department, and he's actually been wanting to come visit us. Since there aren't many people here today, I thought I'd invite him to take a look around for a bit."

Li Ting stood up and greeted Luo Hui Ning, a warm smile on his face. "Long time no see."

Luo Hui Ning remembered the night he had inadvertently become embroiled in the drama of Li Ting's family, and Li Ting hadn't objected to his involvement, so he didn't feel it was his place to intervene. He simply nodded at Li Ting.

"No problem, feel free to stay for a bit..."

He glanced over at a hot dog on the side and handed it to Zhou Ming Cheng, who was taken aback by the gesture.

Luo Hui Ning didn't say anything else and walked away.

Behind him, Zhou Ming Cheng exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, you know our head pretty well?"

In the middle of the day, when Luo Hui Ning visited Fēng Xìn Zǐ's small shop, he saw Li Ting sitting outside, watching the kids play arcade games while eating a bun. Just as Li Ting was about to take a bite, he spotted Luo Hui Ning and paused.

Luo Hui Ning asked, "Is there a seat available?"

Li Ting set down his bun and replied, "You'll have to wait a bit."

Luo Hui Ning nodded and looked around the shop before asking, "Has Chén Kuán come by yet?"

Li Ting thought for a moment and said, "No, he hasn't."

Fang Huaining furrowed her brows, glanced outside, then at the item in her hand, and suddenly handed it over, reiterating what she had said that morning. "Are you going to eat?" Li Ting stared at the large lunch box, noticing the words "Xiang Mi Tang" prominently displayed on the packaging, feeling a bit confused. Fang Huaining explained, "It's Qian Kun's meal. If no one eats it, it will just be thrown away." Li Ting remained motionless. Fang Huaining turned to toss it into the trash can when her arm was unexpectedly grabbed. Li Ting took the food, opened it, glanced around, then put the baozi back in the bag, unwrapped the spoon from Xiang Mi Tang, and began eating without hesitation. He didn't comment on the meal; he simply said, "It's ready." Fang Huaining watched as the little squirrel's cheeks puffed up and his mouth glistened; after a moment, she lightened her steps and entered Hyacinth Cottage.

As she entered the bar, she suddenly found herself face to face with Wei Ping, who looked serious behind the counter. Wei Ping fixed his gaze firmly at her and asked in a stern tone, sentence by sentence, "Qian Kun attended the U City competition. Don't you know anything about it?" Chapter 36: A small issue requires help from Li Ting to resolve. Wei Ping glanced at Fang Huaining. Fang Huaining also returned his gaze. Wei Ping shifted his attention to Li Ting, who was quietly eating with his back to them, then turned back to Fang Huaining. Fang Huaining continued to stare intensely at Wei Ping. Wei Ping finally lost his composure and blurted out, "You can't be serious, right?" This person, who was usually extremely busy with no time for leisure, had only been found frequenting the bookstore in recent days, ignoring everything else. The person who would normally have others bring treats for them without hesitation was now willingly spending time and effort to queue multiple times for this seemingly ridiculous meal. Even without a so-called sixth sense, a person with common sense would sense that something was amiss; how could he still pretend to be oblivious?! Wei Ping's gaze narrowed at Fang Huaining, "What do you think?!" If it were someone else, Wei Ping probably wouldn't be surprised, but Li Ting? Of the same gender, why Li Ting?

Facing Wei Ping's piercing gaze, Fang Huaining remained calm and composed, showing no embarrassment or panic typical of someone caught in an affair. After a moment of contemplation, she said seriously to Wei Ping, "There's a real issue that requires his help, and I had to resort to some indirect methods." Real issue? What issue? Seeing Fang Huaining's righteous demeanor, Wei Ping's firm belief began to waver. Was it really something serious? Did she have an academic or course-related problem that she needed Li Ting's assistance with? Translation? That would be quicker if she called me. However, Wei Ping masked her astonishment and cautiously asked, "Who needs Li Ting's help?" Fang Huaining replied, "Me." "What real issue?" Fang Huaining paused before answering, "Being single." Wei Ping: "......"

When Li Ting left early in the morning, Tian Dian was still lounging in bed. He checked the time; it was only 6:40. Why was Li Ting leaving so early? After dawdling for nearly half an hour, Tian Dian lazily got dressed and washed up. When he finally managed to head out for work, he was surprised to find Li Ting still there?! Tian Dian exclaimed, "Li Zi? What are you doing?" Li Ting turned to look at him, his expression not particularly bright. "Exercising." "At... at the entrance of the community?" This location seemed a bit peculiar.

Li Ting twisted his somewhat stiff ankle and walked towards the nearby bike shed, soon pushing out his little electric bike. Tian Dian was even more perplexed, "Hey, didn't you say two days ago that this bike had a short circuit and you weren't planning to ride it temporarily?" Li Ting grasped the handlebars and swung his leg over. "I'm exhausted," he said. After saying that, he accelerated and zoomed off. Tian Dian watched as his figure disappeared from view... You can feel tired too? From exercising? … Fang Huaining had already made plans for the next day, specifying what time she wanted to leave and what she was going to buy for breakfast, but her eager plans fell through due to someone else's actions. It was almost midnight when she suddenly received a call from Wu Yi, stating that there was a problem with the system at Hexin Industry, and they needed to rush over the next day. Fang Huaining tossed her phone and stared at the ceiling in frustration. The next day, she took the very first bus and arrived at the scene. Once immersed in the chaos, several hours passed without her even taking a sip of water. It wasn't until she asked the assistant who met them to take them out to eat that she realized it was already noon. Wu Yi ate first; once he finished, Fang Huaining took a meal, joining the rest of the office staff for lunch. Many were recent graduates, just a few years younger than them, and during the meal, they inquired curiously about their arrival, frequently asking various questions.

Fang Huaining didn't know how Wu Yi responded, but as usual, she kept her answer brief. While picking at the rice in her lunchbox, Fang Huaining glanced at the glass wall, noting it was another beautiful day, and wondered how well the strawberries in the fields were growing. The last time the young farmer mentioned, it would soon be time to harvest, but they wouldn't be able to eat all of it...

Just as she was lost in thought, snippets of conversation suddenly drifted into her ears, pulling her back to reality.

Employee A said, "Our company originally intended to build a larger facility, but we couldn't acquire that plot next door; it seems the negotiations on the price fell through."

"The land next door belongs to some wealthy people from A City from years ago, but once the houses were demolished, many nearby fields were rented out to local or outside farmers. They are much more difficult to deal with than those being relocated. Our company is so eager to get it; we can't afford to prolong the discussions with them."

"I know; I came here when I was a kid, it must have been more than a decade ago. That row of large houses was truly beautiful, and the air was wonderful. The most striking feature was the large field of morning glories, pink and blue; it looked stunning from afar, just over there by that little hill."

As Fang Huaining continued to eat, Employee B remarked, "Now there's nothing left, just farmland."

"But I just realized that they seem to grow a lot of vegetables there, along with fruits. The strawberries are coming up, and they look really tempting."

"It's so tempting; just sneak over and pick a couple, haha. Anyway, no one would know." "You guys are too dishonest. These farmers aren't that naive; they might have guard dogs or even set up electric nets underground, and you'll get electrocuted one by one!" "You think this is a movie? Where can you find such high-tech stuff nowadays? And what's with the electric nets?" "Don't believe me? Ask our little engineer; he should know about this, right? Are there such electric nets? Will you get electrocuted if you go into the field to steal?" Everyone was just chatting nonsense, not expecting the little engineer to respond. However, he turned around and said seriously, "Yes." Everyone: "?" The little engineer added, "If you don't know the owner, you'll get electrocuted to death." ...

Wu Yi took advantage of the lunch break to run to the administrative department, where the most beautiful girls were, and chatted with them for half a day before returning to work. As soon as he entered the machine room, he saw Fang Huai Lin sitting in front of the computer, looking serious. Wu Yi approached him, wanting to advise his junior to balance work and rest, to not always focus on academics, and to appreciate the world outside and the warmth around him. Otherwise, his sensory system would go haywire.

However, before he could speak, his eyes were drawn to a plate of items on the table. "Hey? Strawberries?! Where did these come from?!" Although it wasn't summer, the strawberries looked plump and juicy, making everyone's mouth water. "They look sweet; let me have one!" Wu Yi reached for a strawberry, but his hand was suddenly caught by someone. Faced with Fang Huai Lin's cold glare, Wu Yi was taken aback. Their team leader was usually generous and easy-going, but this was the first time Wu Yi had seen him be so stingy. Thinking Fang Huai Lin was just unhappy about his laziness, Wu Yi said magnanimously, "Okay, okay, you can leave after you finish this, and I'll take care of the rest." Seeing that Fang Huai Lin didn't object, Wu Yi grabbed a strawberry and popped it into his mouth. But his expression quickly changed after one bite. "Damn..." Fang Huai Lin looked at him. Wu Yi smacked his lips and exclaimed, "This... isn't ripe yet, is it? Why is it so sour?" Fang Huai Lin did not respond. Wu Yi was astonished. "Don't you think it's sour?" Fang Huai Lin took the bowl back, stating calmly, "It's fine." Wu Yi was incredulous... it seemed their junior's taste buds had already gone awry. ... Although the living conditions in the Youyou Community were decent, the internet had not yet been connected. Lixuan and Tian Dian had moved out in a hurry, leaving their old computer behind. So, if Lixuan needed to access any information, he had to borrow the computer from the book bar.

Of course, borrowing the computer wasn't free, and Lixuan had to work in exchange. Fang Huai Lin recalled the schedule at Fengxinzi Xiao She and knew that Lixuan was supposed to be on duty in the morning, finishing his shift after 6 pm. However, Lixuan often put in extra hours, so even though it was already past 9 pm, Fang Huai Lin got off two stops early and walked through the commercial street to look for him.

As he passed by the store, he saw Lixuan unloading boxes from a van parked out front. The store was short-staffed, and the delivery person had come alone, making it difficult for them to handle the workload. Fortunately, Lixuan was capable and took care of everything himself.

However, Fang Huai Lin felt that Lixuan's behavior, which used to seem cool and impressive, now only seemed frustrating and depressing. Looking at the sweat on Lixuan's nose, Fang Huai Lin's eyebrows furrowed deeper. The person assisting on the side wasn't very reliable either. After Lixuan finished counting the boxes, he discovered that one was missing. In the chaos, the store staff rushed to the van to move the cargo but forgot about the top layer. As soon as they walked away, the items on top started to fall towards Lixuan.

Fang Huai Lin was startled, and his heart almost stopped as he rushed forward. His movements were already very fast, but he still couldn't keep up with Lixuan's speed. Lixuan quickly stepped back, avoiding the falling cargo with ease.

However, this step also caused Lixuan and Fang Huai Lin to collide. The object that fell appeared to be a bag of flour. In the white dust that enveloped them, Lixuan turned around and encountered Fang Huai Lin's hazy face, his eyes seemingly particularly bright.

Lixuan was taken aback and began to cough violently. Fang Huai Lin immediately reached out to pat his back and said to the stunned staff member, "Get a cup of water and a wet towel or wet wipe."

Lixuan coughed for about half a minute due to the powder. During this time, Fang Huai Lin continued to gently pat and stroke his back. Once Lixuan finally stopped coughing, a cup of water was handed to him, along with several wet wipes. Fang Huai Lin first wiped Lixuan's clothes and then his face.

Lixuan's long and thick eyelashes were coated in white powder. As he heard a low voice say, "Close your eyes," he unexpectedly complied.

He felt the soft and cool wet wipe gently gliding over his eyebrows, and the fingers holding the wipe occasionally brushed against his skin, sending a distinctly warm sensation coursing through him. The wipe moved from his forehead to his cheeks, then from the bridge of his nose to the tip, finally stopping at his lips and stroking them repeatedly.

Lixuan felt his lips tingle from the wiping and had to open his eyes. He met Fang Huai Lin's face, which was very close to his, with the faint flicker of flames dancing in his eyes.

Chapter 37: Both of them recognized an unusual competitive spirit reflected in each other's eyes.

The flames in Fang Huai Lin's eyes were dazzling, but they faded quickly, like a meteor, leaving Lixuan to wonder if it was just his imagination. The two of them stared at each other for a few seconds, and then Lixuan pursed his lips and took a step back, deliberately creating some distance between them.

Li Ting's long cough left his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose tinged with crimson, and his eyes glimmered with tears. This momentarily dazed Fang Huaining, but the reality of the situation returned him to focus as he slowly withdrew one hand from Li Ting's shoulder. The other hand curled slightly, gently squeezing the wet wipe he had used to clean Li Ting's face. "Thank you," Li Ting said. He glanced at Fang Huaining's hand and added, "The trash can is over there." Fang Huaining acknowledged him with a soft "oh," clenched his fist, and slowly walked over to discard the tissue. The manager, having found a moment to check the situation, noticed Li Ting looking disheveled and thoughtfully suggested that he go inside to change clothes and clock out while others cleaned up the area. Li Ting didn't argue and, after tidying himself up, came out again. With a turn of his foot, he walked toward the other end of the shopping street and soon returned with a large bag of items in his arms.

Fang Huaining naturally noticed him and realized it was time to restuff the dolls. He stopped his movement, remained in place, and suddenly asked the manager, who was directing employees to clean, "Why not hire some more people?"

The manager, recognizing this regular customer, replied honestly, "Well, it's not that we don't want to hire more staff, but our boss is somewhat nostalgic and prefers students from A University. However, you know that students from A University have high expectations; even a simple job requires a decent salary."

"Then find some freshmen," Fang Huaining suggested. "Open up the store's facilities and services a bit more. A University is difficult to get into, but the conditions at the bookstore are attractive. If we have more employees, students would be willing to join."

"That's true. I'll talk to the boss again, but the foot traffic in this shopping street is still quite limited. The last recruitment notice was posted long in advance," the manager replied.

Fang Huaining looked at Li Ting, who was diligently arranging the dolls across from him, and said, "Post it on the A University forum."

"We've tried that before; the posts get deleted and last at most five minutes," the manager said, glancing at Fang Huaining. He considered himself knowledgeable and had heard quite a bit from students in the shop over the past few months. Seeming to be aware of Fang Huaining's reputation, he added, "Don't you know someone in that field?"

"If possible, could you help us? Maybe extend it by an hour or two?" Actually, he thought the handsome guy in front of him looked quite earnest; he was just relaxing before the end of the shift. However, Fang Huaining lowered his eyes to think for a moment and then replied, "An hour or two isn't possible; at most, I can help extend it by half an hour." After all, there were plenty of junk posts on the forum, and it wouldn't be a big problem to delete them later. The manager was taken aback, then delighted: "That's enough! Can we also include a little advertisement? Just a small one; we have many activities in the back that offer genuine discounts for students." Fang Huaining remained silent, neither agreeing nor rejecting the suggestion. The manager understood and reached out to pat him on the shoulder: "Hey, if this works out, next time you come with your classmates, it'll be on the house. I really appreciate it." Fang Huaining dodged his hand and looked up to see that Li Ting was almost finished, casually nodding at the manager as he walked forward. It was getting late; after a busy day, neither of them seemed inclined to walk home. They walked past the shopping street and concurrently stopped at the bus station. At this hour, there were no students around, and the expansive bus station felt empty except for the two of them. After a moment of silence, it was Fang Huaining who spoke first: "What about the electric bike? Aren't you riding it today?"

He had seen it parked outside the Hyacinth Cottage earlier and thought Li Ting would be riding it. Li Ting replied, "There's an electrical leak." He thought for a moment and added, "I left late and just rode it over." Speaking of this, Fang Huaining casually mentioned, "I left early today to go to... Shiyi Road." Li Ting responded, "Oh." Fang Huaining continued, "I have to go again in a couple of days." Li Ting replied, "Oh." Fang Huaining fell silent. Li Ting pulled out a large bag of game tokens from the machine, which jingled in his hand. Fang Huaining glanced at it; while he didn't know the exact value of each token, he guessed it must be quite a lot. He then asked lightly, "Is business good?" Li Ting didn't downplay it: "It's alright." "What about the other two locations?" Li Ting nodded: "The bus station and the subway station attract more people." Fang Huaining considered the locations where Li Ting had placed the three doll machines and nodded in agreement: "You picked good spots; you have great insight." Li Ting accepted the compliment easily and hummed lightly, "It took me half a year." Fang Huaining asked, "What?" Li Ting explained, "It took me half a year to find these spots." Fang Huaining was surprised; he thought Li Ting had a keen eye and was usually quick and efficient. He didn't expect him to prepare for such a long time over just a few toy machines. Truly cautious. Li Ting looked at the distant red traffic light, sensing Fang Huaining's confusion. He said, "You don't know me well."

Fang Huaining was taken aback, thinking to himself: I've already tried my best! Li Ting continued, "Actually, I approach everything this way..." "How so?" Fang Huaining couldn't help but ask. Suddenly, Li Ting turned his head and locked eyes with Fang Huaining: "Even if I feel an impulse, even if I like something, I won't act casually until I'm 100% sure I can secure it." As he spoke, the cunning liveliness of a kitten retracted momentarily, revealing the fierce aura of a wild beast, transforming into a sharp-toothed big cat. The hunting big cat excels at observing its prey, never striking easily, but when it does, it always hits its mark without fail! Under Li Ting's piercing gaze, Fang Huaining's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but slightly curl his lips. "I don't do that..." Fang Huaining said. "If it were me, I'd probably try renting a machine to test the waters first. Observation might be cautious, but in everything, only practice can reveal the shortcomings and expose the problems. It's just like studying; the theoretical knowledge in your head only becomes clear when applied to problems, showing where the difficulties lie and what needs to be addressed one by one."

He particularly enjoys the process of solving problems and overcoming obstacles.

If compared to a wild beast, Fang Huaicing resembles a wolf more than anything else, embodying great patience and tenacity, able to pursue its prey relentlessly until it corners its opponent, leaving them with no escape, and then devours them with satisfaction.

The two exchanged glances, recognizing an unusual competitive spirit in each other's eyes. Although their rivalry seemed inexplicable and they might not fully understand the reasons behind it, it didn't diminish their determination.

It wasn't until the traffic light turned green and the distant bus slowly approached that the charged atmosphere was broken.

They each boarded their respective buses, lost in their thoughts.

As Li Ting adjusted his milk tea, he felt two lingering gazes fixed on his back. This wasn't a new occurrence; those two gazes had been following him for several days, watching him no matter what he did. How could someone as perceptive as Li Ting not notice?

He leisurely covered the cup and handed it to another server, washing all the tools clean before suddenly turning around, only to come face to face with Wei Ping, who hadn't had the time to turn her head away.

Caught off guard, Wei Ping felt a moment of embarrassment but, being no ordinary person, she quickly composed herself and walked over confidently, under Li Ting's puzzled gaze.

"Uh… I just happened to have something to ask you," Wei Ping said, pulling out a piece of paper. "So, there's an event at the store next month.

While she spoke, she watched Li Ting. They had worked together for several dozen days, but due to Li Ting's reclusive nature and her own proud personality, they had not interacted closely until now. Wei Ping held a stereotypical impression of Li Ting, formed from what colleagues like Qian Kun and Wang Fuliang had said, which explained her surprise when she learned about Fang Huaicing's secret.

Whether Li Ting was good or bad, or whether Fang Huaicing liked boys or girls, was not for them to comment on or agree upon. Therefore, Wei Ping skipped over that layer of psychological complexity, leaving only her curiosity about Li Ting. From what she knew about Fang Huaicing, the star's taste was not quirky, nor did he have the rebellious traits of a typical young person. On the contrary, he had high standards for quality of life, unwilling to compromise or settle for less, with clear goals—he would never allow his life to be ambiguous. So what charm did Li Ting possess to make this old locust tree, which had been stifled in the deep mountains for twenty-one years, bloom with fragrant flowers?!

As she looked at him this way, Wei Ping realized that Li Ting was quite handsome; he had exceptionally beautiful features that blended the delicateness of a girl with the freshness of a boy. If he weren't always making a cold face while doing things that tarnished public opinion, his appearance alone would surely earn him popularity.

"What?"

Seeing Wei Ping fall silent without finishing her sentence, Li Ting furrowed his brows and asked.

This expression—any hint of laziness would provoke his impatience and condescending demeanor—explained why others kept their distance. What a waste of talent.

Internally, Wei Ping felt frustrated, but she maintained a friendly facade. "Oh, next month we're having a Singles' Day event at the store; we're preparing to set up reservations starting now. On the day of the event, we'll offer discounts to specific customers. The boss said we employees can also participate, so we need to tally the number of attendees—specifically the number of single people, you understand, right? There will be small gifts distributed as consolation on the holiday."

Although Wei Ping didn't know the details of the relationship between Fang Huaicing and Li Ting, just observing their personalities, she could guess they were still entangled in a half-dead relationship. Wei Ping decided it was time to lend a little help while indulging in some gossip.

"So? You just need to say if you're a circle or a cross," she prompted when Li Ting fell silent again. "The gifts are actually quite nice; our boss isn't a stingy person."

Li Ting seemed to ponder for a moment before replying, "Circle."

"Circle? Single?" Wei Ping confirmed again.

Li Ting nodded.

Wei Ping smiled, ready to take notes, but suddenly hesitated.

"Hey, wait, I feel like it's too early for me to ask this question; there's still over a month until Singles' Day. Who knows if circumstances will change, right? After all… love comes like a whirlwind~~~"

The question was directed at Li Ting, but Wei Ping seemed to have already received her answer, humming a tune as she turned to leave.

"Can't escape the storm's embrace, no time to run~ Don't think anymore~ Don't think anymore, oh~~~"

Li Ting: "........."

Chapter 38: It's Quite Nice to Appreciate Those Lives That Stubbornly Survive in Seasons They Shouldn't Be Growing

Fang Huaicing visited the Computer Science Association again; while helping the younger students, he took out his phone to log into the little ranch game.

Recently, the little money grubber's accounts had become rather monotonous, mostly consisting of buying a few pig rabbits today and planning to buy more pig rabbits tomorrow. However, there was good news: the frequency of vegetable buns was also decreasing, which made him wonder if he had found another food substitute. Realizing this, Fang Huaicing felt annoyed for having forgotten to mention work meals to the supervisor earlier.

Today, Li Ting had the afternoon shift. As Fang Huaicing opened the game to play, he contemplated whether he had time to visit the Hyacinth Lodge again that evening.

Ever since Big Grapefruit's leaderboard was dominated by L Jun, F Jun, although surprised, was not eager to reclaim his position; on the contrary, he relished the excitement of this competition, getting closer every day until they were neck and neck.

After racing to 9,900 points, Fang Huaicing ended the game. He looked at L Jun's score of 10,000 points, pressed the save button happily, and then quietly opened another mini-game to continue grinding for high scores.

When a group of younger students from the Computer Science Association entered, they saw their star player with a thick stack of original texts beside him, intently alternating his gaze between his phone and the books.

The younger students, assuming he was studying, dared not disturb him until Fang Huaicing briefly set down what he was holding, prompting someone to finally approach and ask questions.

It was that kid Wang Ming Cheng. Fang Hai Li noticed Li Ting's younger brother was also there today, but he didn't approach, instead sitting farther away with a smile.

Of course, the association had more than one notable figure; some Ph.D. students would also come to help regularly. Today, a senior arrived a bit later than Fang Hai Li, walked in, and, pointing at the book in Fang Huaicing's hand, exclaimed in shock, "Oh, this... I've been looking for it for a long time! How much have you read?"

Fang Hai Li replied, "Almost finished."

The senior had a complex expression. "When did you borrow it? I've reached my borrowing limit, and the one in my hand still has a bit left unread. I'm afraid if you've returned it, it has been lent to someone else. Hai Li, let's talk business—can I wait until you've finished reading it before you return it? I'll finish it quickly."

Fang Hai Li considered the strange circumstances surrounding the books, and after a moment, he nodded slightly. "Okay, I'm not in a hurry."

Although his mind was elsewhere now, he wasn't about to forget this. If he were just an ordinary suitor, he wouldn't have thought twice, but Fang Hai Li had a peculiar feeling that this wasn't going to be simple. Since no one had informed him, he could only let events unfold on their own.

The first book was borrowed by that mysterious person early in the summer; the deadline should have been around two and a half months ago. But now it's already October, far beyond the borrowing period. Fang Hai Li hadn't returned the book, and the original borrower would surely be anxious, eventually coming to seek him out.

So...

Fang Hai Li's fingers brushed over the surface of the book.

Who could this thoughtful person be? He would probably find out soon enough.

During the break in the group discussion, Fang Hai Li went downstairs to buy some water. He had hesitated over whether to get some bubble tea, but the machine was waiting for him to process some data, leaving him no room for indecision. Consequently, Fang Hai Li could only go to the supermarket to resolve the issue.

Just as he was about to enter, he bumped into Wang Ming Cheng again. Aware of the demand for the premium item, that quick-witted junior was determined to take charge of it. Initially, Fang Hai Li wasn't interested, but Liu Yan also interjected, making his request warm and hard to refuse.

Wang Ming Cheng hurried off, leaving Fang Hai Li and Liu Yan standing outside. It was unlikely that Fang Hai Li would initiate conversation himself, so the task naturally fell to Liu Yan.

Liu Yan found an appropriate topic, saying, "Last time, I really wanted to thank you, Fang Senior. Today, I finally have the chance."

Fang Hai Li looked puzzled.

Liu Yan continued, "At that restaurant, I got drunk, and you helped me get home."

Fang Hai Li certainly remembered that day, but since it was Liu Yan who brought it up, he reflected on it later. Ultimately, it had all stemmed from that brother getting drunk.

"Oh... you should thank your brother; he drove you home," Fang Hai Li replied, suddenly recalling something and casting a faint glance at Liu Yan.

That person was taken into the house early, and it's unclear whether he heard what happened outside. Even if he didn't know at the time, Liu Yan should be aware of the true relationship between Li Ting and his family. So, what was his brother's attitude towards it?

Liu Yan looked a bit embarrassed. "Yeah, I know. I also want to thank him, but... my brother is really busy. I've always wanted to take him out for a meal, but he's never found the time."

Fang Hai Li nodded in agreement. "He is very busy."

He spoke without any particular inflection, but upon closer listening, one could detect a hint of resignation, admiration, and pity in his tone.

Liu Yan had been interning at the research institute for nearly two months and had gone to the Association a few times. Although he didn't see Fang Hai Li too often, each time he did, the latter was being pampered by others. It was rare for Fang Hai Li to initiate a conversation with him, let alone continue it, so Liu Yan was naturally pleased whenever it happened.

Continuing the conversation, he said, "Ah, my brother is just like this, always so busy. I suspect he has a severe obsessive desire to save others; only when he's preoccupied can he feel at ease."

Liu Yan said this casually, but Fang Hai Li suddenly turned his head, looking at him coldly.

"If one could live worry-free, who would truly choose the burden of being busy?" Fang Hai Li spoke slowly, enunciating each word.

Liu Yan was taken aback and immediately sensed that the other person was displeased. Although he felt puzzled, he hurried to explain.

"I... I didn't mean it that way. Actually, my brother and I have a good relationship; he's particularly good to me. When he went to boarding school for his undergraduate studies, which was quite far away, I visited him every other week. It's just that..."

He didn't want to emphasize that he was the only one who went to visit, but after thinking it over, he swallowed the rest of his words.

This did catch Fang Hai Li's attention. "He went to high school in a very distant place?"

Liu Yan nodded.

"What about high school?" Fang Hai Li asked.

Liu Yan replied, "Same as me, A City Middle School."

Fang Hai Li was shocked. He attended the Third Middle School, known for its high graduation rate, but in A City, it was overshadowed by the prestigious First Middle School. Parents with some influence preferred to send their children there, resulting in a student body that primarily consisted of high achievers. Even those who were less academically inclined tended to have good future prospects; true geniuses relied on their own abilities, while superficial ones depended on their family's influence. Fang Hai Li had assumed that Li Ting's high school would be average, but he was surprised to learn it was actually First Middle School, which didn't match his preconceived notions. He found it hard to believe that Li Ting lacked diligence or natural ability.

He looked at Liu Yan, about to ask a question, but hesitated and kept it to himself; he shouldn't ask Liu Yan. Even if he wanted to know, he felt that Li Ting should tell him himself.

Not hearing the rest of what Fang Hai Li said, Liu Yan could only make excuses: "My brother went to middle school, high school, and college, but he didn't have many friends. It's probably because his personality is a bit more independent, so I didn't expect you two to get along so well..."

Fang Hai Li's lips were slightly pursed. "He and I... we just have a normal relationship."

"Ah?" Liu Yan looked puzzled and spoke plainly, "I thought you two were pretty close. You helped me last time when I got drunk; even if your relationship wasn't close, I think my brother must have really admired you, just like I do."

Liu Yan didn't notice that Fang Hai Li was actually uncomfortable.

The latter part of his statement felt like an addition he had made, and he wondered if it had been too direct. But then Fang Huai Ling turned around and confirmed it with a single sentence. "Is that so?"

Li Shan thought he was being asked, so he quickly nodded. Then he realized that Fang Huai Ling's frown had eased significantly, and his expression had brightened. Was he... actually happy?

Just as he was about to continue speaking, Zhou Ming Cheng arrived with drinks. In his haste, he almost collided with other students passing by, causing the red tea in his cup to splash out.

Looking at the few drops of light red tea that had splashed onto Fang Huai Ling's sleeve, Zhou Ming Cheng felt a pang of anxiety. He didn't understand why the leader was concerned about getting dirty, and he wondered if he was about to get scolded. However, Fang Huai Ling simply brushed off his sleeve, took the red tea, and even exclaimed a gentle thank you before walking away.

Zhou Ming Cheng stood there in a daze, saying, "Brother Fang is too good to me..."

Li Shan replied, "I think so too..."

A Chang sent a message saying that the fruit was ready for picking, so Li Ting took the opportunity to go to Shi Yi Road during a break between classes. A Chang was the same person who had sold him watermelons before, and Li Ting had known him for a long time. In recent years, when Li Ting was away, A Chang had been managing the fields.

By October, A City was already beginning to cool down, and the strawberry planting and harvesting season had actually passed, but A Chang had gotten used to it. Unlike his careful approach to other matters, when it came to this field, Li Ting planted things haphazardly: if the crops were harvestable, he would share them with others; if not, he wouldn't force it. Even if they couldn't be eaten, it was still nice to appreciate the life that had fought to survive in the wrong season.

However, when Li Ting arrived, A Chang frowned and said to him, "It seems like the fruit has already been picked a bit."

As a farmer, he was accustomed to such occurrences, but the surrounding area was dominated by large corporations, and their employees were skilled, so he did not expect something like this to happen. Furthermore, there were expansive fields of high-quality crops not far away, and merely ten meters away, an orchard with large fruit hanging from the trees was clearly visible from where they stood. The thief was indeed quite lazy.

Li Ting listened attentively and squatted down to inspect the strawberry plants. Although not many had been stolen, the few plants that had been affected stood out due to their scarcity.

Looking around, Li Ting noticed some shallow footprints in the muddy ground, featuring distinct shoe patterns. The thief had been wearing good shoes.

Li Ting averted his gaze, stood up, and said, "It's fine; let's pick the rest. Save some for me and you can take the rest."

A Chang replied with an "oh" and began to work diligently, yet he was still pondering internally... What kind of person would steal such unappealing fruit and return again? What was their motive?

Chapter 39: It Turns Out You Really Like Him... Fang Huai Ling hurriedly left the Computer Science Association and headed to Feng Xin Zi Xiao She, where he adjusted his clothing at the door before entering. However, after surveying the area, he did not see the person who was supposed to be working.

Someone approached him, asking if he needed a seat, but Fang Huai Ling remained still.

"The person you're looking for to solve your problems just called and said they need to switch shifts," said a voice behind him, belonging to Wei Ping.

Fang Huai Ling was taken aback. "Why?"

"I have no idea," Wei Ping replied, glancing at him. "You're so impatient; why don't you just go ask him yourself?"

Fang Huai Ling looked away, distracted. "I don't want to scare him off."

"You're not even being subtle; you're like a lawnmower..." Wei Ping teased, then whispered to herself, "If he still doesn't realize it, either he's pretending to be dense or he's not interested in you."

Fang Huai Ling's heart skipped a beat. "Why would he pretend to be dense?"

"Maybe he likes you so much that he's afraid to say it out loud, and he wants to see if you're really sincere..." Wei Ping said, pointing to Fang Huai Ling's chest. "Does that sound good to you?"

Fang Huai Ling nearly lost control of his expression, but thankfully, he realized Wei Ping was just joking. However, the emotions in his eyes were still noticed by Wei Ping, who stared in surprise and couldn't help but sigh. She had thought that Fang Huai Ling might have just started to develop feelings for Li Shan or was still observing him, but it seemed that the head of the association had fallen deeply in love.

"It turns out you really like him..."

The shameless words were something Fang Huai Ling had told Wei Ping before, yet her gentle sigh made him feel embarrassed, and his face turned red.

Fang Huai Ling cleared his throat to adjust his mood, saying, "Since that's the case, I'll leave first."

Just as he turned around to depart, Wei Ping grabbed his arm, and Fang Huai Ling turned back to see her handing him a piece of paper. On it was a list of names with various marks and circles, and Fang Huai Ling's eyes landed on Li Shan's name, which was circled.

"What's this?" Fang Huai Ling asked, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

Wei Ping replied, "It's a proof of singleness, guaranteed to be 100% accurate information. Oh, that's all Mom could do for you."

Fang Huai Ling's expression brightened, and he couldn't help but flash a warm smile.

Wei Ping looked away, feeling uncomfortable, and gently pushed him out: "Don't display your charm here and lure the girls into your orbit. Let them have a chance at a normal life... and, by the way, Qian Kun just called me and asked me to pass along that you're invited to dinner at their house if you're free. Your aunt misses you."

Fang Huai Ling looked at her, a hint of understanding in his eyes.

Wei Ping knew what he was thinking: "Qian Kun didn't tell me anything either. Their family can be so talkative, so just explain things to your brothers after you've accomplished your goal."

With no one to care for him, Fang Huaining temporarily stayed at his grandmother's house, which was right next door to Qian Kun's grandfather's house. His grandmother and Qian Kun's grandfather were siblings, so Qian Kun's mother also watched him grow up, establishing a strong bond between them.

Reflecting on how he had missed the Mid-Autumn Festival, Fang Huaining felt it was necessary to visit, so he called his aunt.

His aunt prepared a table full of dishes, many of which Fang Huaining enjoyed. As she inquired about how he was managing alone, she kept piling food into his bowl.

Finally, Qian Kun couldn't contain himself: "Mom, I'm your son!"

Without even looking back, his aunt replied, "Pingping is one thing, but do you really need my concern? You can eat a whole bucket of rice in the blink of an eye." She then turned to Fang Huaining with a look of concern, "Why is our Ningning so thin? You need to eat more."

"He's always been thin, just growing taller without gaining weight," Aunt's husband chimed in. "I remember when he was a teenager and shot up in height—his pants wouldn't fit within months. Your grandmother was reluctant to let him wear old ones and insisted on buying new ones."

"I know all about that," Qian Kun said with his mouth full. "Because I ended up wearing all the old ones."

"Don't talk nonsense," Aunt lightly tapped his head. "Who mistreated you?"

"Then why were my clothes always so dirty when I was a kid?"

"This question only you can answer," Fang Huaining replied.

"I don't believe it."

"I think you all have a huge memory bias. Aren't our clothes still stored in the storage room next door? Our childhood belongings should still be there, right? As the person concerned, I need to go check on my childhood treasures!" Qian Kun exclaimed excitedly.

Fang Huaining was taken aback… childhood belongings?

Aunt immediately shoved a chicken leg into her son's mouth, and Fang Huaining asked, "Aunt, are my childhood things really still there?"

"Yes, your grandmother wouldn't let me throw them away," Aunt replied. The house was quite large, and after Fang family's grandparents passed away, their two-bedroom unit next door was left unoccupied and not rented out, so everything inside was well preserved.

After dinner, Aunt's husband opened the storage room next door with a key and pointed to the chaotic pile inside, saying, "Here it all is."

"Wow, my Monopoly, my Transformers, they're all here…" Qian Kun exclaimed, rifling through the items.

"Yes, when this place was vacated, we just combined both families' belongings." However, since it was originally Huaining's grandparents' house, Aunt and her husband usually wouldn't come over unless there was a specific reason.

As he surveyed the dusty space, Fang Huaining couldn't help but feel a wave of emotions rising within him.

Suddenly, his gaze landed on a cardboard box ahead, filled with books he had read as a child. Opening it, he found several familiar covers.

"Mysterious World?"

One volume, two volumes… fifty volumes… the entire set was here.

"Did my grandparents really keep all of these?" Fang Huaining was surprised.

Aunt's husband laughed, "How could we throw these away? Even I know that you forgot. When you were little, your science fiction essays or novels were published in there; there were several issues. Your grandfather was so pleased that he bragged about it to everyone. Of course, he had to keep them."

It seemed there was some truth to that. Fang Huaining recalled having a passionate phase and remembered writing those ideas down in his diary.

Sure enough, after only a few flips through the boxes, he found his diary. Fang Huaining caressed the hard cover and suddenly asked, "The magazine and this are here, but is there a set of small robots that were given away as merchandise?"

"Robots?" Aunt's husband was confused. "I don't know; I've never seen them."

Qian Kun asked, "Why? Are they very valuable now? Do people collect them?"

Fang Huaining raised an eyebrow. "Yes, so I wanted to find them as a trade."

Aunt's husband hesitated. "That was over ten years ago. The storage room hasn't been sorted out, so it'll be a bit difficult to find everything at once."

Fang Huaining understood and thought for a moment before temporarily giving up. He lifted the box of books and the notebook, saying, "Forget it. I'll come back when I have time to take a look myself."

Aunt's husband said, "Alright, then you should head back early. It's going to rain heavily soon, so be careful not to get wet."

The rain had yet to fall in the center of City A, but the suburbs had already been drenched in a heavy downpour.

Li Ting, who had planned to work, was delayed by the rain. She had intended to finish picking strawberries over the course of two or three days, but now, as the rain intensified, those delicate strawberries were at risk of being ruined by the relentless downpour. Since she was already there, it seemed futile to turn back, so she decided to finish picking everything before leaving.

Fang Huaining, carrying books, chose not to take the bus and instead opted for a taxi. When the car stopped at the intersection, he caught sight of a small farmer wearing a straw hat just as he got off the bus and waited for the traffic light to change.

The small farmer clearly looked like he was heading to work in the fields, with mud covering his clothes and face, and he was carrying a large bag of strawberries.

Fang Huaining hurriedly exited the car but was a moment too late; the traffic light turned green, and the small farmer crossed the street.

However, from across the long crosswalk, the small farmer seemed to sense something and turned back, making eye contact with Fang Huaining from a distance.

Fang Huaining stood there, hesitating whether to approach, when suddenly he noticed that pair of big eyes under the brim of the hat roll towards him, and then Li Ting entered Youyou Community, strawberries in hand.

Puzzled and biting the bullet, Fang Huaining couldn't help but wonder,

What did I do to upset him?

When Li Ting returned to the dormitory, he was eager to take a shower. However, upon opening the door, he was surprised to find the place unusually lively. In this small one-bedroom apartment, at least ten people were crammed inside—some playing cards, some drinking, and others leaning against the bathroom, vomiting. Clearly, these were the employees from the bar, gathered here for a small party.

Tian Dian had not yet returned, and as the only outsider in this space, Li Ting felt quite out of place. Sure enough, he quickly received numerous cold and mocking glances. It was no surprise—Li Ting had a history of causing trouble, much like the incident when he suddenly confronted Cai Yang. The employees, who already had a dislike for Tian Dian, resented Li Ting even more for his disruptive behavior. They were all too aware of the scolding and financial losses they incurred because of his provocations with customers. Coupled with Li Ting's attitude, this made everyone genuinely unhappy.

So when they saw him approach, they all wore long faces. As Li Ting entered to grab his clothes, the person seated in front of the wardrobe showed no intention of moving. Li Ting had already kicked his foot against the leg of the chair but then thought better of it. After all, this wasn't his place.

However, when he planned to take his clothes and go wash up, the person throwing up in the bathroom — the waiter who had grabbed him during the brawl outside the bar last time — simply closed the door right in front of him. Li Ting's brow furrowed in frustration. Most of the people in the room were familiar with Li Ting's violent temper and fighting skills, causing them to feel on edge, afraid he might suddenly lash out. However, after throwing them a displeased glance, Li Ting merely tightened his grip on his belongings, slammed the door, and walked out. With a loud bang, the doorknob of the shabby room was smashed askew. ... Fang Huaining's mood immediately soured; when he felt down, he preferred to work all night. So, before heading home, he stopped by a nearby restaurant to pack some food for a late-night snack. While waiting for the owner to prepare his order, he suddenly saw the person who had just entered the Youyou community coming out again. Noticing the other person walking in another direction, Fang Huaining didn't even think about his late-night snack and quickly turned to rush to the other end of the street. Li Ting was contemplating where to go next when a sudden clap of thunder startled him. He looked up to see Fang Huaining standing at the intersection. Fang Huaining was casually holding a box of books and, upon seeing Li Ting, asked casually, "Not going home?"

"As if worried that Li Ting might misunderstand, Fang Huaining pointed to the restaurant across the street: 'I'm getting a late-night snack.' Li Ting glanced at Fang Huaining's empty hands and nodded slightly, 'Oh...' Fang Huaining expected Li Ting to respond, but the little farmer just stood there, giving no indication of what he intended to do next. However, Fang Huaining soon began to piece together the clues himself. Li Ting was still covered in mud, one hand holding a strawberry, the other carrying a semi-transparent new bag, which seemed to contain clothes and... a pair of slippers? Fang Huaining's mind raced, and suddenly he realized. Is he... going to take a shower? Li Ting was someone who could conceal his emotions well, but he couldn't hide his anger; whenever he was upset, the whole world often had to know. Looking at Li Ting's furrowed brow, Fang Huaining confirmed that something must have upset him for him to run out like that, so angry that he couldn't even wash up first. So... where is he planning to take a shower? After a long silence, Li Ting was about to brush past when Fang Huaining suddenly called out to him. "Hey, um..." Li Ting paused. Fang Huaining thought of the circle that Wei Ping had shown him, gritted his teeth, and said, "Do you... want to come to my place?" Li Ting was taken aback.