Luo Xiu slept in, not waking up until past nine in the morning.

Lin Xiyue had already left for the company, and Sun Li was nowhere to be found.

After Luo Xiu went downstairs, he was a bit surprised to discover that Xu Qianqing was still at home.

"You didn't go to the company?"

Xu Qianqing looked at him with a gentle gaze. "I haven't been to work for several days."

Luo Xiu laughed breezily. "That's fine. I'm the boss, after all. Consider it paid leave. Come in whenever you feel like it."

Xu Qianqing said suddenly, "I've resigned."

Hearing this, Luo Xiu frowned and stared at her. "Is the job not a good fit?"

"No, it's not that. It's because I'm leaving."

Luo Xiu fell silent.

Xu Qianqing walked up to him and reached out to straighten his collar. "Do you have time today?"

Luo Xiu scratched his head. "I guess so. I'm just taking a day off at home. I was actually planning to ask Teacher Li to go fishing this afternoon."

"Then can you spend the day with me?"

"Uh… sure."

She must have something on her mind, he thought, so he agreed.

For the entire day, Luo Xiu went to many places with Xu Qianqing. They went to the park to see the swans, went shopping, played games in the arcade, and even visited the amusement park.

By the time the sun began to set, the once-bustling amusement park had grown quiet.

Atop the slowly rotating Ferris wheel.

Luo Xiu finally asked the question he had wanted to ask all day. "Where are you going?"

Xu Qianqing gazed at the distant sky, dyed red by the afterglow, and smiled. "I'm going to Capital City with Wu Xin to find my biological parents."

"Are you sure they're your biological parents?"

Xu Qianqing nodded. "The hair sample Wu Xin helped me send last time has already been through a paternity test… They are my biological parents."

"I've already had a video call with them. Look, this is their photo."

She took out her phone, found the picture of her biological parents, and showed it to Luo Xiu.

Luo Xiu glanced at it and smiled. "You do look quite a bit like them."

He then asked, "What about your adoptive parents?"

"I've taken care of everything with them over the past few days. We've talked it all through, and I gave them a large sum of money."

Luo Xiu nodded, wanting to say something but not knowing what.

In any case, he should just congratulate her.

Xu Qianqing said, "My flight is tonight, so I have to go to the airport soon. I originally planned to leave last month, but I wanted to wait for you and say a proper goodbye."

Luo Xiu smiled. "I wish you a safe journey."

"Thank you."

Luo Xiu said, "This is a good thing. You've found your biological parents, and they seem to be quite wealthy. From now on, you can live a carefree life as a rich heiress…"

As he spoke, he suddenly noticed that Xu Qianqing's eyes were wet.

"What's wrong?"

"N-nothing. Maybe the Ferris wheel is just so high that the wind blew some sand into my eyes."

Luo Xiu paused, wanting to point out that there wasn't any wind blowing at the moment.

Xu Qianqing tilted her head to look at Luo Xiu's profile, hesitating to speak.

Actually, she wanted to stay by his side, to accompany him through the last few years of his life. But she didn't know in what capacity she could stay with him.

"Luo Xiu, your terminal illness… is it really incurable?"

Luo Xiu smiled. "That's hard to say, but I'll do my best to keep living."

"I'm sorry… I can't do anything for you."

The two continued their casual conversation, and before they knew it, the Ferris wheel had returned to its starting point.

"Sir, how about buying a bracelet for your girlfriend?" A glib-looking middle-aged woman pushed a small cart toward them, launching into her sales pitch. "This is pure silver, handcrafted by our old master artisan. Wearing it is said to grant a long life and everlasting love. No matter how far apart you are, you'll always receive each other's blessings…"

The cart was filled with all sorts of accessories.

Luo Xiu knew the woman had pegged him for an out-of-town tourist and was trying to rip him off. Besides, Xu Qianqing wasn't his girlfriend.

He was about to speak, but Xu Qianqing beat him to it. "Buy one for me."

Luo Xiu looked at the smile on her face and nodded.

He figured it was probably the phrase "grant a long life" that made her want it.

"Luo Xiu, look! Isn't this bracelet pretty?"

Xu Qianqing was as happy as a little girl, shaking her wrist at Luo Xiu.

He looked at the silver bracelet on her wrist and smiled. "It's pretty, but it's obviously a fake."

"But to me, it's real."

Luo Xiu smiled. "As long as you like it."

Xu Qianqing said earnestly, "No matter how far apart we are, I will always be wishing you well. I wish you a long, long life."

"Thank you."

As they stepped out of the amusement park's main gate, Luo Xiu saw Wu Xin waiting in the distance with a suitcase.

Xu Qianqing clearly saw her too.

Then, with an unspoken understanding, they both slowed their pace, trying to make their remaining time together last just a little longer.

But as they walked, Luo Xiu suddenly stopped, not taking another step.

Xu Qianqing didn't look back; she just kept walking forward.

Tears gradually blurred her vision.

"Luo Xiu."

"Hmm?"

"If there's a next life… I want to meet you sooner."

Luo Xiu watched her retreating back and smiled. "Okay. If I die, I'll still be your friend in the next life."

"I don't want to be your friend."

Luo Xiu was stunned for a moment, then said, "Alright. I'll pursue you."

Xu Qianqing got into the waiting taxi.

After putting the luggage in the trunk, Wu Xin turned and walked back to Luo Xiu.

"Is there something else?" Luo Xiu asked.

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of the young miss," Wu Xin said. "When we get back to Capital City, I'll introduce her to men better than you so she can forget you sooner."

Luo Xiu laughed. "That's good."

Wu Xin continued, "My business in Sea City has come to an end, and I definitely can't stay here any longer. I bet Boss Huang is dreaming of killing me right now. If fate allows, we'll meet again in Capital City."

"If it's fated, we'll meet again," Luo Xiu replied.

Wu Xin suddenly stared into his eyes. "During the time you were missing, a mysterious man appeared in the deserts near Hua Country. He called himself 'Mr. Ghost' and went around treating diseases, saving people, and even wiping out many mercenary groups."

Luo Xiu touched his nose and looked away. "Oh, really? That's pretty impressive."

Wu Xin kept her eyes locked on his and suddenly asked, "That person was you, wasn't it? Mr. Ghost."

Luo Xiu shrugged, not denying it. "I was just traveling and did what I could along the way."

"You're a good person, a very kind one," Wu Xin said. "But by doing this, you've also made an enemy of the Holy Boi Religion. They won't let you go."

Luo Xiu waved his hand with a hint of impatience. "Hurry up and go. You're usually not this talkative, are you?"

Wu Xin suddenly broke into a playful smile.

"Oh, right. I always forgot to tell you. My name is Wu Xin."

"I know your name is Wu Xin," Luo Xiu replied.

"No," she said. "I mean my given name is Wu Xin."

An airplane streaked across the sky, leaving a long contrail in its wake, like a lingering farewell to a dear friend.

Luo Xiu stood on the balcony and raised a glass of wine to the sky.

"Qian Qing, have a safe journey. We'll meet again if it's fated."

When Lin Xiyue returned home from work, the villa felt strangely empty.

Luo Xiu spread his hands. "Qian Qing's gone, Yueyue is back home, and Xiao Li said she was needed for some business at the Sun Family's company. There's no one to cook, so it looks like we'll have to eat out tonight."

"Can't you cook?"

"I don't feel like it," Luo Xiu said.

"Then let's eat at my place. It's not far, anyway."

Luo Xiu pursed his lips. "Forget it. I don't get along with your family."

Since Lin Xiyue happened to have something she wanted to discuss with Luo Xiu anyway, she agreed.

"Alright, we'll eat out. Just give me a moment."

Lin Xiyue set down her bag and went to her room to change. She blow-dried her hair and, after quickly getting ready, left with Luo Xiu.

They were on Xu Qianqing's little electric scooter.

Sitting in the back, Lin Xiyue clutched the fabric at Luo Xiu's side and asked, "Where are we eating?"

"Jin Hao Restaurant."

"You certainly know where to eat, picking a place like that."

"I eat for free there anyway, and the food is genuinely good."

Soon, the two arrived at Jin Hao Restaurant.

But just as they sat down and prepared to pick up their chopsticks, a beautiful figure stormed over and slammed both hands on their table.

"You bastard, it really is you!"

Luo Xiu looked up, momentarily taken aback.

"Yo, tough chick. What a coincidence."

He never expected that the rebellious girl he had met at the hotel in the border town would show up here.

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