Gao Xinhua drank a sip of mineral water and suddenly realized that deep down, he still wanted his daughter to return to Nanjiang. She was his only daughter, and if she stayed in the Capital City after graduating from college and started her own family, their chances of meeting would decrease. What parent wouldn't hope for their children to be closer to them?

##

Xu Chunliang went back and told his grandfather to go to sleep first. He would take care of tidying up. Xu Changshan instructed him to just put the dishes in the sink. Mrs. Lin would wash them when she came tomorrow.

After Xu Chunliang finished tidying up, he noticed that his grandfather's room was still lit. When he went in, he found him already asleep. After all, the old man was getting on in years and had drunk quite a bit of alcohol tonight. Xu Chunliang placed a bottle of mineral water by the bedside, turned off the light, gently closed the door, and quietly left.

Just after returning to his room, his phone rang. To his surprise, it was Zhao Xiaohui calling. They hadn't been in touch since resolving the medical dispute last time. Could Zhao Xiaohui have regrets? Was she calling to settle some score?

Filled with curiosity, Xu Chunliang answered the call.

"Do you have time for a drink?"

Xu Chunliang looked at the time; it was already ten thirty in the evening. He yawned and said, "I was just about to go to sleep."

"Ha, liar! All men are liars! Who was it that said we were friends? Who said they'd sincerely help me?"

Even over the phone, Xu Chunliang could sense her tipsiness. "Where are you? I'll come find you."

Zhao Xiaohui hung up.

After waiting a while, she sent over a location.

Zhao Xiaohui sat at the Hidden Dragon Lakefront, hugging her knees with her bare feet exposed, facing the eleven o'clock night breeze, staring blankly at the bright moon in the night sky. Her eyes were filled with the cool moonlight. Next to her were six cans of beer, four of which she had already finished.

She scrolled through her contacts from A to Z and then back from Z to A, desperately wanting to find someone familiar to be with. Yet each name appeared so unfamiliar. In the end, she astonishingly selected Xu Chunliang, someone who couldn't even be called a friend.

If she had to give a reason for contacting Xu Chunliang, it was because he once said he wanted to be her friend. Because her mood was exceedingly poor tonight, she needed some outlet to vent, perhaps even someone to fiercely scold. Xu Chunliang was undoubtedly a very suitable candidate at this moment. If he dared to come, she'd give him a thorough tongue-lashing.

Of course, Xu Chunliang dared to go. Although he wasn't a particularly good person, he always followed through on his words. If he promised someone something, he would fulfill it. Zhao Xiaohui had reduced the compensation from three hundred thousand to thirty thousand. Although she had her reasons, she also left him with some dignity.

Seeing Zhao Xiaohui sitting alone on the embankment, Xu Chunliang first took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders from behind.

Zhao Xiaohui looked up at him. The words she had prepared to scold him got stuck halfway. Before Xu Chunliang's arrival, the autumn night lake breeze had sapped the warmth from her body. This coat surprisingly provided her a trace of the warmth she longed for.

Xu Chunliang smiled and sat down beside her. "Did you just want to find someone to yell at?"

Zhao Xiaohui pointed at him. Was this guy a mind-reader? How did he know what she was thinking?

Snort!

Xu Chunliang opened a can of beer. Since coming to this era, he had gradually accustomed himself to the taste of beer.

Zhao Xiaohui also wanted to open a can, but Xu Chunliang handed the opened one to her first and opened another for himself.

Zhao Xiaohui said, "Chen Jianxin and I broke up."

Xu Chunliang nodded; this matter had nothing to do with him.

"Why don't you comfort me? Even a superficially warm-hearted remark would do!"

Xu Chunliang laughed, "You don't need my comfort. With your composure and breadth of mind, you won't be troubled by emotions."

Zhao Xiaohui shook her head, "You don't understand. You don't understand emotions at all. Do you know how much I sacrificed for him? If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be here in Dongzhou all alone. If it weren't for him, I would have had better job opportunities. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have ended up like this." She finally voiced what had been buried inside her for a long time, and tears uncooperatively streamed down her face.

Xu Chunliang didn't have any tissues. Men rarely carried those, and his relationship with Zhao Xiaohui wasn't close enough for him to wipe her tears with his hand. So, he could only watch her cry.

Zhao Xiaohui's eyes were misty with tears, but that didn't mean she couldn't see Xu Chunliang's expression. There wasn't a trace of sympathy on his face; he continued to look at her with a playful smirk. In this situation, was he taking pleasure in her misfortune? Was this guy even human?

Zhao Xiaohui grabbed his sleeve, Xu Chunliang's sleeve, to wipe away her tears, and took the opportunity to wipe her nose as well.

"Seeing me in this sorry state, are you especially happy? And you call yourself a friend? Hypocrite!"

"Friends don't necessarily have to share the same hardships. In your understanding, it might be that when you're down on your luck, I should accompany you in your misfortune; when you cry, I should cry with you. Wouldn't that just make you feel worse? A true friend is someone who brings you a warm bowl of noodles when you're hungry, wraps you in a coat when you're cold, makes you realize that laughter is better than tears when you cry, and ensures your safety when you're drunk."

Zhao Xiaohui was so absorbed in listening that she even forgot to cry.

Xu Chunliang said, "Since the relationship has come to an end, breaking up isn't necessarily a bad thing. The reason you're crying is because you think you misplaced your affection, because you feel wronged, not necessarily because of love. If you still had deep feelings for Chen Jianxin, I don't think you would have given up so easily."

Zhao Xiaohui glared at him, "People who are too smart often don't live long."

Xu Chunliang laughed, "I agree with that. Actually, I'm not a smart person; I rely entirely on others for help."

Zhao Xiaohui realized he was indirectly calling her dumb. She took a tissue from her purse, wiped away her tears, and blew her nose, "My life is a complete mess."

"There aren't many people as self-aware as you."

"Get lost!" Zhao Xiaohui cursed, but couldn't help laughing, feeling that the gloom in her heart had lightened considerably.

Xu Chunliang took another sip of wine and said, "I've always said I'd treat you to a drink, but in the end, it was you who treated me first."

"Why should I treat you? There must be a reason, right?"

"Thank you for sparing Changxing and showing mercy."

Zhao Xiaohui didn't want to bring up the past, "The past is the past. I just want to ask you one question: did Chen Jianxin ever mention our situation to you?"

Xu Chunliang shook his head. Everything was based on speculation.

Zhao Xiaohui understood that Xu Chunliang had no concrete evidence regarding her situation. From start to finish, he was just bluffing based on his guesses. But the reason she surrendered was because she had something to hide. No matter how it was, she lost in the game between them.

However, Zhao Xiaohui didn't feel angry or frustrated; instead, she felt relieved and liberated. Xu Chunliang was right about one thing; blowing things out of proportion wouldn't do her any good and would surely affect her future.

Zhao Xiaohui gazed at the lake not far away. It was pitch-black; she couldn't see the distant scenery, only hear the sound of waves growing closer. She didn't know when it started, but she began to forget her dreams and question the meaning of life. When she went to Changxing and found out she was pregnant, her first thought was to keep the life inside her, believing that its arrival might change her, helping her rediscover life's meaning.

But reality played a cruel joke on her. She ended up having one of her ovaries removed due to complications from an ectopic pregnancy. Her claim for compensation from Changxing was not just about her anger over the misdiagnosis but also her resentment toward the world.

Chen Jianxin had long stopped loving her. She sacrificed herself for him, but what she got in return was his disdain.

Zhao Xiaohui took a sip of wine and said, "I loved him, but now I realize it's not worth it. My pain isn't about the breakup, but about becoming someone even I don't recognize."

Xu Chunliang didn't speak and took a sip of wine as well. What Zhao Xiaohui needed was listening and companionship. It felt very surreal; just days ago, they were strangers, yet here they were, having such a conversation.

"You might think I'm a strong woman, but that's not really the case. In front of him, I've always lived cautiously, even humbly. The more it happened, the more I wanted to show my strength in front of others. But I'm not strong at all, understand? I'm a woman..."

Xu Chunliang nodded. Zhao Xiaohui was not only a woman but also an attractive one. However, she should know the saying 'beauty is but a veil over thin ice.' This wasn't the time to say such things, as it could worsen her trauma.

At that moment, a yellow-green light appeared before them, flickering—it was a firefly.

Zhao Xiaohui watched the firefly thoughtfully, "When I was little, I once got lost at night in my hometown. I was so scared, thinking I'd never find my way home again. I kept crying; it was so dark around me. I was terrified. Then, a firefly flew past my eyes, and I followed it, walking and walking. When it disappeared, I saw the lights at the village entrance."

Xu Chunliang said thoughtfully, "I think what you saw then was hope. As long as you live, there will always be hope."

Zhao Xiaohui sighed. She no longer saw hope for herself.

Xu Chunliang smiled, "You don't believe it? Close your eyes."

"What for?"

"To show you hope."

Zhao Xiaohui skeptically closed her eyes. She heard a snap of fingers, and upon opening her eyes again, she saw fireflies in the surrounding grass and trees, like stars lighting up and dancing around them. More and more gathered, making it seem like they were in the Milky Way, dreamlike and surreal.

Zhao Xiaohui spread her arms wide, her eyes filled with surprise, almost unable to believe that everything happening was real.

Xu Chunliang watched her with a smile, realizing for the first time that helping someone could also bring him joy.

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