Having not seen him in so many years, Ke Bing thought Chen Yuan’s transformation was even more dramatic than the proverbial “eighteen changes of a woman.”

When they were young.

He had been like a little girl—delicate, with clear skin, big eyes, and a small, skinny frame.

He always stood in the front row for school activities. When he played basketball with his friends, a taller kid would just have to raise a hand under the backboard to block out the sun, casting him completely in shadow.

When they played badminton in the open space behind the school building, the shuttlecock would sometimes land on top of an outdoor air conditioning unit. At his height back then, he couldn’t reach it and had to poke it down with his racket.

But all Ke Bing had to do was reach up a little, and she could grab it with ease.

Boys developed slower than girls, to say nothing of the fact that she was four years older.

Honestly, Ke Bing had never really thought of Chen Yuan as a boy. He was just the cute little neighborhood kid she could tease and play with, someone she could even dress up like a doll in her old childhood dresses.

Now, looking at the Chen Yuan before her.

She was in a daze, her eyes filled with an indescribable mix of emotions. He was no longer that little kid who used to trail after her. He had grown into a dazzling young man, not just tall with sharp features, but possessing a vague sort of magnetism.

The kind of magnetism that drew a girl’s eye.

“What are you doing here? Do you still live in Qishui? How are your parents…? Look at me, I don’t even know what to say.” Ke Bing couldn’t contain her joy, firing off one question after another.

Chen Yuan scratched his head. He wasn’t particularly happy, just slightly awkward.

He wasn’t good at talking to strangers to begin with, having a rather reserved personality.

The neighborhood big sister he was once so close to now felt like a stranger. She looked different… maybe a little heavier. The old sense of closeness had long since faded with time.

Staring at Ke Bing, Chen Yuan still hadn’t fully snapped out of his daze.

Truthfully, he had imagined this scenario many times during middle school and high school—bumping into his old neighborhood sister in some random place. He’d thought about how surprised he would be, what he would say, and all the things he had bottled up and wanted to tell her.

He’d also wanted to ask why she had suddenly moved away after one school break.

Without leaving so much as a word.

But with age, that bellyful of questions had been worn away completely. Time had killed his old expectations and resentment, leaving only the faintest of memories.

“Yeah, I still live in Qishui, but they renovated the old alley into faculty housing last year. My parents are doing great,” Chen Yuan said. He then suddenly reached out and pulled Jiang Yao over. “It’s winter break, you know? I’m on vacation with my girlfriend.”

Suddenly pulled into the conversation, Jiang Yao quickly straightened her posture and offered a polite smile.

Her boyfriend was reuniting with a childhood playmate. It was such a heartwarming scene, but she felt like an outsider, standing there stiffly, not knowing what to say and just watching awkwardly.

But Chen Yuan’s words made her heart, which had grown cold, warm right back up!

That one word, “girlfriend,” had a kind of magic. It directly established her identity and gave her a sense of security, of being acknowledged.

‘Isn’t that sense of security what every girl cares about?’

Jiang Yao’s gaze drifted toward Chen Yuan, subtly sweeping across his cheek.

Her heart went THUMP-THUMP, and her affection for him shot up.

The more time she spent with Chen Yuan, the more good qualities she discovered. He was so considerate and knew how to look after other people’s feelings.

“G-girlfriend.” Ke Bing froze for a second before it belatedly dawned on her. ‘This stunning girl is Yuan’s girlfriend!?’

She couldn’t help but take a few more glances at Jiang Yao.

The girl’s aura actually made her feel a little inadequate.

You have to understand, Ke Bing had always been the popular girl among her peers, never lacking for admirers. She rarely felt inferior to anyone.

But in front of Jiang Yao, she felt her own light begin to dim.

“Hi, I’m Chen Yuan’s girlfriend. You can just call me Yaoyao.”

“Ke Bing. You can call me by my nickname, Rourou. It’s nice to meet you.”

The two women shook hands with smiles, but it seemed more out of politeness than any genuine pleasure.

“You’re a lucky guy, Yuan, finding such a beautiful girlfriend. Looks like you’ve really grown up. Have you told Ms. Chen you’re dating?” She covered her mouth with a light laugh, turning to talk to Chen Yuan.

“Yeah, I think I’m pretty lucky too. But I haven’t told my mom yet.”

“Ms. Chen’s reaction will definitely be interesting when she finds out. I remember she was always so strict with you.”

“That’s just how my mom is. Nothing to be done about it,” Chen Yuan said helplessly.

“Speaking of which, it’s been four or five years since I left Qishui. It’s such a twist of fate that we ran into each other today. We didn’t have any contact info, so I thought we’d never get a chance to meet again.”

Ke Bing was filled with emotion, her beautiful eyes shimmering.

Her gaze didn’t leave Chen Yuan for a second.

She savored the astonishment she felt from this grown-up, yet unfamiliar, boy.

After so many years, she never could have imagined Chen Yuan would turn out like this, capable of stirring such subtle, lingering ripples in her heart…

“Yeah, I just went out for a few days, and when I came back, your house was empty. I was pretty bummed out for a long time.”

Chen Yuan took the bucket that Chi Yu handed him and continued, “I’m going to go get some water to put the fish in.”

“Huh?”

Chi Yu, not understanding the situation, looked at the group with a puzzled expression.

But Chen Yuan had already hurried off to the side with the rope and bucket.

Even after he’d walked away, Ke Bing kept staring at his receding figure. It took her a long moment to come to her senses, and only then did she start explaining to Chi Yu what had just happened.

That clinging gaze of hers.

Of course, Jiang Yao noticed.

In an instant, Yaoyao’s eyes narrowed.

“I really didn’t expect this…”

After hearing the story, Chi Yu was also filled with emotion. Fate was such a mysterious thing!

Qishui was a small northern county over two thousand kilometers from Sanya, yet they had managed to run into each other here!

The same beach, the same fishing pier, and even at the same time.

After all, tourism brings people from all over the country to one place. Sometimes, you could miss someone even if they were just a few people away.

“It’s true. I still can’t believe it; I’m still in shock,” Ke Bing said, grabbing her friend’s hand. She turned to speak warmly to Yaoyao. “Yaoyao… that’s the right way to say it, isn’t it?”

“That’s right.”

“How long have you and Yuan known each other? How long have you been dating? Are you students at the same university?”

It was “Yuan” this and “Yuan” that.

Jiang Yao found it grating, but she forced a smile and replied with an exceptionally graceful and gentle tone, “For over eight months. We don’t go to the same university, but we’re both in Lanjing.”

“Oh!? So did Yuan pursue you? Let me be a little nosy. You don’t mind, do you, Yaoyao…?”

“Of course not,” Jiang Yao said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She spoke softly, “I was the one who pursued him.”

“Wow, that brat is so lucky. With a girl as beautiful as you, he must be bubbling with happiness every single day.”

Ke Bing smiled sweetly, her attitude impossibly warm and friendly.

But Jiang Yao could feel the probing intent behind her words with every fiber of her being.

Then, Yaoyao’s face took on the look of someone lost in love, and she said:

“Actually, it’s the other way around. I’m the one who feels happy every day, having a boyfriend like him!”

“Is that so!?”

Ke Bing used a smile to hide her inner surprise. She truly hadn’t expected that.

At first, she had assumed that in Yuan’s relationship with this girl, he had been the pursuer and the girl had been pursued.

Now, it seemed that wasn’t the case at all!

‘No matter how you look at it, Chen Yuan is the one being doted on.’

“You two go ahead and chat. I’m going to go help him get water.”

Jiang Yao waved and walked toward Chen Yuan with a light step. They watched her captivating figure from behind, her long hair rustling in the sea breeze.

Behind her.

Ke Bing’s friend sighed. “That girl has so much class. Even I’m smitten.”

“Yeah. I’ve accompanied so many clients on fishing trips, and girls like her are extremely rare. You can tell at a glance she was raised in a wealthy family.”

Chi Yu chimed in her agreement.

“Indeed,” Ke Bing said faintly, her expression unreadable.

…

“Fess up… Who is she?”

Leaning against the white stone railing, Jiang Yao pinched the soft flesh of Chen Yuan’s waist and asked in a low voice, “Is she that older girl you used to have a crush on?”

“I didn’t have a crush on her! You’re exaggerating…”

Chen Yuan felt a chill on his waist and hastily, guiltily tried to explain.

“It really is her?! The neighbor you told me about before, your childhood sweetheart?”

Having watched countless romance anime, Jiang Yao certainly knew the weight carried by those two words, “childhood sweetheart.”

In an instant.

A single, large red word appeared in her mind.

Each stroke was clear and powerful!

“Danger!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep