In the early morning drizzle, Du Xixi stood quietly under the eaves of the yard, watching silently. It was the first rain in a long time, light enough that stretching out a hand, the fine droplets fell on it without much sensation.

"It’s like it’s not even raining..." Du Xixi chuckled lightly, just about to go back to her room for a quick nap when her phone buzzed several times in her pocket. She took it out and saw a string of WeChat messages from Ke Yong.

And they were voice messages.

Thinking about the rumors still buzzing crazily on Weibo, Du Xixi hesitated a few times before tapping on the screen. In the end, whether out of courtesy or a slight curiosity in her heart, she opened the first voice message marked with a red dot.

"Xixi, I wonder if I can call you that?" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"I originally wanted to invite you for a walk, but unfortunately, today’s weather isn’t cooperating. The drizzle does set a mood, but it’s muddy to walk. How about meeting tomorrow instead? The forecast says it’ll be clear."

"You can refuse, but I sincerely hope you’ll accept. Both Susu and I would really like to see you."

"Consider it sincerely; I respect your choice."

One voice message followed another, and as Du Xixi listened, she felt her ears getting hot and itchy. Ke Yong’s cool voice blended with the faint sound of the rain outside, sounding particularly appealing.

Her slippered feet tiptoed up and down, and the shy Du Xixi mumbled quietly, "It’s just a walk, no need to make it sound so formal..."

Although Du Xixi seemed reluctant, she quickly replied to Ke Yong. Before her brain could catch up, the word "okay" had already been sent. She instinctively wanted to retract it out of embarrassment, but Ke Yong didn’t give her the chance. He’d already sent over the time he would come to pick her up.

Du Xixi raised an eyebrow, and relying on the fact that she was alone in her yard, she laughed while saying arrogantly, "Hmph, since you’re so sincere, I won’t take it back!"

After her self-dialogue, Du Xixi tossed her phone onto the bean bag chair and spun around happily a few times before plopping down on the plush carpet, giggling foolishly for a while.

A giant white bear plush lay on the floor, specially custom-made by her granduncle. It was half a body taller than Du Xixi, usually resting on the carpet, allowing Du Xixi to lean much of her body against it.

Feeling exhausted from laughing, she lazily lay back on the bear’s body, stroking the soft, smooth fur while pondering the oddity of her attitude toward Ke Yong.

Clearly, she had previously declared to her granduncles that she had no interest in Ke Yong, yet here she was, getting excited over his simple invitation... really...

Embarrassed, Du Xixi bit her lower lip and turned her head to bury her face deeply in the bear’s fur. "Such a face slap..."

No matter how conflicted and regretful Du Xixi felt inside, by the next morning, she was up early, dressed, and waiting eagerly at the Du family entrance after breakfast.

They had agreed on 8:30 in the morning.

Ke Yong and the sleepy-eyed little Ke Su arrived around 8:00. Seeing Du Xixi waiting at the gate, he said apologetically, "I thought of coming early but ended up making you wait instead."

"I came too early," Du Xixi shook her head. She had been waiting there ahead of time, and Ke Yong arriving half an hour early showed his sincerity. But... Du Xixi glanced at little Ke Su, half-awake in the car seat, yawning with a hand over his mouth, and frowned, "Susu is still young; it’s fine to meet a bit later."

Facing Du Xixi’s "complaint," Ke Yong quickly waved his hand, laughing, "I didn’t set the time. Your good Susu suggested it himself, saying he wanted to see sister earlier. Besides, he usually wakes up around seven anyway, about the same as today."

"Then why is he so sleepy?" Du Xixi chose not to sit in the front seat, instead getting in the back, looking skeptically at Ke Yong who closed the car door for her. "You didn’t stay up late with him last night, did you?"

To Du Xixi, little Ke Su was such a well-behaved child. At the Du family, he was always up early to bed and a hearty eater. How could he be tired with a regular wake-up schedule while with Ke Yong?