Liu Lianlian had an innocent look and a radiant smile, exuding a unique vitality characteristic of a young girl—a quality not possessed by Ding Xiang, Xi Luting, Chen Yanfei, and the others.

They all came from different circumstances, but they shared one thing in common—they were neither lively nor naive.

Their faces were full of collagen, making them look very young. Yet, their way of dealing with people and their behavior notably lacked the liveliness and unrestrained nature of a genuine eighteen-year-old girl.

Liu Lianlian, on the other hand, was very much her age. Her big eyes sparkled with liveliness, she bounced when she walked, and she chattered away when she spoke. When she was in a good mood, her face was full of smiles; when her mood soured, she would instantly put on a cold face, displaying all her petty grievances for the world to see.

To be clear, Han Lie had never liked Liu Lianlian.

Heh, the little flower is ready for picking~~~

She had a slender waist, long legs, straight shoulders, a swan-like neck, and a full chest. The style of her beauty was somewhat similar to Fang Feifei, but Liu Lianlian rated at least two or three points higher, and her physique was definitely superior.

The title "Belle of the Building" was no exaggeration; in fact, one would be hard-pressed to find a girl prettier than her in the surrounding buildings.

Part of it was natural beauty, and the other part was the result of hard work in dancing, physical training, and acting—all culminating in a unique temperament.

Now, Han Lie understood why he hadn't liked her, despite being childhood friends for so many years. It was likely a deep-rooted sense of inferiority at work. Liu Lianlian had always been like a white swan—lively but a bit delicate, making others feel distant and not particularly close. Chen Yanfei, however, was different. Her seemingly innate straightforwardness and cheerful approachability were what had allowed the nerdy Lie to lower his guard back then. Times had changed. Now, facing Liu Lianlian, Han Lie no longer felt any inferiority. Thus, he could calmly reflect on his past emotional journey, sensing the earth-shattering changes within himself.

He smiled graciously and nodded at Liu Lianlian, just about to greet her when she suddenly exclaimed.

"WOW! Can it be? Lie Lie, you're even more exaggerated than how my mom described you. I haven't seen you for a year, and you've changed tremendously, huh?!"

A year was accurate. She had previously taken her arts exams, then attended cultural course tutoring at her cousin's home, and finally gone straight to Hengdian to gain life experience during the summer break. Indeed, it had been a year since they last met.

But for Han Lie, the span of time since their last encounter was a full twelve years.

This girl hadn't made even a ripple in the entertainment industry. Later, she seemed to have become some kind of content-sharing blogger on TikTok. Her marital prospects were nowhere in sight, driving Old Liu, her father, to the point of peeing in four directions...

He recalled a joke: back then, her mother was at her wit's end, sternly asking Liu Lianlian, "So, you refuse to find a partner, is that it? Fine! Choose between Dong Zhipeng and Han Lie! When you come home for the New Year, we'll arrange the wedding. If you dare say no, I'll break your legs!"

If Han Lie hadn't been reborn, he might have already gone home and ended up with her...

UGH, "ended up with her" wasn't quite right. Tiger-Toothed Girl didn't really have any messy history in that department; otherwise, she wouldn't have played minor roles for so many years, relying on her family for financial support annually. However, the boyfriends she had dated normally in the past were already elite individuals that the nerdy version of him back then couldn't have competed with, even if he'd given it his all. So, even if they had genuinely gotten married, the outcome wouldn't necessarily have been good. Their values, understanding of the world, and perspectives were mismatched in every aspect, especially in a dynamic where the woman was superior to the man. It would most likely have ended in tragedy.

This was the peculiar nature of his reborn perspective—the Han Lie she saw and the Liu Lianlian he saw existed in completely different dimensions, yet their lives were still miraculously intertwined.

Han Lie smiled paternalistically, nodding gently, "I can't believe I managed to continue growing. Maybe it's because I've done too many good deeds... Stop, don't ask. If you do, the answer is 'no surgery'; every organ is all-natural."

Liu Lianlian was just about to speak when her words were promptly blocked, leaving her pouting resentfully, "HMPH, you've become much more slick with words now, annoying!"

HMM, a completely different kind of cute.

Dong Zhipeng chimed in obsequiously, "Brother Lie, going out for fun? It's always bustling over at the pedestrian street!"

Liu Lianlian looked at Han Lie with hopeful eyes, her own eyes darting around his unfamiliar yet strikingly handsome face, and she even played her typically infallible trump card.

"I'm super rich now! Come on, I'll treat you to Haagen-Dazs!"

Han Lie couldn't help but laugh, "OH, an upgrade, huh? I remember it used to be spicy strips, grilled sausage, and milk tea..."

That was back in middle school when the three of them often walked to and from school together. Whenever Liu Lianlian needed Han Lie for something, she would offer small favors. The embarrassing part was, back then, that trick worked on him almost every time.

A wave of wistful emotion suddenly washed over Han Lie—she was still the same; time hadn't yet had a chance to change her, but he himself could no longer go back.

Forget it, let it be...

"You guys go have fun. I'm expecting guests at home later, so I have to stay. We can catch up in the next day or two when we're free."

Han Lie rejected them outright, not troubling himself to phrase it tactfully, so it sounded quite decisive.

"AH?"

Liu Lianlian looked extremely disappointed, her mouth corners drooping.

She persisted, "Are they friends of your parents? What about later in the evening?"

Han Lie smiled lightly, "They're coming to see me. I'm afraid I won't have much free time today."

That casually spoken sentence instantly made Liu Lianlian realize that the young man before her was no longer her little follower. Instead, he seemed to be a genuinely influential, self-made wealthy individual, though no one knew the source of his power.

Only then did Liu Lianlian take note of Han Lie's stance and position—