Tan Mo’s brows furrowed sharply upon reading that message.
Was this person from F University?
Returning her a thousand yuan and delivering the gift to his dormitory?!
Tan Mo’s livestreams usually had a very harmonious atmosphere. Even when students from F University were in her直播间, or if they recognized her in real life, they never behaved inappropriately. After all, she was just a food blogger, and people generally didn’t go out of their way to approach or question her. This was the first time she had encountered someone like this.
She didn’t know whether he wanted to meet her or humiliate her, but she felt a wave of nausea and immediately refused:
“Sorry, student, although we attend the same university, I rarely go back to campus recently and it’s inconvenient. I’ll send the big gift package directly to you, but there’s no need to meet in person.”
As soon as Tan Mo finished speaking, another gift effect suddenly appeared in the live stream room.
[User ‘Wuqi’ sent ‘A Bowl of Jasmine’ a supercar ×1]
Wuqi sent another thousand yuan gift, then said:
[Isn’t that what you want, money? You think I didn’t give enough? Another thousand okay? How much more do you need to come out and meet me?]
[I’m your alumnus, can’t you meet me just once? Is this how I’m treated as the top donor in your livestream? Did all my money just go down the drain?]
In the live stream room, fans who saw this message immediately erupted:
[What do you mean by asking for money? Do you think the streamer is that kind of person?!]
[This person obviously wants to meet privately. Just because you gave some money, do you really think you’re the boss? Don’t you know you’re disturbing her personal life?]
[I’m disgusted. Where did this creepy guy come from? Why should he meet you? You sent gifts now, what else do you want?]
[Babe, whatever you do, don’t agree! What’s his intention? It’s really scary when you think about it!!! Can’t we kick this pervert out?!]
[Who would have thought F University has such unclear people. Indeed, academic qualifications can’t filter character.]
Wuqi: [What kind of person do you think I am? I’m the top donor in this live stream room. Don’t I have any rights left?]
Wuqi continued talking, like he was intentionally causing trouble, incessantly chattering.
The live stream room became chaotic, and Tan Mo was also furious. Just as she was about to mute him directly, a dynamic notification suddenly appeared in the live stream room:
[User “C” entered the live room]
It was like a huge stone dropped into a lake.
Shortly after, the live stream was suddenly flooded with a barrage of virtual gift animations—
[User ‘C’ sent ‘A Bowl of Jasmine’ a treasure map ×1]
[User ‘C’ sent ‘A Bowl of Jasmine’ a treasure map ×1]
[User ‘C’ sent ‘A Bowl of Jasmine’ × luxury cruise ship 1]
[User ‘C’ sent…]
All of them were from C, the most expensive gifts in the live stream, each worth five thousand.
Several consecutive gifts quickly reached over ten thousand yuan, directly becoming the top donor of the day, far surpassing Wuqi.
After flooding the screen with effects, C then spoke, only two simple sentences——
[Either surpass me to become the top donor.]
[Or shut up.]
Not specifically addressing anyone, but everyone knew who it was directed at.
Instantly, the fans in the live stream room became excited:
[Oh my god, the big shot actually came?! The big shot protecting Jasmine is so domineering!!!]
[I’m crying, I almost got angry to death earlier. Fortunately, the big shot came to support Jasmine!]
[I ship this! The big shot is too affectionate to Jasmine!]
[This is such a slap in the face, hahahaha. Will that guy still dare to be smug now? His donation is just a fraction of what the big shot gave. He really thinks he’s someone important!]
[…I just recharged money for my wife, planning to push that Wuqi down, but the big shot beat me to it. So impressive.]
Tan Mo, seeing the long-unseen big shot, was momentarily stunned, not expecting him to suddenly appear and protect her like this. Her heart warmed:
“Big shot, it’s been a long time. I’m especially grateful for your gifts, but really, there’s no need to spend so much. Everyone, please don’t send gifts anymore…”
Then C sent two more messages on the public screen:
I’m in the live stream.
[Don’t be afraid.]
Tan Mo, seeing his comfort, felt a strange sense of familiarity and smiled: “Thank you…”
C: [No need to send me gifts. Follow your previous list.]
Seeing the message, the fans were also excitedly shouting:
[Sniff sniff, the big shot said he’s here. The big shot is so good to Jasmine, not even asking for gifts.]
[I love the big shot, he’s so warm, ah ah ah!]
[Actually, the amount of donation isn’t the issue. The key point is, who gives donations to impose conditions on the streamer? That’s too much.]
Looking at the comments, Tan Mo finally spoke firmly: “To the user named ‘Wuqi’, first of all, thank you for your gift. However, if you want me to meet you offline through donations, I won’t agree.
If you feel your money was wasted, I’ll refund all the money I received, after deducting the platform’s commission. You can check your backend for the refund. I’m not willing to accept this money.
Here’s the translation of the provided text into English:
—
And I’ll say it again—I never asked you to donate, nor do I look down on the amount you contributed. I’m grateful to every fan who supports me. Please respect me. If you attack me in the live stream, I’ll mute you immediately. If you dare to harass me at school, I’ll call the police right away. The consequences will be on you.
—
(Note: The original text was already in English, so this is a refined version for clarity and natural flow while preserving the tone and intent.)
Tan Mo’s tone was firm and resolute, and the viewers in the live stream expressed their support.
Tan Mo also reminded everyone not to privately message or attack the other party to avoid cyberbullying, and to let the matter end here.
After that, Wuqi never spoke in the live stream again—whether he was scared off or silently watching in anger.
To thank everyone for supporting her, Tan Mo gave away two big waves of free gifts.
Finally, with nothing else happening, she ended the live stream.
After turning off the camera, Tan Mo’s mind lingered on C’s support for her, feeling both guilty and grateful. Eventually, she opened the private message conversation with him and typed a few words:
[Big shot, I still want to thank you again privately. Thank you for helping me out earlier. Were you just online by chance and saw my livestream today?]
A minute later, the other party replied: [Just finished work. A fan privately messaged me saying you were having trouble in your live stream, so I came to check.]
Tan Mo: [Big shot, give me your address. I want to send you a little gift, okay?]
C: [No need.]
Tan Mo felt uneasy: [Just let me do this as a token of my gratitude. You often donate to me anyway.]
C: [No gifts needed. You can thank me in person next time we meet.]
Tan Mo: ???
Mom, what’s going on? Does this person also want to meet QAQ.
Then C quickly replied: [Just kidding. You’re fine with your livestream.]
Tan Mo was momentarily stunned and slightly relieved.
Since she met him, he had indeed been very gentlemanly, never prying or asking her to do anything because of his donations. Privately, he rarely chatted with her and didn’t disturb her life, truly just supporting her.
In the end, C still didn’t give her his address, so Tan Mo had no choice but to give up.
After tidying up the kitchen briefly, Tan Mo walked into the living room and saw the man on the sofa, approaching him with a tired body:
“Xie Qichen…”
Xie Qichen put down his phone, looked up at her, and naturally extended his hand.
Tan Mo was pulled to sit sideways in his arms. The man spoke softly: “Come, drink some water.”
Tan Mo took a sip of water and puffed out her cheeks at him: “I was so exhausted during my livestream today.”
“Uh?”
Tan Mo recounted the events of the night, and after Xie Qichen listened, he simply said he knew. Tan Mo was surprised: “You knew?”
“I just went to your live stream and saw it.”
Tan Mo understood, “He’s a student from our school. I checked his profile, gender is male.”
Tan Mo said she didn’t know if the other person was a complete stranger to her or someone she knew in real life. If it was someone she knew, then his intentions were even more terrifying to think about.
“Don’t worry, I’ll look into this matter.”
Xie Qichen’s expression darkened as he held her tighter, “For this period, have the family driver pick you up when you go to school. If anything happens, inform me immediately, understand?”
“Okay…”
Tan Mo remembered another thing and gently tugged his collar: “By the way, Xie Qichen, there’s something I need to confess to you. I’m afraid you’ll misunderstand.”
“You can say it.”
“It’s just… there are usually people donating in my livestream. There’s a viewer named ‘C’ who has been watching my broadcasts for a long time and often donates. He also helped me tonight. I don’t know if you saw him when you entered my livestream room.”
A faint smile flickered in Xie Qichen’s eyes, “So good to you, huh?”
Tan Mo quickly explained, “Please don’t misunderstand. He just watches my live streams normally, and we don’t have any private contact…”
Tan Mo was desperate to clarify, fearing that this man with strong possessiveness might get jealous again and quickly confessed voluntarily.
After explaining, the man lowered his gaze to look at her in his arms, his eyes calm, “Okay.”
Seeing his calm reaction, she was a bit surprised, looked up at him with blinking eyes: “You’re not jealous?”
He curled the corner of his mouth, “Should I be jealous? There are so many people calling you ‘babe’ in your live stream—how could I possibly deal with them all?”
Tan Mo couldn’t help but laugh, “This babe is different from that babe.”
Her starry eyes curved into a smile, solely looking at Xie Qichen, her voice soft with affection: “Anyway, my husband is only you.”
The man’s deep gaze softened as he held her head and imprinted a kiss on her red lips.
After a while, she raised her hands to hook his neck. Xie Qichen stopped the kiss, stood up, and effortlessly carried her in his arms, heading upstairs, “Go to sleep.”
Tan Mo was steadily held, leaning against his chest, suddenly feeling guilty, “The sleep you mentioned, which kind of sleep…”
He lowered his gaze to look at her, “Which kind do you want?”
Tan Mo blushed and stammered, “Just sleep, okay.”
“Just sleep,” Xie Qichen was amused, “Let’s see how you behave tonight.”
“Ugh, what do you mean by how I behave…”
…
In the villa, the second-floor corridor lights were warm and yellow, making the night outside seem even longer.
–
A weekend passed, and it was Monday again.
It was mid-March now, and the temperature in Licheng was gradually warming up, winter giving way to spring, and everything was slowly reviving under the spring rain.
Last night, Licheng started to rain after midnight, and in the morning, the rain hadn’t stopped yet, just the intensity had weakened into a drizzle, drifting in the air.
In the morning, after waking up, Xie Qichen received a message from Xie Wenzong, saying he would come to the group for a meeting this morning.
Since Xie Wenzong’s health had been poor, he usually came to the group once or twice a month, as there were occasionally some particularly important matters that still required him to make the final decision. However, today, no one knew why he had come.
Xie Qichen replied with a message, put down his phone, and calmly fastened his wristwatch.
After getting dressed neatly, he went to check on the little girl still drowsily sleeping in bed, placing a kiss on her forehead before softly leaving the bedroom.
Going downstairs, the aunts had already arrived. The man gently reminded them about a few things regarding Tan Mo, and the aunts nodded repeatedly, unable to help but feel that Tan Mo and Xie Qichen’s relationship was becoming even stronger now, making people envious.
Twenty minutes later, Xie Qichen left home and arrived at the group.
Getting out of the car, he walked into the building, with Wen Cheng following beside him. The man asked, “Has the chairman arrived yet?”
“He has, in the office.”
Taking the elevator upstairs, Xie Qichen first went to the chairman’s office, knocked, and entered. He saw Xie Wenzong sitting on the sofa brewing tea, his temples slightly dyed black, looking steady and shrewd, though due to his poor health, he still appeared aged.
Xie Qichen walked in, and Xie Wenzong looked up and greeted him, raising his hand: “Come, come and have some tea.”
Xie Qichen sat down on the sofa and asked in a calm voice, “Why did you come so early today? Why not sleep a bit longer?”
“Now I go to bed early, and I wake up at around five in the morning. Unlike when I was young, I could stay up for days and nights without any problem. Now I’m old.”
“How have you been feeling these past two days? Dr. Li called me yesterday and mentioned you had a full-body checkup.”
“Other than that, I’m fine. It’s just my heart that’s still the same old problem, occasionally having angina.”
After chatting for a while, Xie Wenzong said, “The purpose of me coming to the meeting today is also related to my health. I want to announce something.”
Xie Qichen looked at him.
Xie Wenzong raised his eyes, meeting his gaze: “Qichen, I plan to fully retire—handing over the entire group to you for management.”
Upon hearing this, Xie Qichen’s eyes showed a trace of surprise.
“Qichen, actually, your father asked you to return to China to take over the company, hoping that you could help me carry the burden. My health is getting worse, and I’m gradually becoming unable to handle the group’s affairs. I’ve seen what you’ve been doing lately. Your father knows that with your ability, you can definitely manage Aochuang well. I also want to completely let go and give myself some ease.”
Leaning back on the sofa, Xie Wenzong said, “Next, I plan to take a two-month vacation first and temporarily transfer the power to you for transition.”
Xie Qichen chuckled, “You want to retire to the mountains now? Will those old men on the board be at ease?”
“I’ll inform them during the meeting today. One day, Aochuang will be in your hands. These two months are also your opportunity to prove yourself. Besides, I’ve already discussed this with your Aunt Zhen Mei in advance. She won’t cause any trouble. Actually, I’ve always been worried about Siyuan’s health, thinking of taking him to a better place for treatment. Only when he regains consciousness can my heart finally be at peace.”
The youngest son had not yet woken up, which was the greatest concern in Xie Wenzong’s heart.
Xie Wenzong spoke at length before finally saying, “In short, go ahead and carry out the reforms however you wish. Do whatever you want to do.”
…
After their conversation, during the morning meeting, Xie Wenzong announced that he would be taking a two-month leave of absence.
When everyone learned that Xie Wenzong would temporarily hand over the group’s management to Xie Qichen, they were all shocked.
Among them, Li Jin and other conservative members immediately voiced their opposition: “Chairman, are you really handing the company over to President Xie? I think with President Xie’s current qualifications and capabilities, he might not be up to the task.”
Li Jin pointed out that in the past month of reform, Aochuang had faced two major problems while gradually building a complete domestic industrial chain. First, technical shortages had caused product quality to fall short of standards. Second, heavy investments in R&D had strained the group’s cash flow. With fierce external competition, these internal and external pressures had placed tremendous stress on Aochuang.
He scoffed lightly, “With our current capabilities, trying to independently develop the third generation of Air Play is extremely difficult. Whether President Xie is leading the group uphill or downhill remains to be seen.”
A few of his allies chimed in, creating a buzz of discussion until Xie Wenzong placed his documents on the table and looked up at them.
Meeting his gaze, the group gradually fell silent.
Xie Wenzong scanned the room, his expression solemn as he spoke:
“The recent reforms were my final decision, which means I support them and believe they are necessary. This matter has already been decided. In short, for the next two months, everyone must fully follow President Xie’s instructions.”
Hearing this, Li Jin and others suppressed their objections with displeasure.
After the meeting, Xie Qichen accompanied Xie Wenzong to handle some handover procedures. Once Xie Qichen left, a knock on the door of Xie Wenzong’s office announced the arrival of Xie Wenko.
Xie Wenko approached the desk, looked at Xie Wenzong, and smiled:
“Brother, how come you suddenly decided to take a vacation?”
“Have a seat.”
Xie Wenzong motioned for him to sit and signaled his assistant to leave first.
Left alone in the office, Xie Wenzong took a sip of hot tea and said calmly, “Mainly, I haven’t been feeling well lately and tire more easily. I plan to rest properly and take Zhen Mei on a trip to relax.”
Xie Wenko nodded in understanding, “Indeed, both you and Sister-in-law haven’t been in good health. It’s about time you rested. But handing the entire group over to Qichen all at once, won’t the kid be under too much pressure?”
“I mainly want to use this time for him to gain valuable experience and prepare for the future.”
“The future? Brother, are you planning to hand the group over to Qichen completely after two months?”
“If he can successfully carry out the reforms.”
Xie Wenko was slightly shocked, “Isn’t that too soon? After all, Qichen is still young and lacks experience. Those old-timers won’t trust him.”
“That’s exactly why these two months are a great opportunity for everyone to see Qichen’s capabilities. Anyway, the group will be his eventually. For the next two months, you should also help him more within the group.”
Xie Wenko smiled and nodded, “Of course.”
“As for Xie Shao, he’s also very capable. Don’t worry. As long as he works hard in the group, I will have Qichen promote him to Chief Financial Officer in the future.”
Xie Wenko smiled, “Thank you, brother. I will supervise him in my daily work. I’ll go now.”
“Go ahead, take these documents with you.”
Xie Wenko acknowledged, stood up, and left.
As he walked out of the office, the smile on his face instantly vanished. His fingers gripped the folder tightly, turning slightly pale.
He walked forward, his eyes cold and unreadable, and took out his phone to dial a number.
—
Xie Wenzong and Xie Qichen quickly completed the transfer of power. On Thursday, Xie Wenzong took Zhen Mei and flew abroad.
This vacation seemed like Xie Wenzong’s determination to let go of all group affairs, leaving contact information only for several important directors.
He specially informed everyone not to disturb him casually, stating that he would no longer interfere with the group’s development. If there were any issues, they should directly consult Xie Qichen.
The news of Xie Wenzong’s vacation stirred a storm among the senior management and the board.
Everyone was discussing, naturally focusing on whether Xie Qichen could handle the role.
Some started shifting their support to Xie Qichen, while others were anxious and doubtful.
At once, the group was filled with different thoughts and intentions.
On Thursday evening, the group’s senior management received a notice from Xie Qichen, stating that a meeting would be held the next morning.
Thus, on Friday morning, nearing 9:30, the meeting room was already filled with many attendees.
A few people were chatting and talking:
“Today is President Xie’s first day officially taking office. He’s really in the spotlight now.”
“In the spotlight? Only if he’s capable. Without capability, it’s just embarrassment.”
“Chairman Xie really trusts his son, handing over such a large group so easily, especially during a crucial period of reform. It really shows he’s grooming him as his successor!”
“Exactly. With Siyuan in trouble, only Xie Qichen can take on this heavy responsibility now.”
“But he’s so young. Can he really manage it?”
Li Jin scoffed lightly, leaning back in his chair with his large belly, coldly commenting:
“Managing such a big group is not as easy as just flapping your lips. The group is now pinning its hopes on the upcoming new product development. If that fails, won’t we all have to share the responsibility? I’d like to see what kind of achievements our President Xie can make.”
“Yeah, if there’s a significant loss of profit, aren’t we being pushed into the fire?”
Upon hearing this, Yun Hao, the director of the technology department, couldn’t help but say, “You guys don’t have to talk like that. The reform is for the group’s long-term interests. Haven’t we all seen President Xie’s capabilities firsthand?”
Now, the company was roughly divided into two factions: one was the reformist faction supporting Xie Qichen, composed of people promoted or valued by Xie Qichen within the group and those who were Xie Wenzong’s right-hand men and had received instructions to support Xie Qichen. The other faction was the conservative faction led by Li Jin, composed of those who feared losing their interests after the reform.
Hearing Yun Hao’s words, one of Li Jin’s associates smiled mockingly and sarcastically said, “Director Yun, your technology department is currently the most favored by President Xie. Of course, you know who to follow loyally.”
Yun Hao suppressed his anger, “I’m saying this for the sake of the group.”
The other person scoffed lightly, showing disdain. Just as he was about to say something, the meeting room door suddenly swung open.
The most important person entered, appearing before everyone—
Today, Xie Qichen wore a dark brown suit. His tall and upright figure exuded a calm and refined demeanor. His eyes showed no sign of fatigue, and his sharp gaze revealed his depth of character. His dignified presence immediately silenced the entire room.
The man walked in and sat at the frontmost position.
At once, everyone fell silent, even Li Jin and the conservative faction slightly subdued their disdainful expressions.
After scanning the room, Xie Qichen spoke with his thin lips:
“Before the meeting, I have a few words to say.”
Everyone looked at him.
“You all know that Chairman Xie has taken a leave for rest and recuperation. For the next two months, I will be in charge of the group.”
Xie Qichen looked at everyone and continued in a gentle voice:
“I know that compared to all the senior veterans in the group, I am young and lack experience. There is still much room for improvement and supplementation. I welcome everyone to supervise me, offer various suggestions, and I will adopt them if they benefit the group’s development. If you have any questions regarding the group’s decisions, feel free to communicate with me anytime.”
The man’s humble attitude was somewhat unexpected, causing a slight surprise among some people in the room.
Xie Qichen continued, “Secondly, the group is currently facing difficult development, but I have the confidence and determination to continue pushing forward with the reforms. In the long run, this is most beneficial for Aochuang.”
Upon hearing this, Li Jin scoffed lightly:
“President Xie, with the current development, Aochuang might not even have a long-term future.”
As soon as Li Jin spoke, someone from the group supporting Xie Qichen retorted:
“Vice President Li, what do you mean by not having a long-term future? The reform hasn’t even concluded yet. Are you a fortune-teller predicting the future, or are you just trying to shake the morale? I think your intentions are a bit dangerous.”
“Hey, what do you mean by that…”
“What I mean is clear to everyone here. Chairman Xie clearly stated before leaving that the reform is imperative. If there are people who don’t want what’s best for the group, they will naturally voice their opposition.”
“How can I not want what’s best for the group…”
The two factions engaged in a heated debate. After a while, someone asked Xie Wenko’s opinion.
Xie Wenko was a senior member of the group, someone even Li Jin respected. He was also Xie Qichen’s second uncle, holding a senior position that could overshadow Xie Qichen.
Xie Wenko looked at the silent Xie Qichen and slightly lifted the corners of his mouth:
“As for me, I support all of President Xie’s decisions regarding the reform.”
Li Jin was taken aback.
Xie Wenko smiled, “Since the group is now under President Xie’s management, we should all follow the arrangements.”
Li Jin was surprised.
Just days ago, Xie Wenko had opposed the reform. How come he changed his mind so suddenly?!
Seeing Xie Wenko speak like this, Li Jin’s conservative faction suddenly lost their momentum for confrontation.
Li Jin was at a loss for words. Xie Qichen looked at him and simply said:
“Well then, are you done talking?”
“…”
Everyone remained silent.
Xie Qichen crossed his legs, turned his watch, scanned the room, and spoke sharply:
“The necessity of the reform has already been approved by the board, leaving no room for debate. If anyone refuses to comply with the group’s plans and arrangements, the group will not accommodate individual preferences. However, you can decide for yourself whether to stay or leave. I will say this one last time, hoping everyone here listens carefully.”
Upon hearing this, Li Jin and others’ expressions turned grim.
Finally, the man softened his tone and said steadily:
“Aochuang is not only my Aochuang but everyone’s Aochuang. Today, sitting in this position, I will advance and retreat together with the group and take responsibility for each and every one of you.
Now, the group is facing significant challenges in its development. I hope everyone can calm their hearts, do their jobs well, unite as one, and work together to make Aochuang better and better.”
—
In the morning, after Xie Qichen spoke these words at the meeting, he proposed several reform plans.
On the very first day of Xie Wenzong’s vacation, everyone saw his firm attitude and decisive approach. The turbulent sentiments within the senior management gradually calmed down. Those supporting him became more resolute, while the reform opponents could only reluctantly comply.
Now, all eyes were fixed on Xie Qichen.
Everyone wanted to see how he would lead the group to develop over the next two months.
After the senior management meeting, in the afternoon, the man held another meeting with the technology department to further discuss the design of the third generation of Air Play.
Now that the technology department employees had received options and shares, they worked harder than before. Recently, a group of new engineers had been hired, injecting fresh blood into the department. The entire department was full of vitality and firmly stood by Xie Qichen’s side.
Throughout the day, Xie Qichen was busy non-stop, barely having time to eat lunch.
In the evening, after the meeting finally ended, Xie Qichen returned to his office.
Sitting at his desk, the man drank some coffee, leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and pressed his temples.
Beside him, Wen Cheng looked on, feeling the recent hardships Xie Qichen had endured.
Now that the man had taken full control of the group, it was like a mountain pressing on his shoulders. The greater the power, the heavier the responsibility.
Moreover, as a manager, he had to always remain strong and could never show fatigue in front of the employees.
Xie Qichen said to him, “You can go out first.”
“Okay.”
Xie Qichen leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes for a moment, and then his phone vibrated on the desk.
A few seconds later, he opened his eyes, picked up the phone, and saw it was from the girl.
A message came in:
[I’ve finished my tasks at school. You can come to pick me up now.]
This afternoon, Tan Mo had something to do at school. Xie Qichen had messaged her, saying to let him know when she was ready. Because of the incident during the previous live stream, he was a bit worried, so he offered to pick her up for dinner.
Seeing the message, Xie Qichen typed a few words:
[Okay, wait for me.]
Tan Mo replied: [Okay, waiting for you~ Let me know when you arrive.]
On the other end, after replying to Xie Qichen’s message, Tan Mo waited in her dormitory.
These past few days, Tan Mo knew that Xie Wenzong was on leave and that Xie Qichen had officially taken over the group, so he must be even busier.
Half an hour later, Xie Qichen sent her a message: [Same place, lakeside parking lot. I’ll be there soon.]
Tan Mo replied: [Okay.]
She went downstairs, walked out of the dormitory building, and headed toward the lake.
Three minutes later, she saw ahead of her the man waiting by his car.
He stood under the setting sun, bathed in golden light, as if stepping out from a painting, reminiscent of their first meeting under the sunset. However, the man had long outgrown his youth, becoming mature and dignified.
Tan Mo quickened her pace and ran toward him.
Hearing her approach, Xie Qichen lifted his gaze and saw her radiant smile, his eyes slowly softening.
The girl ran up to him, “Xie Qichen…”
Before she could finish her sentence, she was suddenly pulled into a tight embrace.
The man held her tightly.
The sky was painted with brilliant clouds, the lake rippling gently. A pair of mandarin ducks played in the water. No one passed by, and the evening breeze was gentle.
Feeling the tight embrace, Tan Mo was momentarily stunned, then lifted her hands to wrap around him, her eyes curving into a smile:
“Xie Qichen, what’s wrong with you…”
Xie Qichen leaned down, resting his head in the crook of her neck. The man, usually steady and strong, removed all pretense, his voice low, tender, slightly smiling, like sandpaper gently brushing against her ear:
“Baby…”
“I’m so tired, give me a charge.”
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