Important Things

One early morning.

"Brother, we're off."

"Mm, be careful on the way. Remember to keep an eye on Yuyou."

"Got it!"

Watching Tang Keke and Bai Yuyou head off to school, Ye Shuang stretched lazily and began his daily writing work—his fingers danced skillfully across the keyboard while his elbows rested on a plump cat.

Wanwan, now weighing a solid ten pounds, had grown from a tiny kitten the size of a palm to a size larger than a pillow. Truly living up to the reputation of an orange tabby.

Though its personality had grown lazier, moving around less and less.

"Meow~"

"Alright, no treats today. Time for a diet," Ye Shuang said.

"Gah—"

Hmph, the moment treats were denied, even its meow lost its usual sweet tone.

Two hours later, after finishing his novel updates, Ye Shuang twisted his neck and back, eliciting a series of cracks. He glanced around the room—somehow, the place felt much lonelier after the girls left for school.

"Maybe I should just head to school early," he muttered, checking the time. It wasn’t quite time to leave yet.

Might as well clean up a bit.

Ye Shuang grabbed the cleaning supplies and spent some time tidying up the first and second floors. Just as he finished, his phone buzzed.

"Hm?" Setting the broom aside, he picked it up—a calendar reminder popped up.

[You marked this date.]

"Marked…" Ye Shuang had a habit of setting reminders for important dates to avoid forgetting them. But staring at today’s date, he couldn’t recall what it was for.

Someone’s birthday?

No.

His parents’?

No, he’d visited them recently.

Ye Shuang lowered his gaze slightly, thinking back to work-related matters. If it was work, his assistant would’ve noted it.

If it was on his personal calendar, it must be something important.

"Am I getting old? Can’t even remember," he sighed, feeling like his memory was slipping.

Just then, his phone rang again—Chen Qin’s WeChat profile picture flashing brightly on the screen.

"Chen Qin… What’s up at this hour?" He answered the call. "What’s going on?"

"Good morning! Have you left yet?" Chen Qin’s cheerful voice chimed through the phone.

Ye Shuang glanced at the time again. "Not yet, but I’ll be heading to work soon."

"Work? Aren’t you supposed to take the day off?" Chen Qin sounded puzzled.

"Day off? Why?" Ye Shuang was genuinely confused.

"Today’s the day to clean the ancestral home, right? I remember your family had that tradition every year… unless I’m mistaken?" Chen Qin said.

Clean the ancestral home…

Ye Shuang’s grip on the phone tightened as his mind suddenly blanked.

"Son, the ancestral home is our roots. No matter where life takes you, come back once a year—clean it, tend to it."

"Ah, forget it. We’ll handle it. You’re always so busy with work—just rest."

His parents’ voices echoed in his ears.

Ye Shuang: "…"

He clutched the phone, murmuring, "I… forgot. Today’s the day to clean the ancestral home."

He’d even set a reminder. How could he forget?

In previous years, how had he remembered?

Right… back then, his parents were still around.

Ye Shuang fell silent until Chen Qin’s voice pulled him back. He forced a bitter chuckle. "Sorry, I forgot."

"…" A brief pause on the other end.

"So… are you still going?" Her tone turned cautious.

"Yeah. Thanks for reminding me."

"Hehe."

Though Ye Shuang had grown up in Haizhu, his family’s roots were in Guangzhou. His parents had moved for business, and he’d been born and raised here.

"Might as well go back," he muttered, unsure of what emotions he was feeling.

In the past, cleaning the ancestral home had felt like a chore—pointless, exhausting. Why bother with an old, unused house?

Now, with his parents gone, it felt like something he had to do. Maybe there, he could pretend, just for a moment, that he still had a place to return to.

After changing into casual clothes and requesting the day off, Ye Shuang prepared to leave.

The key to the ancestral home hung among his many keys—a weathered brass one, aged with time.

As he opened the door, he spotted a familiar figure leaning against the wall, hands behind her back.

She wore a light blue sleeveless dress, her white sneakers radiating youthful energy.

"Hiiii~" Chen Qin greeted with a bright smile.

"What are you doing here?" Ye Shuang blinked, realizing she’d been waiting for a while.

"Surprise!" Chen Qin bent slightly, her ample curves accentuated by the motion. "Pretty surprising, huh?"

"Sure. What about your work?" Ye Shuang asked.

"Slow day. And I remembered you had to clean the ancestral home," Chen Qin said. "So I came to help."

Truthfully, Chen Qin had always remembered this day. Years ago, Ye Shuang had mentioned it offhandedly—but to her, every little detail about him mattered.

"You could’ve just rung the doorbell."

"Wouldn’t have been as fun," she said, wrinkling her nose.

"You sure you want to come?" Ye Shuang asked.

"Absolutely."

"Alright. It’ll be dusty. You might get dirty," he warned.

Chen Qin had never done housework—with maids and butlers at home, she’d never needed to.

"Let’s go, let’s go!" Without another word, she grabbed his arm and tugged him forward.

"…"

In the elevator, Ye Shuang asked, "How are we getting there?"

"Hm?"

"Train or drive?"

"How did you usually go?"

"Both, depending. Driving’s faster, but parking’s a hassle," Ye Shuang said.

Chen Qin pulled up a map on her phone. "Hmm… your ancestral home’s in Yuexiu District, right? About fifty minutes by car. How long by train?"

"Longer. Take the high-speed rail to the South Station, then transfer to Line 2 subway," Ye Shuang said.

"Takes more time?" Chen Qin’s smile widened. "Longer’s better, longer’s better."

"Why’s longer better?"

"I mean, since parking’s inconvenient, taking more time is fine," she quickly clarified.

Ye Shuang nodded. "True."

"Hehe."