A New Day

"Even couples sometimes sleep in separate rooms, you know."

"Isn't there a saying that middle-aged couples can kiss once and have good dreams for several nights?"

At night, Ye Shuang, who had just finished showering, sat cross-legged on the bed, explaining to the girl hugging a pillow in front of him. After all, they couldn't sleep together every day.

Who knows, they might end up having a child.

Bai Yuyou, who had also showered not long ago, sat on the bed in a duck-like position, her legs dazzlingly white.

"We... are young," Bai Yuyou said softly, resting her face on the pillow. "We... will have good dreams."

Ye Shuang, however, maintained his firm stance, "No way, starting today, we need to sleep separately one day a week."

After all, how else can one be independent?

Seeing Ye Shuang's stern face, Bai Yuyou slowly stood up. The two beds were separated by a five or six-meter passageway, and as she hugged her pillow and walked back, she glanced back every couple of steps.

As if asking—

[Will you call me back?]

But Ye Shuang remained resolute.

After turning off the lights, Ye Shuang looked at the neon lights outside the window and pulled the curtains closed—the apartment was on the 21st floor, so the view was decent, offering a glimpse of the city's night scenery.

However, Ye Shuang preferred the view from old neighborhoods, not particularly beautiful but rich in life's essence.

It was unclear how much time had passed when Ye Shuang, closing his eyes to sleep, suddenly heard faint footsteps.

Though the sound was soft, it was particularly jarring in the dim, quiet environment. The footsteps gradually approached and finally slipped into his bed.

The girl skillfully snuggled beside Ye Shuang, draping a slender leg over him.

"Yuyou, you're being naughty again," Ye Shuang said.

But Bai Yuyou buried her face in Ye Shuang's shoulder, motionless as if asleep. If Ye Shuang didn't know she had just laid down, he would have been fooled.

At that moment, Bai Yuyou suddenly handed over a small card, keeping her head down.

Ye Shuang squinted, reading the words under the faint nightlight—

【•ω•`) It's 12 o'clock, a new day has begun】

On the back of the card,

【(。•ω•) Yuyou is already asleep, you just need to hold her to sleep】

Ye Shuang: "..."

He silently checked the time on his phone.

0:00

Well, that's a clever trick.

"Smack!" Ye Shuang slapped the girl's backside, "You don't usually show such cleverness!"

The night passed without further words, and the next day arrived.

As dawn broke, Ye Shuang got up.

After wrapping the octopus-like Yuyou in the blanket like a sushi roll, he went downstairs to the kitchen on the first floor.

"Meow," Wan came over, rubbing against his ankle—usually, Wan wouldn't be up at this hour. Cats are creatures that recognize their surroundings, so it felt unfamiliar here and didn't sleep well.

Cats recognize objects, dogs recognize people.

Meaning cats are only familiar with scents they've encountered and are sensitive to changes in their environment, while dogs only recognize their owners and are indifferent to environmental changes.

Ye Shuang picked up Wan and placed it on his shoulder; this little guy was getting chubbier.

Then, Ye Shuang started preparing breakfast.

After quickly warming up some milk, Ye Shuang cracked an egg into a frying pan and started cooking. The sizzling sound of the oil startled Yiwan, making the little creature dart off Ye Shuang's shoulder and scurry under the sofa.

"This little guy needs a claw trim," Ye Shuang remarked, rubbing his shoulder where Yiwan's claws had dug in during its sudden leap.

Next, Ye Shuang opened the oven and took out some half-baked pineapple buns, ready to finish baking them. Once they were done, he skillfully sliced them open and inserted a pat of butter into each bun—completing the classic pineapple butter breakfast.

In the quiet morning, with only the sounds of the kitchen and the distant chime of a wind bell, Ye Shuang felt a sense of calm wash over him.

He made himself a cup of coffee and quietly savored the moment.

After a short while, there was a knock at the door. Ye Shuang got up from the sofa to answer it and found Tang Keke, her face lit with excitement.

"Morning, brother."

"Morning. Come join me for breakfast," Ye Shuang said with a smile.

Incidentally, this apartment was located right in the commercial plaza, closer to Tang Keke's home, which was part of the plaza's residential complex—in a way, they were neighbors, more or less.

"Wow, it's beautiful," Tang Keke exclaimed as she wandered around the apartment, clearly taken with the natural wood furniture.

Her eyes practically sparkled. "When I have money, I'm going to buy an apartment like this!"

"Apartments are better rented than bought," Ye Shuang replied, sipping his coffee with a grin.

"Why?"

"Let me think..." Ye Shuang pondered for a moment before explaining, "The property rights are usually for fewer years, and utilities are charged at commercial rates."

"Plus, most apartments don't have gas lines because the layouts are too small to meet the regulations."

Tang Keke noticed the gas stove nearby. "Brother, why do you have one then?"

"I said most apartments. Some do have gas, especially since our city has some specific regulations. But older apartments might not benefit from them."

Tang Keke nodded, half-understanding, and cheerfully said, "When I have money, I'll just buy a villa. I heard you can get one for just over a million in Zhongshan."

"That's not a bad idea," Ye Shuang chuckled.

Zhongshan City is adjacent to Haizhu City, and the area where Ye Shuang lives is close to Zhongshan. Compared to the high property prices in Haizhu City, many people in this district choose to buy homes in the neighboring city, as it's just across the street.

"Here, have some pineapple butter buns," Ye Shuang said, handing Tang Keke a pair of disposable gloves. "Eat while they're hot."

"Hehe," Tang Keke thanked him and didn't hesitate to dig in.

Considering letting Bai Yuyou sleep a bit longer, Ye Shuang didn't rush to wake her. Instead, he moved to the balcony.

The balcony was enclosed, as most apartment balconies are, typically featuring floor-to-ceiling windows rather than open spaces.

As for drying clothes, a washer and dryer took care of that task.

"Big brother, you're really skilled at doing housework. What did you do before?" Tang Keke asked, her cheeks puffed up as she munched on a pineapple bun, watching Ye Shuang's back as he took clothes out of the dryer. It was the first time she voiced her curiosity.

"I was a boss, making billions," Ye Shuang replied.

"You're lying. If you were a boss, you wouldn't be doing housework like this," Tang Keke said in a tone that suggested she found his teasing of little kids amusing.

"My dad used to run a company too, and he was hardly ever home," she added.

Hearing this, Ye Shuang couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, you caught me. I can't make billions."

"Keke, could you help me wake up Yu You?" he asked.

"Sure thing, leave it to me," she replied cheerfully.