One Morning

Another morning arrived.

The first rays of sunlight scattered like crushed gold over the rooftops of the city's narrow alleys, weaving through the crisscrossing power lines and casting a soft glow on the slightly weathered walls.

The narrow alleyways were lined with makeshift stalls selling all kinds of goods, brimming with the lively atmosphere of everyday life.

"Sand ginger..."

"Mmm..."

"Ye Chuan likes eggplants too." A little past six in the morning, Luo Xi, dressed in light blue pajamas, was already here buying groceries. She hadn’t bothered to dress up, her long hair casually draped over her shoulders, giving her a lazy yet mature charm.

Even so, Luo Xi’s natural beauty still shone through. And ever since she started dating Ye Chuan, her complexion had only gotten better.

After stuffing all her ingredients into her basket, Luo Xi had the vendor prepare a fresh plump chicken, chopped into pieces. She also bought some scallions and ginger before heading home.

Pushing open the rust-speckled iron door, the house was quiet—her parents were still asleep.

Her father would be waking up soon to head to work.

The nine-to-five routine was a good change. No more graveyard shifts, and now he had more time to spend with Luo’s mother.

"Xi Xi, would you like a little brother or sister?" Lately, Luo’s mother had been casually bringing up the topic, though she worried it might upset her daughter.

"Sure!" Luo Xi understood her parents’ feelings and answered cheerfully. "You and Dad can decide."

She didn’t mind the idea of a sibling. She knew better than anyone how much her father had sacrificed—a deeply devoted and responsible man who had cared tirelessly for her bedridden mother and supported her through school.

He’d even helped Ye Chuan out occasionally.

She didn’t want to be the one standing in the way of her parents’ happiness.

...

After setting the breakfast she’d bought on the table, Luo Xi carried the ingredients into the kitchen.

Tying on an apron, she closed the kitchen door to muffle the noise and avoid waking her parents.

"Hum~ hum~" She sang softly to herself, in high spirits as she deftly began preparing the soup and marinating the chicken—Ye Chuan had specifically requested a chicken hotpot, though she hadn’t been able to get farm-fresh chicken this early.

"Ye Chuan, really… If you wanted farm chicken, you should’ve said so earlier." It wasn’t that Luo Xi couldn’t make the trip—there was a farm about forty kilometers away that sold free-range chickens, and she could’ve taken the bus to get them.

But by the time she got back, it would’ve been too late to cook.

Luo Xi worked efficiently, simmering the soup while marinating the chicken and chopping scallions, ginger, and other ingredients.

She finished everything in about an hour.

Used to being independent—back when her mother was bedridden and her father ran a barbecue stall—cooking at home was no trouble at all for her.

After storing the prepped ingredients in the fridge and turning the soup down to a low simmer, Luo Xi returned to her room to change into workout shorts and a T-shirt, tying her long hair up with a hairband.

Standing in front of the mirror, she playfully shook her ponytail from side to side before nodding in satisfaction. "Perfect."

Luo Xi loved exercising and had once considered cutting her hair short.

"Ye Chuan, what if I copied Little Yu and went for a short haircut?" she had asked back in high school.

"Huh? Long hair suits you better. An Shiyu’s hairstyle is so ugly, why would you want that?" had been Ye Chuan’s reply.

That comment had apparently led to An Shiyu ignoring him for an entire semester.

So Luo Xi kept her long hair, even if it took a bit more effort to maintain.

As she left her room, Luo’s mother happened to wake up and saw her daughter dressed for exercise. "Xi Xi, are you heading out?"

"Just going for a morning run, Mom. Can you keep an eye on the soup?"

"Sure. Is Ye Chuan coming over for lunch?"

"Yep! See you later!"

"Take it—" Before Luo’s mother could finish, Luo Xi had already dashed downstairs like a gust of wind.

"That girl." Luo’s mother could only shake her head, long accustomed to her daughter’s boundless energy.

...

"Morning, Xi Xi!"

"Morning, Granny!"

"You’re up early as always, Xi Xi! Going for a run?"

"Morning, Grandpa! Yep!"

Luo Xi jogged through the urban village, exchanging cheerful greetings with the early-rising elderly residents, who couldn’t help but smile at her vibrant presence.

"Xi Xi, want to stop by for breakfast?"

"No thanks, I already ate!"

"Xi Xi, take some of Uncle’s rice cakes?"

"Hehe, not while I’m running! Maybe next time!"

Everyone seemed to adore this radiant girl—just seeing her lifted their spirits.

After greeting nearly half the neighborhood, Luo Xi finally reached the nearby park. The running track was nearly empty at this hour, so she set off at a steady pace, covering several kilometers before slowing to catch her breath.

"Whew."

She wiped the sweat from her temple with the back of her hand before pulling out a tissue for a proper cleanup.

"Ye Chuan should be waking up soon, right?" She checked the time—not even nine yet.

Luo Xi decided to video-call him.

Five or six rings later, a groggy voice answered. "Yeah?"

The screen was dark, curtains still drawn. If not for the slight movement, Luo Xi might’ve thought he hadn’t even turned on the camera.

"Sleepyhead, are you up yet?"

"Nah… Where are you?" Still buried under the covers, Ye Chuan yawned before squinting at her background.

Grinning, Luo Xi angled the camera to show more of the scenery and gave a thumbs-up. "I’m at the park for my morning run. I don’t know why, but I’ve been feeling really great lately."

"After all that spirit liquid, of course you do," Ye Chuan muttered.

"Hmm?"

"Never mind. I’m going back to sleep. Bring me breakfast."

"Got it."

After hanging up, Luo Xi headed back to the urban village, picked up breakfast, and went straight to Ye Chuan’s place.

The living room was empty. Her gaze instinctively drifted toward Bai Qianshuang’s door—

Truthfully, Luo Xi still felt uneasy about Bai Qianshuang.

She didn’t know how long Bai Qianshuang planned to stay, but there was no sign of her leaving anytime soon. It almost seemed like she intended to settle in permanently.

Was she going to live here forever?

Setting the breakfast on the table, Luo Xi tiptoed toward Ye Chuan’s room.

He was still asleep, cocooned in his blanket.

Without disturbing him, she quietly opened his closet, retrieved a change of clothes she kept there, and slipped into the bathroom.

After sweating so much during her run, she wanted to freshen up first.

...

Forty minutes later, Ye Chuan and Luo Xi stepped out of the bathroom together.