Gathering Together

Cheng Jun set off in her Porsche from home.

She had never been to Peaceful Lake Residence before, but with GPS navigation, it wasn’t an issue—just a quick tap on the central control panel would do the trick.

The drive was smooth, with almost no traffic, and in less than twenty minutes, she arrived at the security gate.

Her car came to a steady stop in front of the barrier, where a security guard promptly jogged over to the driver’s side window and asked in a low voice,

"Good afternoon, ma’am. May I have your surname?"

"Cheng."

"Hello, Miss Cheng. Are you a resident or a visitor?"

If she were a resident, her license plate would already be registered, and she could usually drive right in—though exceptions did happen.

Most cars stopping at the gate were visitors, so the guard had to confirm.

Cheng Jun rolled down the window slightly, her face half-hidden behind oversized sunglasses as she replied coolly,

"Visitor. Peaceful Lake Residence, No. 17."

"Understood. One moment, please."

The guard acknowledged, pressing the walkie-talkie on his shoulder to verify with his colleague inside the booth.

Just then, a taxi pulled over by the roadside, and Shu Yunyi stepped out from the back seat.

She had tidied up at home before hurrying over.

Since she was usually more of a homebody, she didn’t own a car and had no choice but to take a taxi this time.

After paying the fare, Shu Yunyi walked up to the security booth and began speaking with the guard inside.

Her distinctive voice was instantly recognizable, catching Cheng Jun’s attention as she waited nearby.

Curious, Cheng Jun pressed the button to lower the passenger-side window and slid her sunglasses down just enough to peek over the rims. Sure enough, it was Shu Yunyi.

Seeing her standing alone with a bag in hand, Cheng Jun lightly tapped the horn.

"Beep!"

The soft honk made Shu Yunyi turn around, and she heard a voice call out,

"Get in!"

Her eyes widened in surprise as she bent slightly to peer into the car.

"Cheng Jun?!"

Even with the sunglasses, Shu Yunyi recognized her immediately—after all, they had spent the entire previous evening together.

Shu Yunyi was about to ask why she was here too, but then it dawned on her. It wasn’t just her—most likely, all three of them had been summoned. None of them would be left out.

Since they were heading to the same place, she didn’t hesitate, walking straight over and sliding into the passenger seat.

Right then, the security guard finished verifying and raised the barrier, saluting to signal that Cheng Jun could proceed.

"Everything checks out. You may enter now."

"Take a right up ahead for No. 17. Have a pleasant day!"

Shen Yi must have already arranged things in advance since he had called all three of them here. The clearance came in less than two minutes.

"Thank you," Cheng Jun said politely before pressing the accelerator and driving in.

Shu Yunyi gazed ahead, breaking the silence first.

"Looks like you just got here too?"

"Yeah. Same as you," Cheng Jun replied, keeping her eyes on the road as she turned the steering wheel.

"You got Shen Yi’s message as well, right? Have you been here before?" Shu Yunyi asked, pulling the seatbelt over herself and clicking it into place.

Cheng Jun shook her head.

"No, it’s my first time too."

"I don’t know any more than you do."

"Oh..." Shu Yunyi nodded in understanding.

The car fell into silence. Cheng Jun focused on driving while Shu Yunyi sat primly clutching her handbag, neither speaking a word.

Their current relationship and emotions were rather peculiar.

On one hand, they were still affected by last night’s shared dream. On the other, there was an undeniable sense of real-world unfamiliarity between them.

This clash—of intimacy and distance—made it impossible for them to quickly warm up to each other.

Exchanging pleasantries like old friends was out of the question, but neither were they hostile enough to outright reject one another.

So, silence it was.

Fortunately, though the villa district was expansive, Unit 17 was conveniently near the front, and they arrived in no time.

Cheng Jun immediately recognized the 7 Series parked in the spot as Fu Nanzhi’s car.

"Nanzhi’s already here."

"You saw her?"

Shu Yunyi straightened up and glanced around.

As she parked, Cheng Jun tilted her chin toward the vehicle.

"See? Her car."

"She beat us here again," Shu Yunyi remarked.

Cheng Jun turned off the engine, removed her sunglasses, and tucked them away before explaining,

"She lives in Peaceful Lake Residence—Phase One. It’s much closer, so of course she got here faster."

"Let’s go, then."

Cheng Jun hummed in agreement, swapping her flats for something more presentable before stepping out and hurrying after Shu Yunyi.

The two women approached the entrance in single file. Just as Shu Yunyi located the doorbell and raised a finger to press it, Cheng Jun pushed the gate open without hesitation—apparently, it had been left unlocked in anticipation of their arrival.

Pausing by an ancient tree, both were momentarily captivated by the scenery.

Cheng Jun, well-traveled and discerning, scanned the surroundings critically.

"The decor is average, but this view is rare."

Shu Yunyi, however, focused on something else entirely.

"Is Shen Yi and Fu… Nanzhi here?"

"Definitely inside."

Cheng Jun crunched through fallen leaves, her gaze catching on a toppled broom. Frowning, she mused,

"This place isn’t small. It must’ve cost a fortune."

"Earlier, security mentioned the owner. Did Shen Yi buy it?"

"Where’d he get the money?"

Shu Yunyi scoffed without missing a beat.

"Obviously from Fu Nanzhi."

"She’s the one with deep pockets."

Cheng Jun considered this and nodded.

"True."

A pang of sadness flickered through her—Shen Yi hadn’t asked her to contribute a single cent for something so significant. Did that mean he saw her as an outsider?

Walking down the dappled path beneath the trees, Shu Yunyi pointed to a swing on the right.

"I love this…"

Unlike the ubiquitous chain-driven swings of today, this old-fashioned wooden one exuded nostalgia.

Cheng Jun smiled, surprised that even at thirty, Shu Yunyi still harbored such a girlish heart.

"The kids will adore it someday."

"Yeah, the older ones pushing the younger, laughing and playing."

With a shared sigh, they reached the entryway.

Before they could step inside, muffled laughter drifted out.

Pushing the door open, they entered the living room—only to find Fu Nanzhi straddling Shen Yi, her teeth playfully nibbling his ear.

The sudden intrusion froze the couple mid-action.

An awkward silence descended as Fu Nanzhi slowly released her grip.

Then came Shu Yunyi’s icy chuckle and a dry remark:

"Well, looks like we’ve got quite the scene here."

"Cheng Jun... Shu Yunyi... you two..."

Fu Nanzhi let out an awkward laugh as she climbed off Shen Yi, then promptly settled back onto the sofa, straightening up properly.

Shen Yi wiped his ear and sat up, taking over the conversation with a casual, "You’re here."