I Come to Find You

Ye Liangchen and Gao Quan walked into the room.

"Wait here for a bit. I'll be right back," Ye Liangchen said before stepping out, intending to pose as a waiter and knock on Li Qingxue's door.

But the moment he stepped out, he saw Li Qingxue emerging from the neighboring room.

And from the way she walked, she didn’t seem the slightest bit drunk.

"Qingxue? You... you’re not drunk?" Ye Liangchen blurted out in surprise.

Li Qingxue glanced at him. "None of your business."

Then she eyed him suspiciously. "Did you pour me drinks just to get me drunk?"

Truthfully, she was just throwing it out there—after all, it was a class reunion, with so many classmates and her close friends around. Unless Ye Liangchen had lost his mind, he wouldn’t do something so stupid.

Ye Liangchen would never admit it. Smiling, he pointed to the room. "Good liquor always has a strong aftereffect. Gao Quan isn’t used to such things and had a few too many. I’m just here to drop him off."

He pushed the door open wider, letting Li Qingxue see Gao Quan lying on the bed inside, as proof that he really was just helping a friend.

"Ye Liangchen, I don’t want you or Xue Shaohua interfering in our lives anymore. I don’t like you—I already have someone I care about. Stop doing things that could easily be misunderstood!"

With that, Li Qingxue turned and left.

Watching her retreating figure, Ye Liangchen clenched his fists tightly.

Hearing Li Qingxue’s footsteps fade away, Gao Quan shook his head groggily and sat up on the bed, intending to console Ye Liangchen.

But in his drunken haze, he mumbled, "Bro, damn, this liquor’s strong. My head’s spinning..."

Ye Liangchen took a deep breath and turned to look at Gao Quan. Whether it was the influence of the alcohol or something else, Gao Quan suddenly seemed oddly... charming.

He stepped back into the room and locked the door.

Gao Quan, still tipsy, asked, "Bro, why’d you lock the door?"

"Wait—Bro, what are you doing? Hey, don’t pull my pants down—"

......

Back home, Li Qingxue shared the details of the class reunion with Long Aotian over her phone.

Then she video-called Hu Yuying.

She said she might not be able to visit her this year.

Her parents were planning a trip back to their hometown, and they’d be leaving in the next couple of days.

Hu Yuying didn’t mind, saying there’d be plenty of chances in the future.

Days passed like this.

Long Aotian still helped his old man with work every day.

One evening, after returning home, Long Aotian bought some snacks and, for the first time, a bottle of liquor.

At the dinner table, he poured his father a small cup and said, "I’ve decided to visit Yuying’s family in the next couple of days."

"Cough—!" His father choked on his drink, his face turning red.

Long Aotian patted his back. "Relax, why are you more worked up than I am?"

"Brat, you call this ‘worked up’?" his father grumbled. "Such a big decision, and you didn’t even give me a heads-up?"

It was just too sudden.

He hadn’t even prepared himself mentally!

Then he paused—what exactly was he supposed to prepare for?

"This is my first time meeting her family. I’ve been psyching myself up for days." Across two lifetimes, this was Long Aotian’s first visit to a girlfriend’s home. His emotions were all over the place—excited, nervous, desperate for her family’s approval.

"Once you’ve made up your mind, go for it. Your old man’s been saving up for you," his father said seriously.

He’d met the girl several times and liked her a lot. His son had changed for the better because of her. If the two could really be together, nothing would make him happier.

"When are you planning to go?" his father asked after taking a bite of food.

"Tomorrow!"

The chopsticks clattered against the plate. "You brat, always jumping from one idea to the next!"

"Just now you said ‘in the next couple of days,’ and now it’s tomorrow?"

Long Aotian explained, "I was planning to go soon, but after saying it out loud, I suddenly felt clear-headed."

As he spoke, an image of Hu Yuying flashed in his mind. His heartbeat quickened uncontrollably, and his entire spirit lifted.

"Fine, tomorrow it is. The sooner you go, the sooner you’ll know how her family feels..."

Early the next morning.

His father had braced himself, worried his son might oversleep and miss the big day.

He got up extra early to wake him—only to push open Long Aotian’s door and find the bed empty.

With a mix of exasperation and pride, he chuckled. "This kid... Hah, good, very good..."

Meanwhile.

Long Aotian sat on a bus, backpack in tow, and sent Hu Yuying a photo from his phone.

Gazing out the window, a smile crept onto his face.

He was almost at the place where his girl lived. Though he’d mentally prepared himself, now that he was actually here, his nerves were impossible to suppress.

Taking a deep breath, his phone buzzed.

He looked down.

It was a message from Hu Yuying.

"Long-ge, are you coming to see me? Is it the 8:10 bus?"

"Yeah, I’m on my way." After sending that, there was no reply.

An hour passed like this.

When the bus arrived, Long Aotian stepped off, backpack slung over his shoulder.

Surveying the unfamiliar city and surroundings, he followed the signs toward the exit.

He wondered if he should call Hu Yuying—at least to get her address so he could head over.

But the moment he reached the station entrance—

"Long-ge, over here!"

A bright, excited voice rang out. Long Aotian grinned—who else could it be but his girl?

Looking up, he saw her pulling the key from an electric tricycle before jogging toward him.

Long Aotian strode forward, arms open, and pulled Hu Yuying into a tight hug.

The faint floral scent of her hair filled his senses, and he couldn’t help but breathe it in deeply.

"I’m here."

Hu Yuying leaned back, studying his face with amusement. "Didn’t sleep well?"

Her fingers lightly brushed the shadows under his eyes.

How could he have slept well? The thought of meeting her family had kept his mind racing all night.

"First time meeting the parents. Got a little excited."

"My grandparents are really easygoing, you’ll see."

She took his hand and led him to the parked tricycle by the roadside.

This electric tricycle was bought with the money Long Aotian and I saved from selling clothes and splitting the profits—meant for my grandparents.

A second-hand tricycle was cheap, and the battery could be traded in for a new one, making it convenient for my grandparents to use while farming at home.

"Long Aotian, sit here."

Hu Yuying patted the tricycle seat with a smile.

The seat of an electric tricycle is different from that of a gasoline-powered one.

An electric tricycle’s seat can fit two people at once.

Long Aotian sat down without hesitation and turned to look at Hu Yuying.

The moment their eyes met, they both couldn’t help but laugh.

"Long Aotian, stop looking at me first."

"Alright."

Suppressing his smile, Long Aotian turned his head away.

But seeing his silly expression, Hu Yuying still let out a soft chuckle.

"See, this time I’m not looking at you."

"But I’m happy anyway."

Hearing this, Long Aotian glanced at the petite girl beside him and gently took her hand. His heart inexplicably settled into calm. "Let’s make a stop in town first."

"We’ll pass through town on our way home."

Hu Yuying lightly twisted the throttle, and the tricycle started moving.

As the surrounding houses and high-rises grew fewer, the view gradually transformed into trees and snow-covered fields.

"Isn’t it beautiful?" Hu Yuying asked, smiling at Long Aotian.

"Yeah." After being used to the steel and concrete of the city, the sight before them was a soothing relief for the eyes.

Suddenly, a cold touch landed on his forehead.

Both Long Aotian and Hu Yuying instinctively looked up at the sky ahead.

Scattered snowflakes drifted down.

Their gazes met again without thinking.

"It’s snowing again. This year’s snowfall is heavier than usual."

"See? Even the snow is welcoming me. It’s a good sign—maybe your grandparents will take a liking to me at first sight."

"That confident, huh?"

"Stop, now you’re making me nervous again."

Obediently, Hu Yuying didn’t say more. Truthfully, she felt the same nervousness.

She simply tightened her grip on Long Aotian’s hand.

"I’ve made up my mind—it’s only you."

......