Chapter One Hundred Eighteen: Childhood Memories (Part One)

A soft, tender voice drifted into Wen Yichen’s ears, causing his hand to pause instinctively. “What’s wrong?” Wen Yichen asked.

That brief hesitation had indeed startled Jiang Muwen more than she expected. At Wen Yichen’s question, her cheeks flushed involuntarily. She glanced back at the young man behind her and shook her head awkwardly. “Nothing. Just go ahead and dry it.”

It seemed Wen Yichen had been using the hairdryer for some time. The whooshing sound filled the air, and when it suddenly stopped, the world seemed to fall back into a profound silence—so quiet that Jiang Muwen felt momentarily unsettled.

“All done,” Wen Yichen said softly by her ear as he put away the hairdryer.

Once Wen Yichen had tidied up, the two of them stepped out of the room one after the other. Just as Jiang Muwen’s foot crossed the threshold, she bumped into Gu Nianxi, who was leisurely coming out of the next room.

Gu Nianxi’s yawn was cut short as she saw Jiang Muwen and Wen Yichen standing before her. The lingering drowsiness in her eyes quickly gave way to surprise. Didn’t Jiang Muwen say she was going to watch the sunrise? How was she coming out of Wen Yichen’s room?

“You two…” Gu Nianxi’s voice trailed off, the last syllable drawn out as her gaze flicked from Jiang Muwen to Wen Yichen. Girls were always prone to overthinking, and Gu Nianxi was no exception. Looking at her two friends, she couldn’t help but imagine an elaborate drama unfolding—an image that brought an inexplicable smile to her lips.

Seeing Gu Nianxi’s unusually amused expression, Jiang Muwen’s face heated up again. Just as she was about to explain, Wen Yichen stepped forward and greeted, “Good morning.”

“Morning,” Gu Nianxi replied, her attention now fixed on Wen Yichen. After a moment, she added, “Weren’t you supposed to watch the sunrise?”

Yes, weren’t they? Jiang Muwen forced a bitter smile. They hadn’t seen the sunrise at all—instead, she had ended up sleeping soundly in Wen Yichen’s bed until late. Feeling guilty, she murmured an uneasy “mhm.” Before she could figure out how to explain, Wen Yichen’s voice came again from behind her: “Why are you getting up so late?”

His calm tone made Gu Nianxi pause, and this time, it was her turn to blush. Jiang Muwen watched the girl before her, a smirk tugging at her lips. Within seconds, the air was thick with the scent of gossip.

Why was Gu Nianxi up so late? Because last night, Yin Lize had called her downstairs, saying he wanted to hang out with her.

But when Gu Nianxi went downstairs, she realized she had been tricked by Yin Lize.

The moment Yin Lize saw Gu Nianxi, he gave a harmless, puppy-like smile. “Boss, I’m hungry.”

Gu Nianxi stood there dumbfounded, as if she hadn’t quite come to her senses. Yin Lize looked like a little puppy desperate for attention, and she could almost see the tail wagging behind him.

Gu Nianxi was powerless against such a smile; her cheeks flushed involuntarily. Embarrassed, she shuffled toward the kitchen. “I’ll see if there’s anything to eat.”

“I knew you were the best,” Yin Lize said.

After Gu Nianxi turned to look for food, Yin Lize followed closely behind her wherever she went.

Finally, Gu Nianxi pulled a pack of instant noodles from the cupboard. “Looks like this is all we have. I’ll cook you some.”

“Great, great,” Yin Lize nodded eagerly.

“Wait a moment,” Gu Nianxi said, fetching a pot and rinsing it with water. She followed the familiar steps she used to make instant noodles for herself to prepare some for him.

She didn’t turn on the kitchen lights fully. Under the warm yellow glow, Yin Lize felt a sudden wave of warmth mixed with a strange sense of familiarity.

To Yin Lize, Gu Nianxi was like a hidden treasure. At first, he only noticed her delicate features, but the more time he spent with her, the more he realized how many brilliant qualities she possessed. Yet she was never ostentatious, seeming content to blend quietly into the crowd, unwilling to be noticed.

She was truly remarkable—so much so that Yin Lize was willing to calm his restless heart and quietly savor the beautiful feeling she created. It was a gentle, steady feeling, neither rushed nor slow, but one that pulled him deeper and deeper.

There she stood, cooking noodles, while Yin Lize lingered nearby, leaning on the counter with his elbow, propping his head in his hand, gazing at her with a dazed expression.

His intense gaze fixed steadily on Gu Nianxi, accompanied by a naïve and expectant smile that made her feel uncomfortable—no, not just uncomfortable, utterly unaccustomed. How could someone who appeared to be a rebellious school bully turn into such a simpleton in her presence?

Gu Nianxi glanced at Yin Lize instinctively. The dim light stirred memories from her childhood—the boy from those memories seemed to overlap with the Yin Lize before her.

Her heart abruptly tightened, and she quickly looked away. She had had few friends as a child, and that boy was practically her only playmate. But then he moved away, and she moved too. In an age when communication was limited, separation often meant farewell forever. Gradually, she forgot his name, and his image blurred with time. All she remembered was that during her childhood, there was a boy who played with her—innocent, adorable, and a little shy.

Lost in thought, Gu Nianxi was suddenly pulled back by Yin Lize’s voice. “Gu Nianxi.”

“Ah!” Her hand trembled as she snapped back to reality.

“The noodles are about to burn.”

Yin Lize’s reminder jolted her out of her reverie. She had been so absorbed in thought that she nearly let the noodles scorch. She quickly stirred the pot and apologized sheepishly.

Her apology made Yin Lize feel a little embarrassed. After all, he was the one who had called her down to cook, and now she was apologizing to him. Smiling, he said, “It’s okay. Burnt noodles taste good too.”

Hearing this, Gu Nianxi was momentarily stunned. Burnt noodles, how could they taste good?

“The boss’s noodles smell good even when they’re burnt.”