After breaking up with my boyfriend, I made a fortune and rose rapidly in my career.

Chen Ping stared at the line of text on his phone screen, his finger hovering over the screen, lost in thought.

In the living room, as the mother tidied the table, she sighed, "That's how people are. When you're successful, strangers all want to benefit from your success; but if you fall from grace..."

His mother's words made him realize some realities.

Not wanting his mother to overthink, Chen Ping calmly put his phone back in his pocket, his face regaining its composure. He stood up and said, "Mom, a colleague of mine is passing by and has an urgent document for me. I'll go downstairs to get it."

"Delivering documents so late?" the mother muttered, but didn't suspect anything. She simply reminded him, "Then hurry back, it's windy outside."

"understood."

Chen Ping responded, grabbed his coat from the sofa, and quickly went downstairs.

The streetlights in the old residential compound were dim, casting long shadows. A night breeze helped him wake up.

Right under the old locust tree downstairs, a figure stood quietly.

Xiao Yuhan was wearing a beige trench coat, simple jeans, and flat shoes. Her long hair was casually draped over her shoulders, and she wasn't wearing makeup. In the dim light, she lacked the usual dignified demeanor she displayed in public, looking like an ordinary girl who had just finished overtime and was very tired.

This is a stark contrast to her composed and capable demeanor at the meeting.

As Chen Ping approached, she looked up, a hint of unease in her eyes, and a smile played on her lips.

"Was I... too abrupt?" she asked softly, her voice lower than usual.

Chen Pingfang looked at the undisguised weariness in her eyes, shook his head, and said gently, "No. Come on up, it's cold outside."

There was no question of why, and no polite formalities.

These six words put Xiao Yuhan at ease. She gave a soft "hmm" and followed Chen Pingfang into the old apartment building.

"Squeak—"

The security door was pushed open again.

The mother, who was watching TV on the living room sofa, heard the noise and habitually turned around to look, only to be completely stunned.

Of course, she had seen Mayor Xiao on Yunzhou news. On TV, he always wore a business suit, his hair was impeccably styled, and his eyes were resolute. But this girl in front of her, wearing a trench coat and jeans, with no makeup, and looking several years younger than on TV, was someone she didn't dare to recognize at first glance.

Xiao Yuhan was clearly a little flustered, but she quickly composed herself, put on a polite smile, and took the initiative to greet her: "Hello, Auntie, I apologize for bothering you."

The word "Auntie" left Chen's mother somewhat at a loss.

"Hello...please come in quickly."

Chen Pingfang noticed the awkwardness between the two. Without making any introductions, he said directly to Xiao Yuhan, "Please sit down, I'll make you a bowl of noodles."

He said it so naturally, as if he were entertaining an old friend he had known for many years.

After saying that, he ignored the two women in the living room who were looking at each other and went straight into the small kitchen. He skillfully took out an apron from the cupboard, tied it on, turned on the stove, boiled water, and took out some scallions from the refrigerator to chop into scallion flowers.

Soon, the water in the pot began to boil, and a rich aroma of scallion oil wafted out of the kitchen.

The sounds of chopping vegetables and boiling water coming from the kitchen unconsciously relaxed Xiao Yuhan's tense body. She looked at Chen Ping's tall, busy figure in the kitchen, her gaze softening little by little.

Chen's mother also recovered from her initial restraint. She looked at her son who was busy in the kitchen, and then at the "big boss" sitting quietly in front of her without any airs. Suddenly she understood something and began to chat with Xiao Yuhan about everyday things.

A steaming bowl of scallion oil noodles was quickly served, topped with bright green scallions.

Chen Pingfang's parents were very tactful. They exchanged glances and then made an excuse, saying, "We're tired after a long day, we're going to sleep now," and quietly returned to their room, even closing the living room door behind them.

Only the two of them remained at the small dining table.

Their conversation drifted back to their university days many years ago, reminiscing about the noodle shop outside the south gate of the school where there was always a long queue. They even had a few laughs and arguments about whether to add more vinegar or more soy sauce to a bowl of noodles.

Xiao Yuhan ate very slowly, but finished everything, even drinking the last spoonful of noodle soup.

She put down her chopsticks, looked up at Chen Pingfang, her eyes slightly red, and said in a very soft voice, "This is the most reassuring meal I've had in months."

Her words carried a hint of a sob that she herself was unaware of.

At this moment, she was just an ordinary woman who, under immense pressure, had finally found someone with whom she could let down her guard and catch her breath.

Seeing her like this, Chen Pingfang also fell silent.

After finishing their noodles, Chen Ping saw Xiao Yuhan off downstairs.

The motion-activated lights in the hallway were broken, turning on and off intermittently. The two walked silently up the steps, one after the other, their footsteps standing out clearly in the quiet hallway.

I reached the corner on the second floor and was about to go downstairs.

With a "click," Aunt Zhang, the neighbor across the hall, pushed open her door and came out carrying a bag of trash.

The motion-activated light suddenly turned on, its stark white light instantly illuminating the hallway and the faces of the three people.

Aunt Zhang has sharp eyesight; she spotted Chen Pingfang immediately, along with the beautiful girl she'd never seen before standing next to him.

Her eyes lit up instantly, her face immediately lit up with enthusiasm, and her voice became louder.

"Oh, Pingfang, you're back!" She greeted him first, then her gaze fell on Xiao Yuhan, looking him up and down. She nodded with satisfaction and winked at Chen Pingfang, saying:

"Lie flat, is this your girlfriend? She's really pretty! When did you bring her home? You've been keeping her a secret for a while now!"

Upon hearing this question, Chen Ping's mind went blank for a moment. He was about to explain, "Aunt Zhang, you've misunderstood. This is my boss..."

Before he could even finish speaking, Xiao Yuhan beside him did something he hadn't expected.

She simply lowered her head slightly, a blush quickly spreading across her fair cheeks under the light. She gave Aunt Zhang, who was full of gossip, a somewhat shy yet polite smile.

She remained silent, neither confirming nor denying.

Chen Ping suddenly found himself unable to utter a single word of explanation. He turned his head and looked at the girl's flushed earlobes beside him, his heart pounding faster.

"Hehe, very good, very good." Aunt Zhang got the answer she wanted, smiled with satisfaction, picked up the trash bag, and hummed a little tune as she went downstairs.

In the hallway, the motion-activated light went out again with a "click".

All that remained were the blurry outlines of the two people and the clearly audible sound of their heartbeats.