The ancient return was exposed by his sister's live stream.

Cai Jingwen blushed and turned her head away. Li Li laughed even harder: "Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. Have you decided what to wear tomorrow?"

"not yet."

"Wear that white dress, you look best in a white dress."

Cai Jingwen didn't say anything, but the tips of her ears turned red.

Looking at her, Li Li felt both amused and heartbroken. This silly girl hadn't let go of that person since returning from the northern frontier.

Her phone wallpaper was his profile picture, her WeChat chat was pinned to the top, and she watched every one of his live streams, but never dared to leave a comment. From Shanghai to Shenzhen, a distance of 1,400 kilometers, she came without hesitation.

"Jingwen," Li Li's voice softened, "Do you think Master Chen... knows how you feel?"

Cai Jingwen was silent for a moment, then said, "You know, right?"

"Then he..."

"He probably won't date." Cai Jingwen interrupted her, her voice calm. "I know."

Li Li didn't know what to say.

Cai Jingwen stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the outline of Baotian City in the distance. The setting sun was bathing the three tall buildings in gold.

"I just want to be closer to him," she said softly. "That's enough."

Outside the window, dusk was settling in. The lights of Baotian City lit up one after another, like stars falling from the sky to earth.

Cai Jingwen stood in front of the wardrobe, holding the white dress in her hand.

Li Li leaned against the doorframe, watching her hesitate, and finally couldn't help but say, "Just wear this, it looks good. Don't overthink it."

Cai Jingwen bit her lip and changed into the white dress. The person in the mirror looked fresh and clean, with long hair draped over her shoulders, a white dress that reached her knees, and skin that was fair with a rosy glow—the effects of the Jade Pool were still there. She looked at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath.

"Let's go."

The two took a taxi to Baotian City. Cai Jingwen stood at the foot of Building B, looking up at the top floor, her heart pounding. Li Li whispered beside her, "Why are you so nervous? It's not like you've never seen anything like this before."

"Don't speak." Cai Jingwen took a deep breath and stepped into the elevator.

The elevator ascended, the numbers ticking up one by one, and her heart pounded with them. When it reached the top floor, the doors opened. Chen Siyao stood in the doorway, her eyes lighting up instantly when she saw her: "Sister Jingwen! You're here! Come in quickly!"

Cai Jingwen walked in. The living room was still the same, with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the city skyline, the setting sun bathing the entire room in gold. Yang Wanqing jumped up from the sofa, ran over and hugged her: "Sister Jingwen! Long time no see! You've become even more beautiful!"

"You too." Cai Jingwen smiled and patted her back.

Her gaze unconsciously drifted towards the kitchen.

Chen Hao was standing in front of the stove, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a spatula in his hand. He turned his head, glanced at her, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"You're here?"

Those two simple words made her heart skip a beat.

"Mm." She nodded. "Sorry to bother you."

"I won't disturb you." Chen Hao looked away and continued cooking. "Have a seat, it'll be ready soon."

Cai Jingwen sat down on the sofa, flanked by Chen Siyao and Yang Wanqing, who chattered on and off, asking her all sorts of questions. She answered with a smile, but her gaze kept drifting towards the kitchen.

Li Li sat beside her, watching her absent-minded appearance, and sighed inwardly.

Silly girl, you're already here, and you still don't dare to look at him more than a couple of times?

The meal was ready, and the five of them sat around the table. Chen Hao's cooking was as delicious as ever, and Yang Wanqing couldn't stop eating, while Chen Siyao was busy serving food to Cai Jingwen.

"Jingwen, eat more, you've lost weight."

Cai Jingwen smiled and thanked him, then lowered her head to eat. Chen Hao sat opposite her, eating quietly, occasionally glancing up at her before looking down again.

After dinner, the group huddled on the sofa chatting. Chen Siyao pulled Cai Jingwen to look at the moon, Yang Wanqing took pictures, and Li Li scrolled through her phone.

Cai Jingwen sat on the sofa, looking at the lively home, a strange feeling welling up inside her. It was warm and full of life. Chen Hao sat in the corner, quietly drinking tea, like an observer in this bustling world.

She looked at him and suddenly remembered those days in northern Xinjiang. It was the same back then; he cooked, they ate, he sat quietly, and they joked around beside him.

He seems to have never changed. And she seems to have never let go either.

It was late at night, and Cai Jingwen and Li Li said goodbye. Chen Siyao saw them to the elevator, took Cai Jingwen's hand, and said, "Jingwen, come visit often! Since you're in Shenzhen, come over anytime on weekends!"

Cai Jingwen smiled and nodded: "Okay."

The moment the elevator doors closed, she leaned against the elevator wall and let out a long breath.

Li Li, watching her from the side, couldn't help but laugh: "How was it? You met Master Chen, weren't you happy?"

Cai Jingwen didn't say anything, but the corners of her mouth were turned up.

Li Li sighed: "You."

"The car's here, let's go!" Cai Jingwen got into the car with a smile she didn't usually have.

The property management office of Baotiancheng is located on the first floor of Building B. It is not large, but it is very clean. He Zhongwei sat in the manager's office with a cup of cold tea in front of him. His fingers tapped lightly on the table, making a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound.

He switched jobs from another property management company three months ago. He was in his early forties, with his hair neatly combed and his suit always impeccably tailored. When he smiled, his eyes crinkled with wrinkles. He looked amiable, but there was always a hint of calculation in his eyes.

His phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, a smile playing on his lips, and answered, "Mr. Fan, hello."

On the other end of the phone, Fan Hai's voice was languid: "Manager He, how's the matter I asked you to handle?"

He Zhongwei smiled ingratiatingly: "It's being processed, it's being processed. Don't worry, President Fan, I'll talk to Song Xinxue and have her take charge of a few more high-end homeowners, including you. That way you'll have more opportunities to interact, and you might develop feelings for each other over time."

"She agreed?"

"This..." He Zhongwei paused, "Not yet. But she's just a housekeeper; can she refuse work assigned by the company? I'll talk to her a bit more, and it'll definitely be fine."

Fan Hai paused for two seconds, then his tone turned colder: "Manager He, let me remind you, I don't want her to be my housekeeper, I want her as a person. Do you understand what I mean?"

He Zhongwei quickly replied, "Understood, understood. Don't worry, Mr. Fan, I will definitely get it done for you."

After hanging up the phone, He Zhongwei leaned back in his chair, thought for a moment, and picked up the intercom: "Xiao Song, come here for a moment."

Less than three minutes later, Song Xinxue knocked on the door and came in. She was wearing a light gray property management uniform, her hair was tied in a low ponytail, and she looked neat and tidy. Her face was expressionless, but there was a cool and aloof temperament between her brows and eyes.

"Manager He, you wanted to see me?"

He Zhongwei pointed to the chair opposite him: "Sit."

Song Xinxue sat down and looked at him.

He Zhongwei cleared his throat and gave a kind smile: "Xiao Song, you've been in the housekeeping department for a few months now, and you've always done an excellent job. I've seen it all."

Song Xinxue didn't say anything, waiting for him to continue.

"Here's the thing, the company is currently considering training a group of key personnel to advance to the position of deputy manager. You are one of the candidates I have in mind."

He Zhongwei paused for a moment, then said, "But a deputy manager needs more comprehensive skills; you can't just be in charge of the two large apartments in Buildings A and B. I'd like you to take charge of a few more high-end homeowners to give you some experience. For example, Mr. Fan on the 18th floor of Building D, and a few homeowners in Building C."

Song Xinxue frowned slightly, but quickly regained her composure: "Manager He, my personal VIP butler is currently responsible for the butler service of the large apartments in Buildings A and B, and the workload is already very heavy. If we add more owners, I'm afraid the service quality won't be able to keep up."

"Young people should be ambitious," He Zhongwei smiled. "Many people are eyeing the deputy manager position. I'm giving you this opportunity, so you should cherish it."

Song Xinxue was silent for a moment, then looked up at him calmly: "Manager He, I am not interested in the position of deputy manager."

She couldn't possibly avoid Fan Hai's undisguised possessiveness and greasy advances; how could she possibly take the initiative to approach him?

He Zhongwei's smile froze on his face.

"What did you say?"