Reborn in 2006, I met Mr. Zhou from the past.

Soon, two steaming bowls of mutton rice noodles were served, and the owner even added a bowl of rich mutton soup for them.

"Thank you, Uncle Fan." Zhou Chenyu nodded slightly in thanks.

The owner, Uncle Fan, smiled gently: "Enjoy your meal."

Old Chen picked up the bowl and took two sips of soup, his face full of contentment. "Mmm, this is the taste."

"This shop has been open for more than ten years. I used to come here often when I was a child. After eating, I would pack a portion to take back to my grandma." Zhou Chenyu said as she skillfully added a spoonful of chili oil to the bowl.

"No wonder the boss specially sent the soup; it turns out he's an old acquaintance!" Old Chen took a few more sips, savoring the taste. "To have been in business for so long, the flavor must be truly authentic."

Watching Old Chen eat with relish, Zhou Chenyu couldn't help but shake his head helplessly. He knew the old man too well; he just loved authentic local food. Every time he came to Guizhou Province, Old Chen would always venture into those hidden alleyways to find delicious food, never complaining about the simple environment. Sometimes, Zhou Chenyu even wondered to himself if this habit of the old man was a lingering effect of the famine or his time being sent to the countryside in his early years.

Meanwhile, just after the first class at school ended, Su Fengnan belatedly realized that her stomach was growling with hunger. She had gotten up early that morning and hadn't had time to prepare food at home. She had planned to buy some on the way, but she was so preoccupied with thinking about Zhou Chenyu that she completely forgot about breakfast.

She pulled Ning Xiaojun along, giving an embarrassed smile, "Come with me to the convenience store."

Upon hearing her hoarse voice, Ning Xiaojun immediately sensed something was wrong: "You have a cold? Didn't you have breakfast?"

Seeing Su Fengnan nod, Ning Xiaojun pulled her out without saying a word.

School hadn't started yet, so there weren't many people in the convenience store. Su Fengnan originally wanted to buy a carton of milk with braised eggs, but her throat was inflamed, so she had to give up and only took a braised egg and two pieces of chocolate.

"Jun Jun, take whatever you want to eat, it's on me today," Su Fengnan said generously.

"I've already eaten, no need," Ning Xiaojun shook her head repeatedly.

Without saying a word, Su Fengnan grabbed a handful of snacks—spicy strips, spicy shredded potatoes, jelly, milk candy, bread, biscuits, milk, and chocolate—and paid for them all at once.

When they arrived at the classroom, she handed a large bag of snacks to Ning Xiaojun, kept a braised egg and two chocolates for herself, and then handed a box of cookies to her deskmate Ye Hua.

Luckily, she had some brown sugar ginger water in her schoolbag that morning, otherwise she would have almost choked on the braised egg she was eating.

Ning Xiaojun was also a straightforward person. Without any hesitation, she spread the snacks out on her desk and patted the students in front and behind her, saying, "Come on, pick whatever you want to eat, or it'll be gone!"

When someone was treating, everyone was unceremonious and each person took one or two items, laughing and joking, and soon the food was all gone.

Seeing that her deskmate hadn't moved, Ning Xiaojun assumed he was just being shy, so she took a piece of chocolate and placed it on his desk: "Hey, deskmate, take some too! Don't be shy. Everyone should have some, it's not like I bought it, it's my friend Su Fengnan's treat."

"No, thank you," my deskmate said softly.

Ning Xiaojun didn't care whether he wanted it or not, put down the chocolate and went to do other things.

All morning, except for forcing herself to stay awake during class, Su Fengnan looked listless and unapproachable. No one knew that a whirlwind of thoughts was churning within her. So many plans and things she had made, yet in this new beginning, there was no one to confide in, no one to rely on, and no one to help her.

Sadness surged up inexplicably like a tidal wave, but she suppressed her emotions. Others assumed she was just feeling unwell with a cold.

After much thought, she could only sigh softly to herself: relying on yourself is worse than relying on anyone else. Take it slow; haste makes waste. Since fate has given her a second chance at life, it can't be worse than her previous one.

At lunchtime, Ning Xiaojun linked arms with Su Fengnan, chatting idly. She said that some classmates had asked where she bought her clothes and wanted to go shopping with her, praising Su Fengnan for her good taste.

Su Fengnan felt there was no need to hide it from her good friend, so she told her the truth: "Junjun, these clothes are sold by our family. My parents have started a clothing business over there, and they also have an online store. You can find it by searching keywords on Taobao. They have a lot of different kinds of clothes, so you can let them browse online."

Upon hearing this, Ning Xiaojun's eyes widened in surprise: "Ah? Su Su, no wonder your style of dress has changed so much these past few days! Some people have been whispering that you might have hooked up with a rich guy during the summer vacation! I think those people are just jealous of you."

"Rumors stop with the wise; I can't be bothered with them," Su Fengnan said with a faint smile.

It was raining today, and with a sore throat, she specifically chose a white long-sleeved shirt with a Korean style, paired with black jeans. Her high ponytail made her look youthful and lively. If you ignored the lingering weariness in her eyes, she truly was a bright and cheerful young woman. The weather in Zijiang County is like this; even in summer, a rain shower brings a chilly feel, and the highest temperature never exceeds thirty degrees Celsius.

"It takes only a mouth to spread rumors, but it takes a lot of legwork to refute them. They're really meddling in things that don't concern them!" Ning Xiaojun said indignantly. "Don't let me hear it again, or I'll slap them twice!"

"Don't be impulsive. If your parents are called in, you won't be able to explain yourself even if you're in the right." Su Fengnan quickly stopped her. "Focus on your studies. Senior year is so crucial. You don't have time to waste with them."

"Okay, whatever you say." Ning Xiaojun pouted.

Su Fengnan then changed the subject, "By the way, how's your math tutor from summer school? Does he still take on students?"

"Don't even mention it, I don't like him." Ning Xiaojun sighed. "He always verbally belittles students. If it weren't for my mom keeping me in check, I would have stopped going a long time ago. He assigns so much homework, and if you don't finish it or make a mistake, he'll call you 'idiot' or 'what's the point of studying if you're so stupid,' it's so awful. One girl was even made to cry by his words, and she never went back after that."

"Aren't the parents concerned about this kind of punishment for students?" Su Fengnan frowned.

"But... most of his students have improved their grades," Ning Xiaojun said helplessly. "Parents won't blame the teacher; they'll just think their child is stupid."

"Oh, I see." Seeing that they were almost at the fork in the road, Su Fengnan casually invited, "Why don't you come to my house for lunch today?"

"No, if I don't go back, my brother won't have anything to eat."

"Isn't your mom home?"

"They have something to do and won't be back for lunch, so I have to cook for my brother."

"Alright, see you this afternoon."

The two waved goodbye. Passing a pharmacy, Su Fengnan bought some cold medicine before leisurely walking home.

When they arrived home, her older sister, Su Fengnan, had already prepared lunch. After the two sisters ate, Su Fengxia continued watching anime on the computer, while Su Fengnan felt weak all over. She took her medicine and went to her bedroom for a nap.

"Xiaoxia, remember to wake me up when it's time."

Su Fengxia glanced at the time in the lower right corner of the computer screen and softly replied, "Mm."

She slept very soundly and didn't wake up naturally until a full hour later, before Su Fengxia even had a chance to wake her.

After waking up, her mental state was indeed much better, and the grogginess she felt in the morning was completely gone. Su Fengnan thought to herself: People really can't be sick. Even a minor cold can make a person's spirit vulnerable, and they will subconsciously want to seek warmth.