Qiu Yingying is reborn and bound to a learning system.

Because she was so engrossed in looking at her phone, she didn't notice someone approaching. Suddenly, her shoulder bumped into a firm chest, the force causing her to stagger back two steps. The shopping bag in her hand almost slipped from her grasp, and the strawberry cake wobbled. Qiu Yingying gasped, about to fall, when a warm, strong hand suddenly wrapped around her waist, steadily supporting her.

"Be careful." A deep male voice sounded above him, with a hint of hoarseness.

Qiu Yingying steadied herself, quickly stood up straight, her cheeks slightly flushed, and looked up to apologize, "I'm so sorry! I was looking at my phone and wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Did I bump into you?"

When she saw the other person's face clearly, she was stunned for a moment—it was Meng Yanchen.

He was dressed in a well-tailored dark casual suit, lacking the imposing feel of a formal suit, yet still exuding a distant air. Under the lamplight, the glasses on his nose reflected a faint light, and through the lenses, Qiu Yingying vaguely sensed that his eyes were red, as if he hadn't rested well, or perhaps he had been crying?

Those shoulders and backs, which were usually straight, were now slightly slumped, revealing an indescribable weariness.

"I wasn't paying attention." Meng Yanchen released his hand, his tone flat, but the sensation of his fingertips still lingered from touching her waistline. It was very light, but it made his tense nerves relax slightly.

He was walking aimlessly, his heart filled with a surging sense of frustration. He had just come from a bar and didn't want to go home or see anyone, but he never expected to run into her.

"Mr. Meng? What a coincidence." Qiu Yingying greeted him with a smile, tightening her grip on the cake box in her hand.

My gaze fell on the bloodshot eyes. Sigh, being a boss isn't easy. He's still not home this late. Work must be so tiring!

Her tone softened unconsciously. "I'm about to go home. Are you around here too? You look quite tired. Are you too busy with work?"

Meng Yanchen nodded, his gaze falling on the strawberry cake in her hand. The bright red color was particularly eye-catching in the night, yet it inexplicably made people feel warm.

He remained silent for a few seconds, then his inner vulnerability suddenly broke through his defenses, and he blurted out, almost as if possessed, "Could I... take up a little of your time?"

Qiu Yingying was taken aback. He looked exhausted, and his eyes held a desolation she had never seen before, like grass and trees battered by frost, devoid of their usual composure. Something must have happened to him. Everyone faces difficulties; we should help each other if we can.

She hesitated for a moment, thinking that she had nothing to do back home anyway, and maybe he would be the client next time. For Xiangxiang's little bit of money, she immediately nodded: "Sure. If you want to talk, I'd love to listen."

Meng Yanchen opened his mouth, but didn't speak immediately. He just subconsciously looked around, as if searching for a place where he could catch his breath.

Seeing this, Qiu Yingying thoughtfully suggested, "There's a small park nearby that's not crowded and the streetlights are on. Why don't we go sit there for a while? It'll be easier for us to chat, and you can rest your feet."

Meng Yanchen paused for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."

The two walked side by side toward the park, barely exchanging a word. Qiu Yingying could sense the oppressive atmosphere around him; he walked very slowly, each step seeming as if he were carrying a heavy burden, his shadow stretching long under the streetlights, a lonely sight that tugged at the heartstrings.

She was increasingly puzzled. Usually, President Meng always seemed so confident and capable, so why was he so dejected today? He must have encountered something particularly difficult. Anyone would feel bad if they encountered something upsetting.

The park wasn't crowded at night, and the lighting was dim yet soft, with only a few streetlights illuminating the outlines of the trees. The two found a bench and sat down. Qiu Yingying placed the shopping bags at her feet and the cake box on her lap, her hands gently resting on her knees. She didn't urge him, but simply stayed quietly by his side, waiting for him to speak.

She could feel the oppressive aura emanating from Meng Yanchen, a kind of sadness that could freeze the air, making her feel a little heartbroken as well.

Meng Yanchen remained silent for a long time, so long that even the chirping of insects became clear, and Qiu Yingying began to worry that he was holding it in too much. Just as she was about to say, "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it," he finally spoke slowly, with a slight tremor of suppressed emotion.

"I have a younger sister named Xu Qin."

As the background music started playing, oh~ she's just my sister~

Qiu Yingying said "Oh," and quickly sat up straight, gesturing for him to continue.

Meng Yanchen's gaze fell on the dark surface of the lake in the distance, as if he were looking through the night at something unseen. "She left today. She left with a man."

Qiu Yingying's heart skipped a beat: Wow, did they elope? So suddenly? It must be very hurtful. She didn't dare to interrupt, but quietly moved closer to him, wanting to let him know in this silent way that she was listening.

"They've known each other since high school. That boy named Song Yan... was the most conspicuous one in school. He didn't like studying, always causing trouble, smoking, drinking, and fighting. He seemed pretty rebellious."

Meng Yanchen's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible repulsion, as if recalling those scenes made him uncomfortable. "I don't understand her. Why would she choose someone like that?"

Upon hearing the phrase "rebellious," Qiu Yingying sighed inwardly: So it's a relationship her family disapproves of; these kinds of things are the most agonizing. A sudden, mischievous urge to gossip struck her—was this a story of a rich heiress falling for a rebellious "blonde-haired" guy?

My eyes widened instantly, and my inner吐槽 (tu cao, a Chinese internet slang term for sarcastic or critical commentary) spirit ignited fiercely:

"Yellow Hair"?! A rich heiress falls for a "yellow hair" hoodlum?

This plot is so melodramatic! It's exactly like in the TV series!

The Meng family is so rich, and Xu Qin is beautiful and a doctor who graduated from a prestigious university. Why would she fall for someone like that?

Are you attracted to his rebellious nature? His tendency to cause trouble? His inability to offer a future?

The more she thought about it, the more outrageous it seemed. Her mind automatically conjured up a dramatic love story between a rich heiress and a rebellious blond-haired guy, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes inwardly.

Is this really the world of the rich? Do they have such a unique way of dating?

Many people still can't get enough to eat and work diligently every day, only to be exploited by their bosses. Some people, who could live a comfortable life as pampered young ladies, insist on hanging out with some blond-haired guy, thinking they are pursuing freedom.

I'm just too full! I'm just bored.

Waaaaah! I want a luxury car and a big apartment without having to work hard! Look at me! Look at me!!!

"Back then, my family strongly opposed it. My mother talked to Song Yan and tried to persuade Xu Qin, but she wouldn't listen at all." Meng Yanchen's voice pulled him back to reality. He continued, "Later, my family firmly opposed it, and the two lost contact. I thought that was the end of it, but I never expected that after so many years, they would get back together."

"She felt that our family treated her badly, that we raised her only for a marriage alliance, that we used her as a tool." Meng Yanchen's voice was soft, but it carried an extreme, suppressed pain, as if a stone was pressing on his chest. "She smeared family affection as scheming, it's ridiculous."

He spoke of the argument in the living room, of the shattered family photo, and of the almost insane resolve in Xu Qin's eyes. His voice was steady, as if he were telling someone else's story, but Qiu Yingying could hear the tremor hidden within, and a hint of barely perceptible grievance.

"We never forced her to do anything." His Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice was so low it was almost a whisper. "Her parents died early, and we brought her back just to give her a home. She wanted to be a doctor, and we supported her; she didn't want to learn piano, and we didn't force her; she wanted to work in the emergency room, and we paved the way for her, but she felt that all of these things were constraints."

Meng Yanchen gave a bitter smile, a smile tinged with deep helplessness, as if something she had tried her best to protect had ultimately been discarded like trash. "Her family was just worried that she would be wronged, that she would be deceived. But in her eyes, all of this became calculation. In business, right and wrong are determined by profit, but the entanglements with her family are a tangled mess that she can't untangle, and she feels helpless."

He paused for a moment, as if gathering his strength or enduring some kind of pain: "Actually, I also feel that this home is very oppressive."

Qiu Yingying was stunned, never expecting to hear those words from him. Looking at the tears welling in his eyes, she sighed; there was nothing she could do but listen.

Meng Yanchen's voice lowered, as if he were talking to himself: "The atmosphere at home is always tense. Everyone is playing their role, everyone has to be presentable, everyone has to be perfect. You can't make mistakes, you can't lose control, you can't have emotions. It's like if you deviate from the right path even a little, you'll be criticized and corrected. I feel very depressed."

Qiu Yingying gradually came to understand. She finally understood why he was in so much pain: the oppressive family environment, the high standards he was expected to meet, the lack of an outlet for his emotions, and his sister's affected emotional manipulation.

It's as if these things have locked him in a cage he can only see, where others can't see his pain.

She thought for a moment and said very seriously, "President Meng, you are actually very capable and outstanding. You have the best solutions for everything, including your family matters. You are looking for problems with the answers in mind."

She looked into his eyes, her tone incredibly sincere, "Actually, parents from ordinary families also have expectations for their children, they also nag, and they also say 'this is for your own good,' but sometimes their methods may be wrong, making people feel pressured."

Meng Yanchen turned to look at her, his eyes filled with a hint of doubt, as well as a sense of alienation as he was pulled back to reality by this form of address.

He paused for a second, then said softly, "You can call me by my name."

Qiu Yingying blinked and nodded vigorously: "Okay, Meng Yanchen." She paused and continued, "My parents always hope that I can be stable and not work too hard. Sometimes they make decisions for me, which annoys me and makes me feel like they don't understand me."

She smiled, her tone gentle yet firm, "But I know they truly love me, they just don't know how to express it, and they're afraid I'll go astray. I think your parents feel the same way about you, afraid you'll go astray, so they try their best to nurture you and give you the ability to choose your own path in life."

Meng Yanchen was stunned.

Qiu Yingying's words were like a gentle light shining into his chaotic thoughts.

Yes... Parents from ordinary families also have expectations for their children, plan for their children's future, and say "it's for your own good." But their starting point is never calculation, but love.

What about the Meng family?

Meng Yanchen suddenly realized that he had always thought the problem with the Meng family was that they were "too strict" and "too respectable," but perhaps... the problem was not the demands themselves, but that they had never properly expressed their love.

They concealed their concern in their arrangements, their worries in their accusations, and their love in their silence.

Seeing his thoughtful expression, Qiu Yingying felt even more sorry for him. She took a small piece of strawberry cake from the cake box and handed it to him, her tone gently comforting: "Here, have something sweet. When I'm in a bad mood, eating something sweet makes me feel much better and cheers me up. Don't think too much about it. You've already done very well. At least you have the freedom to choose your own life now."

Meng Yanchen was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously wanted to refuse.

"I don't eat much sweets," he said.

Qiu Yingying didn't pull her hand back, but just looked at him with bright, sparkling eyes, her gaze filled with sincere concern and a little expectation: "Just try a bite, this strawberry is especially sweet, and the cream isn't too sweet. Try it, maybe it'll make you feel better. Look at you, you must not have had a proper rest in a long time, and you haven't eaten anything decent either."

Looking into her clear and sincere eyes, which seemed to be filled with starlight, Meng Yanchen suddenly couldn't bring himself to refuse.

He hesitated for a moment, but still accepted the cake.

The aroma of strawberries and the sweetness of cream filled the air. He lowered his head and took a small bite.

The sweetness melts in your mouth, soft and delicate, bringing a pure sense of happiness.

Meng Yanchen was stunned.

He hadn't eaten anything so simple and warm in a long time.

The dishes on the Meng family's dining table are always exquisite but bland, emphasizing nutrition, health, and presentation, but rarely this kind of sweetness with a touch of everyday life.

This sweetness is not just a taste, but more like an emotional comfort, flowing quietly into the heart along with the taste buds.

He felt as if the ice in his heart had quietly melted a little.

"Is it delicious?" Qiu Yingying looked at him, her eyes shining like stars, her tone full of joy. "I knew it! Sweet things are the most comforting. No matter what's bothering me, eating something sweet seems to help me get through it."

Meng Yanchen nodded, a faint smile finally appearing at the corner of his mouth, like the first melting of snow, subtle yet undeniably real: "Delicious."

This was the first time he had smiled tonight.

Butler: The eternally icy young master has finally smiled!

The two sat for a while longer, and Qiu Yingying began to ramble on about her life: talking about the sisters on the 22nd floor, how Sister Fan took care of everyone, how hard Guan Guan worked, and how quirky Qu Xiaoxiao was; talking about her parents coming to Shanghai, treating her like a child, buying her delicious food, and nagging her to take care of her health; talking about what dishes she would cook for everyone tomorrow, all of which were her sisters' favorites.

She spoke with great enthusiasm, her tone brimming with passion for life; even the mundane details of daily life became vivid and interesting in her words.

Meng Yanchen didn't say much, just listened, nodding occasionally. As he listened, the oppressive feeling in his heart seemed to slowly dissipate a little.

It turns out, life can be this simple.

So this is what happiness can be like. He already has enough; instead of worrying about those who don't care about him, he should give his employees more money.

It turns out that it's such a heartwarming thing to have someone willing to share their life so openly.

As night deepened, Qiu Yingying checked the time and stood up. "Meng Yanchen, I should go back. I need to get up early tomorrow to prepare meals." She looked at him, her eyes still filled with concern. "Don't stay here too long either. It's windy at night. Go home and rest early. Being happy is the most important thing. You should also take good care of yourself."

Meng Yanchen also stood up, nodded, and the weariness in his eyes faded considerably, replaced by a touch of warmth: "Thank you for listening to me for so long. The cake was delicious, and what you said has helped me understand some things."

"You're welcome!" Qiu Yingying smiled, picked up the shopping bag and cake box, and said, "I'll be going now! Bye-bye!"

Watching her light and quick figure disappear into the night, Meng Yanchen stood there, the sweetness of the cake still lingering in his hands, and for the first time, a feeling he couldn't quite describe arose in his heart.

Relaxing, yet warm.

It was like finally encountering a spark in the long night, like a small sun, dispelling some of the chill.

She was like a ray of light, not dazzling, but warm enough to illuminate the corners of him that no one had ever seen before.

He suddenly remembered the way she had looked at him earlier.

There was no sympathy, no pity, and certainly no condescending comfort in those eyes.

It was an equal, sincere, and warm understanding.