A strong arm supported Xu Nianhua, preventing her from falling to the ground.
Xu Nianhua instinctively grabbed that hand and, lifting her head, she saw a handsome face. His deep, pitch-black eyes were captivating, and the concern in them was like a surging wave about to drown her.
Her lips moved slightly, but as she began to speak, she realized she didn’t know what to say.
"I’m back," Pei Yicheng’s calm voice resonated in her ear.
Xu Nianhua once thought that those phrases in romance novels about ears getting pregnant were just too exaggerated, but experiencing it firsthand, she discovered it was true, not false!
The sound of Pei Yicheng’s voice was really pleasant to the ear, so pleasant that she wanted to hear it over and over again.
"It’s just in time for us to celebrate the New Year together," Xu Nianhua subconsciously responded to Pei Yicheng, not considering at all what kind of "return" he was referring to.
Given their current relationship, even if he returned, it would be to his grandfather’s place or to the Xu family’s home—it wouldn’t be right to say he was returning to her.
In her flurry and panic, Xu Nianhua didn’t pay attention to any of that.
"Little sister, are you all right?" Xu Nian’an heard the noise and turned his head just in time to see that Xu Nianhua had nearly tripped, luckily Pei Yicheng had arrived in time.
However, once Xu Nianhua was safe, Xu Nian’an realized the scene seemed somewhat idyllic.
Even though their backdrop was just the most ordinary countryside, why did the scene seem so delightful?
Knowing his little sister’s beauty very well, Xu Nian’an had to admit, aside from Pei Yicheng, he truly hadn’t found anyone else who could stand beside Xu Nianhua without being overshadowed.
Hearing her older brother’s voice, Xu Nianhua quickly stood up; she looked at the couplets that were nicely put up and hurriedly made an excuse to go inside.
"Yicheng, did you just arrive?" Xu Nian’an noticed his travel-worn appearance, seemingly having just rushed back by train.
Pei Yicheng answered, saying, "I heard from grandfather that I would spend New Year’s with your family, I hope I’m not imposing."
Xu Nian’an didn’t reply and instead sized up Pei Yicheng, feeling especially irked at the thought that this big bad wolf was about to take his little sister away.
"Regarding the shop space, I’ve found a good one for you." Pei Yicheng handed over a lease contract to Xu Nian’an.
Xu Nian’an was stunned for a moment, not knowing how to react.
He looked down at the lease contract; the shop’s location was right next to their university, an exceptionally good spot, and the rent... was less than he expected.
"How did you manage this?" A surprised Xu Nian’an asked after a while. Ever since he had this plan in mind, he had inquired about it, but this particular location—he hadn’t even considered it, not because he hadn’t thought about it, but because the owners simply wouldn’t lease it out to anyone.
Pei Yicheng lowered his head to clear his throat and did not mention that the shop was something his mother had left him. Since he had nothing to do with it, he hadn’t bothered about the shop until he knew Xu Nian’an was interested, at which point Pei Yicheng naturally took it back.
His grandfather’s family had been wealthy back in Ningbei, with all the ancestral property left to his mother and ultimately falling into his hands.
He still didn’t understand why his grandfather had insisted on settling down in a small place like Gaoliang County, staying there for decades.
Now, he was grateful his grandfather had lived there because otherwise, how would Xu Nianhua have burst into his life that fateful summer?