"No, I want both."
The girl said earnestly, "The call you made to me today feels like a dream."
"I'm truly, truly grateful to you."
"I hope you'll give me the chance to thank you in person."
"Ah~"
Since the girl had put it that way, the middle-aged man didn't stand on ceremony. He teased, "All right. When you come back to the country, Student Xiao and I will be waiting for you to come thank us."
"Mm."
There was unmistakable laughter in the girl's voice.
The middle-aged man put away his phone.
He looked up at the sky. The dark canopy overhead was like the finest velvet, faint silvery light spilling across it and revealing flecks of deep blue.
The flowers on the balcony were thriving, and a faint floral fragrance wafted through the air around them.
He couldn't help grinning.
"What are you grinning about?"
When his wife came out onto the balcony and saw the smile on the middle-aged man's face, she paused in surprise, then asked with amusement, "Is something funny?"
"Am I?"
The middle-aged man instinctively touched his face.
Then he realized that the corners of his mouth really were turned up.
"Who were you talking to? You've been standing out here on the balcony for ages."
"And you look so happy."
His wife asked curiously.
"Mm..."
The middle-aged man thought for a moment, then said with a smile, "Someone I was happy to help."
"What does that mean?"
His wife rolled her eyes at him.
"I'm serious."
The middle-aged man couldn't help looking up at the sky again. "The sky's beautiful tonight."
"Did something happen to you?"
His wife followed his gaze and looked at the sky, then turned back to him with a slightly bemused expression. "Why are you suddenly being