Dawn City, Bai Estate.
The setting sun painted the estate's red brick walls a warm gold, and even the vine-covered flower trellises were wrapped in a gentle glow.
The girl crouched beside a flower bed, bits of green grass clinging to her off-white cotton dress. Holding a pair of small shears, she hummed an unfamiliar tune as she trimmed the flower bed.
Her movements were very gentle, as though afraid of hurting the flower buds that had just sprouted beside her.
Strands of hair hanging by her cheeks fluttered in the evening breeze. The sunset fell into her light brown eyes, making them glimmer softly.
Suddenly, she noticed a fallen rose at the base of the flower bed.
She gently picked it up with her fingertips, pursed her cherry-pink lips, and blew the dust from its petals before softly smoothing the tiny thorns along its stem.
She sniffed its fragrance, and the refreshing scent made her eyes curve into crescents.
Then she tucked the rose into her hair behind her ear.
"Showing off again?"
Bai Ye's amused voice sounded behind her.
An Xiaotong's eyes seemed to light up. She suddenly turned around and saw the figure standing beneath the setting sun.
A delighted smile rose to her lips, but before it could last two seconds, she quickly pressed them together and put on an indifferent look. "Who's showing off? This flower happened to fall. It'd be such a waste to bury it in the dirt."
Though her words were stubborn, her fingers secretly smoothed the petals even more carefully.
"But you, why did you come back so quickly?"
Seeing the girl's radiant expression, Bai Ye smiled. There was a trace of emotion in his voice. "It was quick for you, but for me... it was a long time."
He had