"Enough hiding. Come out."
The moment Mo Xie spoke, a faint sound came from behind him. His vision went dark, and he felt smooth, delicate hands cover his eyes. A cute, playful voice sounded beside his ear.
"Mo. Xie. My. Dear. Classmate. Guess. Who. I. Am~"
Mo Xie chuckled, turned, and wrapped his arms around the slender figure behind him. He buried his face in her hair and breathed in its fragrance.
"What are you doing here?"
Ding Yumian leaned into Mo Xie's warm embrace and tipped her head back with a grin.
"Little Yu told me as soon as you arrived. I wanted to surprise you."
"You little tease."
Mo Xie lowered his head and kissed Ding Yumian's forehead, then asked,
"And what was all that about calling me the boss?"
"Hehe. I think 'boss' sounds awful, but 'boss's wife' sounds lovely. Besides, the hotel only grew this big because of you. You should be the boss."
"All right. Whatever you say."
"Mm. Hurry and put your things away. I'll show you around. Shanghe Street has changed completely. They've turned it into an ancient town..."
Since returning to her hometown, Ding Yumian seemed to be in much better spirits. A smile was on her face every moment.
Hand in hand, they wandered through Shanghe Ancient Town. They walked among the crowds on sturdy stone paths, visited temples where incense had burned for generations, crossed old arched bridges, and passed through the Misty Rain Corridor, taking in the bustle of everyday life in the town.
After about an hour, they reached a plaza with a musical fountain and sat on a bench to rest. Drinking the milk tea they held and looking at everything before them, they suddenly felt as though a lifetime had passed.
"Who would've thought? This little