On the street behind Apricot Blossom High School.
It was summer break, so the street was bustling with people coming and going, from students who lived nearby to young couples.
The food stalls and little boutiques lining the alley sent Xie Mi drifting hazily back through her memories.
Only then did she realize she had been here before.
She had come with Shen Yeqing while filming the show.
In the future, this street would change a great deal, but plenty of places would stay the same.
It would still be just as lively, just as full of everyday warmth.
Shen Yeqing's gaze settled on the display window of a shop beside them.
It was a DIY craft shop, with couples inside painting plaster figurines together.
A boy would sneak a dab of paint onto a girl's nose, and she would laugh and swat his shoulder. Then the two would dissolve into affectionate laughter, happy and sweet.
"What, you want to try that?" Xie Mi leaned over.
As though his hidden thoughts had suddenly been exposed, the boy immediately straightened his back and stared dead ahead, his expression painfully awkward.
"N-no... Sister Liu, let's look up ahead!"
With that, he lowered his head and hurried past the craft shop as if fleeing, not daring to spare another glance at the scene in its window.
But today, this street seemed determined to work against him.
Everywhere he went, there were couples strolling hand in hand.
They browsed little variety shops, picking out cute accessories for each other.
They took photo-booth pictures together at photography studios, too, each tucking the photos into their wallets like treasures.
Every time, Shen Yeqing would stop without thinking. As he watched, he would inexplicably begin to imagine two different faces in the couple's place.
Once he caught