"Beautiful lady, can I... can I add you on WeChat?"
Su Li hung up the phone and heard a hesitant male voice right in front of her, as she looked up.
It was one of the three boys at the door of the milk tea shop. The other two were sneakily glancing over.
"Of course... not..."
Su Li's words made the boy, who had gathered courage to come over and strike up a conversation, instantly blush like a cooked shrimp.
His emotions were like riding a roller coaster, fluctuating wildly before crashing down to the lowest point.
Su Li hooked her lips into a smile, "You guys are really too young..."
The boy, who had just been red-faced, was very unconvinced—being called young by a girl even younger than himself felt like an insult.
But Su Li didn't give him a chance to retort, "I'm leaving, you guys have fun."
Then she picked up her small bag and briskly walked past the boy, exiting from the other side.
"How did it go, did you get her WeChat?"
As soon as Su Li left, the other two boys closed in, talking all at once.
"No?"
"How could you be so useless..."
"A rare beauty, right in front of me, and I had to watch her slip away, how cruel..."
"It's all your fault, I knew it, I should have done it myself..."
"Right, right... so why didn't you do it yourself then... scaredy-cat..."
Su Li walked away, still hearing the faint arguing voices behind her, and she couldn't help but smile.
Youth is wonderful.
This was just a minor episode, and Su Li didn't take it to heart at all.
However, she hadn't walked far when she sensed something was off.
A black sports car was slowly trailing her at a snail's pace.
Su Li thought for a moment, turned around and walked back to the passenger side window of the sports car, gently tapping on the glass.
The window slowly rolled down, revealing a carefree face in front of Su Li.
It was Mu Qian, Xi Muqian...
He knew both Su Li and Chen Jin, as they had attended the same middle and high school.
In fact, Chen Jin and Xi Muqian were even good friends for a while but for some unknown reason, they had a fallout during the summer after their college entrance examination.
Su Li and Chen Jin went to college while Xi Muqian went abroad, and they had lost contact for over a decade.
"Beautiful lady, may I add your WeChat?"
Su Li slowly raised a smile, "It would be my pleasure..."
From Xi Muqian's words, it was clear that he had seen the whole scene of Su Li being surrounded by the young boys, but it was unclear from which corner he had been watching.
"You're still as popular as ever..."
Xi Muqian rested his hands on the steering wheel, a mischievous smile on his face.
"Was I popular before?" Su Li asked, puzzled.
She didn't recall that perception from her past.
Throughout her life, the closest males besides Chen Jin were only Xi Muqian.
Xi Muqian laughed without responding, then changed the subject: "How have you been lately?"
"Not bad, and you?"
"When did you come back from abroad, I didn't hear anything about it?"
Xi Muqian's mouth was bitter as he said softly, "You only have Chen Jin in your heart and eyes, how could you notice anyone else..."
"What did you say?"
Xi Muqian's voice was really low, and Su Li didn't catch what he had just said.
"Nothing...."
"I've been back for a while now." After a moment, Xi Muqian smiled casually, "Where to? I'll take you there...."
"To NYC Early Childhood Education Center.... I'm going to pick up my daughter...."
"Mm..."
Then, the car was completely silent.
Su Li looked to her left, the friend she hadn't seen for a long time next to her seemed unchanged by the passing years, still looking as he did when he was younger.
But there seemed to be a change, which was that his features had become more mature and steady, and even more charming.
Xi Muqian had the type of handsome face with a mischievous charm, with upturned almond eyes that could dazzle anyone in moments.
Compared to Chen Jin, Xi Muqian was probably more popular with women.
During their school days, Su Li had witnessed scenes of him being adored and idolized by many girls; unfortunately, she had never seen him getting close to any of them.
Xi Muqian, familiar with the place, drove close to the early education center, "I'll come with you...."
Su Li was about to say that wasn't necessary, but before she could speak up, Xi Muqian sped ahead, "Wait, you might need to pick up your son soon, right...."
"It should be almost time for kindergarten to finish...."
After thinking for a moment, Su Li agreed.
She didn't realize why Xi Muqian, who had suddenly appeared, seemed to know so much about her life.
-------------------
In the special parent reception room, Yaya had already been led by a teacher and was waiting on the side.
"Yaya, look quick, who's here..." the teacher whispered as she pointed towards Su Li, "Today, Daddy and Mommy have both come to pick up our Little Treasure Yaya...."
The teachers at the early education center had never seen Yaya's Daddy, Chen Jin.
Every time it was Su Li who completed the pick-up and drop-off tasks.
This time, accompanied by Xi Muqian, the teachers misunderstood.
Approaching were Yaya's mom and dad, a perfect match indeed.
The woman beautiful, the man handsome... no wonder little Yaya was also so cute and pretty, just like a delicate doll.
Xi Muqian also heard the teacher's comments, felt surprised for a moment, and unfamiliar emotions surged through him.
Following these words, his gaze shifted to a little bean-sized figure not far away.
On a closer look, Su Li's daughter looked exactly like her, as if carved from the same mold.
Mouth, eyes, nose... all looked alike...
Just by viewing, Xi Muqian felt his heart gradually soften.
"Mommy...." Yaya rushed excitedly toward Su Li.
But before she could even touch the hem of Su Li's clothes, she was scooped up by a pair of large hands.
"Are you Yaya?"
"Yes.... who are you?"
"I... I'm your mommy's good friend...."
Su Li raised an eyebrow, quite surprised that the seemingly hard-to-approach Xi Muqian could be so patient and close with Yaya.
"Ms. Yaya's mother, is this man.... not your husband?"
Hearing the whole conversation, the teacher felt embarrassed and quickly apologized to Su Li.
"He's my friend...."
Nearby, a group of female teachers, all ears and closely observing the scene, Su Li could see the sudden sparkle in their eyes; however, their professional demeanor only allowed them to suppress their eagerness.
Su Li watched amusedly as Xi Muqian and Yaya, who had started causing a commotion together within moments.
Human desires also....
It turned out women, like men, value a beautiful exterior just as much.