Lin Zhihua ignored the fat man. He picked up the men's watch from the couple's set, put it on his wrist, and rubbed it thoughtfully.
After a moment, he took it off, handed it back, and turned to Chen Yan. "Has it been fixed?"
"Yes, it's fixed." Chen Yan respectfully handed over a half-used ladies' wristwatch.
Lin Zhihua pocketed it and walked out briskly. "Chen Yan, pay him."
Once everyone had left, the fat man sat down in a daze, staring at the check in his hand, his face full of confusion.
What just happened?
Had he really just sold the treasure of his store in one go?
He thought back to his uneventful morning. Three men had walked in, bringing a half-worn ladies' watch. They'd asked if he had sold it and if it could be repaired.
The watch was indeed something from his store, so he fixed it for them. He had even sighed to himself at the time, marveling at the man's power yet thriftiness. Imagine someone with such stature wanting to repair an old, broken watch instead of buying a new one.
When he had gone to get a part to repair the watch, the man in his thirties had entered the room, pressed him into silence, and held him there. For a moment, he thought he was being robbed!
And then… he heard the voices from outside.
Later, he found out that his shop's most prized treasure had been sold for a mere 1,000 yuan.
He had been so angry that, as soon as the man let him go, he rushed out to confront them—only to find out that the set was completely sold.
The fat man scratched his head in bewilderment, then looked at the check in his hand and kissed it.
"Well, whatever hobby that guy has, I made a fortune today! Ha ha ha!"
The car drove smoothly toward Lin Zhihua's residence. In the front, the new assistant Tan Qi sneaked glances at Lin Zhihua through the rearview mirror. Today had truly shocked him.
He was incredibly curious but didn't dare to ask or speak.
Lin Zhihua remained silent the entire ride. When the car finally pulled into the driveway of his home, he said curtly, "Go back."
Then, without another glance, he strode into the house.
Tan Qi let out a long breath, patting his chest. His boss's aura was terrifying.
Turning to Secretary Chen Yan, Tan Qi tried to strike up a conversation. "Secretary Chen, don't you think today was…?"
"I don't know," Chen Yan interrupted flatly.
"Aren't you even curious?"
"I'm not curious."
"…."
Tan Qi stared at Chen Yan in disbelief. No wonder this man had been by Lin Zhihua's side for so many years and gained his full trust—he was practically a machine.
Chen Yan finally glanced at him and said, "Do you know why the last assistant left?"
"Uh… why?"
"Too talkative."
Tan Qi froze.
Chen Yan got into his car without another word, leaving Tan Qi shivering and hurrying to follow.
As soon as Lin Zhihua entered the house, he knew there were people inside. His brow furrowed slightly. Sure enough, his parents emerged from the kitchen.
Loosening his tie, Lin Zhihua asked coldly, "Why are you here?"
"What? We can't visit?" Lin Father's expression immediately soured.
Lin Zhihua didn't respond. He poured himself a glass of water and took a sip.
Lin Mother nudged Lin Father and tried to smooth things over with a smile. "We just… we were worried about you. Your hand hasn't fully healed, and you've already returned to work…"
Lin Zhihua sat down, tilting his head slightly to glance at them. "You left such a mess for me to clean up. Do you expect me not to work?"
"How can you talk like that, you brat!" Lin Father barked.
Lin Mother quickly held Lin Father back, but then her gaze fell on Lin Zhihua's wrist, and she froze. "You're wearing a watch?"
Her surprise was justified. She knew her son well. If she weren't his mother, she might even describe him as "abnormal."
Lin Zhihua hated wearing watches. Ever since junior high school, he had trained himself to follow time strictly. He could estimate the time with near-perfect accuracy, making a watch unnecessary.
Now, seeing one on his wrist was a first.
Lin Zhihua merely nodded, offering no explanation.
"Well…" His calm demeanor left Lin Father and Mother momentarily speechless.
"What are you here for today?" Lin Zhihua asked, breaking the silence.
Lin Mother hesitated before sitting down beside him. "We heard you've changed assistants…"
"And?"
"It's a… young, handsome man?" Lin Mother's voice became cautious.
Lin Zhihua frowned.
"So?"
Lin Mother's smile faltered, and she stammered, "As long as you're happy…"
Lin Father, on the other hand, puffed up his chest, ready to lecture his son. But when Lin Zhihua stood up and stared him down, Lin Father instinctively took two steps back, his momentum deflating.
"I don't like men," Lin Zhihua said flatly, then turned and walked into the bathroom, leaving his parents relieved.
Lin Father let out a chuckle. "Good. That's good! Why do you always overthink things?"
Lin Mother glared at him. "Me? Didn't you have the same reaction earlier?"
She sighed deeply, her expression turning sorrowful. "But our son doesn't contact women either. Is he really going to stay single forever?"
"Then let him have a child through other means!" Lin Father suggested.
Lin Mother rolled her eyes. "Do you think he'll agree to that? And let me remind you—if it weren't for you, our son wouldn't…"
Her voice trailed off as Lin Father's guilt became evident. He sighed, lowering his head slightly.
"Let's go. Our son doesn't like people hanging around his house."
"Who's the father here?"
Their voices faded as they left, while in the bathroom, Lin Zhihua ran his hands through his hair and stared at his reflection in the mirror.
For years, he thought he didn't like women—or men, for that matter. He had even told his father as much, dismissing any matchmaking attempts.
But recently, his beliefs had been shaken.
"Sir, don't be afraid. I'll save you!"
"Sir, we can make it further. Hold on…"
"Gu Xuejiao… Snow Bamboo…"
Her voice echoed in his mind, over and over.
Lin Zhihua had always disliked owing people. Was it because she had saved his life that he couldn't stop thinking about her voice and face?
Back at the Cheng house, Li Sitong was carrying a fruit tray when she spotted Xuejiao coming in. Her face immediately turned stern.
"What are you doing back at this time?" she asked sharply, assuming her daughter was skipping school.
Xuejiao sighed, exasperated. While changing her shoes, she explained, "Afternoon and evening are reserved for cleaning the dormitories. Day students can go home early. My brother will be back later."
"Oh…" Li Sitong blinked, caught off guard.
So… she wasn't skipping?
"Mom, I'm going upstairs to study."
"What?" Li Sitong was so shocked she thought she might have misheard. But before she could respond, Xuejiao was already heading upstairs with a pile of books.
Upstairs, Xuejiao tidied her room. She had thrown out the messy posters and cosmetics the previous day. Now, the room was neat and organized.
She filled her empty bookshelf with the study materials she had bought and hung a small blackboard on the wall opposite her bed. On it, she wrote:
646 days until the college entrance examination.
Clapping her hands in satisfaction, she turned to her desk by the window, where the soft glow of the sunset illuminated her workspace. She opened her books, ready to dive into mathematics and biology.
This time, she was determined to succeed.
Downstairs, Cheng Shuo and Cheng Mingze returned home.
"Where's Zizania?" Cheng Shuo asked.
"She went upstairs to study as soon as she got back," Li Sitong replied, still in disbelief.
Cheng Shuo laughed. "Looks like being angry with Mingjiao had a positive effect."
Cheng Mingze hesitated before saying, "Dad, Aunt Li, there's something you should know…"
He explained what had happened earlier. Li Sitong's face turned pale with anger, and Cheng Shuo quickly reassured her. "It's okay now. Jiaojiao wants to change, and it's not too late."
Li Sitong nodded firmly. "If she does well, I'll make sure to encourage her."
"Good," Cheng Shuo said. "Let's have dinner. Sitong, go call Jiaojiao."
When Li Sitong opened Xuejiao's door, she froze. The girl sat by the window, bathed in the fading sunlight, diligently studying.
For the first time, Li Sitong felt a glimmer of hope. "Jiaojiao, dinner is ready."
"Coming," Xuejiao replied, closing her books with a satisfied smile.
Late that night, as Li Sitong lay in bed, she whispered to Cheng Shuo, "You were right. Encouragement really does help. I'll make sure to keep supporting her."
"Yes," Cheng Shuo agreed. "She can do it."
And, for the first time, Li Sitong believed it too.