Before he knew it, it was already 11:30 PM, and the next day was fast approaching.
After exchanging goodnights, Luo Ye glanced through the chat history and was surprised to see that, in just one evening, he and his senior had exchanged hundreds of messages.
Looking at those messages, Luo Ye couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction.
Soon, he drifted off to sleep.
Originally, he had planned to post extra chapters for his novel during his seven-day break, since everyone was off and would likely relax with some reading.
But now, all his focus was on his fairy-like senior, so he didn't have the energy to think much about his novel. He decided to at least keep up with the basic daily updates.
For someone like Luo Ye, who had been single for 18 years and typed fast, writing 4,000 to 6,000 words a day was nothing.
The next morning, he woke up in the hotel's large bed, blinking in confusion as he began his morning routine.
Looking at himself in the mirror, Luo Ye couldn't help but ask himself:
"Where am I?
What am I supposed to be doing?"
Then it clicked: "Oh, I'm in Hangzhou because my senior lives here."
After freshening up, Luo Ye decided to visit some of the more famous tourist spots in Hangzhou.
The city wasn't very large, and there weren't many attractions, but it was an interesting place.
Many influencers roamed the streets, and in popular pedestrian areas, you could spot influencers holding phone stands and live streaming every few steps.
This city seemed to breed a lot of handsome men and beautiful women.
Luo Ye went out for breakfast and then sat down to write.
The plan was to write in the morning and go sightseeing in the afternoon.
But the first thing he did after waking up was send a good morning message to his fairy-like senior.
Su Baizhou replied with a picture.
It showed the window of a high-speed train, indicating she was already on her way home.
Luo Ye didn't plan to meet her at the train station.
Even though she was someone he liked, he felt it was inappropriate to wait for her at a train station, especially since she didn't even know he was in Hangzhou. Showing up there would likely make her uncomfortable.
If she needed him, he'd be there—that was enough for now.
So, the question was: what should he eat in this "food desert"?
Luo Ye began searching online for Hangzhou's food, eventually landing on something he'd never heard of—Dragon Well… Hot Pot?
Interesting. Very interesting.
Was there a cola hot pot? Or maybe a white wine hot pot?
Luo Ye finished writing his updates for the day by noon and headed straight for the hot pot restaurant that served Dragon Well tea.
Meanwhile, Su Baizhou had already arrived home.
Her home was about 15 kilometers from the city center, in a nice, though not extravagant, neighborhood.
Su Baizhou easily navigated to the front door, hesitating for a moment before inserting the key into the lock.
But then, she froze. The key didn't work.
Confused, she called her mom, but the phone didn't connect.
Had they changed the locks?
Just then, a neighbor across the hall heard the noise. An elderly woman opened her door and, seeing Su Baizhou, smiled kindly and said, "Ah, it's Zhuzhu! Are you back? Come sit with me!"
Grandma Liu, a kind woman who had watched Su Baizhou grow up, had always been close to her.
Su Baizhou followed her inside.
Although it was a holiday, Grandma Liu's children weren't home, and her four-year-old granddaughter was munching on snacks in another room.
Su Baizhou sat on the sofa as Grandma Liu poured her a cup of tea.
"Zhuzhu," she began gently, "Your parents' relationship has been getting worse. Last month, after you started school, your dad came home late after drinking. Your mom's health isn't good, and she didn't hear the door knock while she was sleeping… So, your dad kicked the door in. You know, we're all family—why does it have to be like this?"
Su Baizhou's expression turned worried. She couldn't help but ask, "Grandma Liu, where's my mom?"
Grandma Liu sighed, her eyes soft with pity as she looked at Su Baizhou.
She spoke quietly, "After your dad kicked the door, he woke up your mom. If I hadn't heard the noise and gone out to intervene, he would've hit her. The next day, your uncle took your mom away. It seems like they're heading for a divorce."
Su Baizhou didn't show much surprise at the news.
She thought her mom should've divorced that man a long time ago.
But her mom's health wasn't good, and if they divorced, she'd probably live alone from then on. That's why she'd hesitated.
Even if they did divorce, she wanted to wait until Su Baizhou had graduated, so she could care for her mom.
But now, it seemed like she couldn't hold on any longer.
Su Baizhou sat on the sofa, lost in thought.
Coming home meant facing all of this. And now, she couldn't even get into her own house.
Suddenly, she heard noise outside the door. Grandma Liu peered through the peephole and saw a drunken man sitting on the doorstep, knocking on the door.
"It's your dad," she muttered.
He had become a heavy drinker, and since Su Baizhou's mom wasn't home, he often forgot his keys.
"Slut, open the door!"
Su Changqing shouted, pounding the door with his fists and feet.
Hearing him insult her mother, Su Baizhou stood up from the sofa, walked briskly to the door, and grabbed his arm.
With a swift motion, she slapped him across the face.
"Watch your mouth," she said coldly, glaring at him.
Su Changqing held his face, sobering up a little.
He looked at the girl before him, his face contorting with anger.
"You're a bastard, just like your mom—a slut."
Behind him, Grandma Liu yelled angrily, "How can you speak to your daughter like that?"
"I'll raise her how I see fit. You have no say in it!"
With that, Su Changqing swung his arm and slapped Su Baizhou across the face.
The sharp sound of the slap echoed, and a clear mark appeared on her flawless face.
Su Baizhou's eyes dimmed as the last shred of hope for her father faded.
When had this man become like this?
Was it because her mother was beautiful?
Because her mom's suitors were all better than him?
Because he had achieved nothing in life, while her mom could live a life of luxury with just a little bit of dignity?
But her mom had never abandoned her dignity…
Now, with his own handprint on his daughter's face, Su Changqing finally sobered up completely.
Looking at his hand, he showed a moment of regret.
"Zhuzhu, I…"
"Enough."
Su Baizhou's voice was cold and detached.
She gave a silent thank-you to Grandma Liu before turning and walking out of the apartment without saying another word.
She didn't want to speak to this failure of a father.
After leaving the neighborhood, Su Baizhou sat down on the steps at the entrance.
Looking at the place she had grown up, she now felt nothing but a sense of alienation.
For some reason, she felt an overwhelming urge to… not just a little, but desperately… want to go back to school.
She wanted to see someone there…