Memories

Xiaoyun's journey has always been mostly alone growing up. The only thing his parents left behind was a star-shaped necklace bearing his name.

His childhood wasn't uneventful or anything, but he was always quiet and laid back in his classes.

Everything was going smoothly until he began his first year of middle school.

The orphanage he went to suddenly went bankrupt, and he was only told that it was facing financial woes.

Right before him was an order from the staff for him to move to an orphanage in a completely different city.

Without second thoughts, he rejected their order and ran away, not wanting to leave the city of Guangzhou, which has been his home since he could remember.

Now homeless, with nowhere to turn to. He headed to the only place he knew, with all of his belongings inside his backpack.

---

That day, the sky was dark as the sun settled on the horizon, but still enough to cast a shadow before him.

Standing outside the school, not a single soul had walked by. Most of them had already headed back home to eat with their family.

The moon above had already risen in the sky as the cold autumn breeze over his face.

"The moon is so round today... Man, this backpack is so heavy."

After putting the backpack onto the floor to rest for a bit, he quickly picked it up back to continue forward.

However, before he could walk a single step, he was stopped by the only possible person who could be at the school at this hour.

"Where do you think you're going? It's already closing hour. Why aren't you going home?"

As Xiaoyun looked over to the sound, it was the school guard, the former war veteran that everyone calls Uncle.

"The city is my home, Uncle Li."

"Do I look stupid to you? Hurry up and stop making your parents worried."

Xiaoyun still didn't move. Instead, he sat down on the school stairs and looked up to the moon.

"I don't have anywhere to go," Xiaoyun replied softly.

Uncle Li looked a little confused by the answer until he noticed the stare towards the moon.

"Why are you looking at the moon?"

"Don't you think it is a round moon?"

Uncle Li froze for a second, then replied, "Yeah, it's a round moon because it's about to be the Mid-Autumn Festival soon."

"Mid-Autumn Festival... I haven't heard that word for so long."

Hearing Xiaoyun's answer, Uncle Li started to get a little frustrated. But seeing his face looking a little lost, his heart suddenly dropped.

"If you don't have a place to stay, you can stay at my place for the night."

---

Every day, as Uncle Li headed off from work, Xiaoyun would be at the staircase every time. But when he asked why, he always got the same response of having nowhere to stay.

When he decided to go to his teacher and ask why, he finally realized why Xiaoyun said he had nowhere to stay.

The invitation soon became permanent after Xiaoyun was seen sitting in front of the school the next day and the day after.

One day, Uncle Li showed up with an adoption paper stating that Xiaoyun was now a legally adopted kid.

The guardian was no one other than Uncle Li himself.

Having a father figure out of nowhere made Xiaoyun a little uncomfortable at first, from having someone to force him to do homework to waking him up early in the morning.

Still, he wasn't angry by it. Instead, he felt loved for the first time.

Soon, his first year of Middle school quickly flew by as summer break began.

During summer break, Uncle Li brought Xiaoyun back to his village, where the two spent endless time hitchhiking and experiencing the rural lifestyle.

In the villages, everyone started calling him Uncle Li's grandson, and soon, Uncle Li started calling Xiaoyun his grandson as well. Xiaoyun didn't mind it either, opting to change from calling him Uncle to Grandpa.

It was the best time Xiaoyun had ever had, but all good things must end as high school started.

---

Xiaoyun was now in high school, living in the dorm and working part-time in a restaurant.

Although Uncle Li could no longer see Xiaoyun daily, he still called Xiaoyun to check up on him.

He even financially supported him despite having no obligation to help, telling him to pay attention to class instead of working early.

Soon, Xiaoyun finally graduated from high school, and the result of his Examination for Admissions returned.

To everyone's surprise, Xiaoyun qualified for the prestigious university near his home city of Guangzhou.

Xiaoyun was ecstatic when he saw the result and threw a celebrated party the same night with his friends.

Everything was going perfectly for him, but it took an unexpected turn.

Just as he headed out with his high school classmate to celebrate for the night, he suddenly got a phone call.

"Hello, Teacher Liu?"

"Your grandpa is hospitalized."

---

When Xiaoyun arrived at the hospital, Uncle Li was lying on the hospital bed.

His gray hair and wrinkles define his face, and his once firm demeanor now casts a shadow of his former self.

"You're finally here."

Seeing Uncle Li put a kind smile on his wrinkled face made Xiaoyun feel more and more guilty until a tear fell from his face.

"Grandpa, why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Uncle Li didn't answer Xiaoyun's question but posed one of his own.

"Do you remember what I taught you about being a man?"

"To be a man, you must be upright, honest, and not cry easily."

Xiaoyun held in the urge to cry, but the tears still slowly leaked out from his eyes.

"Good. That's my... Ahem... My good grandson."

"Grandpa, wait for me. I'll call the doctor——"

"No need. I know my time is short. The doctor had already come earlier and told me it was terminal...

I just wanted to see your face one last time. You're the only worry I have left."

As Uncle Li tried to raise his hands, Xiaoyun quickly moved his head down, helping his hand to touch his face.

"Remember, you can ask Teacher Liu to help if you face difficulties. Now go to Teacher Liu's house, okay?"

"I——"

"Go now...Ahem, ahem..."

As Uncle Li lets go of Xiaoyun's face, the eye signal eventually makes Xiaoyun head out of the room.

"Goodbye Grandpa."

---

Walking through the quiet, empty streets, Xiaoyun's mind was filled with sadness as he thought back to all the things he had done with his Grandpa.

The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the pavement as he walked toward Teacher Liu's house.

After wiping the tears off his face, Xiaoyun knocked on the door and waited.

But when the door swung open, it wasn't his teacher. Instead, it revealed a cute little girl in a long pink shirt with reddish hair and blue eyes.

"Is Teacher Liu home?" Xiaoyun inquired.

"Dad! Someone is looking for you!"

The little girl promptly closed the door and darted back inside, leaving Xiaoyun to wait outside.

After a brief wait, a middle-aged man opened the door and stepped out.

He held a cooking spatula in one hand and regarded Xiaoyun with a curious expression.

"Ah, Xiaoyun, you're finally here. Come in and sit down."

"Thank you, teacher Liu."

As Xiaoyun entered the house, he immediately noticed a wedding photo featuring Teacher Liu and a red-haired woman.

"You must have come from Old Li, right? And did he tell you everything?" Teacher Liu inquired.

"Yes, Grandpa told me to come over here," Xiaoyun replied, still with a sad tone in his voice as he sat down.

"Really? Did he mention the time when he was a playboy in the village and his wife's difficulty with childbirth?"

Xiaoyun looked at Teacher Liu in bewilderment as Teacher Liu retrieved a box from the cabinet.

"You've finally changed your expression. You should have checked the mirror earlier.

You looked so angry that you scared my daughter away. Don't bring your anger toward those who haven't done anything to you.

Did he tell you that men can't cry? That kind of stuff that no one should take at face value?"

Xiaoyun nodded.

"Ha! That's the dumbest take from him, as usual. You wouldn't believe how much he cried on the battlefield."

Xiaoyun was slightly offended by Teacher Liu's remark, but it was quickly dropped after hearing the next part.

"If you are sad, just cry it out. I did the same thing when all my friends died on the battlefield.

There's nothing to be ashamed of. Being able to move past it is what makes you strong."

After consoling Xiaoyun, Teacher Liu opened the box, unveiling a bank card and a piece of paper.

"Take this card. It's the deposit your Grandpa left. It has fifty thousand in it, and the password is his birthday.

He wants you not to worry about money when going to college... Also, spend the money carefully, and call me if you need more.

This paper is the real estate certificate for your Grandpa's house. Don't lose it."

As Teacher Liu forcefully hands the two items over, Xiaoyun eventually accepts them. But then he quickly handed the paper back.

 "You should keep this certificate, Teacher Liu. I trust you, and I'm afraid I might lose it in college."

Teacher Liu wanted to object, but observing Xiaoyun's serious expression, he relented.

"Okay, then. Besides that, why don't you stay and have a meal? I just cooked lunch..."

Suddenly, Teacher Liu stood up from the sofa.

"Shit! I forgot to turn off the stove!"

As Teacher Liu rushed back to the kitchen, Xiaoyun got up from the sofa as well.

"I'm good, Teacher Liu! I'm going home first!"

---

Time quickly flew by.

It had been two years since Grandpa passed away, and he was now in his sophomore year at the prestigious university.

Every day, it seemed to follow a monotonous routine - attending classes, working part-time, completing homework, and then going to sleep.

However, this all changed when, one day, his roommate Mingxu invited him to a BBQ celebration for his driver's license.

"Hey Xiaoyun, lighten up! Why the long face?" Mingxu asked, slapping Xiaoyun on the back.

"I'm fine, Brother Ming. Just a bit tired."

Seeing Xiaoyun not wanting to say it, Mingxu didn't pressure him any further.

"Xiaoyun, I'm just a little curious about something... While everyone is partying and enjoying life, you work part-time. Like, why work so early?"

Xiaoyun didn't answer, remaining silent as Mingxu continued.

"I mean, I get it if you need money. But then you loaned so much money to help Pinli's father see a doctor.

You clearly don't need the money that badly, so what's the point? I don't see you spending it on luxury or anything."

"I don't know..."

Seeing Xiaoyun respond with his face looking a little lost, Mingxu facepalmed himself.

"You know what you reminded me of? Those ascetic monks that don't enjoy life at all."

Mingxu said with a shrug, and Xiaoyun remained silent until they arrived at the BBQ place.

"Here, Brother Ming."

The other two roommates waved toward the two, already sitting at a table in the restaurant.

"Hey! You guys started eating without waiting for me!"

Mingxu quickly rushed over, with Xiaoyun following right behind him.

"Was Pinli's father's operation successful?"

Mingxu asked, glancing at the roommate on his left as he swallowed a mouthful of mutton.

"Yeah, it was a success. He said he wants to meet you to express his gratitude and pay it back right away——"

"No need to rush it. Your father's health is the top priority... Besides, I'm not in a hurry to use the money."

Before Pinli could speak up after Xiaoyun, the dormmate sitting in the corner finally spoke up.

"Brothers need to settle accounts. Pinli's father is right. The sooner he returns the money, the better.

Xiaoyun, you truly have such a big heart. You just lent him so much money."

The table fell into a short, awkward silence until Mingxu chimed in.

"Chengyi, today is a day to celebrate... My girlfriend is coming later, so don't talk any nonsense, okay?"

As Mingxu reminded the three, he suddenly noticed the change on their faces. But he didn't feel anything too off about it.

"Pinli, don't hunch your back, and Chengyi, don't look so scary—people might think you're in a gang. Look at Xiaoyun. He's always so serious..."

The more Mingxu looked, the more he quickly noticed Xiaoyun wasn't as serious as usual.

Instead, Xiaoyun was trying to hold in his laughter, causing Mingxu to finally turn around and look at what they were looking at.

Two girls were standing behind him.

The one in front was an absolute unit, boasting more muscle than Mingxu. However, her face presented a gentle expression in stark contrast.

Meanwhile, the other girl, delicately pulling the sleeves of the muscular one, radiated a different charm.

Her physique was still impressive, characterized by well-proportioned curves showcasing a fitness dedication.

"Geez, you scared me, Ningjing..." Mingxu murmured as he stood up from his seat.

"Uh-huh, how did I scare you if you've got nothing to hide?"

The girl in the front teased, her eyes narrowing as she questioned Mingxu.

"Ha ha, I've got nothing to hide. Anyway, this is my girlfriend, Xue Ningjing. You all can call her Jingjing.

We've known each other since we were young." Mingxu explained as he awkwardly smiled.

"Brother Ming, who's more impressive, you or sister-in-law?"

Chengyi discreetly compared Jingjing's and Mingxu's muscles in his mind, not hiding his stare towards their elbows at all.

"Are you out of your mind? Are you trying to lose your life?" Pinli questioned as he knocked on Chengyi's head.

"I'm just asking," Chengyi replied innocently.

"Okay, no more joking around," Mingxu declared as he introduced his roommates individually.

---

As the six of them chatted and shared embarrassing moments, everyone gradually became more familiar with each other.

Hours quickly flew by, and Mingxu took care of the bill before rejoining the group.

But as he returned to the table, he couldn't help but notice the quiet girl, Yueyue, who rarely spoke.

Ningjing caught Mingxu's glance, prompting her to introduce Yueyue to the group.

"Oh, forgot to introduce you guys. This is Xiaoyue, but everyone calls her Yueyue...

And don't get fooled by her petite size. She's almost just as strong as me." Ningjing gave Yueyue a friendly nudge forward.

"Hey, Xiaoyun and Xiaoyue are pretty similar, aren't they?"

Pinli suddenly mentioned it as he glanced over the two sitting beside each other.

Within seconds, all of their eyes turned to the two of them.

"Both have round faces, a small dark spot on their necks, and even in height too..." Ningjing commented.

"The more you look at this, the more you two resemble a husband and wife.

It's a clear sign that they must be destined to be together——ouch! Why are you hitting me?"

Chengyi's attempt at wingman was cut short by a knock on the head from Pinli.

"Chengyi always speaks nonsense. Sorry about that," Pinli apologized after noticing Yueyue's face blushed red.

"I-It's okay."

Yueyue awkwardly looked down at the table as she fell back into silence, causing the atmosphere to grow tense.

"Well, it looks like the celebration is over. I won't go back to the dormitory tonight."

With Mingxu and Ningjing both getting up, they quickly held hands together and left the restaurant.

"Oh snap, it's nine o'clock. I have a tournament to play in later. See you——"

Chengyi quickly excused himself and ran out before Pinli followed suit with the same excuse.

Only Xiaoyun and Yueyue remained at the table as the two awkwardly sat in their seats.

"Um, I'm going back to the dormitory. It was nice meeting you, Xiaoyue."

---

As Xiaoyun strolled down the street, a growing crescendo of footsteps from behind caught his attention.

Turning around, he discovered that Yueyue was trailing behind him. But he didn't think much of it, thinking she was just heading in the same direction.

Approaching the dormitory entrance, Xiaoyun glanced back and noticed Yueyue was still standing right behind him.

"Um, aren't you headed home? This is the men's dormitory." Xiaoyun curiously asked.

"The road is too dark, and I-I'm a little scared."

Seeing Yueyue look shaking and stuttering a little, Xiaoyun thought for a second before asking a question.

"Where do you live?"

"My home is in Luoping District, about a twenty-minute walk from here."

Xiaoyun thought briefly, then quickly took out his phone and plugged it into the map.

After calculating it, he could bring her home and come back to the dorm with still ten minutes to spare.

"Follow me then."

Yueyue bowed down slightly, expressing her gratitude as Xiaoyun started following the map guide.

---

The road was dark, the wind was calm, and the moon was hidden behind the clouds.

Fortunately, the street lights illuminated their path as they continued walking toward the Luoping district.

After walking for a while, they finally ran into an iron fence that blocked off outsiders from entering.

With the letter on the side reading "Luoping Community" and the giant mansions in the distance, Xiaoyun quickly realized it was a wealthy area.

"Wow, that mansion is luxurious..."

Xiaoyun commented as the two of them walked past several mansions in various architectural styles.

"That's not my home." Yueyue quietly murmured.

After walking for a bit, Xiaoyun had already decided to leave as soon as Yueyue reached her house.

"This is my home."

As the two of them reached the top of a small hillside, Xiaoyun was a little surprised by the building before him.

Rather than a mansion like the others, it was noticeably ordinary and much smaller compared to the nearby mansions.

There were no imposing fences at the front like the other estates.

From the front, it looked more like a single-family house and gave a more homely feeling than the other mansions. It's not a mansion at all.

It's just a normal house on a hill, but it was a departure from the typical condos and apartments that most people had in or near the city.

"Thank you."

"No problem. Nice meeting you today, Xiaoyue——"

Just as Xiaoyun was about to bid farewell and turn around, the door swung open abruptly.

A woman slightly taller than Xiaoyun stood before the two as she elegantly held a wine bottle.

Despite her innocent smile mirroring Yueyue's, the woman's transparent pajamas revealed a voluptuous and alluring figure.

"Yueyue, you came home late today!" The woman remarked, welcoming Yueyue warmly.

"Mom, didn't I call to tell you that I went to the gym with Jingjing to exercise and come back later?

And don't call me Yueyue. I'm not eight anymore. My name is Xiaoyue, okay?"

Yueyue tries to push the woman away, which makes the woman hold onto her even closer.

"Oh, don't be so fussy... I guess my baby is all grown up."

Yueyue's mother finally releases Yueyue from her arm as she looks at Xiaoyun.

"Ah, it's Yueyue's turn to fall in love. She even brought her boyfriend home. Come on in. "

Yueyue's mother chirped, taking Xiaoyun's hand and guiding him into the house.

"Um, Miss, I'm just a——"

Xiaoyun faltered, as he didn't know if Yueyue considered him a friend or a fellow schoolmate.

"Mom, you're talking nonsense again. This is Xiaoyun, Mingxu's roommate. You know Jingjing's boyfriend, Mingxu, right?"

Yueyue's voice suddenly became a little angry, as if she was fed up with her mom's actions.

"Of course I know that."

As Yueyue's mother replied, she took a sip from the wine bottle and sat on the sofa.

"Xiaoyun, please take a seat. I'll get some water."

Yueyue swiftly snatched the wine bottle from her mom's hands before leaving for the kitchen.

"Not my wine, please! How can I live now? Yuqi doesn't like me anymore, Nami doesn't like me anymore, and now even my precious baby doesn't love her mother anymore."

Yueyue's mother complained out loud as she lay flat on the sofa, not caring how dramatic she sounded in front of Xiaoyun.

"I won't give it to you even if you say that!" Yueyue yelled out from the kitchen.

Lying on the sofa, Yueyue's mother slowly turned to the right, unconsciously revealing a slither of her breast on the side.

Xiaoyun couldn't help but glance a few times as his eyes moved on its own.

"It's so big... Is this Yueyue's mother? Her personality is like the opposite of Yueyue."

Xiaoyun thought to himself as he tried to resist the urge, turning his eyes and attempting not to appear rude.

But Yueyue's mother suddenly slid closer to him, moving so close on the sofa that their skin could almost touch.

"Hey, Xiaoyun, do you like to drink?" Yueyue's mother asked in a seductive voice.

"Auntie, I have never drunk alcohol..."

Xiaoyun nervously answered as he could feel Yueyue's mother's breathing beside him.

"Don't call me auntie. I'm still young. You can call me Leyan."

Leyan finally moved away from Xiaoyun, got off the sofa, and started walking toward the TV cabinet.

"You can never truly be an adult if you've never had a drink, you know. I'll fetch you a bottle just for you to bring home."

Leyan's steps wavered as she could barely walk in a straight line, but she eventually reached the cabinet.

"Miss, I think I'm good."

"You can't refuse a woman who offers you a drink. No one ever taught you that?"

As she bent down to get a bottle of wine from the cabinet, Xiaoyun's eyes immediately noticed Leyan's pajama leggings were almost transparent.

It was almost to the point where he could even see the pinkish entrance underneath it, barely being hidden by the thin silk fabric.

"Miss Leyan is drunk. It's inappropriate for me to stare at her like this."

After turning his head to look at the ceiling, Yueyue finally returned with two glasses of water in her hands.

But before she could put it down on the coffee table, she immediately rushed over to Leyan and took off her jacket.

"Mom! You're showing everything!" Yueyue angrily yelled.

"So? Who would like this old woman that no one wants?" Leyan retorted back as she stood up with two bottles of wine in hand.

At the same time, Xiaoyun's face started to blush in embarrassment as Leyan knew he had been looking the whole time.

"Mom! You are too drunk! How did you even find where I hide the wines?"

Yueyue yelled as she grabbed the bottle away from Leyan's hand. But Leyan didn't get angry this time.

"Are you jealous, Yueyue?" Leyan playfully patted her head as she avoided the question.

"Mom! You're talking nonsense again. I told you not to drink, and you still drink!

And Xiaoyun is just my classmate! I don't have a boyfriend, okay? Stop embarrassing me!"

Yueyue pushed Leyan's hand away from her head and raised her voice much higher as if she was fed up with Leyan's comment.

"I never said he's your boyfriend. Ha ha, Yueyue is jealous. She is such a shy little girl."

Leyan teased Yueyue again, causing Yueyue to reach her boiling point as she finally started rolling her sleeve.

"Okay, okay. Now that you're home, I'm going to sleep. Goodnight to you two."

As Leyan sneakily took one of the bottles and quickly ran upstairs, Yueyue and Xiaoyun awkwardly sat on the sofa.

"Sorry about that. I didn't know my mom would be drunk today." Yueyue apologized.

"No, don't worry about it... Well, I got to go back to the dorm now. It's a pleasure meeting you today."

Just as Xiaoyun finally gathered the courage to get up from the sofa and walked toward the door, a voice suddenly stopped him.

"It's almost ten. Do you still have enough time?" Yueyue asked as she took a glance at the clock.

Xiaoyun froze for a second, but he continued walking forward as he moved his hand to the doorknob.

"I'll just go to the hotel and spend the night. Don't worry about it."

Before Xiaoyun opened the door, Yueyue's next words made him stop again.

"Why don't you stay here for the night? We have a vacant room in the house."

Xiaoyun was surprised by the offer but shook his head as he firmly held the doorknob in hand.

"You shouldn't invite a man you had just met for a day... I shouldn't stay here——"

"No, if it weren't for me, you would have been in the dorm already. Please let me make it right."

After contemplating for a moment, Xiaoyun finally turned around and accepted Yueyue's offer.

---

When the two of them headed upstairs, he quickly followed her to the end of the hallway.

Right before them was a room with the sign "office room" hanging on the door.

"This is my dad's home office. It hasn't been used since he had a car accident...

The bed is just around this bookcase, and the toilet is in the first room you walked through. If you have any questions, you can come to my room.

I-I'm in the third room——"

Yueyue suddenly rushed out of the room before she could finish her sentence, her face blushing red before she left.

With the room all to himself, Xiaoyun walked over to the bed and quickly took off his shoes.

As he tried to fall asleep, the bed was too soft for him.

Unable to fall asleep, Xiaoyun got up and became curious about the office room he was staying in.

Various cool decorations caught his eye, especially several landscape paintings on the wall.

It was almost as if the person who picked the decoration had the same taste as him.

And over at the office desk were two photos on either side of the corner.

On the left was a family photo, presumably Yueyue's family, as Xiaoyun recognized Leyan and Yueyue in the photo.

To the left of Yueyue, a much taller girl held her hand, and to the right, a boy who looked extremely similar to Yueyue.

"That must be Yueyue's older sister, whom Miss Leyan mentioned earlier. And that must be her brother." Xiaoyun thought to himself.

Behind the children stood Leyan, holding a little girl in her arms, along with what Xiaoyun assumed to be her husband on the right.

"The girl in Leyan's arms should be Yueyue's younger sister... Having four kids this young is so early."

Xiaoyun noted in his head as he now looked over to the photo on the right.

It was a wedding photo, with the same man in the family photo earlier in a suit, holding Leyan's hand as she wore a beautiful wedding dress.

"They look like they really love each other..." Xiaoyun suddenly felt a little guilty as he thought back to his inappropriate stares.

After finishing looking through the photos, Xiaoyun walked over to the bookshelf next to the table.

Several rows of academic books were on the shelf, and a random Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel was barely visible.

With nothing to do, Xiaoyun decided to pick up the book and read it. But opening the book, he noticed it wasn't ordinary at all.

Instead, it was a diary disguised as a Three Kingdom book, with the label "Chen Songming" on the front.

"I shouldn't read other people's diaries. It's an invasion of privacy..."

Despite murmuring that, his curiosity got the better of him as his hand opened the diary instinctively.

The first few pages were just a detailed company economic report, depicting fluctuating profits over the years until a sudden surge.

Just as Xiaoyun was about to get bored and put the book back down, the diary's final pages held a completely different content.

It was an apology.

"I'm sorry for my wife and daughters. I'm sorry to myself. But the time is up, and I have to go back. Password: 9651422XX."

Xiaoyun froze for a second as he saw the password in the book.

"Huh, strange. Why does this number seem so familiar? Wait, isn't this my password with two numbers missing?"

Xiaoyun quickly put the book back on the bookshelf and headed straight to the bed, wondering why the numbers were there.

"It's probably just a coincidence... But when did I become so nosy?"