Meet Yourself Recap, Plot, Synopsis

Meet Yourself Synopsis

Xu Hongdou's life and work were at a low point due to the death of her best friend, so she went alone to the "You Feng Little House" in the village of Yunmiao in Dali to rest and adjust.

There, she met Xie Zhiyao, a local man who had left his high-paying job to start a business in his hometown, and a group of peers from the big city.

During their daily life together, Xie Zhiyao found Xu Hongdou's kindness and seriousness, and invited Xu Hongdou to use her years of experience in the hotel industry to help improve the service awareness of the local staff and help develop the cultural tourism business of Yunmiao Village.

At the same time, Xu Hongdou was also impressed by Xie Zhiyao's vision of building up his hometown so that the villagers could have something to fall back on. Then, they fell in love with each other.

In Dali, Xu Hongdou and the others in the small courtyard were moved by the hard work and resilience of the local villagers and their bitter, spicy and sweet lives. They re-examined their past, helped each other and inspired each other, and gain the strength to start again.

Meet Yourself Recap

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Living in a big city, traffic jams are the norm. To avoid the evening rush hour, Xu Hongdou always chooses to leave early and head straight to the hotel where she works. For years, she has consistently cared for her clients with great attention. It is precisely this impeccable meticulousness that has allowed her to climb step by step to the position of Manager of the Housekeeping Department, and she may soon become the Deputy Director.

When work is busy, Xu Hongdou has no time to deal with anything else—like her father’s birthday, which she only remembers when her eldest sister sends a video. Xu Hongdou softens her tone and lowers her stance to wish him a happy birthday. Her family on the other end of the call beams with joy, but even so, the conversation ends after a few brief exchanges.

A colleague introduced a friend’s younger sister to Xu Hongdou, hoping she could help and look after the girl, and even subtly encouraged a closer relationship. But Xu Hongdou is entirely focused on work and has no interest in developing a random relationship. Seeing things heading in an awkward direction, she makes an excuse to leave and reminds the girl to eat less greasy food and drink less water before departing.

Xu Hongdou’s best friend Chen Nanxing visits her and finds that all the food in her fridge has expired. To Xu Hongdou, half a year seems to have passed in the blink of an eye. Chen Nanxing sometimes wonders why people live so wearily—rushing from place to place, collapsing into bed after work, and never daring to use precious spare time for love. Even Xu Hongdou’s last relationship ended in a breakup.

The two of them discuss this profound question late into the night but arrive at no conclusion. The next day, Chen Nanxing goes to the hospital for a checkup and is diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer. The diagnosis hits like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky, completely shattering her hopes for the future. Xu Hongdou returns home, unable to eat, and breaks down in tears at the table.

In the days that follow, Xu Hongdou continues to live like a cog in a clock, moving from home to the hotel to the hospital. Her life shifts from two points to three, and for the first time, she experiences the unpredictability of life and death up close. Although Chen Nanxing always pretends to be relaxed in front of her, Xu Hongdou knows her friend is just trying to prevent her from feeling sad.

This only makes her grief more uncontrollable. One day, Chen Nanxing reaches the end of her life. After attending the funeral and comforting the family, Xu Hongdou throws herself into work like a form of revenge, entering a period of physical and emotional numbness until she collapses from exhaustion and ends up in the hospital. That night, Xu Hongdou opens the voice messages Chen Nanxing left for her. Message after message forms a farewell, plain but heartfelt.

Even while suffering the worst pain, Chen Nanxing still considered Xu Hongdou’s feelings. Chen Nanxing regrets not enjoying life earlier and never confessing to the boy she liked. Because she felt her life was too full of compromises, she urged Xu Hongdou to see the beautiful world on her behalf. Whether it’s breathtaking scenery or delicious food, she hoped Xu Hongdou could experience it for her—so there would be no regrets.

When the final message ends, Xu Hongdou orders Chen Nanxing’s favorite meat roll. But the savory flavor only tastes bitter. Unlike a clock that can have its gears replaced, Xu Hongdou has no extra gears to swap. So she begins to consider stopping altogether—perhaps it’s time to try a different lifestyle. After much deliberation, Xu Hongdou writes and submits her resignation to the hotel, telling her family a white lie that she is taking paid leave.

Her parents and eldest sister are not suspicious and are curious about how she plans to spend her valuable vacation. Xu Hongdou browses travel destinations online and finally selects the scenic paradise of Dali in Yunnan, far from the big city, hoping this trip will bring her surprises and change.

Xu Hongdou takes a bus to Dali, Yunnan, traveling winding mountain roads. While dragging her luggage in search of the “Youfeng Inn,” a young boy runs into her, sending her phone flying and destroying it on impact. The boy hastily apologizes and chases after a white horse, disappearing into the distance. With no way to communicate, Xu Hongdou has to ask for directions and luckily finds the inn. The innkeeper, Xie Xiaochun, is cheerful and friendly.

The inn is warm and beautiful, and the locals are simple and kind, which greatly pleases Xu Hongdou. After putting away her luggage, she asks Xie Xiaochun about the boy who chased the horse. Following her directions, she goes to their home and meets the boy, Xie Zhiyuan, and his older brother, Xie Zhiyao. Fortunately, the Xie family is not unreasonable.

When Xie Zhiyao learns of his brother’s mishap, he scolds him and then apologizes sincerely to Xu Hongdou, offering to discuss compensation. Xu Hongdou only wants her phone screen repaired, but there is no repair shop nearby—only in the old town. So she says she’ll get it fixed first and bring the receipt later for reimbursement. When Xie Anai hears that Xu Hongdou didn’t demand full compensation, she thinks she’s a good person.

Back at the inn, Xu Hongdou rearranges her room and then goes out exploring. Everything feels fresh and exciting, and she tastes authentic local food. When it’s time to pay, her phone doesn’t work, so the shop owner decides not to charge her. Xu Hongdou insists on paying and provides the inn’s address, promising to deliver the money later. Master woodcarver Xie Heshun notices his apprentice, Xie Xiaoxia, has been distracted lately.

He hasn’t finished a single piece in days and seems drawn to the outside world. Xie Heshun is disappointed. Xie Xiaoxia argues back, saying that skill means nothing if no one appreciates it and that he yearns to explore the big city. That afternoon, Xu Hongdou wanders the town with her camera, enjoying the beauty around her. Meanwhile, Xie Zhiyao is in a meeting assigning work to his colleagues.

Xie Heshun arrives to discuss a hotel’s woodcarving purchase but learns that they only want one piece now. Feeling slighted, he loses interest in doing business with the hotel. Xu Hongdou unknowingly steps into a pasture and steps in horse manure, getting her shoes stuck. Ranch owner Xie Zhiyao chuckles and offers her a ride on the white horse.

As they slowly ride back, they chat, and Xu Hongdou learns the horse’s name is “Little Cutie”—just like its sweet and gentle nature. When they pass through the old town, Xie Zhiyao buys her a pair of slippers. Though cheap, he haggles the price from twenty yuan down to ten. The girl selling the shoes gets a little jealous seeing how nice he is to Xu Hongdou.

Xu Hongdou follows him into the village, where she meets more kind villagers and ends up staying at the Xie home for dinner. Aunt Baoping brings beef for the family. Xie Zhiyao and Xie Anai warmly host her, chatting and laughing. Aunt Baoping notices that Xie Xiaoxia is restless and asks Xie Zhiyao to talk to him. Xie Zhiyao understands that most woodwork now is machine-carved, and few people learn traditional hand carving, so young people don’t want to stay.

He agrees to discuss it with Xie Xiaochun first and then ask Xie Xiaoxia’s opinion. After dinner, Xu Hongdou calls her parents to let them know she’s safe, hiding the fact that she quit her job. Knowing she has no cash, Xie Zhiyao gives her 200 yuan to help out. But Xu Hongdou remembers the restaurant from earlier and decides to go repay the shop owner first.

Xie Zhiyao accompanies Xu Hongdou back to the inn and sees guests chatting in the courtyard, including the handsome Hu Youyu, who performs at a local bar; Ma Qiushan, who is obsessed with meditation; and the stylish young woman from Shanghai, Lin Na. Hu Youyu greets Xu Hongdou enthusiastically—so much so that she feels overwhelmed and excuses herself to her room. That night, Xu Hongdou dreams of having dinner with Chen Nanxing.

In the dream, Chen complains that she was always too busy with work to travel to Dali with her. Now, even though Xu Hongdou finally has time, the person she wanted to spend it with is no longer here. Because she left the window open while sleeping, her arms are covered in mosquito bites. She meets a shy female guest named Dami, who lets her try her homemade breakfast.

Dami isn’t good at conversation—she unintentionally ends most topics—but she’s kind-hearted and thoughtfully provides books and mosquito spray. On her way out, Xu Hongdou sees Ma Qiushan meditating in the courtyard and meets Auntie Agui, a cleaner who turns out to be one of the inn’s landlords. In contrast to Dami’s shyness, Auntie Agui is extremely talkative and can go on from Yunnan to Beijing to Qingdao. If Xu Hongdou doesn’t interrupt her, she might talk until sundown.

Xu Hongdou heads out to find Xie Xiaochun’s café and happens to see Xie Anai selling her handmade crafts at a roadside stall. Xie Zhiyao also needs to go to the café and offers to guide Xu Hongdou. They stop by Erhai Lake to chat. Xu Hongdou is amazed by the stunning scenery, and as she listens to Xie Zhiyao’s childhood stories, she feels inner peace.

Now that fishing is restricted in Erhai for environmental reasons, Xie Zhiyao reflects on how fast time flies and occasionally misses the old days. At the café, Xu Hongdou finds Lin Na working there. Lin Na personally makes her a porcini mushroom pancake. The delicious aroma attracts Xie Xiaochun’s children, and Xu Hongdou generously gives them two pieces. Watching their happy faces, she can’t help but smile.

Xie Xiaochun arranges a blind date for Xie Zhiyao with a young teacher, two to three years his junior. But Xie Zhiyao isn’t interested. His gaze keeps drifting to Xu Hongdou, who is enjoying her pancake. After she leaves, he inevitably feels a little disappointed. Later, Xu Hongdou visits Xie Heshun’s carving shop and is captivated by a wooden statue carved by Xie Xiaoxia. They chat, and she learns he is Xie Xiaochun’s younger brother.

Before she leaves, Xie Xiaoxia gives her a wooden dragonfly as a gift—the first souvenir of her trip to Dali, which she places on her nightstand. After the blind date, Xie Zhiyao and the teacher politely exchange WeChat contacts. Xie Xiaochun urges him not to be as half-hearted as before and to keep chatting with the girl. Xie Zhiyao agrees, albeit reluctantly.

Meanwhile, since Xie Xiaoxia is planning to go to Shanghai to meet an online friend, Xie Xiaochun hopes Xie Zhiyao will talk him out of it and stop chasing unrealistic startup dreams. Xie Zhiyao understands how Xie Xiaoxia feels. If hometowns could offer opportunities to young people, no one would want to leave. That’s why he returned—to start a business here.

Years ago, their mother went away to work to support the family instead of staying in Dali to become an embroiderer. Now, Xie Zhiyao invites her old friends to take part in a video shoot. Watching them thread needles with practiced hands, he can’t help but picture his mother’s smiling face. By evening, Xie Zhiyao is helping Xie Anai cook in the kitchen. His younger brother Xie Zhiyuan returns, sweaty and smelly, causing Xie Zhiyao to frown and scold him.

Xie Zhiyuan wants to quit school and stay in Dali to raise horses and accompany their grandmother. Xie Zhiyao rolls up his sleeves, ready to teach his brother a lesson—if not for Xie Anai’s intervention, he might have kicked the boy out of the house.

Back then, their father sent Xie Zhiyuan to Dali mainly to let him experience life. Unexpectedly, he grew fond of horse-raising and even began considering taking a break from school. Just as Xie Zhiyao was about to fulfill his duty as an older brother and talk some sense into him, Xie Xiaoxia walked in from outside, plopped down on a chair, and announced that he was going to venture out to Shanghai.

It turned out that Xie Xiaoxia had met a fan online who frequently sent him tips. After chatting, he found out that the fan ran a guesthouse in Shanghai. Although he knew people were complicated and the outside world full of dangers, he also believed that growth and new experiences were necessary.

Seeing that Xie Xiaoxia had made up his mind, Xie Zhiyao agreed to speak with Aunt Baoping to prevent her from stopping her son from going out to explore. That night, Xie Xiaoxia stood at the doorway for a long time before finally mustering the courage to go inside. Aunt Baoping had already spoken with Xie Zhiyao over the phone and no longer objected to his trip to Shanghai. Her resistance came from a mother's worry, not from stubbornness.

Hearing her heartfelt words, Xie Xiaoxia felt torn and vowed to work hard and buy her a house in the big city. While eating late-night barbecue at a street stall, Xie Zhiyao chatted with the vendor about the village’s inconvenient transportation and how few young people stayed at home. Meanwhile, Xu Hongdou, tossing and turning in the middle of the night, couldn’t sleep and came out into the courtyard, where she found Lin Na and Damai cooking noodles.

The three of them shared a meal and talked about their careers. Since the phone store in the ancient town needed to order a screen from out of town, Xu Hongdou had to leave her phone there and agree to pick it up in three days. On her way back, she stopped by the store where she previously bought slippers to pick up some daily necessities.

The shopkeeper, Xiao Qin, couldn’t help but ask about her relationship with Xie Zhiyao, her enthusiastic probing impossible to fend off. Xie Heshun’s apprentices had all gradually left the village. Xie Xiaoxia also came to say goodbye to him. Surprisingly, Xie Heshun didn’t lash out in anger this time, although he couldn’t hide his disappointment. When Xu Hongdou couldn’t find an alarm clock, she traded two large bags of snacks for a young boy’s watch.

After visiting local attractions, she stayed idle at the inn, flipping through a book repeatedly without much interest. Ma Qiushan invited Xu Hongdou for tea and tried to explain the philosophies of life, but she found herself dozing off throughout. Xie Zhiyao also introduced business opportunities to Xie Heshun, even though the latter clearly didn’t care. Still, Xie Zhiyao insisted on taking over the burden. When Xu’s mother couldn’t reach Xu Hongdou, she called Xie Zhiyao.

It wasn’t anything serious—just that Aunt Sun’s son and daughter-in-law were going to Shanghai and wanted to stay in a hotel at a discount through Xu Hongdou’s connections. Xu Hongdou hadn’t told her parents about quitting her job, so she didn’t dare agree. She simply said she would find a friend to help arrange a more suitable hotel. The matter was resolved smoothly. Aunt Sun envied Xu’s mother for raising two wonderful daughters, and Xu’s mother felt very flattered.

After hanging up, Xu Hongdou chatted with Xie Zhiyao. Ma Qiushan kept trying to insert himself into the conversation but failed. Just when he finally found a topic he could speak on, Xu Hongdou and Xie Zhiyao quickly made an excuse and left. Xie Heshun was troubled by his apprentices’ departures.

He recalled how he had once been the best woodcarver in the village, but in just over a decade, the industry had declined, and machine carving had completely replaced handwork. Xie Zhiyao brought fine wine to comfort him, saying machines could never fully replace humans. Good work needed appreciation and promotion. He hoped Xie Heshun could understand the difference between himself and Xie Huailan—sometimes talent does go unrecognized, but one’s personality also determines success.

Through the window, Xu Hongdou saw Xie Zhiyao washing Xie Anai’s hair. The warm scene between grandmother and grandson reminded her of her own loving grandma. As a child, she loved collecting bugs, which annoyed her older sister and caused a huge fight. Their grandmother had to step in to mediate. Because she missed her grandma so much, Xu Hongdou called her parents and asked them to visit her grandma’s grave on her behalf.

The next day, Xu Hongdou made a cat toy by hand, which caught Damai’s attention. As the two of them played with the cat, Aunt Gui invited them to make flower cakes and milk fan. Once the three left, Ma Qiushan finally felt relieved, as if the world had gone quiet again. He even performed a kung fu routine for the cat on the spot.

Xu Hongdou and Damai followed Aunt Gui to Aunt Baoping’s home, where they learned how to make flower cakes and milk fan. Aunt Gui missed her son and daughter-in-law who lived far away. Though flower cakes were available online, she wanted to make them herself and send them over—bringing a taste of home. The food-making process was very healing.

Xu Hongdou and Damai felt a sense of accomplishment while tasting the food and asked Aunt Gui to carefully package the cakes so they could send them to friends and relatives. Meanwhile, Xie Xiaoxia kept pestering Lin Na about Shanghai. Lin Na knew nothing and didn’t notice that he seemed interested in stocks—something that would lead him to make a grave mistake later.

Xie Zhiyao couldn’t find Xie Zhiyuan, so he called his mother and said that even if Zhiyuan didn’t want to return to Kunming, he could arrange a school for him there. Their parents had hoped that seeing the poverty of the mountains would motivate him to study hard, but instead, Xie Zhiyuan felt completely at ease there, like a tiger returned to the wild.

That evening, Xu Hongdou brought flower cakes to Xie Zhiyao and overheard him arguing more and more intensely with Xie Zhiyuan. The truth came out: Xie Zhiyuan didn’t want to return to school because he had pulled down his pants in front of classmates and was too ashamed to face them again.

Originally, Xu Hongdou wanted to just drop off the cakes and leave, but Xie Zhiyuan came out of the room, slipped and fell, and then clung tightly to her leg. In the end, Xu Hongdou stayed for dinner with the two brothers. After the meal, she repeatedly promised not to reveal Xie Zhiyuan’s secret, so he finally allowed her to return to the inn.

Xu Hongdou considered the matter from Xie Zhiyuan’s perspective and suggested that Xie Zhiyao not pressure his brother to make decisions. Xie Zhiyao, feeling troubled, asked her how she got along with her own siblings—hoping to learn something from her experience. Soon, Xu’s parents received the flower cakes sent from Yunnan, and so did Xu Hongdou’s older sister and Chen Nanxing’s parents. The cakes tasted just as good as store-bought ones.

At first, her sister Xu Hongmi thought the cakes were a specialty her sister had purchased and shared them at work. Upon learning they were handmade by her sister, she took them back to the office and savored them carefully. Xie Zhiyao had many businesses in his hometown—besides owning a horse ranch, he also had a dye workshop and occasionally worked as a tour guide and livestream host. He always tried to help with village matters.

Xu Hongdou had unknowingly been in Dali for a week. Her phone was finally repaired, and her chat history with Chen Nanxing was intact, bringing her peace of mind. However, news spread somehow, and all the grandmothers in the village found out about Xie Zhiyuan’s pants incident. He wrongly assumed Xu Hongdou had told someone and angrily called her to scold her. Confused, Xu Hongdou immediately contacted Xie Zhiyao to ask how Xie Zhiyuan got her number.

The incident deeply embarrassed Xie Zhiyuan. Without informing Xie Zhiyao, he ran away and found some old, wild friends. They took him out to eat and drink, but he remembered his brother and parents’ words and firmly stuck to his principle of not drinking as a minor. After the meal, he realized he had little cash left and decided to stay and work to earn money and learn how to serve customers.

Xie Zhiyao couldn’t find his brother and decided not to continue searching, believing that once he ran out of money, he’d come back. Xu Hongdou firmly denied leaking Xie Zhiyuan’s secret. But since only she and Xie Zhiyao knew, one of them had to be the source. Everyone was worried about Xie Zhiyuan’s safety, but tracking the source of the leak was nearly impossible. Xie Xiaochun wondered why, despite being close, Xie Zhiyuan hadn’t told Xie Xiaoxia about running away.

Xie Zhiyao tried to comfort them, saying there was no need to worry, though Xu Hongdou could tell he was quite concerned. Feng Yi handled customer service for the Xie family’s fruit and vegetable store on Taobao. She sometimes encountered unreasonable customers. Usually, Xie Xiaochun would try to resolve things peacefully to avoid negative reviews. Aunt Gui, who was straightforward, casually spoke about Xie Zhiyuan’s situation without realizing the impact her words could have on Feng Yi.

That day, the café was bustling. Seeing how swamped Lin Na was, Xu Hongdou offered to help serve desserts. She was quite skilled at hosting, which greatly changed Xie Zhiyao’s impression of her. After the rush, she and Lin Na finally had time to sit down and talk about life, sparking new thoughts in both of them.

On his way to buy light bulbs, Xie Zhiyao ran into an old friend who was planning to get a car loan for business. With the job market being tough, he hoped to earn more to support his family. Xiao Qin couldn’t resist gossiping about Xie Zhiyuan’s pants incident, but Xie Zhiyao didn’t want to discuss it. Instead, he mentioned that Xiao Qin’s father wanted her to apprentice at the embroidery workshop, which she strongly objected to.

That night, Aunt Gui brought Aunt Baoping and Feng Yi to the inn to pressure Xie Zhiyao, urging him to bring back Xie Zhiyuan. They feared that without legal awareness, the young boy would be led astray. Xie Zhiyao understood their concerns and assured them he had a plan, sending them home to rest. Meanwhile, in Dali town, Xie Zhiyuan was working as a waiter at a restaurant, running around all day exhausted.

When the place closed late at night, he finally called Xie Xiaoxia to ask about the family. Knowing the real reason he wasn’t returning to school, Xie Xiaoxia tried to reassure him that having diarrhea was nothing to be ashamed of. But when Xie Zhiyuan found out that his brother hadn’t even looked for him, he felt deeply hurt.

Before leaving for Shanghai, Xie Xiaoxia stole a bank card from home to invest in stocks with an online friend, Brother Kai. At first, they made some money, but later the stock site kept crashing. Brother Kai told him not to worry, saying it was just routine maintenance. After buying his ticket to Shanghai, Xie Xiaoxia left a letter for his master, Xie Heshun, urging him to live well and quit drinking—deeply moving Xie Heshun.

Life in the village remained peaceful, beginning each day with Ma Qiushan meditating. Xu Hongdou also got up early to jog, enjoying the scenery and picking up groceries along the way. Xie Zhiyao, in a rush, skipped breakfast and left with his briefcase, just in time to greet Xu Hongdou on her morning run. The two exchanged greetings and went on with their busy but fulfilling days.

Inspired by Xie Zhiyao, Xie Heshun made a special trip to visit Xie Huailan’s tie-dye workshop, wanting to understand the differences between himself and her. Xie Huailan is also a cultural heritage inheritor, but she keeps up with the times, using new technology to promote intangible cultural heritage—a quality Xie Heshun still needs to learn. Early in the morning, Xu Hongdou cooked breakfast herself.

When she called Damai to wake up, he was groggy and didn’t respond for a long time. Ma Qiushan, who was meditating under a tree, was obviously starving. Pretending to be reserved, he resisted hunger for a few minutes but eventually gave in and came to eat. Xie Zhiyao went to Shuhe for a dinner meeting to discuss business. With his eloquence, he successfully persuaded Mr. Li to purchase handcrafted wood carvings, then returned home exhausted.

Xie Anai was delighted to hear her grandson had secured a deal. Meanwhile, Xu Hongdou was out having barbecue, listening to the stall owner talk about his history with Xie Zhiyao. When Xie Zhiyao applied to university for graduate studies, he originally had better development prospects in a big city. Yet he resolutely returned to his hometown to start a business. At this moment, Xie Zhiyao also arrived at the barbecue stand and sat across from Xu Hongdou.

Xu Hongdou wanted to call Xie Zhiyuan to explain that she hadn’t leaked any secrets, but he didn’t answer. Recently, Xu Hongdou had visited nearly all the nearby attractions. Xie Zhiyao was promoting local campsites but was bluntly told by Xu Hongdou that he was losing money. She emphasized that she came to Dali to relax and live idly—a sentiment shared by many young people today, who just want to live more freely and stress-free.

As people grow older, they often miss their childhood. Xu Hongdou felt that Xie Anai reminded her of her grandmother and brought back many memories. While working, Xie Zhiyuan spilled his food. He held back his grievances as he cleaned up, only to end up scalding himself. Brother Liang helped apply medicine and suggested he should go home.

But Xie Zhiyuan, being stubborn, didn’t realize how much luckier he was compared to Brother Liang—at least he had parents and a brother who cared, something Brother Liang had always longed for. Because Xie Zhiyao employed elders from the village, managing acquaintances was challenging. They often made mistakes while packing products, and Xie Xiaochun couldn’t strictly enforce procedures without harming their relationships.

Xie Zhiyao thought of asking Xu Hongdou for help, knowing she had just resigned from a five-star hotel and must have excellent management skills. As they were talking, Xie Heshun came to Xie Zhiyao and thanked him for earlier matters. He admitted that when Xie Zhiyao returned to promote intangible cultural heritage, he didn’t believe a word and thought it was all empty talk. But now, seeing what Xie Zhiyao had achieved, he was genuinely convinced.

Aunt Baoping discovered that Xie Xiaoxia had taken a bank card when he left and quickly called her daughter Xie Xiaochun, fearing her son might be deceived. Knowing her brother’s temperament, Xie Xiaochun transferred him 3,000 yuan and reminded him to be frugal in Shanghai. However, Xie Xiaoxia had fallen for a scam by someone called Brother Kai and was swindled out of 30,000 yuan as soon as he arrived in Shanghai.

Helpless, he went to the police station to report it. Now the whole village was gossiping that Xie Zhiyao and his brother didn’t get along, or else why hadn’t he gone looking for him? Just as Xie Anai asked Xie Zhiyao about Xie Zhiyuan’s whereabouts, he received a call from Xie Xiaoxia and learned of what had happened.

Before leaving, he asked his grandmother to tell Xu Hongdou his story of starting a business in hopes of persuading her to stay. Xie Anai understood. Xu Hongdou was reminded of her grandmother when she looked at Xie Anai and stayed by her side to listen to her stories. Meanwhile, Xie Xiaoxia, penniless, sat on the street selling rushan (a local cheese snack) to earn money.

Luckily, he had brought some from home when he left for Shanghai, thanks to Aunt Baoping. Xie Zhiyao quickly found him, shook his head at the sight of his lonely figure, and took him to eat.

This experience truly showed Xie Xiaoxia how sinister people could be, and he didn’t want their mother or sister to know what had happened. Xie Zhiyao agreed to make up the 30,000 yuan but advised him to be mentally prepared, as recovering money lost to internet scams was very difficult. Xie Anai told Xu Hongdou about how Xie Zhiyao had returned home to start a business.

Rather than calling it an entrepreneurial return, it was more like years of being a thankless fool. Back then, Xie Zhiyao had no one to rely on, not even his father supported him, and the two had many conflicts. Xu Hongdou helped Xie Anai set up a street stall, but hours passed with no customers. Xie Anai explained that business here was tough.

Yet despite this, she still saved money for her grandsons—spare change for the younger one, and wedding money for the older one. At the same time, Xu Hongdou kept calling Xie Zhiyuan, who finally picked up and angrily scolded her. Brother Liang, overhearing this, quickly grabbed the phone and gave her the address. Xu Hongdou immediately took Xie Anai and rushed to the ancient town.

Xie Xiaochun, noticing strange transfers from her brother, asked a neighbor to watch the children and went to investigate. On the way, Xie Xiaochun encountered Xu Hongdou and Xie Anai and gave them a ride. Xie Anai lied, saying they were going to town for hotpot. Xie Xiaochun didn’t question it, but Xie Zhiyao, seeing his grandmother suddenly appear, realized something was wrong and hurried to the hotpot restaurant. Xie Zhiyuan thought his grandmother would be overjoyed to see him.

Just as he spread his arms for a hug, she raised a ladle and beat him in front of everyone, shocking Xu Hongdou into stunned silence. When Xie Zhiyao arrived and tried to stop her, he ended up getting hit by mistake, and chaos erupted. Afterward, Xie Anai stayed to eat at the hotpot place. Xie Zhiyao urged his brother to return to work, then confessed the truth to his grandmother.

He had come to the ancient town alone to find Xie Zhiyuan and saw him with Brother Liang. Under pressure, Brother Liang had agreed to report on Xie Zhiyuan’s status every day. Upon hearing this, Xu Hongdou suddenly understood why Xie Zhiyao hadn’t seemed worried at all. Xie Anai gradually calmed down and no longer pursued the matter of Xie Zhiyuan running away.

Xu Hongdou got along very well with her, and the three took a group photo at the hotpot restaurant. Xie Xiaochun finally found her brother selling rushan with a sign on the street. She felt deeply unsettled. Even though she would help cover his loss, she sternly scolded him, warning him not to focus only on immediate gains—some things take time to build.

Xie Xiaoxia used to think his master, Xie Heshun, had achieved little in life and never made big money. But at least Xie Heshun used his craft to support his family. This inspired Xie Xiaoxia, who realized how wrong he had been. He hugged his sister to express gratitude. Though the siblings cared for each other deeply, they often covered it with stubborn pride.

Since Xie Zhiyuan would continue working at the hotpot place and wouldn’t return to school until next week, Xu Hongdou and the others returned to the village first. On the way, she took photos with her phone and introduced Xie Zhiyao and Xie Anai to her family. Xu’s parents were delighted by Xie Zhiyao’s cheerful personality. That night, Xie Xiaoxia shared his scam experience with Xie Zhiyuan and Brother Liang, including phishing sites on his phone—all cunning traps.

This ordeal curbed his impulse to explore Shanghai and led him to advise Xie Zhiyuan to focus on his studies. Meanwhile, Hu Youyu was surprised to see Damai downstairs drinking tea with Lin Na and others and felt a bit bored without Xu Hongdou around. In the cool night breeze, Hu Youyu took the opportunity to play a newly composed song. Though his singing was ordinary at first, when Lin Na’s voice joined in, the whole performance transformed.

The melodious music echoed through the inn. Xu Hongdou wanted to send a voice message to her best friend Chen Nanxing, but as soon as she began speaking, tears flowed—she regretted that her friend couldn’t see the beauty of Dali. Some local kids came to feed the horses and were caught by Xie Zhiyao, who learned they were the ones spreading rumors about Xie Zhiyuan soiling himself. Meanwhile, at the café, Xu Hongdou heard a customer had left without paying.

She grabbed the receipt and sprinted out like an athlete. The kids were amazed at how fast she could run and chased after her. In the end, Xu Hongdou caught up and recovered the payment. Xie Zhiyao and Xie Anai were very grateful—those few hundred yuan nearly equaled a server’s daily wage. Because of that, Xie Zhiyao became extra attentive—fanning her, checking on her, and inviting her to the evening barbecue.

Xu Hongdou hesitated, knowing noise wasn’t allowed at night in the inn, but Xie Anai assured her it was fine and encouraged the young people to gather more often. Xie Xiaoxia brought back specialties from Shanghai and declared he would stay and study carving longer, which made Aunt Baoping very happy. Xie Zhiyuan also returned from town with gifts for Xie Anai and Xie Zhiyao, showing more maturity and vowing to study hard, which greatly comforted Xie Zhiyao.

To celebrate their reunion, Xie Zhiyao hosted a barbecue party in the inn’s courtyard. Everyone shared embarrassing stories and encouraged Xie Zhiyuan to move forward without dwelling on the past. Under the bright moon and starlit sky, everyone smiled, chatting freely. Even Xu Hongdou joined in and truly let herself go. Xie Xiaoxia also brought gifts for his master and worked eagerly, vowing to study carving diligently. Though Xie Heshun acted stern, he was secretly pleased his apprentice had returned.

He advised him not to aim too high but to stay grounded once he had a goal. After everyone finished sharing their stories, Xie Xiaochun talked about her college years. Her family couldn’t afford her tuition, and it was Xie Zhiyao, already working, who paid for her education until she graduated. She would remember this forever. Everyone was deeply touched and became fans of Xie Zhiyao. Xu Hongdou wondered who spread the story about Xie Zhiyuan’s incident.

Xie Zhiyao whispered the answer to her, and to those watching, the closeness between them hinted at something more. University village official Huang Xinxin took Xie Xiaoxia around to promote anti-fraud awareness. Thinking of his own experience, he still felt shaken. At the café, servers Granny Xiuying and Granny Caiyun often quarreled over trivial matters, disrupting service. Although Xie Zhiyao patiently mediated and reconciled them, the frequent conflicts were still a problem.

From Xie Zhiyao’s point of view, Xu Hongdou, as a former five-star hotel manager in the city, must have valuable management experience. Recently, he noticed that any customer she served was always left with a great impression, and even her colleagues enjoyed working with her. Lin Na believed Xu Hongdou would eventually leave, unlike herself who had chosen to stay. But Xie Zhiyao said that even if Xu Hongdou was going to leave, they should make use of her talents before she did, and he was determined to persuade her to join the inn.

The weather in the mountains is ever-changing. It had just been sunny and clear, but suddenly there was thunder and lightning. Everyone scrambled to pack up the clothes and tea sets. Xie Xiaochun complained that Xie Zhiyao had only considered the environment and should have installed a rain shelter in the first place. Xie Zhiyao handed umbrellas to Anai and another elderly lady, reminding them to be careful on their way back to avoid slipping.

In the days that followed, Xu Hongdou began learning to meditate in the courtyard with Ma Qiushan. Although Ma Qiushan had started earlier, compared to Xu Hongdou, it was like a master meeting a novice. At first, Hu Youyu didn’t believe it at all and even bet with Damai, but ended up losing completely. That evening, Hu Youyu was uninspired and tried to start an online romance with a female fan, only to be blocked on WeChat.

Xu Hongdou received a message from Xie Zhiyao inviting her over for dinner. Xu Hongdou had intended to politely decline, but Xie Zhiyao seemed so enthusiastic that he came early in the morning to wake her up and took her to the market. Because Xu Hongdou had gone to bed late and got up early, she yawned the whole time and looked exhausted. Xie Zhiyao took her to eat "Crossing-the-bridge" rice noodles.

Seeing his eager expression, Xu Hongdou suspected he had a favor to ask. Before he could finish speaking, she mistakenly thought he was going to confess his love and promptly turned him down. On the way back, Xie Zhiyao earnestly invited Xu Hongdou to help manage the staff and promised to agree to any condition she set. Xu Hongdou said she would consider it.

Unexpectedly, Xie Anai stepped in and began telling her about Xie Zhiyao’s difficulties, which made Xu Hongdou feel uneasy. While they were talking, Huang Xinxin suddenly came to find Xie Zhiyao to discuss attracting tourists through local cultural events to develop tourism in Yunmiao Village and preserve intangible cultural heritage. Xu Hongdou was intrigued by Huang Xinxin’s idea. That evening, she chatted with Damai and Lin Na about their dreams.

Damai hoped to become a meaningful writer, Lin Na preferred her current life, and Xu Hongdou seemed a bit lost. Recalling what everyone had said and done, Xu Hongdou began seriously thinking about her own aspirations. She seemed to develop interest in Xie Zhiyao’s proposal and decided to join the café to help improve things. After receiving her message, Xie Zhiyao dressed neatly the next day and came to pick her up for the café.

Xu Hongdou wore a semi-formal suit and set three ground rules with Xie Zhiyao, saying she didn’t want to be in an employer-employee relationship with him. Xie Zhiyao readily agreed and promised to thank her with the best local food. On her first day at the café, Xu Hongdou implemented strict rules and taught Anai Xiuying and Anai Caiyun about hygiene, patiently explaining the pros and cons. This not only ensured cleanliness but also demonstrated professionalism to the guests.

However, as Xu Hongdou spoke, Anai Xiuying suddenly changed the topic to relationships, asking whether she and Xie Zhiyao were dating and urging them to hurry up and settle their marital matters, or risk missing the chance to have children and grandchildren. Fortunately, Xu Hongdou personally taught the elderly ladies step by step. Under her guidance, they gradually got used to using different cloths for cleaning, and the café became well-organized.

Once Xu Hongdou implemented meticulous management and clarified staff discipline, instances of tardiness and early leave began to decrease. Xie Zhiyao felt deeply grateful for her contribution and took her to the stables to witness the birth of a foal. After a long wait, when they heard the mare neighing, Xu Hongdou knew the birth was near. She eagerly recorded the moment on her phone to share with friends and relatives.

Xu Hongdou recorded the amazing moment of the foal’s birth on her phone. She was moved by the greatness of motherhood and was brought to tears. Xie Zhiyao thought city people were inexperienced and rarely saw new life like this. But Xu Hongdou recalled how she used to go to the countryside with her grandmother and remembered many fun memories. When she was little, she thought holding an egg would hatch a chick.

Her sister, Xu Hongmi, worried she might break it and secretly swapped the raw egg for a cooked one. Later, in cahoots with their grandmother, they tried various ways to "turn" the egg into a chick, making Xu Hongdou believe she had succeeded in hatching it. Xu Hongdou remained in the dark until Xu Hongmi applied to university and mocked her for going to the "egg hatching" university. That’s when she learned the truth.

Looking back now, Xu Hongmi was a constant stumbling block on her path, but having such a stumbling block helped her gain self-awareness. Tuotuo, the little boy, was about to leave Dali and was reluctant to part with his friends. Seeing the sad faces of the children, Lin Na also felt upset and tried to comfort them. Meanwhile, Auntie Agu saw Ma Qiushan always meditating in the courtyard and doing nothing else. She couldn't understand it.

In her view, at Ma Qiushan’s age, his child should already be in middle school, and he should consider his family’s feelings. Everyone is born to take responsibility and shouldn't always aim too high. Even if running a business doesn’t go well, one can still work regular jobs. Although Ma Qiushan felt that since people are born with nothing, they might as well lie flat, Auntie Agu insisted that one should work unless lying in a coffin.

Inspired by her, Ma Qiushan greatly admired her. Even if she wasn’t highly educated, she truly understood life. Damai was motivated by Auntie Agu’s words and wanted to write more to change her situation, but she lacked inspiration. Negative reader comments and low income sapped her motivation. Meanwhile, Ma Qiushan was stir-frying rice noodles in the kitchen, and Damai came over to chat, sharing her frustrations.

As a 28-year-old invisible author, she faced pitiful subscription numbers, rampant piracy, and harsh criticism, leaving her with no hope. That was her own evaluation. Ma Qiushan then shared his entrepreneurial journey—from being worth millions and earning tons, to losing everything and having to meditate just to suppress his urge to start again. Soon, under Xie Zhiyao’s preparation, Xie Heshun’s woodcarving workshop had a lively opening.

Xie Zhiyao planned to promote it through short videos online and asked Xie Xiaoxia to continue filming and streaming. Xie Heshun had never been exposed to such things and was a bit uncomfortable, but seeing how good and enthusiastic Xie Xiaoxia was, he didn’t object further. Xu Hongdou wrote an employee handbook for the café, setting clear rules and making changes in onboarding, assessments, and pay.

She even added a full-attendance bonus: if staff took no more than three personal days a month, they would get an extra 200 yuan. Although Anai Caiyun and Anai Xiuying couldn’t understand the details, the idea of earning an extra 200 yuan excited them. Because of the handbook’s implementation, Xie Zhiyao was impressed by Xu Hongdou’s management skills and sincerely grateful. He was so moved that he even confessed his feelings on the spot.

Though Xu Hongdou knew he was joking, his emotions were real. Even Xie Xiaochun noticed and warned him not to fall for Xu Hongdou, since her rental term was only two more months—after which she would return to Beijing.

While Xie Zhiyao and Xie Xiaochun were chatting, Huang Xinxin suddenly came over and said she had contacted the owner of Shaohua Bookstore and planned to open a branch in Yunmiao Village to boost tourism. Xie Zhiyao was very interested and arranged for the owners to come visit in person, assigning Xu Hongdou to host them. Since she wasn’t local, her outsider’s perspective might be more convincing when introducing the local culture.

Later, Xie Zhiyao took Xu Hongdou and others to choose outfits and told the story of the embroidery teacher, Xie Huailan, who had once met and fallen in love with a Frenchman. They shared a romantic relationship. The Frenchman eventually wanted to return home and asked her to go with him. But Xie Huailan declined, and the relationship ended. She never married and spent her days doing embroidery and gardening. Tuotuo was sad about parting with his friends.

When Uncle Champion revealed that Tuotuo’s parents had decided to leave him in the village, he cried even more. Meanwhile, the aunties heard from the younger generation that Xie Zhiyao was courting Xu Hongdou, often taking her out to eat. They believed that if a man was willing to spend money on a girl, he was definitely serious—and assumed they were dating.

Xie Anai and Xie Xiaochun also saw that Xie Zhiyao liked Xu Hongdou, but both Xie Zhiyuan and Xu Hongdou firmly denied it. At that moment, Ma Qiushan took the initiative to discuss starting a business with Xie Zhiyao. He hoped to open a tea brand store to promote Chinese tea culture. Xie Zhiyao found his idea promising and encouraged him to try.

Tiger’s mother returned home after working away for years to visit her son, but he felt distant from her, which made her very sad. That night, she secretly wiped away tears in the kitchen. Tiger’s grandmother comforted her, saying that if she spent a few more days with him, the boy would warm up. Slowly, her mood improved. Xie Zhiyao introduced Yunmiao Village’s designer, Ye Sen, to Xu Hongdou.

They planned to shoot a promotional video to showcase local customs and culture. He also shared the inspiration behind the name he gave the village. He hoped everyone who came here could rediscover the power of happiness. Since wind is essentially the movement of air—cold air moving toward warm air—life follows, and so does the strength to seek happiness, joy, beauty, and new beginnings.

Because of this, Xu Hongdou suggested using e-commerce for broader promotion, like inserting a tourism flyer into parcels. Xie Zhiyao agreed and immediately had more flyers printed. That afternoon, Xu Hongdou chatted with Xie Anai in the courtyard and learned she never played cards but often visited neighbors. Xie Anai said that when she was young, she didn’t have enough food or clothes, let alone time to play.

She once had a son with congenital heart disease, but because medicine wasn’t advanced, he needed a large amount of money to survive. To treat him, she and her husband borrowed from every relative and neighbor and then worked tirelessly to repay the debts, never resting. Seeing that Xie Anai was becoming sadder as she spoke, Xu Hongdou sensed the mood shift and quickly went home to fetch a toy she had just bought.

She brought it back to play with Xie Anai. Sure enough, Xie Anai got really into it and had fun. Even Xie Zhiyao joined them, and the gloomy mood quickly disappeared. That night, Xu Hongdou called her mom and sister to talk about volunteering in Yunmiao Village. Xu Hongmi believed her sister had been brainwashed by capitalists and turned into a bitter fool. But Mother Xu supported her choice, saying young people should try new things. After preparing a late-night snack, Xu Hongdou called Damai downstairs and overheard her crying in her room.

The reason why Damai hid in her room, collapsing in tears, was mainly because she had hit a bottleneck in her writing. With more fans came higher expectations, yet increasing negative reviews made her emotionally anxious, eventually stifling her creativity. As a result, the passion that once burned so brightly vanished, leaving Damai in deep pain and afraid to reveal her identity as an online writer to others.

Even so, Xu Hongdou still envied that Damai could pursue work she loved. As long as it was her own choice, she had a reason to persist. Lin Na had once envied those authors who earned millions a year or sold adaptation rights, but she didn’t expect those famous writers to be just one in ten thousand—while the countless others, like Damai, remained unknown. After comforting Damai and sending her to rest, Lin Na cried alone in the kitchen.

Xu Hongdou was puzzled and only learned the reason after talking with her. It turned out Lin Na had revealed Damai’s identity as an online writer to Hu Youyu and the others the day after she found out, which had left Damai very embarrassed. Now thinking back, Lin Na felt extremely guilty and remorseful. However, Damai didn’t mind the matter at all.

She was very happy to have met Lin Na—it was Lin Na’s devoted readership and encouragement that gave her the courage to face other readers’ criticism. Later, when Lin Na took the initiative to give Damai a gift, Damai treated it as a spiritual support. Whenever she ran out of inspiration, she would look at the carved wooden kitten, as if Lin Na were by her side.

While chatting with Xie Zhiyao, Xu Hongdou mentioned her reason for coming to Dali. She simply didn’t want to let go of certain things, because what each person holds dear always carries weight, and one should learn to live with it. Xie Zhiyao mistakenly thought Xu Hongdou had come to Dali to heal from a breakup and started analyzing it seriously, which made Xu Hongdou laugh.

She let him go on with his wild guesses before returning to the bistro to continue working. That evening, Xie Zhiyao invited Xu Hongdou over for braised chicken. Coincidentally, Ma Qiushan also came by to discuss opening a teahouse. Xie Zhiyao found him a suitable investor willing to fund the location and renovation. Ma Qiushan was overjoyed at the good news. Starting over brought new energy to him, and even Xu Hongdou felt happy for him.

Xu Hongdou noticed that Xie Zhiyao seemed to be very familiar with Ma Qiushan. Through casual conversation, she learned that they had known each other since the time Xie Zhiyao was still working in Shanghai and Ma Qiushan was already a successful entrepreneur. Over the years, Ma Qiushan had smooth sailing on the road of entrepreneurship, had a knack for spotting opportunities, and went big on investments after expanding his business. Unfortunately, one failure brought him back to square one.

After that, Ma Qiushan was downcast every day, full of self-doubt. Though he tried meditating, it didn’t bring him real reflection, and he still resolutely chose to start a business again. Perhaps, in Ma Qiushan’s life, entrepreneurship was the only way forward. Xie Zhiyao respected his decision. While helping Xie Anai in the kitchen, Xu Hongdou noticed that neighbors often came to consult Xie Zhiyao.

Xie Anai had long been used to this—after all, Xie Zhiyao was educated and business-savvy, so many neighbors came to him for advice. Because Xie Zhiyuan often invited Xu Hongdou out, their alone time together sparked gossip among the village aunties. What started as normal socializing evolved into rumors that Xu Hongdou was Xie Zhiyao’s ex-girlfriend who had come all the way to Dali to win him back.

Then it escalated into talk of them being engaged and preparing to marry. Tuo Tuo’s dad believed the rumors and even congratulated Xie Anai, who found it baffling. When Xie Xiaochun heard the village gossip, she also believed that Xu Hongdou and Xie Zhiyao had become a couple and personally carved a statue of the Child-Giving Guanyin for Xu Hongdou. Surprisingly, Xu Hongdou accepted it gladly without clarifying her relationship with Xie Zhiyao. She even considered the statue a lucky charm—maybe it could help her have twins at home.

When Xu Hongdou returned to Youfeng Inn, she found villagers gathered at the door. She asked and learned they had come to see the “bride-to-be,” mistaking Damai for her. Damai found it amusing and didn’t bother to clarify, but Xie Zhiyao was helpless, feeling it was a misunderstanding that couldn’t be undone. Damai thought the rumor might as well come true—after all, both Xu Hongdou and Xie Zhiyao were single, meeting the hard criteria for marriage.

Plus, "married first, love later" was a popular theme with readers. But real life wasn’t a novel—both Xu Hongdou and Xie Zhiyao knew these were just rumors and laughed them off. The next morning, Xu Hongdou and Lin Na accompanied Damai to a scenic spot for a relaxing day. Meanwhile, Xie Zhiyao received a call from Huang Xinxin and rushed out. It turned out that the owner of a homestay in town had suddenly disappeared, owing two months' unpaid wages.

The workers surrounded Huang Xinxin demanding payment, causing a scene—fortunately, Xie Zhiyao arrived in time. Because the owner had invested over a million yuan into the homestay, Xie Zhiyao believed he wouldn’t just flee with the money. Thanks to Xie Zhiyao’s good reputation, the workers agreed to continue work for now and discuss solutions with him that evening.

When Xiaoqin heard rumors about Xie Zhiyao and Xu Hongdou, she asked if he liked her and proposed developing a relationship on the condition that she learns embroidery. Xie Zhiyao had no romantic feelings toward Xiaoqin and told her not to overthink. Xiaoqin left angrily, claiming she had other suitors. After shopping, Lin Na brought Xu Hongdou and Damai to Hu Youyu’s music bar, where Hu Youyu performed his latest song.

Since it was Damai’s birthday, Xu Hongdou and Lin Na presented her with a cake and birthday wishes. Even Lin Na took the stage to sing a song. The singing reminded Xu Hongdou of her best friend Chen Nanxing and brought her to tears. Damai, in high spirits, got totally drunk and wouldn’t stop talking. Xie Zhiyao came to pick them up and immediately noticed Xu Hongdou’s emotional state. As expected, she broke down crying in his arms.

In the end, Xie Zhiyao handed her a stuffed toy, and together with Hu Youyu, escorted the three girls back to the inn. The next day, Xu Hongdou and Damai sobered up and felt extremely embarrassed when Lin Na recounted their drunken behavior. Usually reserved, Damai couldn’t stop rambling after two drinks, complaining about family drama, weird relatives, and annoying blind dates. Xu Hongdou’s eyes were swollen from crying.

When she learned the stuffed toy belonged to Xie Xiaochun’s daughter, she felt even more ashamed. Although Xie Xiaochun had been divorced for years, her family and her ex-husband’s family still stayed in frequent contact. Lately, Xie Xiaochun heard that her ex, Luoquan, was going on a blind date, and she felt an inexplicable surge of anger. She told her mother and brother not to interact with him.

But her daughter, Xiaohulu, really liked her father and grandmother and was always happy to hear from them. Damai video-called her parents, briefly mentioning her birthday and decided to accept reality, stop shutting herself off, and start communicating more with the outside world. She was very grateful to Lin Na for her support and wanted to start picking her up from work. Lin Na was deeply moved.

Early the next morning, Xie Zhiyao came to have breakfast with Xu Hongdou as usual and asked her to help talk to Aunt Feng. Although Aunt Feng was a capable worker, her temper was fiery—she couldn’t tolerate customer complaints. Every time a customer returned or refunded a product, she would blow up, which often led to complaints.

Since Xie Zhiyao and Aunt Feng were too close, he felt it was inappropriate for him to intervene, so he asked Xu Hongdou to talk to her instead. Sure enough, Xu Hongdou spoke with empathy and reason, helping Aunt Feng understand that both good and bad reviews affect shop sales. She even shared bizarre hotel incidents she had experienced. Aunt Feng slowly accepted her advice and tried to communicate patiently with customers.

Because Xu Hongdou worked so hard managing the bistro, Xie Zhiyao personally made her a cup of coffee to enjoy. The staff started gossiping about their relationship, and Xie Zhiyao deliberately hinted that Xu Hongdou was the "boss lady," which matched what everyone was already thinking. At the same time, Huzi’s parents threw him a birthday party and invited neighbors and children to join.

Xie’s father returned to the village to visit Xie Anai and happened to talk about what Xie Zhiyao had been going through recently. Although Xie Zhiyao always appeared cheerful, his father knew that he kept problems to himself—such as unpaid debts, suspended construction at the homestay, and trouble from the construction team. Xie’s father thought it was time for Xie Zhiyao to get married and even asked about Xu Hongdou, but Xie Zhiyao immediately cleared up the misunderstanding.

Xie Xiaochun cooked a table full of dishes for everyone and asked Xu Hongdou to judge who was the better cook—herself or Xie Zhiyao. Xu Hongdou thought each had their strengths. Everyone’s cooking matched their personality, and Xie Zhiyao was especially creative—every combination brought a new taste, and she never got tired of it. Not only that, Xu Hongdou shared the dishes she liked and how to make them, sparking curiosity from Lin Na and the others.

That night, Xu Hongdou followed Xie Xiaochun to find Xie Zhiyao and saw him in the courtyard preparing offerings for the ancestral worship ceremony the next day. Curious about the traditions in Yunmiao Village, she asked, and Xie Zhiyao explained that it was just about offering flowers and pastries. He then recalled his childhood, missing his grandfather. He had mostly grown up with Xie Anai and his grandfather, and had only vague memories of his parents.

Love from his parents had always felt distant. Later, when Xie Zhiyao went off to school, he thought graduating would allow him to give his grandfather a good life. Unfortunately, his grandfather passed away after suffering illness. Over the years, every time he thought of his grandfather, it brought him pain. Xu Hongdou understood his feelings well—she had also lost her beloved grandmother suddenly, without even a chance to say goodbye.

She had been devastated, but time had dulled the sorrow. She believed everyone had unique experiences growing up. Although Xie Zhiyao had a distant relationship with his parents, his bond with Xie Anai was deep, proving he was not someone lacking in love. As the sun set, twilight cloaked the small mountain village.

The smell of food wafted from every household, and after a long day’s work, people enjoyed their dinner and drifted into sweet dreams, with all their troubles fading away in sleep. The next day, Xie Zhiyao took Xie Anai and his father to pay respects to his grandfather. The elder chatted on and on about recent happenings and even asked the grandfather to bless him with a grandchild soon, now that a partner had been found.

While Xie Anai poured wine for the grandfather, Xie Zhiyao and his father sat before his mother’s grave, talking about the past with heavy hearts. Xie’s father felt guilty toward his wife, knowing she had sacrificed too much for the family and eventually succumbed to illness. Xie Zhiyao also missed his mother and silently shed tears. Ma Qiushan was fully prepared for his teahouse, experimenting with various tea flavors and trying out new combinations.

He invited Lin Na to sample them. Although the names were creative, the flavors seemed too similar. Seeing Lin Na’s lukewarm reaction, he gave the teas to Xiaoqin to try. But Xiaoqin didn’t like the mild flavors either. She preferred creamy and sweet ones. Ma Qiushan added honey to the tea, then, at her request, also added condensed milk. Sure enough, Xiaoqin was very satisfied.

Ma Qiushan took inspiration from her preferences to create new blends and let Huang Xinxin, Xu Hongdou, and the others taste them. Thanks to Ma Qiushan’s rapid progress in tea making, everyone had high praise for him. Damai didn’t feel comfortable giving comments on the spot, so she planned to write them down and give them to him. Xu Hongdou also wrote her feedback on a tasting card. When Ma Qiushan read their words, he finally broke into a rare smile.

Because of the praise he received from Xu Hongdou and the others, Ma Qiushan once again invited Auntie Gui to taste his Ma-style milk tea. However, the high price of the milk tea displeased her. She complained that after a hard day's work, she only earned fifty yuan—how could she possibly spend thirty yuan on milk tea?

Following the suggestions of Xu Hongdou and Auntie Gui, Ma Qiushan also felt that the price was too high and should be lowered appropriately. However, Auntie Gui didn’t understand the lifestyle of city people. She would rather buy black tea and milk at the supermarket and make tasty and sweet milk tea herself. But Ma Qiushan’s teahouse was a high-end venue, frequented by customers with some spending power.

Some enjoyed tea and used it as a social tool, to discuss business or make friends, and to enjoy the good life. Inspired by Damai and others, Ma Qiushan suddenly thought of creating interesting stories behind each type of tea, to truly highlight tea culture. So, he invited Damai to help write the stories. Damai readily agreed, as long as she was well paid. Xu Hongdou was happy for both of them.

During this time, Xie Xiaochun had been filming videos of herself and her master and posting them online, gaining many followers and lots of praise. Even Lin Na couldn’t help but laugh out loud watching them. Damai came to pick Lin Na up from work, and they walked back hand in hand, reflecting seriously on life and the future—Damai listened very intently.

Sparrows built a nest under the eaves of the inn and had a brood of chicks, chirping noisily every morning. Xie Zhiyao passed by the inn and saw Xu Hongdou bleary-eyed, using tissues to wipe bird droppings off the window frame. It was a mundane and boring task, but to Xie Zhiyao, it seemed especially amusing. His smitten expression caught the attention of his father, startling Xie Zhiyao when he realized someone was standing next to him.

Father Xie suspected his son had feelings for Xu Hongdou. With nothing to do, he strolled over to the Wind Inn and happened to meet Hu Youyu. He gave Hu some advice on songwriting. When Huzi heard his parents were returning to Guangzhou, he immediately dropped his popsicle and ran to the village entrance, crying his heart out by the roadside. Although Huzi’s mother was heartbroken, she still tearfully got into the car.

His grandmother held him back to keep him from chasing the car, and the young boy could only wail in sorrow. Seeing this, Xie Zhiyao stepped up to hug Huzi and the other children. Xu Hongdou finally understood why he was developing Yunmiao Village’s real economy—only by generating income for the village could the children avoid becoming left-behind children. Meanwhile, Father Xie subtly tried to learn more about Xu Hongdou and discovered she was working for his son without pay.

Xu Hongdou was meditating in the courtyard. Knowing Damai had been feeling low recently, Hu Youyu came to offer advice based on his own experience, striking a pose he thought looked cool and speaking in a pretentiously suave tone to comfort her. Just as Hu Youyu was struck by inspiration and about to sing on the spot, he suddenly saw Father Xie coming in through the front door. He quickly hid and snuck out the back.

Father Xie took the initiative to chat with Xu Hongdou, mentioning that his son often helped neighbors promote things for free and never accepted payment, which made him quite anxious. In Father Xie’s view, Xie Zhiyao eventually needed to earn a living. Constantly helping others out of enthusiasm wasn’t sustainable, so he hoped Xu Hongdou could persuade Xie Zhiyuan to return to the city to work. However, Xu Hongdou disagreed with Father Xie’s opinion.

She fully understood Xie Zhiyao’s intentions and believed that life was fleeting and that personal time was limited—everyone pursued different goals. Xu Hongdou knew that Xie Zhiyuan’s return to his hometown to help the villagers came from genuine affection. His passion for solving their problems was sincere. Now, under Xie Zhiyao’s planning, the infrastructure of Yunmiao Village had started to show results.

Xu Hongdou believed that great achievements were just around the corner, and anyone with a long-term vision could see Xie Zhiyao’s excellence. Father Xie was deeply impressed by Xu Hongdou’s insight, and the knot in his heart was finally untied, leaving him greatly relieved. Xie Zhiyao stood nearby, listening to their conversation, and was deeply moved—he felt he had met a kindred spirit in life.

Soon after, Father Xie left Yunmiao Village and, before departing, encouraged Xie Zhiyuan to keep working hard. To thank Xu Hongdou, Xie Zhiyao specially made coffee for her at the small café and shared many embarrassing stories about his father. Now that Xu Hongdou had successfully talked sense into his father, their colleagues also felt relieved, and Xie Zhiyao could fully focus on developing Yunmiao Village.

Although Xie Zhiyao had brought in investors for Ma Qiushan, the first round of funding was too small to support the teahouse’s opening, so Ma Qiushan began to consider selling the idle houses back home. However, these two houses were his last assets and backup plan, and he was worried that if the teahouse failed, his parents would be devastated.

That night, Xu Hongdou and Xie Zhiyao played aeroplane chess with Grandma Xie, and the three of them were very happy. Grandma Xie’s hearty laughter echoed far and wide. For the older generation, having loving children around and no worries in their heart—nothing could be more blissful. Because of his confusion about the teahouse, Ma Qiushan sought Auntie Gui’s advice on whether it was worth continuing. Auntie Gui immediately saw that he was thinking of giving up.

But if he abandoned the teahouse, how would he live? Stay at the Wind Inn doing nothing? His parents would still be disappointed. Avoiding problems wouldn’t solve them. Auntie Gui believed that if Ma Qiushan wanted to solve his problems, he had to think from his parents’ perspective. She spoke from experience, saying that while her children were very filial, they often only shared good news and not bad, which still left her worried.

Parents love their children and plan far ahead for them. After her guidance, Ma Qiushan had an epiphany and began to take the matter seriously. As the promotional video was being intensively prepared, Xie Zhiyao invited A Feng to try writing the script. Everyone burst into laughter at the exaggerated and direct jokes. A Feng explained that he wanted to use humor to express extreme romance and the warmth of human relationships.

However, Sunzi was very dissatisfied, frowning the entire time and making the atmosphere awkward. At that moment, Damai arrived to bring snacks to Lin Na. Seeing her, Xie Zhiyao and Xu Hongdou hurriedly called her over to give feedback. After watching from beginning to end, Damai praised A Feng’s courage, indicating that his script was overly exaggerated and poorly written.

Xie Zhiyao had originally wanted to invite Damai to help with the script, but Damai felt it was outside her field and politely declined. Sunzi’s views aligned with Damai’s, and the two hit it off, exchanging creative ideas. Eventually, Damai was convinced by Sunzi to join the writing process, adding many romantic and interesting scenes. Once the script began to take shape, they started recruiting talented girls to audition. Unfortunately, the morning passed with no one showing up.

Just when Huang Xinxin and the others were feeling discouraged, Xiaoqin brought a group of girls to the door. Later, Sunzi took her assistant to the mountains to film sunset shots. Unexpectedly, heavy rain began to fall. Xie Zhiyao looked at the rain with concern, worried the equipment might be damaged. Just then, Xie Zhiyao received a call saying the foal had gone missing.

He and Xu Hongdou rushed to the stable, and luckily found the foal had wandered into another stall. Since it was too late to return, they decided to stay overnight at the stable. They lit a fire to roast potatoes and talked about life’s regrets, their moods completely different. In Xie Zhiyao’s eyes, the only constant in life is change. No one can stop it. Whether good or bad, one must learn to accept it.

No matter how reluctant, one must move forward. Only through loss and gain can one complete the long journey of life. Listening to him, Xu Hongdou thought of her best friend and was moved to tears. But Xie Zhiyao misunderstood, thinking she missed her ex-boyfriend and couldn’t help asking about it. When Xu Hongdou spoke glowingly about the person she longed for, Xie Zhiyao felt a bit jealous, but still comforted her.

After the rain, the air was especially fresh. Before dawn, Xu Hongdou went out to watch the sunrise, recording the whole scene on her phone. Xie Zhiyao silently accompanied her. The deep blue sky, pristine white clouds, and endless green grasslands made for a beautiful picture. When the sun was high, Xu Hongdou pointed the camera at Xie Zhiyao and jokingly said she would find him a girlfriend.

After careful consideration, Ma Qiushan decided to continue pursuing his teahouse dream and left Dali to start anew. The departure of an old friend from the Wind Courtyard left Damai and Hu Youyu—both feeling uninspired—particularly downcast. The two sat in silence, eventually deciding to lease a piece of land in Yunmiao Village.

Damai wanted to plant a sea of flowers; Hu Youyu wanted to grow the sun and began singing a nursery rhyme, as if the song could dispel the gloom and light their path ahead. Meanwhile, Xie Xiaochun noticed that Lin Na was in low spirits and learned that she was worried about Damai. Xie Xiaochun shared her own experiences with her master to inspire her.

That night, Xu Hongdou and Lin Na cooked a late-night meal, with Damai absent, and even the usually enthusiastic Hu Youyu had gone to bed early. Xu Hongdou thought it was normal—after all, for artistic types like Damai, emotional fluctuations were common during creative slumps. Seeing they’d cooked too much, Lin Na jokingly suggested calling over Xu Hongdou’s “husband-to-be.

” Xie Zhiyao came to the Wind Courtyard immediately after getting the message and analyzed that Hu Youyu’s mood was mainly due to being discouraged by Father Xie. The next morning, Sunzi invited Damai to watch her film the promotional video and shared her own experiences working on film crews. Though often tired, she loved her job and found it full of interesting stories. Sunzi also mentioned how Huang Xinxin used to stutter badly in school.

To change this, she joined the debate team and eventually overcame her stutter through sheer determination, becoming even better than before. Since the kindergarten music teacher had resigned and no suitable replacement could be found in time, Xie Xiaochun thought of Hu Youyu and invited him to use his talents to teach the children to sing. With no way to refuse, Hu Youyu reluctantly went on stage to play the piano and sing.

Hearing the children laugh and clap filled his heart with joy and cleared away his inner gloom. While chatting in the café, Xu Hongdou and Lin Na gossiped about the origin of Sunzi’s name and found it very amusing. Just then, Xu’s parents called to say they’d received the specialty products she mailed. Dali ham was tough, and Xu’s dad found the kitchen knife useless and had to borrow one from the neighbors.

Granny Caiyu was worried sick about Xu Hongdou and Xie Zhiyao, urging them to marry soon. Xu Hongdou insisted they were just friends. While everyone was talking, Xie Zhiyao came in with sour papayas for Xu Hongdou. Everyone else puckered their faces from the taste, but Xu Hongdou remained perfectly calm. Auntie Gui received an invitation from her daughter to go to Qingdao to help take care of her granddaughter and was overjoyed.

She gave gifts to everyone in the village and proudly boasted about having such good children. Auntie Feng, listening to her, felt a deep longing for her own children and quietly cried in the corner after she left. As the promotional video shooting reached a fever pitch, it showcased rich local culture—music, dance, instruments, and intangible heritage. Sunzi initially wanted Lin Na to appear on camera, but Damai quickly stepped in to help her out.

Auntie Baoping dressed up the children with rosy cheeks and red dots on their foreheads, making them look adorable and funny. Xu Hongdou and Xie Zhiyao smiled silently and took photos with the cute kids. Under Sunzi’s direction, Xu Hongdou and Xie Zhiyao acted as a couple, walking along the beach with a white horse. Sunzi told them to hold hands.

Xu Hongdou did so naturally, but Xie Zhiyao became very nervous and eventually ended up with her holding his arm instead. Normally eloquent, Xie Zhiyao stammered at that moment, and simply began talking about Ma Qiushan. Now, he helps with housework and accompanies his parents every day.

That night, Youfeng Inn was in complete chaos. Xu Hongdou and the others had eaten wild mushrooms that weren’t properly cooked, leading to hallucinations, frenzied yelling, and an extremely disorderly scene. Lin Na quickly called Xie Zhiyao, and the two of them worked together to get Xu Hongdou, Damai, and Hu Youyu to the hospital. Fortunately, the toxicity was mild and not life-threatening. Lin Na was filled with regret and wept by the bedside.

Xie Zhiyao chose to stay and take care of everyone until Xu Hongdou’s symptoms improved the next day. When she woke and saw Xie Zhiyao’s back, she suddenly felt an inexplicable flutter in her heart. Although Auntie Guiqin felt somewhat guilty, she still believed the main problem was that the wild mushrooms hadn't been cooked long enough. If she had sold them to a restaurant, she would’ve made a good profit.

Ma Qiushan returned with a new attitude and told Auntie Guiqin that his parents supported his entrepreneurial ambitions. As she had said before, all parents are similar—they’re not afraid of their children trying and failing, only of them giving up entirely. Xie Zhiyao brought Xu Hongdou back to the inn from the hospital, taking meticulous care of her along the way. Under the eaves, the number of sparrows had grown.

After one brood, another had hatched—altogether, there were now two nests at Youfeng Inn. Their morning chirping had become something everyone had gotten used to over time. While in Xu Hongdou’s room, Xie Zhiyao discovered a photo wall with the words “Our Promise” and a picture of himself. Just as he leaned in for a closer look, Xu Hongdou hurriedly stopped him, citing privacy, and pushed him out the door.

Originally, Auntie Guiqin had made thorough preparations to go to Qingdao. But at the last moment, her son Dayang called to cancel, saying he needed to travel for work. Though she was disappointed, she still made excuses for him in front of her old friends. Auntie Feng was frustrated by his unreliability, which cost her a chance to work at the Youfeng courtyard and earn fifty yuan.

Because Auntie Feng and Auntie Guiqin are both hot-tempered, they quickly got into an argument. Auntie Guiqin went too far and mentioned Auntie Feng’s son Xie Qiang, who had been in prison, making Auntie Feng break down and cry on the spot. Xie Xiaochun sympathized with Auntie Feng but also felt she shouldn’t have refused Auntie Guiqin’s mushrooms—it was still a well-intentioned gesture.

However, Xie Zhiyao revealed that Auntie Feng’s daughter Dayun had died after falling off a cliff while picking wild mushrooms, a fact few people knew. Auntie Guiqin’s actions felt like stabbing her in the heart. Unfortunately, Auntie Feng had a hard life. Not long after her daughter died, Xie Qiang found a temporary job guarding a warehouse. He fell in with bad company and was talked into stealing steel materials from the warehouse.

The items were worth hundreds of thousands but were sold for just a few tens of thousands. Auntie Feng and her husband Uncle Chang borrowed money from friends and neighbors to pay for his reduced sentence and lived frugally for over a decade—truly tragic. Now, the villagers treat Xie Qiang as a cautionary tale, and Auntie Feng naturally feels deeply hurt. Xu Hongdou and Damai learned about this from Xie Xiaochun and were filled with emotion.

Meanwhile, Auntie Feng and Uncle Chang continued to eat the simplest meals at night, finding what joy they could in hardship. After finishing her work on the promotional video, Sunzi had to return to the city. Damai was reluctant to see her go. She was touched to learn that Lin Na had secretly asked Sunzi to invite her to participate in the project in order to help her regain her spirit.

That night, Damai messaged Lin Na to express her gratitude. The next morning, Xu Hongdou and Lin Na found Damai sleepy-eyed and learned she had stayed up all night writing a novel—though inspiration had again run dry. Xiaoqin’s father passed through the fields and found Uncle Chang unconscious. He rushed him to the hospital, where they discovered he had severe anemia. Auntie Feng, upon hearing this, ran to town in tears. Auntie Guiqin drove her to the hospital.

Fortunately, Uncle Chang wasn’t in critical condition, which brought Auntie Guiqin some relief. Since she had recently quarreled with Auntie Feng, she slipped away from the hospital while she wasn't looking.

Xie Zhiyao was originally at the hospital with the patient, but Auntie Feng felt bad and told him to go home and rest. Coincidentally, Xu Hongdou had cooked and was having dinner with Xie Anai. Xie Zhiyao took one look at the food and suspected it would taste terrible—and after trying it, he was sure. Only Xie Anai praised Xu Hongdou’s cooking endlessly.

After the meal, Xu Hongdou washed the grapes she had bought in town, but they were so sour they were hard to swallow—it seemed she had been tricked by an unscrupulous seller. Xie Zhiyao suddenly had an idea and invited everyone to the orchard for a group outing to pick plums, offering to cover all expenses. Xu Hongdou admired his generosity and agreed.

Lately, Hu Youyu had been regularly working as a music teacher at the kindergarten and felt fulfilled by the children’s adoring smiles. One day, as he was humming a tune on his way home, he realized he had left his bag in the classroom. When he returned, he found out the accordion teacher hadn’t actually resigned, and he immediately understood it was Xie Xiaochun’s doing.

Sure enough, under Hu Youyu’s questioning, Xie Xiaochun admitted that Xie Zhiyao had been worried about his mental state and came up with this idea. However, Hu Youyu felt insulted, thinking Xie Zhiyao was pitying him. Xie Xiaochun scolded him for being too cynical and never accepting kindness from others. Thanks to Xie Xiaochun’s blunt words, Hu Youyu began accepting his friends’ goodwill and signed up for the team outing.

In reality, though, Xie Zhiyao’s camping invitation was a way to get help for Auntie Feng, since Uncle Chang was still in the hospital and they were short-handed. Xie Xiaochun complained that Xie Zhiyao was too calculating and told him not to involve her in such schemes again—she didn’t want to be complicit. When the day of the outing arrived, everyone set off for the orchard. It wasn’t until Auntie Feng showed up that they realized the outing’s true purpose.

Still, everyone was kindhearted and sympathetic to Auntie Feng’s plight, and they all helped pick plums. Xie Zhiyao saw things with clarity—he believed that people shouldn’t compare themselves to others, because for some, what is a starting point is for others an unreachable finish line. We should look back at our own journey and remember that once we survive the hardest times, things will only get better.

Auntie Guiqin had long wanted to make up with Auntie Feng but didn’t know how to say it. Taking advantage of a moment when no one was around, she handed her a red envelope from her pocket as a gesture of goodwill. They’d known each other for over thirty years, and petty arguments never affected their sisterly bond. Auntie Feng also knew she had a bad temper and had offended many neighbors over the years.

But even so, Auntie Guiqin still enjoyed her company, knowing that she was tough-talking but soft-hearted. In fact, Auntie Feng admitted she envied Auntie Guiqin for raising two good children—beneath that envy was admiration. In contrast, she had lost her daughter and had a son in prison. Ultimately, she felt it was the parents’ fault for not teaching him well.

Auntie Guiqin took the opportunity to complain about how Dayang often went back on his word—every time he promised to go to Qingdao, something came up. Auntie Feng’s mood gradually improved, and the two old friends reconciled. After a whole day of plum picking, everyone was exhausted, but Xie Zhiyao still took pictures to commemorate the day. Ma Qiushan was heading to Fujian to visit a tea plantation and begin a new business venture.

Early in the morning, he was meditating when he saw Damai come out of her room. Inspired by Ma Qiushan and encouraged by everyone, Damai decided to start writing a new novel—choosing not to surrender to reality, but to continue her creative journey with determination. Soon after, Xu Hongdou, Damai, and Hu Youyu set out again for the orchard, dragging their aching bodies to pick more plums.

The inn owner who had previously withheld wages from the construction crew returned to Yunmiao Village. Lacking the funds to complete the project, he asked Xie Zhiyao to help sell the inn to raise money for the unpaid wages. Hu Youyu, upon hearing this, furiously called him unreliable and accused Xie Zhiyao of falling into a trap. But once he learned that the owner’s wife had bone cancer, he fell silent.

Back then, the inn owner and his wife quit their jobs in Shenzhen and moved to Yunmiao to start the business, planning to bring their parents too. But in the second half of the year, his wife was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. With no idea how to handle it, they burned through their savings, and the situation grew desperate. Lately, Damai had shown significant improvement. Though she still occasionally hit creative blocks, she maintained a good mindset.

She had actually noticed that Lin Na and Xu Hongdou had registered multiple accounts to defend her online, often arguing with haters. With their support, she felt more confident and no longer wallowed in self-pity. Now, Xu Hongdou was buying lots of plums from Auntie Feng’s orchard to send to her parents and older sister. Her mother was delighted and handed them out to relatives and friends, while her sister Xu Hongmi asked how she was doing.

After the call, Xu Hongdou continued helping Xiaohulu with homework. However, Xiaohulu struggled with math, and Xu Hongdou promised to help—only to be caught by Xie Xiaochun. Although Xie Zhiyao was willing to help raise the wages, it was hard to sell an unfinished inn, making the situation difficult. When Champion saw Xie Zhiyao drowning his sorrows in alcohol, he didn’t know how to comfort him.

Just then, he received an order from Xu Hongdou, and Xie Zhiyao eagerly offered to deliver it himself. Seeing how drunk he was, Xu Hongdou personally warmed up some milk for him, not wanting Xie Anai to worry. Xie Zhiyao felt heartbroken over the inn owner’s misfortune—he had met the wife before and remembered her as a kind and filial person. It was tragic that good people didn’t live long.

He suddenly became afraid of death, worried that if something happened to him, he’d leave a mess that would burden his family. Xu Hongdou comforted him, saying her mother often told her: “There are no young or old on the road to the afterlife,” because you never know when or how someone might leave this world.

That’s why she took Xie Zhiyao to her room to show him the photo wall she had carefully made and told him stories of herself and her best friend. She deeply understood the fear and confusion surrounding death. When loved ones suffer great misfortunes, their hearts tremble along with them, and they’re haunted by longing during quiet moments alone. Seeing Xu Hongdou cry, Xie Zhiyao wanted to comfort her with a pat on the shoulder, but his hand hovered awkwardly.

That night, he received a thank-you message from her but was frustrated with himself for failing to act when it mattered most. Lin Na created a new dish and asked Xie Xiaoxia to taste it. He gave his feedback, which Lin Na carefully recorded. She asked him to come again the next day to try more. Xie Zhiyao played the promotional video made by Sunzi for everyone.

When they saw Xu Hongdou and Xie Zhiyao holding hands while walking on the beach, the peaceful scene made everyone start teasing them to get married immediately. Xie Zhiyao planned another group activity—this time not picking plums, but a real camping trip. He invited Xie Xiaoxia, Hu Youyu, Huang Xinxin, and Xu Hongdou, among others. Watching Xu Hongdou and Xie Zhiyao gather firewood together, Hu Youyu thought they looked more and more like a couple in love.

Everyone gathered around the bonfire, enjoying barbecue and talking about their plans. Damai was about to return home, and Xu Hongdou and Lin Na were inevitably a bit sad. To lift the mood, everyone suggested Hu Youyu sing. He sang a new song he had written, harmonizing with the creek and starry sky—a heartwarming, beautiful moment.

Everyone had already gone to rest, except for Xu Hongdou and Xie Zhiyao, who were sitting by the river, gazing at the starry sky. Xu Hongdou recalled lying in the courtyard as a child, listening to her grandmother tell mythological stories. According to legend, deceased loved ones would become stars, and she believed that her grandfather was the twinkling star in the sky.

Xie Zhiyao agreed with this belief, saying he also felt that all things on Earth were energy, and energy never disappears. The departed continue to exist in another form. It was under Xie Zhiyao’s influence that Xu Hongdou gradually fell into memories of Chen Nanxing and mentioned the origin of her best friend’s name. In fact, in this world, every encounter is destined. The people we meet are no exception.

Although Xu Hongdou's trip to Yunmiao Village was very short, the memories are everlasting. No matter what day it is in the future, Xu Hongdou will always remember every detail of Yunmiao Village. She then leaned on Xie Zhiyao’s shoulder, enjoying a moment of peace. Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. Damai was about to leave the Youfeng Inn, and everyone came to see her off and helped pack her luggage. Damai felt a bit reluctant.

Before leaving, she hugged Xu Hongdou goodbye. Hu Youyu, unable to bear the emotional scene, remarked that they’d already had several farewell meals, and there was no need to be so sentimental. However, after returning home, Damai sent a video to Lin Na and Xu Hongdou. It turned out her father had given her a mysterious surprise gift—an adorable white dog. The catch was that Damai had to walk the dog four times a week.

Just thinking about coming home to that made her feel so wronged she wanted to cry. Lin Na and Xu Hongdou couldn’t help but laugh, admiring Damai’s father, a true teacher of the people, for coming up with such a creative way to get his daughter out of the house. Lin Na noticed that Xu Hongdou had been seeing less of Xie Zhiyao and couldn’t help but ask why.

Xu Hongdou explained that she would be returning to Beijing soon, and if she got too close to Xie Zhiyao, the parting would be too painful. However, during the camping trip, Lin Na saw the two of them sitting close together under the stars and felt that Xu Hongdou should face her feelings. Even if their time together was short, it should be cherished.

Xie Anai had long noticed that her grandson liked Xu Hongdou and wanted to help them get closer, so she asked Xie Zhiyao to invite Xu Hongdou over for a meal. Although Xie Zhiyao agreed, once Xu Hongdou arrived, he found every excuse to avoid her, leaving her to eat with Xie Anai alone. Since Xu Hongdou would be leaving Yunmiao Village next month and the coffee shop still needed to hire someone quickly, Xie Zhiyao felt downcast and anxious.

Xiao Qin was dating Yang Zhinan, a staff member at the guesthouse, but her father opposed the relationship, so she sulked at the stable and complained to Xie Zhiyao. Regarding his situation with Xu Hongdou, Xiao Qin advised him to take the initiative. Otherwise, if he always kept silent, he would eventually miss his chance. Little Hulu revealed to Xie Xiaochun that Xie Zhiyao liked Xu Hongdou, but Xie Xiaochun didn’t see it as a secret at all.

As someone who had been through it, she could clearly sense their mutual affection. Just as Xie Xiaochun was sharing her own first love experience with her daughter, the voice of Aunt Baoping came from outside, urging the mother and daughter to rest early. Xie Anai questioned Xie Zhiyao about his feelings for Xu Hongdou. Unable to take it anymore, he left the house and sighed at a barbecue stall. Champion comforted him with a few words.

Later that night, after feeding the horses, Xie Zhiyao looked up and saw Xu Hongdou sitting on the steps, lost in thought. He reached out to her on WeChat, occasionally glancing over. They agreed to have breakfast together the next day, and Xu Hongdou smiled radiantly.

When Xie Anai saw Xu Hongdou come over for breakfast, she teased Xie Zhiyao for saying the night before that he should give up his fantasies, yet here he was continuing to fantasize the very next day. Embarrassed, Xie Zhiyao quickly led her out of the kitchen, signaling her to stop talking. Xu Hongdou was still completely unaware of what was going on between the grandmother and grandson.

On a whim, Xu Hongmi decided to visit her younger sister to see how she was doing in Yunmiao Village. She brought her daughter along to the coffee shop. Watching Xu Hongmi’s back, Xu Hongdou felt she resembled her older sister. Lin Na responded that the temperament of wealthy ladies was probably all the same. Xu Hongmi’s daughter, Lingdang, spotted Xu Hongdou and immediately ran over to greet her.

Because of Xu Hongmi and Lingdang’s visit, Lin Na couldn’t help but share the news in the group chat, and the conversation heated up. Xie Zhiyao even accompanied Xu Hongdou and Lingdang to the fields to pick mint and other plants. Since Lingdang grew up in the city, she didn’t recognize any of the herbs, and Xu Hongmi also had some misconceptions.

Xie Zhiyao had a great time playing with Xu Hongdou and Lingdang, but Xu Hongmi was busy with work, constantly giving instructions over the phone or replying to emails on her laptop, unable to relax. To Xie Zhiyao, Xu Hongdou and Xu Hongmi were two completely different types of women. Xu Hongdou admitted her sister was outstanding among peers, a model of success, while she herself was mischievous, stubborn, and playful, disliking being controlled.

Even so, in Xie Zhiyao’s eyes, Xu Hongdou was the perfect girl, making her feel a bit shy from the compliments. Lingdang wanted to play with the pet dog, but Xu Hongmi stopped her. Xu Hongdou felt it was fine for children to interact with animals and even took photos for her. In fact, Xu’s parents had long known that Xu Hongdou had resigned.

While making dumplings at home, they speculated whether the sisters had argued again and decided to keep pretending they didn’t know. Mr. Liu from Shaohua Book House suddenly decided to inspect Yunmiao Village and would be bringing his family along, catching the village committee off guard. They quickly held a meeting to discuss countermeasures. Xie Zhiyao suggested playing it by ear, as it was a private trip, and there was no need to be overly formal.

He and Huang Xinxin would take the lead in receiving the guests, showcasing the natural charm of Yunmiao Village. Originally, Xu Hongdou planned to take Lingdang to town for the day, but when she received Xie Zhiyao’s call, she changed plans and allowed free time. Xu Hongdou, Xie Zhiyao, and Huang Xinxin welcomed Mr. Liu and his wife, taking them on a tour of Yunmiao Village to see various traditional crafts and buildings. Mr. Liu’s assistant also came along.

The assistant was very active and asked Xu Hongdou many questions. She patiently and thoroughly shared her experience in Yunmiao Village. Even at the dining table, the assistant continued asking on Mr. Liu’s behalf, leaving Xie Zhiyao puzzled. While Huang Xinxin introduced the scenery to the Liu couple, Xie Zhiyao pulled Xu Hongdou aside.

They looked up the assistant’s name online and were shocked to find that he was actually the head of Shaohua Book House, the chief designer Zhang Mingyu. That explained why Zhang Mingyu was so talkative. In the end, Xie Zhiyao and Xu Hongdou decided to let him probe them while they subtly tested his interest in cooperation. Fortunately, the Liu couple and Zhang Mingyu left satisfied. After a long day’s work, Xie Zhiyao and the others saw Huang Xinxin home.

On the way back, Xu Hongdou almost twisted her ankle on a rock, but Xie Zhiyao caught her in time. The atmosphere between them grew unmistakably romantic.

Early in the morning, Xu Hongmi noticed Xie Zhiyao leading a horse out. Accustomed to city life, she was very pleased with the surroundings of Youfeng Inn. In fact, her real reason for coming to Yunmiao Village was to persuade her sister to return to Shanghai, so they could look after each other. Xu Hongdou couldn’t help but complain that her elder sister had come just to lecture her.

She brought up old memories, pointing out her status in the family. There were only four people—mom was the chairwoman, dad was the general manager, Xu Hongmi was the department manager, and she, Xu Hongdou, was just a subordinate. Later, when their mom stepped down, Xu Hongmi became chairwoman and took charge of all family affairs. Though her sister and brother-in-law had plenty of connections in Shanghai, Xu Hongdou didn’t want to rely on them. It might affect her reputation.

So she planned to return to Beijing. Coincidentally, her senior from university was working at a five-star hotel and had invited her to be the head of employee training, a position she felt suited her well. Then, Xu Hongmi called their mother to report the situation and revealed that Xu Hongdou seemed to like Xie Zhiyao, and that their relationship was not simple.

Their mother was immediately alarmed but then thought it unlikely—after all, Xu Hongdou had broken up with her ex because of long-distance. Even if she was smitten, she wouldn’t pursue a relationship. Xie Zhiyao took the initiative to find Xu Hongdou and offered to go buy fruit with her. On the way, he listened to her complaints about her sister and subtly encouraged her to look beyond appearances to the essence.

Despite her sister’s nagging, she had come all the way to the plateau, risking altitude sickness, which showed how much she cared. When Xu Hongdou heard that Xu Hongmi often had nosebleeds, she was moved and bought her sister herbal tea to help with altitude sickness, deeply touching her. That night, Xu Hongdou brought rose wine for her sister to try.

The rich, fragrant taste was addictive, and a tipsy Xu Hongmi reminded her not to get too close to Xie Zhiyao to avoid getting hurt when they part. Because the promotional video of Yunmiao Village went viral online, many were curious about Lin Na’s appearance, and fans even came from Shanghai to film with their phones. Lin Na was nervous, but Huang Xinxin stepped in to handle the situation and chatted with the fans.

The next day, before leaving, Xu Hongmi bought wood carvings at a high price. Meanwhile, Xie Xiaoxia and Xie Xiaochun discussed this event, and Xie Xiaochun received a call from a girl wanting to book a room at Youfeng Inn. Hu Youyu had gone to Beijing for a singing competition. Though he didn’t win, it didn’t crush his desire to create music. Upon returning, he played mahjong with Xie Zhiyao, Xu Hongdou, and Xie Anai.

At first, Hu Youyu was very lucky, but when Aunt Feng showed up, Xie Zhiyao kept chatting with Xu Hongdou, causing him and Xu Hongdou to keep losing. Due to a leaky roof, Huang Xinxin’s house was practically raining inside during a storm. With nowhere to go, Xie Zhiyao arranged for her to stay at Youfeng Inn.

When Hu Youyu heard a new guest was coming, he was excited, hoping for a romantic encounter and even brought Xu Hongdou and Ma Qiushan to welcome the guest—only to see it was Huang Xinxin, leaving him deflated. Understanding the pain of being single, Xie Zhiyao consoled Hu Youyu, saying a new guest would arrive in a couple of days. Aunt Baoping heard that Xu Hongdou’s lease was about to expire and that she had no plans to renew it.

She was very curious about how things would progress between Xie Zhiyao and Xu Hongdou. Even the grandmas at the coffee shop were worried for them. After all, they were a perfect match and shouldn’t be separated, but they also knew feelings should follow fate and not be forced. Xie Zhiyao worked late into the night. Xie Anai brought him homemade fish soup, urging him to take care of his health.

While speaking, she noticed his laptop screensaver was a photo of Xu Hongdou, revealing his feelings. Embarrassed, Xie Zhiyao rushed her off to bed, then messaged Xu Hongdou to invite her to breakfast. Since Xu Hongdou was no longer a volunteer at the coffee shop and only had a few days left before her lease expired, Xie Zhiyao cherished every moment they had left. He even bought a new outfit and dressed up carefully to pick her up. The two of them went to the village entrance to eat rice noodles. Even in silence, the moment felt blissfully peaceful.

After Huang Xinxin moved into the Youfeng Inn, she chatted with Lin Na at night and expressed a different opinion about Xu Hongdou and Xie Zhiyao’s relationship. Lin Na thought that since they had only known each other for two or three months, they would inevitably go their separate ways after parting. However, Huang Xinxin disagreed and revealed that she had a boyfriend teaching in Guizhou. Aunt Baoping and Aunt Guiqin came to play mahjong with Xie Anai.

Everyone deliberately asked what kind of boys Xu Hongdou liked. Xu Hongdou said she preferred boys with fair skin, not the elite type like Xie Zhiyao. Aunt Guiqin revealed that Xie Xiaochun had already arranged a blind date for Xie Zhiyao, but he was very frustrated and complained that Xie Xiaochun should focus on her work. Xie Anai repeated what Xie Zhiyao once said: "See the reality clearly and give up illusions.

" Upon hearing this, Xie Zhiyao lifted his foot to signal Xie Anai to stop talking, but accidentally bumped into Xu Hongdou. The next day, Lin Na invited Xu Hongdou for a meal, and unexpectedly, Xie Zhiyao tagged along. The restaurant owner, Sun Xiaowei, turned out to be one of Xie Zhiyao’s rejected blind dates. Because Sun Xiaowei had a good impression of Xie Zhiyao, she praised him at the table, making the atmosphere even more awkward.

Seeing Xie Zhiyao signaling her, Xu Hongdou commented that he was consistent in relationships, had high standards, and would rather go without than settle. After the meal, Xie Zhiyao was frustrated and questioned Xu Hongdou about why she didn’t help him out during the meal and seemed so eager to pair him off. Xu Hongdou was speechless, not knowing how to respond. The more Xie Zhiyao thought about it, the angrier he became and decided to leave first.

Because of the unpleasantness with Xie Zhiyao, Xu Hongdou felt upset and stayed with Xie Anai to chat. Knowing that Xu Hongdou would be leaving Yunmiao Village in a few days, Xie Anai urged her to come over more often for meals. Xu Hongdou readily agreed and felt very comforted by Xie Anai’s presence. She dozed off in the chair, and Xie Anai lovingly covered her with a blanket.

That night, when Xie Zhiyao realized that Xu Hongdou hadn't returned to the inn, he received a call from Lin Na and learned she was at the hospital with a fever. He rushed over, out of breath. Fortunately, after getting an IV drip, Xu Hongdou was in decent condition. Seeing how much Xie Zhiyao cared for her, she felt deeply moved.

Xu Hongdou felt that Sun Xiaowei had good qualities—she was beautiful and wealthy—so she suggested Xie Zhiyao consider dating her. Smelling the jealousy in the air, Xie Zhiyao teased Xu Hongdou, and sure enough, she blushed. Back at the inn, Xie Zhiyao personally made a late-night snack for Xu Hongdou. She thought the portion was too much and wanted to share with him. Watching from a distance, Hu Youyu and Lin Na became more convinced there were feelings between them.

Later, a beautiful guest named Bai Manjun checked into Youfeng Inn. Since Xie Xiaochun was busy, Xu Hongdou personally welcomed the guest. Bai Manjun had a good impression of Xu Hongdou and, upon learning that she would soon return to Beijing, expressed regret they didn’t have more time together. Xu Hongdou believed that every encounter is fate. Upon hearing of the new guest, Hu Youyu tried to create a romantic atmosphere and played a fitting song.

Unexpectedly, Bai Manjun turned out to be the woman he met at the Beijing Music Festival. Back then, she was drinking to drown her sorrows, and Hu Youyu kindly comforted her, learning that she had just divorced her husband. Later, with Hu Youyu’s recommendation, Bai Manjun found the Youfeng Inn. It seemed fate had brought them together again.

After handling a village committee dispute, Xie Zhiyao was on his way back when Xu Hongdou noticed the scratches on his neck and invited him to her room to apply medicine. In her room, Xie Zhiyao saw a packed suitcase and realized her departure was near, feeling a bit disheartened. As Xu Hongdou applied iodine to his wound, the close proximity made his heart pound, and he quickly excused himself. But when Xu Hongdou opened the window, it startled Xie Zhiyao, who hid in the corner. Watching her look around, he couldn’t help but smile.

On the day before Xu Hongdou was to leave Youfeng Inn, Aunt Guiqin and Aunt Baoping brought her many local specialties. They also saw new guest Bai Manjun doing yoga in the courtyard. Faced with the aunts’ enthusiasm, Xu Hongdou couldn’t refuse and gave her snacks and toys to the children. The kids, in their innocence, asked when she and Xie Zhiyao would get married, leaving Xu Hongdou at a loss for words and overwhelmed with emotion.

After helping villagers push a tractor out of the mud, Xie Zhiyao hurried to the clinic to find Xu Hongdou and then walked with her by the seaside. Knowing she would leave the next day, he mustered the courage to present her with a handmade double-ring necklace. Xu Hongdou gladly accepted and really liked it. Because of this, Xie Zhiyao confessed his feelings to Xu Hongdou.

He had liked her since their first meeting, initially thinking she was a dignified and righteous woman, later realizing she was also a bit unlucky. But over time, he realized she was his type. He looked forward to seeing her every day, even finding the sunshine filled with warmth and happiness. Unfortunately, the timing and place of their acquaintance weren’t ideal. Xie Zhiyao sometimes regretted not entering the hotel in Beijing when he passed by multiple times.

If they had met and developed a relationship in Beijing, the outcome might have been different. Xie Zhiyao understood that love should be mutually fulfilling, not self-sacrificing. He sincerely wished Xu Hongdou happiness and hoped she could pursue the life she longed for. Hearing these words, Xu Hongdou was moved to tears and couldn’t help but hug him.

The next morning, she said goodbye to Lin Na, Huang Xinxin, and Hu Youyu one by one, while Xie Zhiyao personally drove her to the airport. They hugged one last time at the door until he watched her board the plane and fly away. Before returning to Beijing, Xu Hongdou visited Chen Nanxing’s home to see her parents. They got along very well. However, Xie Zhiyao hadn’t sent any messages, which made her feel a bit disappointed.

Meanwhile, Lin Na and Xie Xiaochun missed Xu Hongdou’s presence at the small restaurant. The new staff were clearly not as attentive. Even Xie Zhiyao felt something was missing. Xie Anai brought him fish soup and, seeing Xu Hongdou’s photo on the screen, urged him to keep in touch, telling him she had bravely pursued Grandpa back in the day.

At Youfeng Inn, Hu Youyu and Bai Manjun’s relationship quickly warmed, and they often went to bars together to chat and listen to music. Lin Na frequently sat alone in the kitchen, eating rice noodles and crying, reminiscing about the good times they all shared. Xie Zhiyao and Huang Xinxin returned to the inn and, upon seeing Lin Na crying, quickly joined her for a meal.

Though Youfeng Inn would continue welcoming new guests, to Lin Na, it would never be the same without Dami and Xu Hongdou. In the following days, Xu Hongdou accompanied Chen Nanxing’s parents to the supermarket, cooked for them, and even dyed their hair. Her presence brought rare smiles to their faces. But time flew by, and she would be leaving soon. One day, Chen’s mother sobbed in front of her daughter’s photo, drawing Xu Hongdou’s attention.

That night, Xu Hongdou sat with Chen’s mother on the bed, flipping through Chen Nanxing’s photo album and listening to stories from her childhood. Initially, her parents couldn’t recover from their grief after her death, but with support from friends and Xu Hongdou, they slowly began to heal. Xu Hongdou spoke about life and death, knowing Chen Nanxing wouldn’t want her parents to be so sad. Only by living well could they comfort her spirit in heaven.

Before leaving, Xu Hongdou personally visited the cemetery to see her best friend Chen Nanxing. Sitting in front of the tombstone, she showed the photos from her trip to Yunnan. Each picture had a story, enough to tell slowly, as if they had taken the journey together, occasionally filled with old memories. Meanwhile, since Xu Hongdou left, Xie Zhiyao had become irritable and gradually lost patience with neighborhood mediation. Everyone noticed the change in him.

The once gentle and shy Xie Zhiyao seemed to have left with Xu Hongdou. Now, he was like a soulless young man, always anxious and uncertain. Months later, Xu Hongdou finally returned to her long-lost home. Her parents made her zhajiang noodles. From Yunnan customs to updates about the Chen family, there was no end to the conversation. Late at night, Xu Hongdou lay in bed browsing social media, feeling lost.

Despite caring deeply for each other, neither she nor Xie Zhiyao had reached out. She didn’t know how to send the first message. Elsewhere, Xiaoqin couldn’t help complaining to Xie Zhiyao about her boyfriend’s lack of romantic sense. She had planned a birthday surprise, but he just went home to celebrate. When Champion tried to comfort her, Xiaoqin misunderstood, making Xie Zhiyao even more frustrated.

He urged Xiaoqin to break up and told her to forget relationship troubles and focus on her career. Hearing this, Xiaoqin cried even harder—she didn’t even have a career. After thinking it over, she suddenly asked Xie Zhiyao to marry her. He was so shocked he choked on a fish bone. Xiaoqin and Champion rushed him to the clinic.

Xie Zhiyao took a photo and posted it online, but after a whole night, he didn’t receive any likes or comments from Xu Hongdou, leaving him disappointed. Because Xu Hongdou wasn’t in Yunmiao Village, Xie Zhiyao couldn’t find the motivation to do anything. Xie Anai suggested he go to Beijing to see her and gave him her life savings. Seeing the amount in the bankbook, Xie Zhiyao was overwhelmed with emotion and deeply touched.

Sometimes, Xu Hongdou would talk to her parents about Xie Zhiyao. They noticed she liked the "grass of Yunmiao Village" and wondered why he was still single in his thirties, even suspecting a physical issue. Soon after, Xie Zhiyao received a box of peaches that Xu Hongdou mailed from Beijing. He was overjoyed and returned to his cheerful self, rallying everyone to take photos of themselves eating peaches to send back to her.

But this change in Xie Zhiyao was misunderstood by the aunts, who thought he had finally moved on and wasn’t obsessed with Xu Hongdou anymore. They lamented that men were heartless and said young women in the village didn’t want to marry early to avoid marrying scumbags. Recently, Hu Youyu and Bai Manjun had become increasingly close, and others could clearly see their budding romance. Cousin Kexin came to chat with Xu Hongdou.

When she saw the tiger-head shoes Xu Hongdou prepared for her, she immediately thought of their grandmother and teared up. Xu Hongdou learned that her mother had long known she resigned and wanted to talk to her about work. But her mother didn’t mind at all, as long as she was happy. That night, Xu Hongdou took the initiative to call Xie Zhiyao, and his familiar voice gave her peace of mind. Xie Zhiyao asked about her recent life.

Xu Hongdou said she was preparing to move and explained why she hadn’t responded that afternoon. Xie Zhiyao smiled upon hearing that. He also shared that the Shaohua Book House team would be coming to Yunmiao Village for an inspection, including some issues with the homestay transfer. Although he was facing many troubles, Xu Hongdou’s call brought him comfort, as if returning to the past, with blue skies, white clouds, and galloping hooves—where they could talk about anything.

Xu Hongdou and her parents were packing up to move houses when they accidentally came across an old electric fan that hadn’t been used for years. Her grandmother had scrimped and saved to buy it for her back in the day, and now it had become one of her most treasured memories. After everything was done, Xu Hongdou contacted a friend and mentioned the transfer of the guesthouse.

Her friend thought she should buy it, saying that being your own boss is always better than working for someone else. Xu Hongdou was moved by the idea. As the Shaohua Bookstore team arrived in Yunmiao Village, Zhang Mingyu noticed that Xu Hongdou wasn’t among the people welcoming them. During their field inspection, they experienced the local culture and infrastructure.

When Huang Xinxin learned that the visitors were staying a bit longer, she felt uneasy, but Xie Zhiyao reassured her not to worry. That night, Xie Zhiyao received another call from Xu Hongdou. Hearing the wind outside, he quickly placed his phone by the window so she could feel the breeze of Dali. Xu Hongdou thought of Youfeng Guesthouse and felt a rush of emotion. She noticed it was pouring rain outside.

Even though they were in different cities, if they missed each other, where one had wind, the other had rain. Bai Manjun often went to the bar where Hu Youyu performed as a singer and had become his most loyal fan. Sometimes she would get completely drunk and sing loudly on the way back. Hu Youyu, trying to keep the electric bike steady, couldn’t prevent her excitement from making them both tumble into the roadside grass.

They simply lay down, singing as they gazed at the stars. When she had spare time, Lin Na would share interesting stories from Yunmiao Village with Xu Hongdou and Damai. She thought Hu Youyu wasn’t good enough for Bai Manjun. Although Bai Manjun had been married and her daughter was in college, she was still a rich and beautiful woman—definitely out of Hu Youyu’s league. Actually, Damai felt it was more regrettable about Xu Hongdou and Xie Zhiyao.

In everyone’s eyes, they were a perfect match doomed to end. Xu Hongdou suddenly asked Damai if she would change a story’s ending due to reader demand. Before Damai could answer, the moving truck had already arrived downstairs. Lately, Xie Zhiyao had been feeling overwhelmed. The bookstore matter was still unresolved, the guesthouse had no one to take over, and everything remained in limbo, making him anxious.

As he passed by Youfeng Guesthouse, he couldn’t help but look up at the window of the room Xu Hongdou once stayed in. He picked up a stone and tossed it up, but to his embarrassment, it was Xie Xiaochun who opened the window. Xie Xiaochun later found out what was troubling Xie Zhiyuan and advised him to know his limits and not stress himself out.

That evening, Bai Manjun gave Auntie Guiqin a massage while Lin Na watched cooking videos nearby. Hu Youyu was sitting by the door playing the guitar. After Auntie Guiqin left, Bai Manjun gave Hu Youyu a finger massage. Seeing this, Lin Na knowingly went back to her room. Xu Hongdou chatted with Kexin about work and life, contemplating the meaning of it all and sharing the beauty of Yunmiao Village.

In Xu Hongdou’s eyes, Yunmiao was a rustic place with pristine green mountains and waters, where time passed slowly—a stark contrast to city life. The small village held a fixed group of people who interacted daily. It wasn’t bustling or extravagant, but it offered peace and longing. While they were talking, high school classmate Li Yulin came to deliver something to Xu’s parents. They made dumplings and asked Xu Hongdou to deliver them.

She learned that Li Yulin sold insurance, so she bought car insurance for her father. Because Li Yulin had seen Xu Hongdou’s photos taken in Yunmiao Village, she used her popularity to organize a tour group of twenty people. Xie Zhiyao was very grateful when he heard and immediately informed Xie Xiaochun and others to prepare for their arrival. Xie Anai and the aunties laughed and teased Xie Zhiyao when they saw it.

With Bai Manjun’s help, Hu Youyu finally started learning how to cook and entered the world of daily life. Knowing that the kindergarten was about to hold a party, Xie Xiaochun asked Hu Youyu, who was volunteering to coach the kids for choir, to let Xiaohulu lead. But Hu Youyu knew Xiaohulu couldn’t sing well and quickly refused. Bai Manjun stepped in to smooth things over. Xie Xiaochun tried to improve her daughter’s singing at home, but to no avail.

Over the next period, Xu Hongdou helped Xie Zhiyao contact travel groups and manage the guesthouse. On one hand, this boosted Yunmiao Village’s revenue; on the other, it relieved Xie Zhiyao’s pressing problems. Their frequent calls didn’t go unnoticed by Xu’s parents, and the bond between Xie Zhiyao and Xu Hongdou grew stronger each day.

Xu’s father took Xu Hongdou back to tidy up their old house. Seeing the familiar layout and scenery brought a wave of emotion; his youngest daughter had suddenly grown up. The parents were emotionally attached to the house, never thinking of selling it. Instead, they planned to rent it out to those in need. After retiring, Xu’s father couldn’t sit still and always wanted to open a small shop.

Xu Hongdou advised him not to overdo it—after all, starting a shop was like starting a business and would be exhausting. She tentatively asked how he felt about her starting a business and becoming a hotel owner. Her father fully supported her decision. Just then, Xu Hongdou received a call saying her cousin Kexin had been in a car accident. Terrified, she and her father rushed to the hospital. The whole family was frantic with worry.

Fortunately, thanks to the doctor’s quick action, both the mother and baby were saved. Everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although the matter was resolved, Xu Hongdou was still shaken. Xie Zhiyao sensed her anxiety and instinctively offered to visit her in Beijing. When she didn’t respond, he thought she disagreed and awkwardly backtracked, saying he was joking and still busy selling potatoes after seeing off a team-building group.

Shaohua Bookstore held a meeting and approved the Yunmiao Village project. Xie Zhiyao quickly shared the good news with Xu Hongdou, who was genuinely happy. From initially introducing the bookstore, to personally welcoming the director, to finally bidding publicly, every step was nerve-racking. Now that Shaohua Bookstore was confirmed, Xie Zhiyao suggested that Xu Hongdou consider returning to Dali once the bookstore was completed. Xu Hongdou didn’t reject the idea, hinting that there was still hope for him.

Because of this, Champion noticed that Xie Zhiyao had been smiling more lately. Xie Zhiyao believed that after two years of hard work, he would finally be able to marry. Just then, Xiaoqin ran over in a brand-new dress to show off. She had reconciled with her boyfriend and was full of sweet joy, even encouraging Xie Zhiyuan to hurry up and settle down.

Xie Zhiyao confidently said he would have a wife, but Champion grew more skeptical, thinking he might be delusional. Xu Hongmi returned to visit her parents and sister, and the whole family was reunited. But Xu’s parents argued—his wife didn’t support him opening a shop or going back to work. Fortunately, Xu Hongmi persuaded them and resolved the conflict.

Seeing this, Xu Hongdou took the opportunity to announce she was returning to Yunmiao Village to buy the guesthouse and become the owner—and she had already found a business partner. But everyone immediately changed the subject and pretended to be busy, offering no response. That night, Xu Hongdou sneaked into her eldest sister’s room, then into her parents’ room, making it impossible for them to sleep. Because of that, Xu Hongmi and Xu Hongdou talked.

She said their parents were very open-minded and would support whatever she chose to do, just like they had supported Xu Hongmi through her career and marriage. Xu Hongdou was deeply moved. She felt like the winding mechanism in a hotel clock—always being pushed forward by life. It wasn’t until her best friend Chen Nanxing passed away that she truly woke up.

She no longer wanted to live like the walking dead and finally found the life she wanted in Dali. Xu Hongmi understood how Xu Hongdou felt. She told her not to dwell in the past but to stay strong and look to the future. Xu Hongdou was worried that if her business failed, all her savings would be lost. She hadn’t even had a proper relationship—what would become of her when she grew old? Xu Hongmi told her not to overthink, to live in the moment, and that family would always be her strongest support.

After careful consideration, Xu Hongdou decided to set out for Yunmiao Village again. Her parents gave her all kinds of reminders as usual. Although Xu Hongmi pretended not to care, she was actually deeply concerned. After Xu Hongdou left, Xu Hongmi and their mother stood on the balcony, watching her silhouette disappear, holding back their sadness. Upon hearing the news, Lin Na personally went to pick Xu Hongdou up at the airport.

Meanwhile, Xie Zhiyao was watching a lion dance performance with Xiaohulu, unaware that Xu Hongdou had already returned to Yunmiao. Xie Anai was thrilled to see her, and Xu Hongdou asked Tuotuo to call Xie Zhiyao over to the guesthouse, saying someone wanted to buy it. Xie Zhiyao rushed over and was overjoyed to find it was Xu Hongdou. They discussed buying the guesthouse, meaning she would be staying here for good.

Once he confirmed she was serious about running the guesthouse, he couldn’t hold back his excitement and hugged her tightly. Xu Hongdou rented back her room at Youfeng Guesthouse and gave Lin Na a heads-up that they should lower their expectations for the guesthouse—start with survival and grow slowly. They had no other path to take. Once they opened, it would be a path to the guest rooms, the kitchen, and even the sewers.

In fact, Xu Hongdou’s partner was Lin Na. She had called Lin Na and proposed investing together to take over the guesthouse. Lin Na immediately agreed, believing they would work well together—after all, being a boss was better than being an employee. Because of her return, Xie Zhiyao personally cooked a big meal and invited everyone to welcome Xu Hongdou back. Everyone joked that he should prepare for a wedding soon, and Xu Hongdou laughed without denying it.

They also teased Xie Xiaoxia, who was single, and matched the single women with blind dates. That night, Xu Hongdou called her mother after showering and unexpectedly learned her mom had slipped a bank card into her bag. It contained 200,000 yuan she’d saved to renovate their home, plus another 100,000 her parents added. Xu Hongdou was very touched.

Xie Zhiyao noticed she was feeling down and tried to cheer her up with cheesy sweet talk, promising to eat rice noodles with her the next day. Soon after, Xu Hongdou and Lin Na went to the village committee to apply to take over the guesthouse. At Xie Zhiyao’s signal, Huang Xinxin deliberately put on a serious face and asked if they were truly prepared—many partners began confidently but eventually gave up for various reasons.

Xu Hongdou and Lin Na had clearly divided their responsibilities and had carefully prepared a business plan with clear ownership percentages. They understood that profits wouldn’t come right away, but if they could get through the early stage, the future would be bright. Xie Zhiyao and Huang Xinxin were finally reassured. The current guesthouse owner came to hand over the contract, and Xu Hongdou officially became the new owner.

Luo Quan, Xie Xiaochun’s ex-husband, came to the kindergarten to pick up Xiaohulu. From their daughter, he learned that someone was pursuing Xie Xiaochun, which made him uneasy. In fact, Luo Quan hadn’t considered remarrying after their divorce and still hoped to reconcile. Xiao Hui, who often delivered goods, liked Xie Xiaochun, but she wasn’t interested in him. Instead, she urged Luo Quan to arrange for their daughter to start elementary school.

As he left, Luo Quan gave her all sorts of reminders, and she also showed concern for his business and health. While the aunties in the village were chatting about family matters, Xu Hongdou came over to help, making Xie Zhiyao very happy. Everyone thought Xie Xiaochun and Xiao Hui were not a good match—despite the age gap, Xie Xiaochun had a fiery temper and needed someone more even-keeled. They also thought Hu Youyu and Bai Manjun didn’t match.

In their eyes, Hu Youyu was lazy and slick-tongued, totally unworthy of Bai Manjun. But Xu Hongdou and Xie Zhiyao felt Hu Youyu had a sunny personality and a strong sense of loyalty. Singing was his passion, and his long-term persistence showed he was dedicated. The aunties didn’t agree and hadn’t finished arguing when Xie Zhiyao got a call saying Hu Youyu was cornered at the bar. He immediately rushed there with Xu Hongdou.

Jin Ming, the owner of the dessert shop, had a girlfriend who cheated on him with a bar singer. His three close friends sought justice for him and went to the bar that night to gang up on Hu Youyu, whom they mistook for the singer. In the end, Hu Youyu was injured and hid in the restroom. Bai Manjun stood alone with a broom to block them until Xie Zhiyao and Xu Hongdou arrived in a hurry.

After Xie Zhiyao contacted Jin Ming, he found out it was all a misunderstanding—the group had mistaken Hu Youyu for a previous singer at the bar. Hu Youyu wanted to downplay the incident, but Bai Manjun insisted that Jin Ming call the police. Her brave act of protecting him without hesitation that night deeply moved Hu Youyu, who returned to his room with reddened eyes.

That evening, Xie Zhiyao couldn’t hold back his feelings and wanted to confess to Xu Hongdou. Unexpectedly, Xu Hongdou stopped him and said they’d talk tomorrow. However, Xie Zhiyao couldn’t shake it off and ended up standing under her window to confess his love, sincerely revealing his situation—even disclosing the available balance on his bank card—to show his genuine intentions. Xu Hongdou pretended to play hard to get and rejected him, but Xie Zhiyao climbed up to her window.

Eventually, they embraced and kissed, officially becoming a couple. Afterward, Xie Zhiyao pretended he had twisted his ankle, scaring Xu Hongdou into rushing to open the door, only to find he was perfectly fine. Under the moonlight, the couple whispered sweet nothings. The next morning, just as the sun rose, Xie Zhiyao arrived on his electric scooter to pick up Xu Hongdou. The two had rice noodles at the village entrance, enjoying their time together.

On the way back, they sat by the road, gazing at Erhai Lake in the distance as Xie Zhiyao made a solemn promise to her. Xiaoqin, watching from afar, was full of envy and asked how Xu Hongdou got her boyfriend to be so responsible. Xu Hongdou smiled, unsure of how to answer. Ever since Xie Xiaochun fell victim to a pig-butchering scam, she seemed to mature overnight, becoming steady and composed.

She now spent most of her time carving at the woodshop and no longer indulged in dreamy fantasies. Occasionally, streamers would come to the village to livestream, and one took notice of her carving skills and helped promote her work. Xu Hongdou handed the signed contract to Lin Na, reminding her to take a picture and send it to her uncle, suggesting she be cautious.

But Lin Na didn’t mind at all—she said she chose to partner with Xu Hongdou to open a guesthouse precisely because Xu Hongdou was professional, dependable, and trustworthy. Meanwhile, Bai Manjun still wanted to stand up for Hu Youyu, coming to the dessert shop daily to demand that Jin Ming apologize. Xie Anai noticed that since Xu Hongdou returned to Yunmiao Village, she rarely came to their house for meals. Xie Zhiyao revealed it was because Xu Hongdou felt shy.

Delighted by this, Xie Anai was overjoyed to learn that Xie Zhiyao and Xu Hongdou were dating. She urged Xie Zhiyao to bring her home for dinner soon. That night, Xie Anai prepared a full table of dishes to welcome them and grew increasingly fond of her future granddaughter-in-law, to the point that Xie Zhiyao felt neglected by his grandmother. The newly hired café employee Xiaoxin forgot to turn off the faucet.

Lin Na received a call and rushed to the shop. Just as she rolled up her pants to clean the floor, Xie Xiaochun came over to help, working quickly and efficiently. Lin Na was pleased to see this. She used to think Xie Xiaochun was immature, but now she saw he had grown up. Blushing, Xie Xiaochun shyly asked whether Lin Na would stay in Yunmiao Village after the guesthouse opened.

Lin Na nodded without hesitation, saying she had no plans to leave for now. Besides, the village was about to open the Shaohua Book House, and she believed business would thrive, making it a good place to stay. However, director Zhang Mingyu had his eyes on a century-old house and was willing to do a protective renovation. The issue was its remote location.

But Xie Zhiyuan didn’t think this was a problem, arguing that the house was surrounded by tie-dye workshops and guesthouses, and since the village was small and compact, walking was actually the most convenient option—there was no need for tourists to arrive by car. Now that Xu Jianguo found a job selling grain at a supermarket, Xu’s mother felt more at ease and mailed some local delicacies to their daughters.

Xie Anai took Xu Hongdou around the village, delivering goods to neighbors. In truth, she was subtly introducing Xu Hongdou to everyone, proudly showing off her future granddaughter-in-law. Xie Zhiyao and Huang Xinxin visited Grandpa Yang’s house to persuade him to rent out his old home for a book house, but he refused, opposing the idea of turning the village into a tourist spot. As they were turned away at the door, they ran into Xie Anai and Xu Hongdou.

Upon hearing the situation, Xie Anai brought Xu Hongdou in to speak with him, and within minutes they had a deal. Grandpa Yang even gave them some of his cured meat as a gift.

Just as Hu Youyu was hesitating about whether to call his father, Jin Ming came to him first. Bai Manjun had been persistently guarding the dessert shop for days, demanding Jin Ming and the other three men apologize to Hu Youyu. Jin Ming had never seen such a determined woman and, with no other option, contacted Hu Youyu. When Hu Youyu arrived, Jin Ming was practically ready to kneel and beg for forgiveness.

Jin Ming explained that the three friends were tourists from Dali who had already returned home, and there was no way to get them to fly back just to apologize. But Bai Manjun didn’t accept that—she insisted Jin Ming bring the other three within two days or she would keep showing up to cause trouble. Hu Youyu was deeply moved by Bai Manjun’s sense of justice and felt enlightened.

That night, he opened up to her, sharing his past struggles and explaining how his thick skin and his father's tough upbringing helped him survive. When he started a band, his father fiercely opposed it and even brought people to disrupt his performance.   Now his father had suffered a stroke and couldn’t use his hands, but still cursed Hu Youyu whenever he saw him. Despite this, Hu Youyu gradually came to terms with it and continued pursuing what he loved.

Bai Manjun admired his perseverance and praised his dedication, which made Hu Youyu a bit shy. Although Grandpa Yang agreed to rent out the old house, his son, Yang Deqing, demanded an outrageously high rent. Xie Zhiyao and Huang Xinxin tried to negotiate, but if it didn’t work out, they planned to request a new plot of land from the village committee. Unfortunately, Deqing was like a “tough nut”—he wouldn’t budge no matter how they tried to persuade him.

When the old house plan failed, Huang Xinxin applied for new land through the village committee and asked Auntie Agui to keep it a secret. Under Bai Manjun’s strong insistence, Jin Ming reluctantly brought back his three friends to apologize to Hu Youyu. They greeted him with smiles, treated him to a meal, and even brought gifts afterward. Hu Youyu, who had always been humble and low-profile, thoroughly enjoyed this moment of dignity.

Riding his drunken courage, he knocked on Bai Manjun’s door.   He gave her the gifts and thanked her for taking care of him lately, even calling her a soulmate. Bai Manjun was happy to see him regain his confidence and comforted him. Unexpectedly, Hu Youyu blocked the door to stop her from closing it. In the still of the night, swept up in the moment, they ended up in bed together.

The noise was so loud that Xu Hongdou and Lin Na in the next room couldn’t sleep. The next morning, Xie Zhiyao personally made buns for Xu Hongdou and worked in the kitchen for quite a while. Xu Hongdou shared gossip about Bai Manjun and Hu Youyu. Xie Zhiyao teased that she was just like the village aunties. Xu Hongdou pretended to get angry, and their playful banter was full of romantic sweetness.

A travel blogger, invited by Xie Zhiyao, recorded a special tourism video about Yunmiao Village, showcasing its local customs and specialties. The video also featured Lin Na, whose appearance and demeanor made the blogger suggest she could be a celebrity. But Lin Na was visibly uneasy about it and made frequent mistakes at work. On the other hand, the video made viewers fall in love with Yunmiao Village, leading to a sharp increase in tie-dye and fruit product sales.

The aunties couldn’t keep up with the orders, so Huang Xinxin and Xu Hongdou rushed to help.   Auntie Agui gossiped with others about the old house, and soon word spread throughout the village. When Yang Deqing heard, he tried to find Xie Zhiyao but discovered he was too busy to meet.

Deqing originally wanted to make a hefty profit, but after learning from Xie Anai that the village was approving new plots, he grew anxious at the thought of missing out on a fortune yet had no idea what to do. Late at night, Xu Hongdou was packing deliveries in the warehouse when Xie Zhiyao came up behind her and tried to flirt. Just then, Xie Xiaochun entered.

Facing her curiosity, Xu Hongdou openly admitted that she and Xie Zhiyao were now in a relationship, then asked Xie Xiaochun about her and Ahui. Xie Xiaochun denied liking Ahui and mentioned that Yang Deqing was getting anxious—he had gone to the village committee that afternoon to see Huang Xinxin but missed her because she was out.

Huang Xinxin was walking to the village committee while talking to her boyfriend on the phone, unaware that Uncle Deqing was actually waiting by the gate. As soon as she appeared, he immediately approached her. Compared to his previous tough attitude, Uncle Deqing was surprisingly different this time—he took the initiative to apologize to Huang Xinxin and said that for the benefit of the entire village, he was willing to lower the rent.

To ease Huang Xinxin’s concerns, Uncle Deqing promised to convince his father and bring him along to sign the rental agreement. His change in attitude delighted Huang Xinxin, and as soon as he left, she called Xie Zhiyao to share the good news. Since that passionate night, Hu Youyu didn’t know how to face Bai Manjun and had been trying every way to avoid her whenever he went out.

Bai Manjun noticed his indifference, as if that night had never happened. Precisely because of this, Hu Youyu felt conflicted and couldn’t even concentrate during class. During his break at the coffee shop, Lin Na even bluntly pointed out his relationship with Bai Manjun. Because of the travel blogger “Crazy Loli” and her viral promotional video, Yunmiao Village quickly became a hot online destination. Orders for root carving, food, tie-dye, and inns skyrocketed, and even the town’s guesthouses were overbooked.

Xie Zhiyao, worried that the infrastructure couldn't meet tourist demands, called a meeting to discuss solutions. Lin Na, feeling down, wanted to take leave but was denied by Xie Xiaochun, so she reluctantly stayed to help. Xiaoqin started working at the clothing store, busy entertaining guests from all over the country and even abroad. Xie Xiaoxia remained shy and reserved, blushing the entire time as he responded to the teasing and flirtation of female tourists.

The village restaurants were packed, and the coffee shop also had long queues. Xu Hongdou and others came to help with the guests. After a long and exhausting day, everyone gathered at the inn. Huang Xinxin announced that the peak had passed; although there would still be many tourists next week, at least it wouldn’t be as intense as today.

Xie Zhiyao’s voice had gone completely hoarse from talking so much, and Xu Hongdou, feeling sorry for him, poured him a glass of water. Huang Xinxin teased that someone finally cared about him. Just then, Lin Na woke up from a nightmare, her eyes blank and drenched in sweat. Bai Manjun noticed that Hu Youyu had been avoiding her, so she decided to lay everything out.

Although Hu Youyu showed up when she was at her lowest, bringing her vitality and a sense of newness—stirring her heart and touching her—because of the age and identity gap between them, it was destined not to go further. She also hoped Hu Youyu wouldn't take that night seriously and shouldn't dwell on it. Unbeknownst to her, what seemed like comforting words made Hu Youyu feel even worse inside.

After handing out everyone’s salaries, Xie Zhiyao finally had time to be alone with Xu Hongdou and learned that she had already chosen the bathroom fixtures and furniture for the inn. Xu Hongdou had her own opinions about these things, believing money should be spent where it matters most. Xie Zhiyao admired her business sense, and the two laughed and chatted. Meanwhile, Lin Na received a mysterious phone call and hurriedly left the coffee shop, visibly frightened.

Xie Xiaochun also got a call warning him about hiring a fraudulent donation streamer as an employee, but he didn’t take it seriously, thinking it was a scam call. Da Mai saw an exposé and related comments trending online, revealing that Lin Na was actually the streamer “Nana Who Loves Singing,” who had disappeared from the internet after a donation fraud scandal. Da Mai angrily reported the exposé as false and immediately informed Xu Hongdou of the situation.

Meanwhile, Lin Na was packing in her room, claiming she needed to go home, but Xu Hongdou noticed she seemed panicked. Gently asking when she would return, Xu Hongdou’s tone made Lin Na realize she had seen the online posts.

Through Xu Hongdou’s inquiry, she learned that Lin Na had once been a music streamer. During one live stream, she publicly solicited donations from fans, promising the proceeds would go to impoverished families. However, the platform only gave her 30,000 yuan in revenue, so when she published the donation list, many fans questioned it, believing the figures were manipulated and that Lin Na had embezzled a significant portion.

Even after Lin Na provided proof of income, trolls still spread rumors online. Uninformed netizens jumped on the bandwagon, escalating the gossip into slander. Eventually, the hate became overwhelming, and some people even doxxed Lin Na’s home address and phone number. Unable to take it anymore, Lin Na escaped to Yunmiao Village, hoping for peace—only for the situation to resurface.

Initially, Lin Na believed she could stay strong and move on, but once the attention returned, it felt like everything went back to square one. Listening to her story, Xu Hongdou felt heartbroken and comforted her, saying none of it was her fault.

At that moment, Da Mai rushed back to the Windy Inn with her luggage and dog, and Lin Na could no longer hold back her emotions, bursting into tears with Da Mai and Xu Hongdou by her side. Xie Xiaoxia browsed online gossip and old livestream footage of Lin Na. Despite the growing scandal, he still believed in her. Meanwhile, Xie Xiaochun had been receiving numerous harassing calls targeting Lin Na.

When Xie Xiaoxia finally answered one, he realized the caller was actually a fan of Lin Na—proof that many people still supported her. Later, Ma Qiushan also returned to the Windy Inn, and everyone was reunited. That evening, they sat around the fire in the courtyard chatting. Ma Qiushan asked about Hu Youyu and Bai Manjun’s relationship, but he doubted there was real affection, saying true love is the meeting of souls, and love at first sight is just lust.

In his view, their passion had already burned out to ash. Hu Youyu was upset by Ma Qiushan’s comment, hiding his feelings behind a raised wine glass. When he heard that Bai Manjun had gone to Kunming to visit a friend, he was shocked and disappointed. After Lin Na had rested, Da Mai came to the courtyard to chat with everyone and revealed that someone had already recognized Lin Na when they went to the bar to celebrate a birthday.

Although Lin Na denied it at the time, careful Da Mai took note and later searched online, uncovering the whole story. That night, Lin Na dreamed of being lost in an alley, surrounded and cursed by crowds. She woke up from the nightmare in a panic. Luckily, Da Mai was in the room to comfort her and gradually calmed her down. The next morning, Xie Zhiyao personally escorted Xu Hongdou to the coffee shop.

Their intimate interaction was noticed by Xie Xiaochun. Xie Xiaoxia couldn’t stop thinking about Lin Na and wasn’t even interested in livestreaming his carving. During lunch break, he went to the inn to ask if she still planned to leave Yunmiao Village. Lin Na recalled the first time she came—it was during a spontaneous drive, going wherever the road led, until her car got stuck in the mud. Coincidentally, Xie Xiaoxia passed by and helped push it out.

That chance encounter led Lin Na to stay in the village, enjoying the simple life and beautiful scenery, so much so that she was unwilling to leave even now. Xie Xiaoxia remembered what his mother once said: don’t leave on an empty stomach, don’t leave with grievances, and definitely don’t leave in tears. It hurts both the one who leaves and the one who stays. So Lin Na wasn’t wrong—she should wait until she’s happy before leaving.

Since Lin Na was on leave, Xu Hongdou often came to the coffee shop to help. Xiaoxin was very curious about Lin Na’s situation, but she spoke without thinking and lacked empathy, which led to a scolding from Xu Hongdou. When Xie Zhiyao came to find her, he saw she was so tired she couldn’t stand straight. He immediately supported her to rest and offered to take over her tasks.

Knowing Lin Na’s situation, Xie Zhiyao suggested she return to streaming to clear her name and take advantage of the exposure to earn money. But Xu Hongdou firmly opposed the idea, saying it had hurt Lin Na too deeply. The two disagreed.

Xu Hongdou stormed back to the inn, but when she saw the grass ring that Xie Zhiyao had woven for her, she couldn’t help but smile. She then posted a photo of it on her Moments with the caption saying this was the second ring she had ever received. Xie Zhiyao was happy at first, but when he read the caption, he stopped smiling and messaged her, asking who had given her the first ring.

At that time, Xu Hongdou was chatting downstairs with Da Mai and Lin Na. Her friends were curious about her caption. She revealed that the first person who gave her a ring was her best friend, Chen Nanxing. Now that Chen Nanxing had passed away, Xu Hongdou wanted to share her story, reminding everyone that life is short and uncertain—don’t leave too many regrets. Now Ma Qiushan was leaving again to return to his entrepreneurial venture.

Before leaving, he gave a talisman to Lin Na, hoping she wouldn’t care about the gossip. Time would eventually prove everything. As Hu Youyu was about to leave, he ran into Bai Manjun and happily greeted her, only to discover she was with her college classmates. Through them, he learned that Bai Manjun was being pursued, which made him a little uneasy.

Xie Zhiyao hadn’t slept well and the next day rode a white horse to find Xu Hongdou, asking why she hadn’t replied to his messages and continuing to question her about the ring. Xu Hongdou deliberately kept him guessing, wanting to tease him a bit before finally revealing the truth, putting his mind at ease. In the days that followed, the coffee shop kept receiving harassing calls from netizens and interview requests from Reporter Xu.

Meanwhile, with help from Da Mai and Lin Na, Huang Xinxin finally overcame her fear of dogs. She also encouraged Lin Na to be strong—though they couldn’t change the world, they could still bring warmth to it. Xu Hongdou watched Reporter Xu’s interviews and found that they featured sincere stories about ordinary people and showed a sense of public responsibility, unlike other gossip-driven media.

After some thought, she began to consider that Xie Zhiyao might be right—running away wasn’t the solution. Eventually, Lin Na would have to face the public. After thinking things through, Lin Na decided to return to streaming and could even help promote Yunmiao Village. Da Mai was genuinely happy for her and cheered her on enthusiastically. Soon, Da Mai returned to work at the coffee shop, where Xiaoxin and Anai gave her a warm welcome.

Xie’s father, upon learning that his son was dating Xu Hongdou, couldn’t wait to return to Yunmiao Village with his wife and Xie Zhiyuan. It was Xu Hongdou’s first time meeting the parents, so she felt nervous and quickly called her parents and friends for advice via video chat. Xie Zhiyao playfully teased her for it. Both Xie’s father and Xie Zhiyuan had a good impression of Xu Hongdou, and Xie’s mother especially liked the beautiful and intelligent young woman.

During the meal, the family was full of laughter and joy. Afterward, Xie’s mother even gave Xu Hongdou a red envelope as a first meeting gift. Xu Hongdou tried to refuse but eventually accepted. Xie’s father, upon learning that his son’s bookstore location faced opposition, went to talk to Grandpa Yang. Unfortunately, Grandpa Yang was an old-fashioned man who had never supported Huang Xinxin and Xie Zhiyao’s tourism plans for the village.

But after hearing about Xie’s father’s experiences and his view of rapid societal progress and the need for change, Grandpa Yang began to see things differently. In Xie’s father’s view, if Yunmiao Village could develop its economy and every family could live better, it was a good thing. The older generation should learn to be flexible—after all, one generation can’t control the next two. It was time to let the younger generation make their own choices. His words softened Grandpa Yang’s stance, and he was no longer as firmly opposed as before.

Xie’s father drank quite a bit and staggered home, emotional as he looked at the streetlights glowing at the entrance of the village. He reminisced that when the first streetlight was lit in Yunmiao Village, Xie Zhiyao’s grandfather had told everyone that the village would become just like the city. Now that Yunmiao Village had developed so well, Xie’s father felt genuinely happy.

He used to try everything to stop his son from returning to the village to start a business, but thinking back now, he realized he had been a bit stubborn. That day, Xu Hongdou dreamed of her school days with Chen Nanxing, wearing the ring Chen Nanxing had made for her. Upon waking, she heard a knock at the door and saw Xie Zhiyao standing there with flowers, giving her a sweet good morning kiss.

Since Auntie Agui had gone to Qingdao to visit her children, Aunt Feng was temporarily cleaning the guesthouse in her place. Damai and Lin Na were cooking in the kitchen until Xu Hongdou came downstairs and couldn’t help but ask how things were going with her future mother-in-law. Xu Hongdou had a good impression of Xie Zhiyao’s stepmother, but today she was busy with the renovation of the guesthouse.

After breakfast, Damai accompanied her out, and along the way, they met many enthusiastic villagers. Even Tuotuo’s parents had decided to return to the village to develop their lives. As Xie Qiang was about to be released from prison, Aunt Feng grew increasingly uneasy. She proactively discussed with Xie Zhiyao the idea of having Xie Qiang work at the ranch.

Xie Zhiyao readily agreed, but was curious why she didn’t want her son to stay home for a few more days. She admitted she was afraid that village gossip might hurt her son. But Xie Zhiyao believed that Xie Qiang was already an adult who had paid the price for his actions. Times had changed, and he trusted that people would give him a second chance. For that reason, Xie Zhiyao suggested holding a banquet to welcome Xie Qiang home.

Feeling the care of his family, Xie Qiang would naturally regain his confidence and live well. Bai Manjun headed out with various jars to plant saplings. Seeing this, Hu Youyu quickly rode over to take her there and offered his opinions along the way. However, Bai Manjun ignored him completely, and her attitude made Hu Youyu very upset. He accused her of being fickle like other women—casting him aside after getting him.

Hearing this, Bai Manjun couldn’t help but laugh and explained that there was a large age gap between them and that she had a daughter still in high school, which might make Hu Youyu feel pressured. In fact, Hu Youyu hadn’t fully figured out their relationship either, but he knew he truly enjoyed being with Bai Manjun. Sure enough, Bai Manjun smiled, implying there was still hope for them.

Xie Xiaochun took her daughter and Ah Hui to a nearby restaurant to eat. Coincidentally, Luo Quan was there entertaining clients. When she saw her ex-husband humbling himself to play with a client’s child, she felt a little uncomfortable. Meanwhile, the increasing number of tourists in the village inspired some villagers to consider starting guesthouses or businesses. However, some of their ideas were unrealistic, leaving the village committee overwhelmed.

Everyone was busy in meetings until late at night, and it wasn’t until Xu Hongdou came to pick up Xie Zhiyao that things wrapped up. On the way back, Xie Zhiyao learned that Xu Hongdou had been supervising the entire time and, drawing on his own experience, shared advice with her. He hoped she could trust the workers, because problems would arise whether she was present or not. It was better to let the workers do their job thoroughly.

Champion found out that Xie Qiang was about to be released and prepared to accompany Xie Zhiyao to pick him up. Luo Quan heard that Xie Xiaochun had a new suitor and couldn't help asking about his background. Xie Xiaochun told Luo Quan to mind his own life—they were divorced and had no reason to interfere with each other anymore. As for their child’s schooling, that would be decided separately.

On the day Xie Qiang was released, it was drizzling and cold. He stood at the prison gate, lost and afraid. Fortunately, Xie Zhiyao and Champion arrived in time, and the long-closed-off heart of his felt a bit of warmth. Meanwhile, Aunt Feng and her husband busied themselves preparing a banquet for friends and relatives. She also invited Xu Hongdou and Damai to attend and introduced them enthusiastically. Damai was shy, while Xu Hongdou was calm and composed.

As they were talking, they suddenly saw Xie Zhiyao and Champion arriving with Xie Qiang. Both Anai and Father were extremely excited, and the long-awaited reunion was deeply moving. At first, Damai imagined Xie Qiang to be a burly man, but was surprised to find he looked quite ordinary.

The village banquet was lively. Little Hulu and others peeked through the door at Xie Qiang. Having heard about him from their elders since childhood, they had imagined him as tall, strong, and fierce. Xie Qiang went from table to table offering toasts, while the uncles and elders lectured him about turning over a new leaf and starting fresh. However, their words drew attention, making the atmosphere awkward.

Seeing this, Xie Zhiyao stepped forward to make a toast and ease the tension, and the others fell silent. Xie Zhiyao noticed four little heads peeking from the doorway and instinctively greeted them. Little Hulu and the others were so startled they ran away. After the banquet ended, Xie Zhiyao was completely drunk and had to be supported home by Champion and Xu Hongdou. Aunt Feng was grateful for his kindness and personally gave him some beef and other items.

After seeing off all the guests, Aunt Feng clung to Xie Qiang and wept bitterly. Her husband sat at the door watching the mother and son embrace in tears, feeling sorrow himself. Xu Hongdou stayed to care for Xie Zhiyao while also keeping busy with her guesthouse project, until he sobered up. Thankfully, Xie Zhiyao was a good drunk, and while Xu Hongdou praised him, she also reminded him to drink less for the sake of his health.

Now that she was handling guesthouse affairs, she felt how hard it was to manage money and resources. Whatever the task, everything needed careful budgeting. Xie Zhiyao understood completely and massaged her shoulders while helping her analyze the problems. On the day of the kindergarten performance, Hu Youyu took Bai Manjun to attend. Little Hulu wasn’t in the center of the stage and looked gloomy the whole time. But Hu Youyu saw that Little Hulu wasn’t upset about her position.

More than anything, she wanted to use the performance to show her grandparents how excellent she was, hoping she wouldn’t have to move to Dali for school and could stay with her mom. When Xie Xiaochun learned the truth, she felt a little sad. Her in-laws insisted on sending Little Hulu to school elsewhere, but she firmly wanted to keep her in Yunmiao Village until middle school. However, the grandfather strongly opposed this, accusing Xie Xiaochun of breaking her promise.

Xie Xiaochun believed that parents were the starting line for a child, and precisely because of their weak financial situation, she wanted to give her daughter a perfect childhood. Her ex-husband Luo Quan sat silently nearby. Even when he spoke, he tried to smooth things over. Xie Xiaochun hated his passive personality the most and left with her daughter. Later, she and Little Hulu sat by the river and chatted.

She asked if Little Hulu thought she was too harsh, but Little Hulu didn’t mind at all—she just wanted her mom to be happy. After finishing a photoshoot, the tie-dye workshop owner Xie Huailan led Xu Hongdou to a room and personally gave her a precious wedding dress. The gold threads and sequins on it couldn’t be found in the market. Xu Hongdou was thrilled and cherished it deeply.

Xie Zhiyao teased her that since she accepted the dress, she was agreeing to be his bride. Soon after, Lin Na resumed her livestream. Everyone gathered in the courtyard to support her with their phones. Xie Xiaoxia even gifted her yachts and other luxury virtual gifts. Fans were ecstatic about Lin Na’s return. Seeing the popularity of the stream, Xie Xiaochun was quite envious and suddenly had the idea to start her own stream.

Unexpectedly, Xie Zhiyao jokingly suggested she teach people how to curse on livestream, making everyone burst out laughing. Near the end of the stream, Lin Na addressed the donation fraud rumors and told her fans that she didn’t care about the gossip—she just wanted to follow her heart and be herself. Xu Hongdou watched workers removing tiles from the guesthouse and noticed some villagers whispering as they passed by, leaving her confused.

Ye Sen came over to help and fortunately spotted some defective tiles. Auntie Agui returned from Qingdao in high spirits, boasting to everyone about how big her son’s house was and how bustling and grand the city was. She even brought specialties to Aunt Feng and learned that Xie Qiang had been helping his father with farm work since coming home, keeping the house in good order. Aunt Feng was all smiles.

Bai Manjun was learning music in the guesthouse, and Hu Youyu came over to play along with her. As they sang in harmony, the scene turned quite romantic. Meanwhile, fans frequently visited the little shop to take photos with Lin Na, and she welcomed them all. Xie Xiaochun noticed her younger brother staring intently at Lin Na and sensed something different.

Luo Quan came to Xie Xiaochun and said his parents had agreed to let the child stay in Yunmiao Village for school—on the condition that he and Xie Xiaochun remarry. Upon hearing this, Xie Xiaochun looked annoyed and said she had remained single all this time simply because she hadn’t met the right person. As for her relationship with Luo Quan, it was completely over, and she would never fall into the same marriage trap again.

Xie Zhiyao sat idly by the barbecue stall, bored out of his mind. Guobao was tricked by Champion into thinking Xie Zhiyao was dead and burst into loud tears. Hearing this, Xie Zhiyao quickly came over to comfort Guobao and even asked him to call him “Baba. ” Just as Guobao was enthusiastically calling Xie Zhiyao “Baba,” Champion’s wife suddenly showed up, punched him, and left with their son Guobao.

When Xu Hongdou arrived at the stall, she found a bump on Xie Zhiyao’s forehead. She had already noticed he was in low spirits today and asked him what happened. Xie Zhiyao said it was just a small problem and would be resolved soon. Champion exposed him, telling Xu Hongdou that while Xie Zhiyao appeared strong, he was soft inside and used to hide and cry easily in the past.

Xie Xiaochun came home and didn’t see Luo Quan, only to find out he hadn’t come at all today. She quickly called her mother-in-law, who revealed that Luo Quan had argued with his father for the first time ever to keep their child in Yunmiao Village for school and ended up getting beaten so badly that he was covered in bruises.

While they were still on the phone, Luo Quan returned, took the call and comforted Xie Xiaochun, saying she didn’t need to worry. Xie Xiaochun said a few words and hung up. The next morning, Xie Zhiyao took Xu Hongdou to the guesthouse construction site and discovered the gate had been splashed with paint and vandalized—clearly the act of an adult.

He pretended not to care but privately asked Xie Xiaochun to investigate who in the village had recently bought white paint. Xu Hongdou, being sharp, got the gist of it from Auntie Gui. It turned out that many villagers saw Yunmiao Village booming and wanted to open guesthouses or restaurants. Since the village committee had appointed Xie Zhiyao to make decisions, some whose proposals were rejected grew resentful.

They believed he and his girlfriend Xu Hongdou were secretly making a fortune while cutting off others’ opportunities. Auntie Gui knew what kind of person Xie Zhiyuan was. Back then, no one wanted to take over the guesthouse, and it was only thanks to Xu Hongdou stepping in that it got revived. Even though Xu Hongdou hadn’t offended anyone and Xie Zhiyuan had done a lot for the villagers, gossip still spread.

Those villagers blamed Xie Zhiyao, unaware that their own homes didn’t meet the requirements for a proper guesthouse. Without quality service, they wouldn’t profit and would actually hurt the tourism industry. That night, Xu Hongdou approached Xie Zhiyao voluntarily, saying she wasn’t as fragile as he thought and wanted him to talk to her about things. Now that they were a couple, they should face problems together. Xie Xiaochun was curious why Bai Manjun divorced her husband.

Apart from the common issue of infidelity, it mostly stemmed from one-sided emotional investment and differing views and values. While the village committee members and Xie Zhiyao were away, a group of villagers caused a disturbance at the guesthouse construction site. More than ten men surrounded Xu Hongdou with farm tools, some even filming with their phones and yelling that she was opening a guesthouse under the protection of her boyfriend Xie Zhiyao, monopolizing opportunities and ignoring everyone else’s survival.

Xiaohulu and Tuotuo rushed to find Xie Anai and Xie Xiaochun. Xie Anai came running with a toy knife and, seeing the mob smashing the site, drove them all away in a fury. Xie Zhiyao received a call from Xie Xiaochun and hurried back to Yunmiao Village. Xu Hongdou learned from villagers that investors were coming to develop Yunmiao Village.

Angry that Xie Zhiyao hadn’t told her despite promising to be honest with each other, she said they should cool down. Upset by the mob attacking Xu Hongdou, Xie Zhiyao grabbed a bamboo stick and wanted to fight back, but Xie Anai stopped him just in time. Huang Xinxin came to calm him down, saying the village committee had stepped in and would make those people apologize to Xu Hongdou. The guesthouse construction continued.

Suddenly, Grandpa Yang came over, didn’t say much, and just sat nearby like a guardian statue. Meanwhile, Xie Qiang came to Xie Zhiyao, saying he planned to stay in the village. Over the years, he realized that no matter how much money he made, being with his parents and caring for them was most important.

Because those villagers were ungrateful and jealous of others’ success, stirring up trouble, the village director was furious and called them ungrateful traitors. Huang Xinxin demanded they delete the videos, warning that no investors would come if they didn’t. She also publicly shared the county meeting’s conclusion that anyone meeting the “Three Guarantees” criteria could apply to start a business. She emphasized that improving villagers’ lives didn’t mean blindly developing tourist attractions—it was crucial to preserve local cultural features.

After all, over the years, Xie Zhiyao had tirelessly worked to build roads and bridges for Yunmiao Village. He didn’t accept the investors’ conditions because he didn’t want the village to turn into a fake ancient town, which would ultimately harm the villagers and erase its original charm. Everything the director and Huang Xinxin said was true.

The troublemakers, realizing they were in the wrong, reluctantly went to the construction site to apologize to Xu Hongdou, only to be chased away by Grandpa Yang with a cane. It turned out he had been sent by Anai to guard the site for Xu Hongdou, and she deeply admired Anai for that. That night, Xu Hongdou returned to the inn and ignored Xie Zhiyao, going straight to her room.

Hu Youyu drank alone in the yard to drown his sorrow, telling Xie Zhiyao that he had truly fallen in love with Bai Manjun but didn’t know how to tell his parents. Upon learning they hadn’t even started dating, Xie Zhiyao didn’t bother responding. Unwilling to sit back and do nothing, Xie Zhiyao wrote an apology letter to Xu Hongdou with a sincere and humble attitude. She finally calmed down.

Even so, Xie Zhiyao made sure to vent her anger by taking Hu Youyu to the ringleader’s home and painting graffiti on his door with white paint. The news quickly spread throughout Yunmiao Village. Anai and the aunties all praised the move. Even though the villager was furious, he didn’t dare retaliate—after all, he started it. Xu Hongdou had planned to return to Beijing to deal with a rental issue.

On the way to the airport, Xie Zhiyao received a call that Xie Huailan had been hospitalized due to sudden heart failure. Though she survived the critical stage after emergency treatment, she hadn’t regained consciousness. Xu Hongdou accompanied Xie Zhiyao to the hospital. Seeing his usually serene and kind teacher lying on the bed, he felt deeply saddened. Thankfully, Xu Hongdou was by his side, giving him a sense of support in his helplessness.

Xie Huailan eventually woke up but was still very weak. Believing she didn’t have much time left, she left some final words before slipping back into a coma. After some time recovering, she was discharged from the hospital. Xu Hongdou noted how most people have regrets at the end of their lives, but Xie Huailan seemed fearless.

However, when Xie Huailan heard Xu Hongdou say this, she smiled slightly and shared that she once received a call from her French lover, who told her he was getting married. She didn’t have the courage to wish him happiness—perhaps that was her regret. Xie Zhiyao joked that she was “love-brained. ” In truth, when reflecting on life, people often chase material things, but in their final moments, it’s the warmth of love that they miss most.

That alone is enough to carry them through. After finishing up affairs in Beijing, Xie Zhiyao helped Xu Hongdou with her rental issue. They stayed in the five-star hotel where Xu Hongdou used to work. Her former colleagues were thrilled to see her doing well. Xu Hongdou packed her regular clothes to bring back to Yunmiao Village, signaling her decision to settle there long-term. Looking back, it all felt a bit surreal.

She deliberately wore her old manager suit dress, stunning Xie Zhiyao. Overcome with emotion, they embraced, kissed, and spent the night together.

The next day, when they returned to the hotel, Xu Hongdou looked at the clock in the lobby with a sense of nostalgia. To Xie Zhiyao, clocks represented time; to Xu Hongdou, she felt like one of the gears inside the clock, working with her colleagues to keep precise time, often forgetting her own. Since Bai Manjun left, Hu Youyu had been gloomy, especially when he saw couples checking into the guesthouse.

He sat by the window with fruit tree seeds in his hands, reminiscing about his moments with Bai Manjun, and resolved to go to Beijing. Xie Xiaochun, knowing he couldn’t let go of her, encouraged him to bravely pursue love—whether he caught up with her or not would depend on fate. Luo Quan came to visit his daughter Xiaohulu again. Xie Xiaochun cooked for him and sat down to have a heartfelt conversation.

She believed both had shared responsibility for the divorce, but she had now adapted to her new life. She didn’t want to start over just because she was moved. Since they weren’t right for each other, there was no need to force it. No matter what, both she and Luo Quan were Xiaohulu’s closest people. Xie Zhiyao brought Xu Hongdou back to Yunmiao Village.

Auntie Gui prepared a big meal to welcome them and announced that Hu Youyu was about to head to Beijing. He invited everyone to the bar for his final performance. Xu Hongdou and Xie Zhiyao were going to see the birth of a foal, so Lin Na and Xie Xiaoxia took three aunties to the bar instead. Though some applauded Hu Youyu’s performance, most were chatting and drinking. The high prices of drinks and food shocked the aunties.

A man tried to add Lin Na on WeChat, so she linked arms with Xie Xiaoxia and claimed he was her boyfriend. Auntie Baoping asked if they were dating. Lin Na quickly explained that Xie Xiaoxia was her younger brother and promised to personally prepare a wedding gift in the future. After a night of waiting, the foal was finally born. Xie Zhiyao watched the sunrise with Xu Hongdou, shoulder to shoulder, feeling incredibly at peace.

He seized the moment to confess his love again. Her passionate response felt like honey to him—sweet and satisfying. A year later, Yunmiao Village was bustling. Xu Hongdou’s guesthouse had its soft opening. She was in her element, checking every detail of the room setup and was quite pleased with Xiao Qin and the others.

Her parents were coming to Yunmiao Village, and Xie Zhiyao was so nervous to meet them that he spent ages picking out a suit to go to the airport. Luckily, Xu’s parents really liked Xie Zhiyao. The family chatted and laughed on the way back. His parents and Anai had been waiting at home, and the elders quickly hit it off, leaving the young couple sidelined.

Meanwhile, Xie Xiaoxia was headed to a wood carving studio in Xiamen with support from his master. Lin Na, noticing his feelings for her, gently told him they were just like siblings. He accepted it calmly. Damai became the first guest at the guesthouse. Ma Qiushan and Hu Youyu received their invitations and returned immediately to support Xu Hongdou. After a year of hard work, both Ma Qiushan and Hu Youyu achieved great success in love and career.

Hu Youyu and Bai Manjun were as sweet as ever. That evening, Xu Hongdou and Xie Zhiyao hosted a banquet for everyone. Ma Qiushan, Hu Youyu, Lin Na, Damai, and others gathered to share their stories and toast the place that had once sheltered their restless hearts. Yunmiao Village wasn’t just a place for healing—it was a place where dreams began anew. The strength they found at Youfeng Inn had benefited them endlessly.

Sitting by the river, Xie Zhiyao and Xu Hongdou admired the night view, reminiscing about all they had been through and cherishing the beauty they had found. Xie Zhiyao pointed at the stars and asked which one was her best friend, which one was her grandma, and which one was his mother. Xu Hongdou didn’t respond. They leaned into each other, hoping time would stand still in this perfect moment.

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