Make an exception for me just this once? The brother and sister chatted stickily until nearly 9:20, when Ning Xi suddenly realized that at this time, his sister usually had to start getting ready to go on stage. So they both reluctantly hung up the phone, almost as if they were about to share a goodbye kiss.

  Ning Xiyu hung up the phone, turned it off and placed it on the desk, then walked to the window and pushed it open. The base had a large temperature difference between day and night, with scorching summer heat during the day and bone-chilling coolness at night. A strong gust of cold wind poured in through the open window, but Ning Xiyu, who possessed a robust physique, seemed to feel no chill at all. He simply stood there wearing a tank top, his arms crossed, gazing up at the clear and cold night sky with its high-hanging full moon.

  These past few days, he came to realize a fact: the little girl who always hid in his arms had grown up. Although she was still as innocent and lively as before in front of him, he could vaguely feel that there was something different about her. On the day he left, he clearly saw the palm print on her face, but these past few days, no matter how he asked, she refused to tell the truth.

  He was a bit worried, fearing that if she and her parents had any conflicts, he would be unable to help her at this time. What's more frustrating is that she no longer reports everything big or small to him like before. He wanted to call his parents to understand the situation, but after so many years of separation, the existing estrangement has only grown bigger, making it even harder to bring up.

  It seems that tomorrow, no matter what method is used, we must coax that girl to tell the truth. Thinking of this, Ning Xiyu stopped her unnecessary thoughts and quickly closed the window, pulled the curtains, went to bed and fell asleep.

  After Ning Zhongyuan hung up the phone, he quickly changed his clothes and hairstyle to match. He opened the door of the small room and walked out gracefully.

  Outside the door, a tall man leaned lazily against the side of the door, as if he had been waiting there for a long time.

  "Van Ge, why are you standing here? Are you looking for me?" Ning Zhiyun was startled by him.

  Qu Chu Fan was wearing a T-shirt, black jacket and jeans, his long legs crossed over each other. This casual attire couldn't hide his innate flamboyance. His dark brown hair was slightly disheveled, his lazy gaze met Ning Zhi Yun's, and his eyes seemed like candles suddenly lit in the darkness, shining brightly as they swept across Ning Zhi Yun's face.

  "Do you have to be busy before I can find you?" A playful smile hung on the corner of his lips.

  Ning Zhiyun saw his inscrutable smile, and instinctively felt that under his lazy eyes was the gaze of a cat staring at a mouse, reminding him of his brother's evaluation.

  "Brother Fan, if you have something to say, then speak up! I'm going on stage soon." But he still had that same expression, sizing her up. She stomped her foot and ignored him, lifting the hem of her skirt as she walked towards the small central stage.

  Qu Chu Fan's gaze followed her slender figure until she sat down at the piano, then he moved his body and walked towards the card seat that was left for him every day.

  In the card seat, as usual, a pot of freshly brewed coffee, the dark brown coffee in the pot is still bubbling, and the aroma is rich and mellow.

  He sat down, poured himself a cup of coffee, and his gaze once again fell on the blue figure on stage without reservation. This card seat was the best place to appreciate the wonderful performance on stage.

  And this seat, since she started performing in extraordinary performances, he has been keeping it for himself over the years.

  Ning Zhiyun once asked him: "Fang Ge, aren't you tired of it? Aren't you fed up with sitting here every day to listen to my performances?"

  "Ugh, I'm exhausted! But you're someone I've invested a lot in to poach over here, if I don't keep an eye on you every day, it won't do!"

  Qu Chu Fan smiled, with no hint of evasion in his eyes. Ning Zhi Yun was not a child, so he wouldn't believe such words, but for someone as clever as him to say this, he must be trying to hide or conceal something. And she, who disliked recklessly intruding into others' lives and hearts the most, had been pretending to be stupid and lazy, not bothering to dig deeper into the meaning behind his words.

  Today's Ning Zhiyun, wearing a light blue trailing small dress, her hair loose and tied up with a small princess crown on top of her head, soft shooting lights casting shadows around her, beautiful profile, translucent skin like delicate porcelain doll, as if an angel's faint smile hung on her face, snow-white slender fingers flying over the black and white keys, followed by strings of lively and cheerful melodies.

  In front of Qu Chu, the cup of coffee he had poured for himself was originally emitting a wisp of hot air. As time passed, the hot air slowly dissipated, and the cold coffee lost its heat. But the heat in his heart, however, had never dissipated or cooled down over the years.

  The interlude lasted for ten minutes, and when Ning Zhiyuan finished his performance, a warm applause erupted from under the stage. For ordinary people who came to Western restaurants to dine, this kind of live music was just an accompaniment to create a romantic atmosphere. But at Non-Fang, Ning Zhiyuan's performances had long become a gimmick to attract customers, and many customers were clearly coming for her. Some loyal fans even inquired about his performance schedule at Non-Fang and followed him to different branches of Non-Fang every day of the week.

  Ning Zhiyun stood up, smiled and bowed slightly. Under the light, the snow-white necklace on her neck sparkled brightly, which was quite eye-catching. Ning Zhiyun stepped down from the stage and walked towards Ou Chufan, but Ou Chufan's gaze remained fixed on the necklace around her neck. Ning Zhiyun was the daughter of the Ning family, and Ou Chufan knew it the moment he saw her at L University. However, she didn't have the demeanor of a rich girl, and her usual attire was simple and elegant without any makeup or accessories. But this necklace had been on her neck for several days now, could it be something with special meaning?

  "Xiao Yun, are you free today? Come have a drink with me?" Qu Chu Fan hid his inquiring mood and calmly pushed the dessert to Ning Zhi Yun who had just sat down.

  "Sorry, Fang Ge, I have to return to school at 11 o'clock."

  Ning Zhiyun raised her eyelids and looked at him, her clear and distinct black and white eyes sparkling like a spring, without a hint of evasiveness.

  This is the kind of excuse that sounds like a deliberate refusal, Qu Chu Fan has heard countless times in these few years. At first, he thought she was just playing a game called "refusing to accept", but after trying several times and secretly following her after work, he realized that it wasn't an excuse for her.

  This also made him realize that she was not one of those women he would play with in his usual social circle, and she wouldn't use cheap tricks to entice men.

  This unchanged answer made Qu Chu Fan, who had always been carefree and confident in his interactions with women, feel defeated. Although he had mentally prepared himself for the same response, the fact that she had already graduated made him feel a sense of undeserved relief. He straightened up from his slouch against the back of the chair and intentionally leaned forward, bringing his handsome face close to hers.

  "Xiao Yun, after all these years, can't you make an exception just this once?" His beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, his lips curled up, and his tone was half-reproachful, half-teasing.