Xiaoxiao looked at Zhou Huai'an in surprise, then glanced at the stamp and the leather-bound notebook in his hands. "Are you planning to turn in your salary?" she asked.

Zhou Huai'an nodded honestly. "Here, take it. Use it to buy whatever you want."

A bright smile spread across Xiaoxiao's face as she took the notebook and the stamp. She flipped through it, noting the amounts — surprisingly, there was over five hundred yuan in savings. She hadn't expected Zhou Huai'an to be such a good saver. She remembered how she'd spent quite a bit recently, yet he still managed to stash over a hundred. "You don't spend money normally, do you?"

He shook his head. "I don't have any expenses. The meals and clothes are provided by the company."

Xiaoxiao frowned, feeling the numbers didn't quite add up. "So, have you paid off the money you borrowed from me?"

He shook his head again, honestly. "Not yet. I'm working on paying it back gradually."

She chuckled. "That's not good enough. We need to save up quickly and pay off what we owe. First, let's take that five hundred yuan and use it to clear the debt. The rest, we'll save and pay off as soon as possible."

Then, turning serious, she said, "Honesty is important. Borrowing and repaying — that's how trust is built. If you borrow money and don't pay it back, nobody will want to deal with you in the future. Remember, having friends depends on keeping your word."

In her mind, she was calculating her secret savings—her 'rainy day' money—and Zhou Huai'an's savings combined, enough to reach a thousand yuan. But she couldn't bring herself to spend it.

If she did, she wouldn't be able to explain where the money came from.

Thinking about it made her feel a bit frustrated. Suddenly, another question struck her: After the surgery on Li Yunlan, Zhou Huai'an never asked her why she needed it. Nor did he ask once if it was successful. How had he managed to keep everything a secret, and why did he trust her so much?

A chilling thought suddenly crossed her mind: Could Zhou Huai'an have known all along that she wasn't the original owner?

She snapped her head up and stared at Zhou Huai'an. His eyes were deep and calm, but his gaze was focused and steady. Her heart was pounding — she didn't know how to ask.

He looked at her and said, "You should rest for a while. I'll cook dinner, and I'll steam you an egg custard. Just drinking porridge all evening will make you hungry."

Before she could speak, he turned and went to the kitchen.

Xiaoxiao followed him, standing at the door watching as Zhou Huai'an efficiently lit the fire and started boiling porridge. Then he went to pick and wash vegetables. His movements were smooth and practiced, yet there was a certain tenderness in the way he worked — an unspoken charm that made her feel unexpectedly warm.

She couldn't help but like this feeling — the slow, gentle rhythm of everyday life. It was comforting and safe. She also liked Zhou Huai'an in these moments—someone who could shoulder responsibilities, protect their home, and return to the simple joys of life: cooking, household chores, and quiet companionship.

Yet, a lingering sadness remained in her heart. She still couldn't fully let go of her parents and brother. She sighed softly at the thought. This, perhaps, was the most helpless feeling in the world.

Later, during dinner, Lin Zihou came over. Xiaoxiao felt a little embarrassed to ask Zhou Huai'an to go back to work, so she let Lin Zihou sit down while she quickly made a few scallion pancakes.

While Xiaoxiao was busy, Lin Zihou leaned in and whispered to Zhou Huai'an, "The two people who spilled everything — it's definitely related to the Hu family in Beijing. The only question is, which member?"

The Hu family was a prominent clan, and it wasn't feasible to investigate every single member without raising suspicion. Plus, they couldn't afford to cause trouble here or delve into Beijing's affairs.

Zhou Huai'an thought for a moment. "Maybe we should just hand this over to their rivals. Let them investigate. Even if something goes wrong, it won't involve us."

He just wanted to focus on his work and stay out of the political scheming. He had no interest in getting involved in those dangerous games.

Lin Zihou nodded eagerly. "Exactly what I was thinking."

Then Zhou Huai'an hesitated. "What about Zhou Xiaocheng?"

Lin Zihou shook his head. "We can connect the dots between the events from three years ago and this time, but we still don't know where Zhou Xiaocheng is. The people involved probably don't know either. Once we find the mastermind behind the Hu family, we should be able to track down Zhou Xiaocheng."

Zhou Huai'an said nothing. As long as there was a target, that was enough. He planned to mention it to Zhou Zhennan later — he believed Zhou Zhennan would find a way to uncover the truth.

Because Zhou Zhennan had arrived, Xiaoxiao no longer needed to go to the hospital every morning to see Li Yunlan. She hadn't been to work for several days either, so she knew she should get back to her routine.

She couldn't go to work on Zhou Huai'an's bike dressed in a skirt anymore. Instead, she wore a pair of khaki overalls over a plain white shirt — a simple, common outfit.

But Xiaoxiao was slender, with a delicate face that looked fresh and pretty. In this outfit, she appeared playful and cute.

Zhou Huai'an couldn't help but glance at her more than once — she was eye-catching wherever she went.

She spun around, adjusting her pants. They were a bit loose, so she cleverly added a belt to make her waist look slimmer. She rolled up the cuffs, revealing her slender, fair ankles, and wore white canvas sneakers — a very youthful look.

She grinned at Zhou Huai'an. "Do I look good like this?"

He nodded sincerely. "Very pretty. Are your pants too short?"

She snorted. "You don't get it. This is the trend. Come on, we're going to be late."

She cheerfully climbed onto the bike, urging Zhou Huai'an to hurry and ride off.

On their way out, they encountered Dong Hongmei at the gate of the compound. She was walking with her head down, so Xiaoxiao didn't say hello.

After walking a little further, Xiaoxiao turned to Zhou Huai'an and gossiping, said, "Hongmei's so unlucky. She's stuck with Li Guohao — that bastard — and can't divorce him. Her days must be miserable. Men like that are just disgusting."

Thinking about Li Guohao's infidelity, she wondered how Dong Hongmei could stand it.

Zhou Huai'an, not really knowing what to say, simply listened as Xiaoxiao vented. "Li Guohao's getting out of jail today," she added.

Xiaoxiao looked a little pleased. "So, he's finally coming out? That means he can't be a director anymore, right? That scumbag will probably end up being a corrupt official someday."

Zhou Huai'an listened quietly as she continued cursing Li Guohao all the way to the hospital entrance. It was strange — she seemed to have a whole new vocabulary for her insults.

At the hospital gate, Xiaoxiao jumped off her bike and waved to Zhou Huai'an. "You don't need to pick me up this afternoon. I'm going to visit my parents."

He nodded. "Alright, take care. I'll wait for you at the hospital."

She smiled happily, watching him ride away before turning into the clinic. As she entered, she nearly bumped into Luo Caixia, who looked like she was about to leave or had just returned — carrying a basket and wearing a troubled expression.

Xiaoxiao glanced at her more carefully, even catching a faint smell — something like rotten eggs.

Her heart sank. Could Luo Caixia be unaware that she was poisoned? Given her current state, it was extremely dangerous. Plus, with Li Guohao's affair exposed, how could she still have the face to stay here?

Luo Caixia, behind her, was watching Xiaoxiao's back with a sinister glint in her eyes.