Lin Xiaoxiao was taken aback by Lin Wenbin's sudden announcement. "So soon?"

A wave of sadness washed over her. With Zhou Huaian away, her brother had been her closest confidant—the only one she could truly talk to.

As much as she loved the Zhou family, there were some secrets she couldn't share with them.

Her lips trembled slightly. "When will you be back?"

Lin Wenbin gave her a look of mock disapproval. "You never used to be like this. Now you're as tearful as little An'an."

That made her hold back her tears. She frowned at him. "I'm going to miss you, that's all. Once you're gone, I won't have any family here. What if someone tries to bully me?"

Lin Wenbin highly doubted that would happen. "Who would dare? With Zhou Xiaoling around, she'd take care of anyone in seconds."

Lin Xiaoxiao laughed at the image of Zhou Xiaoling as some kind of fierce guardian. "Don't say that about Xiaoling! She's really sweet. If I were a man, I'd marry someone like her—life would never be boring."

Lin Wenbin smirked. He'd have to be crazy to choose someone that energetic. He preferred someone beautiful and obedient.

They chatted a while longer until Zhou Xiaoling called them down for dinner.

Seeing Zhou Xiaocheng, Lin Wenbin greeted him casually, then suddenly remembered something. "Have you been to the ghost market lately?"

Zhou Xiaocheng shook his head. "No, why?"

Lin Wenbin studied him for a moment. That night had been dark, and the girl had vanished almost instantly—but he could have sworn he saw Zhou Xiaocheng nearby.

He couldn't be sure, though. His attention had been entirely on that sly girl, and then the pain had been so intense he couldn't focus.

Probably not, he thought. Why would Zhou Xiaocheng be at the ghost market so late?

Zhou Xiaocheng looked back calmly. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Lin Wenbin said, brushing it off. "Just curious. I haven't been there myself these past couple days."

Lin Xiaoxiao watched the exchange, sensing something unspoken between them—something strange she couldn't quite put her finger on.

When Li Yunlan learned that Lin Wenbin was heading south and had quit his teaching job, she insisted he come over for dumplings the next night as a farewell.

Zhou Zhennan admired his daring. "Times are changing. It's good to seek new opportunities—though the south might not be easier than Beijing."

Lin Wenbin just smiled. He knew economic growth would start in the south first, and he intended to seize the opportunity early.

Lin Xiaoxiao knew it too. She said to Zhou Zhennan cheerfully, "It's alright. If things don't work out, he can always come back. Beijing will have plenty of opportunities too."

Lin Wenbin nodded along, though he thought to himself that Beijing's real boom was still a good ten years away.

While the Zhou household was warm and lively, the Geng family was anything but.

Geng Aiguo and Luo Anran had barely spoken these past few days. Every conversation turned into an argument. Geng, already insecure, grew bitter whenever he saw Zhou Xiaocheng in the compound—so poised and handsome, unlike his own ordinary looks.

And now Luo Anran had the nerve to argue with him and give him cold looks. It ate at him.

After thinking it over, he decided he wouldn't divorce her—after all, she was the girl he'd always loved—but he couldn't stay in the compound anymore.

He told his parents, "My unit is allocating apartments soon. I qualify for one of those tube apartments. Anran and I are moving out."

His mother objected immediately. "Why move out? We have plenty of space here. Those tube apartments are awful—cooking in the hallway, sharing a toilet, freezing in winter and boiling in summer. Why would you do that to yourself?"

His father felt that with so many families crammed into tiny homes, those who had space shouldn't take more. "You shouldn't apply. Let those who really need it have the apartment."

But Geng Aiguo was adamant. "I don't care. I can't stand the way everyone looks at me here."

His mother finally understood—it was all about Luo Anran. She turned to Luo, who had been silent throughout. "Anran, I heard you took vegetables to the Zhou family the other day."

Luo paused. "Xiaoling likes cilantro. I just brought some over."

That was what she'd heard too—along with the part where Zhou Xiaoling had thrown her out. Still, it didn't sit right with her. "You need to be careful. You're a married woman now. Don't make us a laughingstock. If you're still hung up on Xiaocheng, just divorce Aiguo now and don't waste his time."

Geng Aiguo panicked. "Mom, what are you saying? We're not getting divorced!"

His mother shot him a disappointed look, then glared at Luo Anran. "But think carefully—if you do divorce, do you really think Zhou Xiaocheng would want you? Why would he choose a divorced woman when he could have a young, unmarried girl?"

Luo Anran felt deeply insulted. She put down her chopsticks and left the table without a word.

Geng's mother turned on her son. "Look at that! She has the nerve to storm off! And you—talking about moving out. You didn't do anything wrong! Why should you leave? I'd like to see Zhou Xiaocheng dare to make a move on her."

Geng's father frowned. "That's enough. There's no need to be so harsh. They're adults—let them work it out."

But Geng's mother couldn't let it go. Every time she saw Li Yunlan happily holding her grandchildren in the courtyard, she felt a spike of resentment. So she had three kids—what's the big deal?

The Zhou family made dumplings to see Lin Wenbin off.

The next morning, the housekeeper pan-fried the leftovers until they were golden and crisp on both sides.

Seeing there were too many to finish, Lin Xiaoxiao said, "I'll pack some for lunch. Then I won't have to eat in the cafeteria."

Li Yunlan was happy to hear it. Zhou Xiaoling had told her the school food was mediocre. "Take plenty. Wrap them in a towel to keep warm. If they get cold, you can always heat them with hot water."

"It's fine," Lin Xiaoxiao said. "The beef ones are good cold too."

In class, she tucked the lunchbox into her desk and took out her books. She had just settled into her seat when Zhang Wanqing, sitting beside her, suddenly frowned and sniffed the air.

She turned to Lin Xiaoxiao. "You brought dumplings? Beef filling?"