Chapter 67

“Comrades, at this crucial juncture in our development, we must stay resolute in our confidence!”

“Koala keeper……nature education consultant……”

The leader on stage delivered the official jargon with resounding force, while the audience below maintained serious expressions. Bai Kou paid no heed to it all, burying her head in the resume that Lu Tongtong had sent her.

Pei Yue’s identity truly caught her off guard.

Yet it made sense, after all, Pei Yue had always particularly loved small animals.

In particular, seeing the long string of outstanding contribution awards Pei Yue had earned as a keeper at an overseas zoo, Bai Kou couldn’t help but sigh in her heart—

‘As expected of Pei Yue.’

She could even easily picture it: Pei Yue in her zoo work uniform, with small animals either clinging to Pei Yue’s arm or hugging Pei Yue’s leg……refusing to let go in those heartwarming scenes.

Bai Kou locked her phone screen, a smile on her face, and looked up at Pei Yue’s back in front of her. Suddenly, she felt a mother’s pride in watching her daughter.

These years we’ve been apart, we’ve all grown up so well.

This was truly good.

“Oh.” Lu Tongtong, who had also been scrolling through her phone for a while beside her, suddenly murmured, “So Yuqiao-jie is the person in charge at Blue Seal.”

Bai Kou didn’t respond. With a glance from the corner of her eye at Lu Tongtong’s screen, she caught a flash of the passport photo and quickly withdrew her gaze, looking toward the front-right side instead.

There, Bai Yuqiao’s profile sat straight and proper.

After the meeting ended, the highest-level batch of leaders still had to stay inside for the next one.

“Pei Yue—Pei Yue—” As the crowd dispersed, Lu Tongtong finally called out softly to the person picking up a paper cup.

“Tongtong?” Pei Yue turned around, and the next second, upon meeting Bai Kou’s gaze, she froze. “Bai……”

“Hey, Pei Yue, when did you get back? We’re practically fated! I’m working here too!” As Lu Tongtong spoke, under the probing gazes of the surrounding leaders, she propped herself up with one hand, kicked off with a foot, and in her excitement, simply perched sideways on the conference table.

Bai Yuqiao stood up to shake hands with a Park District leader who was leaving first. She appeared to smile and nod, but in reality, she quietly directed her peripheral vision toward the three people chatting not far away.

Lu Tongtong laughed with flushed cheeks; Pei Yue’s back was to her, as if speaking.

Bai Kou stood a short distance away, arms crossed. When Pei Yue spoke, she looked at Pei Yue; when Lu Tongtong spoke, she looked at Lu Tongtong. She didn’t seem to be focusing on anyone in particular.

Bai Yuqiao lowered her eyes briefly and withdrew her gaze.

“Seeing no word from you all these years abroad, Bai Doudou and I thought you weren’t coming back, right?” Lu Tongtong said as she patted Bai Kou’s arm. “Didn’t we discuss before that Pei Yue was definitely staying in Boston for life?”

Pei Yue smiled, her eyes turning to Bai Kou, awaiting the latter’s response.

But Bai Kou smiled ambiguously. “We might have discussed it?”

“And I still remember, back in senior year of high school or freshman year, Bai Kou was——”

“Hey, you there! Little Lu? Stop chatting! Get out of here quick!”

Lu Tongtong immediately went silent and responded, “Okay! Coming!”

After responding, she grabbed Bai Kou’s wrist and jerked her chin at Pei Yue. “Let’s go, we’ll talk outside.”

Not long after they stepped out, Lu Tongtong glanced at Bai Kou, who was replying to messages, and boldly asked with a thought, “By the way, Pei Yue, can I ask you something?”

“Sure.” Pei Yue nodded.

“These years abroad, have you——” Lu Tongtong clearly glanced at Bai Kou again, and Pei Yue followed with a puzzled glance as well.

The focus of their gazes remained oblivious, frowning as she typed on her phone.

Yang Wanxi: Deal closed.

Bai Kou: Huh?

Yang Wanxi: What’s up?

Bai Kou: So fast?

Yang Wanxi: The quicker, the better for you guys to relax, right?

“The director messaged; I have to go first. See you later.” Pei Yue glanced at her phone, finished with Lu Tongtong, then tilted her head slightly toward the person who hadn’t looked up once. “Bai Kou?”

“Hm?” Bai Kou raised her gaze, her expression somewhat dazed.

“I’m off to work.” Pei Yue smiled.

Bai Kou immediately set down her phone and waved apologetically. “Oh, bye bye. I’ll treat you to dinner when we’re free.”

Pei Yue looked into Bai Kou’s eyes and smiled. “That makes twice then.”

Bai Kou: “Huh?”

Pei Yue’s smile deepened. “Last time we bumped into each other, I said I’d treat you once. This time you say you’ll treat me once. Adds up to twice.”

Bai Kou blinked in a daze, then burst out laughing.

“Fine, twice it is.”

When Bai Yuqiao walked out, Bai Kou and Lu Tongtong were still sitting on a long bench in the Park District. She saw Lu Tongtong’s mouth opening and closing.

“I know; Little Xi-jie messaged me last night. She said she’d finalize the collaboration today. I was shocked and tried to tell her not to rush, but she just told me to keep it from you until it was set.”

Bai Kou: “Such a big company, and this collaboration is settled so fast. That’s too impulsive.”

Too far to hear what the two were saying, but the atmosphere seemed somewhat heavy.

Bai Yuqiao silently descended the last step and stood in place, not interrupting, quietly observing Bai Kou over there.

Though they met once a year during New Year, for some reason, Bai Yuqiao felt Bai Kou had grown a lot more.

The Bai Kou from before was very cute, always smiling with no worries. Even if she encountered something upsetting occasionally, she’d at most hug her and cry it out, then shine brightly again the next day.

Now this Bai Kou.

Still very cute, and according to Bai Xiaochu’s descriptions, Bai Kou’s personality hadn’t changed much from childhood—just seemed more mature.

She still hung out with Lu Tongtong like when they were kids, hugging each other at home and screaming nonstop at horror movies. They’d tear open piles of snacks, calling it “satisfying our childhood selves,” then not finish them, deliberately snapping photos for Bai Xiaochu to see, getting scolded, and replying with a string of “hehehehehehs.”

There were times of setbacks too; Bai Xiaochu had sent Bai Yuqiao the chat logs.

They were voice-to-text, every one 59 seconds long.

So helpless, who knew the last free expression would be at the graduation exhibition.

Turns out there really were peaks in the world that no amount of effort could reach. Turns out painting was tied to birth. Some people had renowned teachers from childhood, close access to many masterpieces, and could still create carefree after graduation.

But at the end, Bai Kou added that she was doing great too—Mom made her happy, good friends always by her side. Oh right, that account Tongtong made her open as a kid made it into the yearbook!

Bai Yuqiao saw Bai Xiaochu type after that voice: What’s a yearbook?

“It’s like praise, little red flower, traveling red flag.” Bai Kou laughed for ages in the voice-to-text, praised herself for a bit, then emphasized, “Mom, I’m sharing all this not because I feel bad, just to tell you about my life.”

Bai Xiaochu replied with three suns and three hugs.

Bai Yuqiao, after reading all the records, sat in the lab the next day and blanked out for a moment, thinking.

Bai Kou, if I hadn’t selfishly taken that step back then, would you still be able to hug me and cry without a worry like before?

“Tch.”

Bai Kou leaned forward, propping herself on Lu Tongtong’s knee, pondering together how they should thank Yang Wanxi, when she twisted her head and spotted Bai Yuqiao standing in the distance looking at her.

Probably because these years, they only met at home during New Year.

Bai Kou hadn’t locked eyes with Bai Yuqiao like this in a “non-New Year” setting for a long time.

She still remembered that year after arguing with Bai Yuqiao, the next day the two of them plus Yang Wanxi sat together and ate breakfast normally.

The table was a bit quiet, but because Bai Yuqiao still cared for her as always—reminding her it was hot, handing her a tissue the moment her fingers got sticky with porridge—Bai Kou even softened, thinking it wasn’t a big deal, maybe jie had changed her mind.

But not two days later, Gao Wenlan came to Bai Kou, and Bai Xiaochu returned too.

They chatted happily for a bit, then Bai Xiaochu got up to fetch the household registry from inside.

Bai Kou’s mind went blank with a snap, realizing it was all her fantasy. Bai Yuqiao leaving their home was set in stone; she was the only one still thinking there was a chance.

And seemingly the only one heartbroken over it.

She admitted her eighteen-year-old self back then was immature, hadn’t even started college, couldn’t accept it, couldn’t understand. She flung off Bai Yuqiao’s hand and shut herself in her room.

She held a breath in her heart, vowing never to rely on Bai Yuqiao again.

No, on anyone except Mom and Tongtong.

Bai Kou stared coldly at Bai Yuqiao for a moment. Seeing the other approach, she immediately withdrew her gaze.

Her hand left Lu Tongtong’s knee; Bai Kou picked up her bag and stood. “Let’s go; I’ll familiarize myself with the paths in your park so it’s easy to scout locations after New Year.”

With that, she grabbed the still-reacting Lu Tongtong’s hand, intending to leave directly.

But Lu Tongtong, being dragged, still spotted the approaching person and shouted, “Yuqiao-jie!”

Bai Kou: “……”

No good—too many chances of running into Bai Yuqiao in the coming months. She needed to find time to talk sense into Lu Tongtong.

Bai Yuqiao approached and first glanced at Bai Kou, then fully turned to Lu Tongtong.

“We’re planning to stroll around the Park District.” Lu Tongtong smiled. “You just got here and probably aren’t familiar either. Want to join us?”

“……” Bai Kou turned her face away; her reluctance was plain as day.

Bai Yuqiao noticed and couldn’t help smiling.

Lu Tongtong: “Hm? What’s up?”

Then she saw Yuqiao-jie raise her hand and make a few gestures.

Lu Tongtong wasn’t like Bai Kou or Yang Wanxi; she got simple words but not when strung together—only made out something like “sorry”?

No choice, she tugged at Bai Kou, who was immersed in her phone again beside her. “Come quick, come quick; I don’t understand sign language.”

“……” Bai Kou was even more helpless, thinking, Bai Yuqiao, you usually know she doesn’t get it and use your phone to type, but doing it on purpose now?

She turned with a stiff face, smiling. “Trouble you to repeat that.”

Bai Yuqiao smiled too, changing gestures: 【You don’t want to see me?】

Lu Tongtong: “Huh? Wasn’t that it before?”

The smile at the corner of Bai Kou’s mouth also stiffened. “You.”

Bai Yuqiao: 【Looks like you really hate me.】

“It’s not—Bai Yuqiao, you!”

【No worries.】 Bai Yuqiao ignored Bai Kou completely. 【I won’t bother you.】

After gesturing that, she lowered her arms, the amusement in her eyes gradually fading.

She quietly looked for two seconds at Bai Kou’s widened pupils from the shock.

Finally, Bai Yuqiao kept a cold expression, pocketed one hand, waved the other at Lu Tongtong, and turned to leave.

“Oh!” Lu Tongtong exclaimed. “That one I get! It’s goodbye!”