Feng Xuanxiang had no idea that his reduced contact with Shi Man recently had planted seeds of unease in her mind. He was even less aware that the matter he had asked Dai Lijun to help conceal had, through the mere hints he’d let slip, plunged him into an even more awkward predicament. What was a slight worry for Shi Man had now ballooned into genuine anxiety, nearly leading Wang Qiqi and the others to believe Feng Xuanxiang had become a faithless cad. If he had foreseen this outcome, he would certainly regret ever mentioning the situation to Dai Lijun, or at the very least, he would have instructed Dai Lijun to handle the matter with more discretion.

Feng Xuanxiang was up early, taking care of his necessary chores before changing into the clothes he had specifically prepared. Humming a cheerful tune, he headed out the door. “Off to meet your girlfriend? Staying here tonight?” A young Black man, seeing the usually busy Feng Xuanxiang dressed so casually, expressed surprise. He couldn't recall the last time he’d seen Xuanxiang in such attire. Just as he wondered about it, he remembered: Xuanxiang’s girlfriend was flying in today from the ancient land in the East.

“Yeah, why are you up so early today?” Feng Xuanxiang greeted his roommate, finding it odd himself, as the young man had been busy working overtime recently to save up for a trip.

“I’m covering a shift for a colleague today, so I have to be up early.” The Black young man glanced at the time, said goodbye to Han Tao, and pedaled off on his bicycle.

Watching his hurrying roommate, Feng Xuanxiang took one last look in the mirror before locking the main door. He planned to head out now to purchase some things for the new apartment. While he had already stocked the new place with essentials, it remained largely empty because it was close to campus, and Xuanxiang hadn't moved in yet. This time, with Shi Man visiting, Feng Xuanxiang intended to take her directly there, avoiding the presence of his roommates—the constant proximity always made him feel slightly uncomfortable. “I’ll pick up some groceries. Steak tonight…” Feng Xuanxiang ticked off the items on the shopping list he’d prepared the day before, placing them into his cart.

“And candles,” Feng Xuanxiang suddenly remembered as he passed the candle aisle. Since they were having steak tonight, he might as well prepare a candlelight dinner, and candles were essential. With candles, he needed a candelabra, so he casually grabbed one as well.

“Maybe some ice cream, and some cake too.” Passing the freezer section, he added ice cream and yogurt to his cart. He inwardly sighed, thinking he’d made a thorough list yesterday, yet every trip to the supermarket revealed forgotten items.

After finishing his shopping, Feng Xuanxiang rushed to put everything into the refrigerator. He gave the apartment, which he had cleaned thoroughly the day before, a final check. Finding no need for more cleaning, he hummed a tune and drove off toward the airport to pick someone up. “Oh, right, and huā.” Halfway to the airport, Feng Xuanxiang remembered something critically important, immediately turning the car around to retrieve the huā he had reserved at the florist yesterday.

Carefully placing the eleven roses in the passenger seat, Feng Xuanxiang resumed his drive to the airport. Because of this delay, his ample time buffer was now running thin. “I must give Manman a huge surprise today,” he thought happily, practically wishing he could make the car fly. Thankfully, his sense of reason prevailed. Though anxious about missing the flight, he kept his speed strictly within the limit. He certainly didn't want to invite trouble through rash impulse.

Feng Xuanxiang prayed internally that his girlfriend's flight would be delayed. If he missed her, all his careful planning would be in vain. Moreover, those roommates might preempt him and blurt out the surprise. While it would still be a surprise, if it didn't come from him, it would feel like a personal disappointment for Feng Xuanxiang.

Checking his appearance again in the rearview mirror, Feng Xuanxiang grabbed the roses and proceeded to meet his beloved. Shi Man had mentioned in her email that she could make her own way over, and he had replied, saying he would definitely come to get her, perhaps because his boss might call him in unexpectedly. But how could he possibly miss his girlfriend’s arrival? He had already requested time off from his boss long ago. For the next two days, even if the sky fell, no one should expect him to handle work matters; he had been busy arranging everything for this very day and the subsequent vacation.

When Shi Man stepped out of the airport, while she knew Feng Xuanxiang might not be there to meet her, the sight of his absence after scanning the area caused her face to fall completely. Although he mentioned in the email that his boss might need him, at this moment, Shi Man desperately wanted to know if it was truly his boss calling, or if he was skipping out for a date with another beauty.

Wang Qiqi also habitually searched for Feng Xuanxiang upon exiting the airport, as he was both the local host and Shi Man’s boyfriend. But finding no familiar figure within a two-hundred-meter radius left her dumbfounded. Had Shi Man forgotten to mention her flight arrival time? No, that couldn’t be right. Even if Shi Man hadn't said anything, hadn't Dai Lijun said something?

Dai Lijun genuinely believed Feng Xuanxiang would be there to meet them. He was stunned when Xuanxiang failed to appear, his mouth hanging wide open. He mentally cursed, thinking, Brother, brother, you didn't actually forget that Manman is arriving in Boston today, did you?

“Let’s go, his boss needs him for something today,” Shi Man said, pulling out sunglasses from her bag and heading toward the airport shuttle area.

Feng Xuanxiang is busy today? Wang Qiqi thought. Even if his boss required his presence, this was Shi Man’s first visit to the US in a year, their first reunion since they last parted ways at the end of August last year. In her estimation, no matter how urgent the matter, wouldn't he have taken leave in advance? Besides, Wang Qiqi seriously doubted that Feng Xuanxiang was handling any monumental deals right now, or that his team couldn't function without him. Wang Qiqi followed Shi Man with a slightly puffed-out face, realizing that Shi Man was already in a foul mood. If she complained any more, things could explode like colliding stars when Shi Man finally saw Feng Xuanxiang. “Getting business done is the priority, otherwise, we’ll leave a bad impression on the boss.”

Dai Lijun watched as both women clearly harbored resentment but forced expressions of consideration for Feng Xuanxiang. He pursed his lips, thinking how dramatic they were being. But he dared not voice this aloud, lest he face terrible consequences. If their wrath turned toward him, that would be the height of injustice. However, Dai Lijun was already calculating in his mind how he should bill Feng Xuanxiang for damages. Keeping that secret had been incredibly stressful; it had nearly cost him his life. Considering that, Dai Lijun felt he deserved to squeeze a hefty sum out of the man, or at least demand several good meals.

The three walked slowly behind Shi Man, each lost in their own thoughts. Feng Xuanxiang rushed into the airport hall only to find Shi Man gone, and no crowd emerging from the arrivals gate. I missed her, he thought with a sinking heart. Just as he was about to step inside to inquire about his girlfriend’s flight status before planning his next move, his eyes caught a familiar silhouette not far away. She was heading in the direction of the airport bus. He immediately shouted loudly, “Manman, Manman!” As he yelled, he thought the two figures beside his supposed girlfriend looked familiar, but he dismissed the idea—weren’t Qiqi and the others supposed to go directly with Han Tao?

Hearing the familiar voice, Shi Man’s first reaction was that she missed the man so much she was hallucinating. She paused for a beat, then continued walking forward.

Wang Qiqi and Dai Lijun stopped when they heard the voice. They exchanged a look of shared surprise, then both turned to look behind them and exclaimed, “Ah, it’s Feng Xuanxiang!” Dai Lijun cheerfully waved at him. Noticing the roses in Feng Xuanxiang’s hand, Dai Lijun thought, This is what they call the sweetness of reunion! He didn't even forget flowers for a simple airport pickup. Still, this brother was too unreliable; failing to arrive on time for the pickup! If he hadn't dawdled slightly while collecting luggage earlier, they might have missed him entirely.

“Manman, your man is here to meet you!” Wang Qiqi immediately turned and called out to Shi Man, who was still walking ahead. “And he’s holding roses, too!” Wow, that’s really romantic.

Hearing them call his name, Shi Man desperately wanted to turn and run toward him. But recalling his recent behavior, she managed to suppress her excitement, continuing to walk straight ahead. Hmph, so what if he has flowers? They might just be apology offerings. She thought to herself, When was the last time he sent me flowers? It makes no sense for him to start now just because I’m visiting. There’s definitely something fishy going on.

Feng Xuanxiang was relieved to see it was indeed Wang Qiqi and the others. Thank heavens he hadn't missed the pickup. However, he felt strange that they were there too—that meant two extra superfluous guests for the evening. He realized his carefully laid plans for the night were likely ruined, but he swiftly shoved aside his dissatisfaction and ran toward his girlfriend. This wasn't the time to dwell on such things; didn’t he see his girlfriend still walking away? That meant Shi Man was angry with him.

“Manman, Manman, don’t be angry, I know I shouldn’t have lied to you…” Feng Xuanxiang reached his girlfriend, gently grasping her, and instinctively pulled her into his embrace. “I just wanted to give you a surprise.”

A surprise? Shi Man let out a cold scoff. “I hope it’s not just a shock without any pleasure.”

Hearing his girlfriend’s sarcastic tone, Feng Xuanxiang was utterly bewildered. Okay, he admitted he had deceived her about meeting her at the airport, but judging by Shi Man’s expression, his offense seemed quite serious. He turned his questioning gaze toward Dai Lijun and Wang Qiqi. (To be continued)