After a long embrace, Mi Xue gently lifted her head and asked in a low voice. It was a question she had wanted to ask moments ago but hadn't dared to voice until now.

"Nothing, Mi Xue, I'm much better now!"

Zhang Yang shook his head. He did feel somewhat relieved; much of the intense emotion from before seemed to have originated from his body itself. It was as if, at one point, his heart had suddenly panicked and he couldn't control it, or perhaps a deep weariness had settled over him, even right after waking up. These were just the body's natural responses, a kind of instinct he couldn't control at all. That’s why he couldn't manage a smile; even forcing one looked awful.

"Okay, if anything is wrong, you can tell me. I will always be here for you!"

Mi Xue looked up at Zhang Yang and spoke slowly. This time, she didn't blush as she spoke, effectively declaring her feelings to him. She was willing to stay with Zhang Yang forever.

"Good. I promise you, I'll tell you everything from now on. We'll be together forever!"

Zhang Yang held her tighter. They only rushed to open the door and go inside when someone else arrived.

After the night passed, Zhang Yang’s mood had completely recovered. The incident left him incredibly curious: what kind of enmity existed between the former 'Zhang Yang' and his father that it could trigger such a visceral bodily reaction? Zhang Yang was a doctor and had a decent understanding of psychology; he knew that only deep-seated hatred could cause such a response.

From the moment the reaction began, he had been searching through the residual memories. To his frustration, all he could grasp was that the resentment towards his father stemmed from his mother's death. The original 'Zhang Yang' believed his father, Zhang Keqin, was entirely responsible for their mother’s passing, to the extent that he once considered changing his surname to escape the 'Zhang' lineage.

All subsequent memories were filled with bitterness and arguments. For nearly fifteen years, Zhang Yang had lived steeped in this hatred for his father, never exchanging another word with him. Yet, the why—how his mother died—remained a void in the memories. It was completely blank, as if the former 'Zhang Yang' had sealed those parts away. Now, Zhang Yang had inherited the hatred for his father, but it felt like an inexplicable animosity.

This depressed him greatly. He didn't harbor such intense malice toward the man, yet his body reacted so strongly, feeling discomfort just hearing the name. This sensation was deeply unsettling. Unable to find the cause, he could only let it go. Despite his high medical skills, he couldn't cure himself, much less something so esoteric.

After the exams came the break. Hu Xin and Gu Cheng spent the morning poring over newspapers, and by the afternoon, they were off to the vehicle market, planning to buy a pickup truck. They had given their ID cards to Su Zhantao the day before; for him, obtaining a driver's license was simple and could be done in a few days.

Zhang Yang handed them fifty thousand yuan that day. Fifty thousand was more than enough for a vehicle; the remainder they could keep for contingencies. Earning a living by driving their own truck was, in a way, starting their own small business, so having extra capital was good.

Xiao Dai and Nannan had also vanished for the entire day. They went out looking for jobs, seeking summer employment. Girls often had a slight advantage in securing temporary work. By the afternoon, they had found positions at a restaurant, starting out as waitresses for the time being. The pay wasn't substantial, but the restaurant provided meals, meaning they could earn back several months' living expenses over two months.

Xiao Bin, that guy, was completely MIA. With school holidays approaching, the student union had a mountain of work to sort out, and he was busy running around leading his team, impossible to track down. Zhang Yang had thought the holidays after the exams would bring a few days of lively fun, but instead, everyone immediately became occupied, leaving him and Mi Xue as the idle ones.

"Zhang Yang, why don't we go see a movie?"

After dinner that evening, Mi Xue suddenly suggested it. The two of them had planned to see a film last time, but a scammer had ruined the mood, preventing them from going. This time, they could make up for it.

"Great, let's go right now!"

Zhang Yang’s eyes lit up. He certainly wouldn't object to Mi Xue’s suggestion. Since everyone else was busy, it gave them the perfect opportunity for some private time.

Mi Xue went to her room to change clothes, and Zhang Yang put on the outfit Mi Xue had bought him earlier. He had to admit, though the clothes were ordinary, they looked quite smart on him. When she came out after getting ready and saw him wearing the clothes she bought him, Mi Xue broke into a radiant smile and proactively linked her arm through his as they headed out.

This time, the movie outing proceeded without the prior disruption; they finally succeeded in entering the cinema. However, even when Zhang Yang was buying the tickets, someone approached to strike up a conversation with Mi Xue. That was the downside of having a beauty—they attracted attention everywhere.

After the movie finished, the smiles on both Mi Xue’s and Zhang Yang’s faces had brightened considerably. In his previous life, Zhang Yang was a doctor who had dedicated himself solely to medicine. By the time he achieved renown, he was older, and contemplating personal relationships became much more complicated. It wasn't that there were no women interested; it was that there were too many, leaving him unable to discern sincerity—unable to choose the right one.

By then, he had considerable fame and wealth, owning property and cars, yet he wasn't excessively old—a classic diamond bachelor. Many women actively pursued him then. It was these advances that made him cautious; he knew these women weren't after him, but after his money. Thus, in his past life, Zhang Yang had been surrounded by many women, but not one was genuine, let alone someone with whom he could truly have a relationship. That was why he took his feelings for Mi Xue so seriously and cared for her so deeply.

Watching a movie with the girl he loved was a genuine first for Zhang Yang. He barely paid attention to what the film was about; he was completely immersed in the feeling of the moment.

"Zhang Yang, how about we go grab a late-night snack?"

Leaving the cinema, Mi Xue became even more buoyant, hopping slightly on the stairs. A date watching a movie with her beloved was a first for her too.

"Okay, let's go get some crayfish!"

Zhang Yang smiled and nodded. There was a famous night market food stall near the cinema known for its crayfish. This area was a bustling downtown district; even though it was an open-air stall area, the prices weren't cheap. Zhang Yang recalled that they had only visited this place a few times; the food here was much pricier than what Sister Zhou prepared.

"Let's go!"

Mi Xue took Zhang Yang's hand and they ran forward together, drawing many glances. Upon seeing Mi Xue, most people paused briefly, then shook their heads. A true beauty—so pure, radiant, elegant, and adorable—but unfortunately, already taken. At that moment, many wished they could trade places with Zhang Yang.

The food stall was just around the corner. After running for less than ten minutes, they arrived at the location. This stall area was situated next to a plaza, where the surrounding streets were lined with open-air vendors, forming a small food night market. It wasn't even ten o'clock yet, meaning the area was crowded and lively. Zhang Yang led Mi Xue through several occupied stalls before finding an empty spot. A small table and two chairs; they sat down immediately.

Their settling in drew more looks from those nearby. Mi Xue had dressed up specifically for their outing, and under the lights, she appeared even more captivating. Even Zhang Yang couldn't stop looking at her.

"Mi Xue, what are your plans for the summer break?"

After ordering their food, Zhang Yang asked Mi Xue. Xiao Dai and the others had gone to work, leaving only Mi Xue behind. Mi Xue had considered working too, but she couldn't bear to be separated from Zhang Yang, and in terms of family background, Mi Xue was slightly better off than Xiao Dai and Nannan, not needing to earn living expenses.

"I haven't decided yet. I think I'll go home for a visit, see my family!"

Mi Xue thought for a moment before replying softly. Truthfully, she didn't want to go back either. This was the most fervent period of her relationship with Zhang Yang; people deeply in love, male or female, didn't want to be separated from their sweetheart for even a day.

"Go back a few days later. I'm planning to buy an apartment, and you can come look with me!"

Zhang Yang said with a smile. Buying a place had been a long-standing plan. Hearing the news yesterday that Zhang Keqin was coming had made him hesitate, but ultimately, he came to terms with it. He wasn't the old 'Zhang Yang' anymore; there was no need to act as he had before, running away the moment Zhang Keqin appeared, and even avoiding him from a distance. He was living happily in Changjing now. Zhang Keqin was just someone he hadn't met, and there was no reason to alter his life because of him.

"Okay!"

Mi Xue lowered her head and nodded very quietly. Her reaction seemed strange to Zhang Yang, but after a moment, he understood. In the current Chinese mindset, buying a home, whether for love or not, was preparation for marriage. The fact that Zhang Yang was looking to buy a place and involving her meant Mi Xue had misinterpreted his intentions. It explained why she lowered her head; she was probably blushing fiercely right then.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Just as Zhang Yang was about to speak, the area a table away suddenly erupted in noise. Several people stood up and began attacking the occupants of another table. The ensuing brawl caused patrons at surrounding tables to quickly move away. Both groups seemed quite large. When the tables were overturned, food and liquid splashed everywhere, and Zhang Yang quickly pulled Mi Xue away to safety.

Zhang Yang was unperturbed, but this sudden chaos startled Mi Xue. After moving further away, she looked back with a look of surprise. Girls generally feared such chaotic scenes.

"Zhang Yang, they're fighting! Should we call the police?"

Mi Xue looked up at Zhang Yang, a hesitation in her voice. Although many people were watching the spectacle, very few were actually calling the police; probably only the stall owners would bother, as the fight was disrupting their business.

"Alright then."

Glancing at Mi Xue, Zhang Yang nodded with a helpless sigh and pulled out his phone to dial 110. At the same time, he couldn't help but wonder if he had some sort of bad luck with this location—every date seemed destined to run into trouble. Last time it was him fighting; this time, it was other people.

......

Fifth update. My arms are both numb and sore. It’s a feeling I haven't experienced in a long time, but Xiao Yu will persevere; there are more updates coming!....