Because of the work his aunt and uncle did, Wang Yuxin came to stay at the house for a while every summer break.

A week at the shortest, a month at the longest.

Xu Ye was used to it by now.

Xu Ye had washed his hair and just dished himself up a bowl of congee for breakfast when Old Xu and Old Zhang got ready to head off to work together. On their way out they made a point of telling him to look after Wang Yuxin properly.

Xu Ye said at that, with a long face, "I've got to go to work myself in a bit."

Old Zhang wasn't having any of it. She left him with a "not my problem" and dragged Old Xu off downstairs.

Wang Yuxin sat across from Xu Ye, chin propped in her hand, watching him with a smile all over her face.

Xu Ye gave her a flat look and said irritably, "You were a tagalong when you were little, and who'd have thought you'd still be a tagalong now that you've grown up."

"I am not."

Wang Yuxin muttered it, then sat there like a good girl and watched Xu Ye finish his bowl of congee.

Xu Ye pulled on a T-shirt and went back to his room for his car keys and his phone, ready to head out. Wang Yuxin was still watching him wide-eyed, with that small injured look on her face.

Xu Ye went to the door and changed his shoes, then glanced back at Wang Yuxin and caught the picture of injured innocence on her face. He had just been about to harden his heart, and it went soft again on the spot.

"What are you looking at? Let's go."

Wang Yuxin sprang up and hurried over.

Xu Ye shut the door and put one big hand on top of Wang Yuxin's head, laying down ground rules in advance. "When we get to where I work, don't look at anything you shouldn't look at, don't ask anything you shouldn't ask, and don't say anything you shouldn't say…