They say one day apart is like three seasons apart.

Xu Ye hadn't seen Chen Qingqing in half a month, and he had been missing her more than he could stand.

Seeing Chen Qingqing come trotting toward him, he opened his arms and pulled her in. She twisted a couple of times for form's sake and then gave in like a good girl, and just as he was about to go in for the kiss, she got in a quick warning. "My dad's back there."

"Your dad?"

Xu Ye was puzzled. "Your dad drove you here?"

"He did." Chen Qingqing added, "My mom made him."

"That explains it."

The two of them walked toward the curb hand in hand, and only when they were nearly at the car did Chen Qingqing pull her hand back. Then she followed Xu Ye into the back seat.

The car was very quiet on the way back.

Xu Ye looked perfectly well behaved on the surface, but the wandering hand had already crossed the line several times. Every time he got it onto Chen Qingqing's thigh she pushed it off and gave him a small "threatening" look. And every time, he would make a show of looking hurt, at which Chen Qingqing would turn straight to the window and fight down a laugh…

Chen Hansong took in every bit of the "flirting and squabbling" going on in the back seat.

This time, though, he acted as though he had seen nothing at all, and drove steadily the whole way back to Red Leaf Estate.

"Mom~" Chen Qingqing walked quickly into the living room, her whole face delighted. "We're back."

"Go wash your hands. We're about to eat."

"Okay."

The four of them were soon sitting around the dining table, eating and talking…

"Xiao Xu, is it hot in Shanghai?"

"Not as hot as here, I don't think."

"You'll be a sophomore when term starts. Will there be more coursework in the second year than the first?"

"I don't know yet."

Chen Qingqing laughed. "More classes won't matter. He skipped plenty of them freshman year."