The afternoon of the second day of National Day.

Jiang Meilin took Yang Lin out shopping, and since Xu Ye had driven the car off, the only thing for it was to call Chen Hansong in as chauffeur.

Chen Qingqing didn't see much point in shopping, so she didn't go with them — but she hadn't been alone in the house long before boredom set in.

Lying on the sofa, she messaged Xu Ye. "Dumb pig, what are you up to?"

Xu Ye came back quickly. "Nothing at all. Watching Lecture Room at home with my dad."

"I'm so bored."

"Your mom and dad are at home and so is Auntie Yang Lin. How can you be bored?"

"They went out."

"Your mom and dad aren't home?"

"Mm."

Chen Qingqing sent the mm, and when Xu Ye hadn't answered for two whole minutes she followed it up. "Where are you?"

Xu Ye was sitting in the car. Once he had his seat belt on he sent one back. "Get yourself nice and clean and wait for me at home. I'll be right there."

Chen Qingqing saw that message and immediately laid the phone face-down on her own flat little stomach, then hugged a cushion and rolled back and forth on the sofa.

At some point along the way — she couldn't say when it started — every time Xu Ye began the run-up to some piece of mischief, Chen Qingqing found she was not only nervous but also, just faintly… looking forward to it.

Xu Ye had driven the road from his own home to Red Leaf Estate more times than he could count. He had Jiang Meilin's car outside the villa in no time, got out and pressed the bell twice.

Chen Qingqing was out into the courtyard just as fast. She deliberately didn't open it, and called out loudly instead. "Who's out there?"

"Your boyfriend."

Chen Qingqing gave a mischievous laugh. "Then you've got the wrong address. I don't have a boyfriend."

"Hey. That's what you're going with, is it? Open this door or I'm climbing the wall."