A Walk Down Memory Lane.

Xuejian found himself sitting in his father's car, accompanied by his father's driver and his mother, on their way to his new school. It was a momentous occasion for Xuejian, who had spent most of his years confined to his home due to illness. As they drove, he couldn't help but be captivated by the towering buildings, the lush trees lining the roads, and the cars whizzing past them—a sight he had rarely witnessed before.

"Xuejian, my dear, remember to both behave well in school and have fun," Mrs. Wang began, a kind smile on her face.

"But Papa said-"

"I don't care what your father said. This is a time in your life where you should enjoy yourself, make lasting friendships, and perhaps even fall in love," she interrupted him.

"Eww, no, Mama," Xuejian cringed, his face scrunching up in disgust.

"Mind your words, young man. You never know when love might unexpectedly strike! It could even be love at first sight, just like it was for me and your father. For generations, the first woman who entered the world of the Wang family has always ended up with them, no matter what," Mrs. Wang explained, her eyes glimmering with nostalgia.

"Mama, please, change the topic! I've heard this countless times," Xuejian pleaded, covering his ears as he looked at his mother.

"Alright, alright. Let's talk about something else. Just remember to make good friends—ones who add value to your life, not those who hurt you. There are all kinds of kids in school, so I'm confident you'll find your group. Have fun!" With those parting words, she leaned in and planted a loving kiss on Xuejian's head, just as the car came to a stop in front of the school building.

An elegant old man in a black suit descended the stairs leading to the car, while Xuejian's driver promptly opened the car door for him. "Mrs. Wang, rest assured that I'll ensure he enjoys learning here," the old man assured her as Xuejian alighted from the car. Mrs. Wang nodded in gratitude, and with a final wave, the driver closed the door and drove away.

"Master Wang, do follow my lead. Allow me the pleasure of introducing you to your fellow classmates," the old man beamed at Xuejian, who clutched his bag tightly.

They proceeded through the corridors and made a few turns until they stood before a classroom with a prominent plastic sign reading 'Grade 1.'

Due to being two years older and starting school much later, Xuejian was quite behind his peers, embarking on his educational journey as a novice.

As they entered the classroom, Xuejian noticed some students either organizing their lockers at the back or engaged in lively conversations with their friends.

Upon seeing the old man entering, a noticeably younger girl exclaimed, "It's the school director!"

"Why is he here in our class?" questioned a boy, his legs nonchalantly propped up on the table.

The girl promptly smacked his legs with a book and scolded, "He's here to introduce our new classmate, you imbecile!"

"Watch your language, Meiying," cautioned the school director, yet his demeanor remained unfazed, in fact, he seemed pleased that a student had stood up to the misbehaving boy.

"Apologies, sir," Meiying turned towards him and bowed, her smile illuminating as her blue eyes twinkled while glancing at Xuejian, who shivered and instinctively took a step back before being held by the school director.

"Now, do introduce yourself," the school director instructed.

Xuejian gazed at the expectant faces of his classmates, swallowed nervously, and disregarded his older age which seemed to heighten his apprehension. He composed himself and stated with a bow, "I am Wang Xuejian. Please take care of me."

"He said... Wang? Remarkable!" exclaimed one of the students.

"I shall be the first to befriend him," resolutely declared another.

"And how old are you?" inquired the boy who earlier had his legs on the table.

Xuejian hadn't intended to conceal his age, thus he truthfully answered, causing a collective gasp among his classmates.

"I knew it!" proclaimed the victorious boy.

"Mingxuan, enough with your insolence. What's wrong with his age?" Meiying addressed the entire class before standing in front of Xuejian, extending her hand and stating, "Hello, I'm Meiying. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Xuejian glanced at her outstretched hand, then looked back at Meiying's radiant face, beaming with a smile. "Beautiful," slipped out of Xuejian's mouth before he could stop himself, and he widened his eyes in surprise.

"What?" Meiying asked, her voice filled with curiosity. But before she could say anything else, he quickly took her hand in his, a gesture that made her heart skip a beat. "The pleasure is all mine," he said with a warm smile.

Returning his smile, Meiying guided him to a seat that was conveniently close to hers. The school director then inquired about their teacher, to which they responded that she had a temporary absence due to a running stomach and would soon return.

Throughout the day, Xuejian and Meiying remained close, even during lunchtime when she followed him to the cafeteria and sat right beside him. His heart thumped with excitement whenever she was near, but the presence of a little girl who seemed infatuated with him just added to the overwhelming feeling. Like glue, she stuck to him at all times, and the only respite he found was in the sanctuary of the men's restroom.

When the bell rang signaling the end of the day, Meiying waved him goodbye and left the classroom. Xuejian followed suit, joining the other children waiting outside the school building for their parents. Finally, he spotted his father's car and eagerly ran towards it. He quickly hopped inside before the driver could even open the door.

"Someone seems quite excited! So, how was school? Did the other kids alienate you because of your age?" his mother inquired as the car pulled away from the school compound.

"Not at all," Xuejian replied cheerfully.

"And what about friends? Did you make any?" she asked patiently, awaiting his response. However, he remained silent, his gaze fixed on the world outside the car window.

"Meiying," he whispered, catching his mother's attention. She noticed a girl in the same school uniform skipping on the sidewalk.

Intrigued, his mother requested the driver to stop by the girl. Xuejian panicked, ducking down as soon as Meiying turned towards him.

"Little girl, where are you going?" his mother asked kindly.

"Home," Meiying replied.

"Come on in, let me drop you off."

"Sorry, ma'am, but you're a stranger. I can't..." Meiying started to explain, but before she could finish her sentence, Mrs. Wang grabbed hold of her son and held him up for Meiying to see clearly.

The moment she laid eyes on Xuejian, she needed no further convincing. Without hesitation, Meiying accepted the invitation and beamed at Xuejian, who squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. Mrs. Wang watched the exchange with an amused smile, realizing that fate had brought their families together.

Meiying revealed that she actually lived on the neighboring street and had been walking home. Mrs. Wang took it upon herself to drive Meiying home, and from that day on, their families became fast friends...

Xuejian shook his head as he revisited these memories. He was now in his study, engrossed in his work, but he couldn't help but glance at his watch. Meiying hadn't arrived home yet, and her phone was switched off. Worry crept into his mind as he wondered if he had made a mistake by allowing her too much freedom. Perhaps he should assign bodyguards to her again.

Minutes later, Meiying finally arrived, her face adorned with a bright smile. She entered Xuejian's study, knowing he was about to scold her for being late once again.

"Where were you?" he asked calmly, trying to mask his concern.

"At work," Meiying replied casually.

"I heard that after your shoot, you hurried out as if your life depended on it," he stated, raising an eyebrow.

Meiying smiled at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "I went to visit your parents' place."

His eyes widened in surprise. "And you decided to come back this late?"

"We women get carried away with our conversations, losing track of time. Your mother insisted on accompanying me because she knew you would react like this," Meiying explained cheerfully.

Xuejian stared at her intently, trying to discern any hidden motives. His gaze made her shiver slightly, but she held her ground. Finally, Xuejian sighed and asked her about the item she had been concealing since entering his study.

Meiying's smile turned devilish as she retrieved the item—a photo album. "Your mother was so thrilled by my visit that she gave this to me as a gift."

Alarm bells went off in Xuejian's mind. The album contained not only cherished memories but also embarrassing moments he would rather forget. For a moment, he contemplated murdering his own mother for orchestrating this situation.