Guan Xia pushed open the door and casually tossed the groceries she had bought onto the dining table before hurrying out again to pick up a few more things.
By the time everything on her checklist was done, it was already nine o'clock. With just an hour left before the housekeeper arrived, Guan Xia finally had time to fix herself some breakfast.
She made two egg pancakes, ate until she was about sixty percent full, then stored the rest in the fridge before starting her preparations for the housewarming.
She carried all the groceries into the kitchen, set aside the fruits she planned to juice, and soaked the ingredients that needed prepping. Before she knew it, she was spinning around like a top, and by ten o'clock, she was still busy when the doorbell rang.
Guan Xia paused for a moment before snapping back to reality and rushing to answer the door.
Standing outside was a middle-aged woman with hair half-streaked with gray and a face lined with fine wrinkles, yet her expression was relaxed. She smiled warmly at Guan Xia and greeted her, "Hello."
Guan Xia returned the greeting and stepped aside to let her in.
The woman swiftly slipped on shoe covers and immediately got to work, pulling out a small notebook filled with scribbles. "Let me confirm the menu for today’s reservation with you," she said. "Please check if I’ve missed anything."
Guan Xia quickly retrieved the menu she had finalized with Pang Le the day before, which was lying on the coffee table. The housekeeper read out each dish, ticking them off one by one, then double-checked to ensure everything was correct.
Once that was done, the woman’s expression eased even further. "I can make all of these, no problem. Don’t worry—I won’t disappoint you."
With that, she pulled out an apron and cap from her tote bag, putting them on with the precision of a professional chef before heading into the kitchen to wash, chop, and prep with practiced efficiency.
Guan Xia lingered at the kitchen doorway for a moment, watching as the woman handled everything with meticulous care. Satisfied, she returned to her own task of wrestling with the fruits for juicing, her knife thudding rhythmically against the small cutting board.
Some time later, the housekeeper called out, "Excuse me, I’ve finished the cold dishes first. Could you taste them and let me know if any adjustments are needed?"
Guan Xia looked up and saw that the woman had prepared her favorite cold jelly noodles. She took a bite and was surprised—the flavor was even better than she had expected.
She couldn’t help but think that with skills like this, the woman could easily run a restaurant. Even if it didn’t become wildly popular, she’d at least have steady business. It seemed almost a waste for her to only do housekeeping.
As if sensing Guan Xia’s thoughts, the woman carefully wrapped the finished cold dishes in cling film and chuckled. "I used to run a small restaurant. It wasn’t big, but business was good—we even had customers who came just for the food. But then my husband developed a gambling addiction, and we lost the shop."
Guan Xia hadn’t expected her to share something so personal. Stunned, she struggled for words, opening and closing her mouth before finally managing a soft, "You…"
She wanted to offer comfort, but nothing she could say felt adequate compared to the woman’s hardships. Just as she was fumbling for the right words, the housekeeper suddenly laughed. "I’ve been saving up for years to open a new place. I’m almost there. Once it’s ready, if you like my cooking, you can drop by whenever you don’t feel like making your own meals. I live in the Lijing complex next door, so the shop will be nearby—won’t be a hassle for you to visit."
So that was her way of drumming up future business. Guan Xia exhaled in quiet relief and smiled. "Sure, once your place opens, I’ll definitely stop by."
After all, a meal was a meal. And though she had only tasted one dish so far, if the rest were even half as good, it would be worth it.
After their brief exchange, the two returned to their respective tasks.
Around 11 a.m., Pang Le called. "Guan Xia, I just met up with Lawyer Shi and Lawyer Dong. We’re heading to your place now—anything you need us to bring?"
Guan Xia quickly ran through her mental checklist and confirmed she had everything. "No, I’ve got it all covered. Just come over. The food’s already being prepared—it’ll be ready soon after you arrive."
"Sounds good," Pang Le replied cheerfully. "We’ll set off now. See you soon."
A little over half an hour later, the doorbell rang again. Guan Xia greeted them at the door and quickly fetched the guest slippers.
The three changed into their slippers and handed Guan Xia their housewarming gifts.
"Congratulations on the new place," Dong Yuncheng said warmly. "A new home, a new chapter—things will only get better from here."
Guan Xia smiled. "Thank you."
She ushered them to the couch, poured glasses of water for everyone, and sat down with them.
"Dinner will take another half hour or so," she said. "Want to play some Go? Or Monopoly? I’ve got a set in the study—played it a lot with classmates back in college. It’s pretty fun."
"Half an hour will pass in no time," Dong Yuncheng mused. Then he asked, "Mind if we take a look around? On the way here, Pang Le mentioned you have a lot of books and art albums. We could easily kill time browsing through them."
Guan Xia didn’t mind at all. She stood up with a smile. "Sure, feel free to explore. I’ll go finish up the juice."
Dong Yuncheng glanced toward the kitchen. "Need any help?"
She shook her head. "No, I’m almost done. It won’t take long. You guys go ahead."
With that, she returned to her cutting board. Dong Yuncheng watched her for a moment before turning to Shi Guangbo. "Shall we take a look?"
Shi Guangbo didn’t answer immediately, instead glancing at Pang Le. Only when Pang Le stood and headed toward the study did he follow.
Guan Xia’s study wasn’t large, but it wasn’t cramped either—comfortable enough for the three of them to move around without bumping into each other.
The first thing Dong Yuncheng noticed was the easel holding a half-finished painting. It depicted a vast field of flowers under a pale blue sky, with a young woman in a floral sundress gazing into the distance. Her hair lifted slightly in an invisible breeze. Though her face wasn’t fully rendered yet, the length of her hair and the faint outline of her expression made it unmistakably Pang Le.
Lawyer Shi’s eyes were drawn to it as well. After a moment, he turned to Pang Le. "That’s you?"
Pang Le leaned in for a closer look, then grinned. "Yeah, it’s me. I remember this spot—we went there together last month during our trip. But even though it’s me in the painting, it’s really more about the scenery."
Dong Yuncheng and Shi Guangbo studied it again and nodded in unison.
It was true. Though Pang Le’s figure was meticulously detailed, she occupied only a small corner of the canvas—just a tiny presence in the lower right. The rest was dominated by flowers and sky, evoking a sense of sunlight and gentle breezes that made the heart settle into quiet contentment.
After admiring the painting for a while, Dong Yuncheng picked up one of the art albums and flipped through it.
Page after page of landscapes unfolded—rolling green hills, winding rivers, dense forests, and serene ancient temples. Some featured people, others didn’t. But no matter the scene, each one carried a feeling of stepping away from the noise of the world, if only for a moment.
Before he knew it, Dong Yuncheng had finished flipping through an art book. After putting it back, he stared absentmindedly at the unfinished painting on the easel for a few seconds before casually asking Pang Le, "How did you two meet?"
Pang Le had been browsing the bookshelf, scanning the titles. At the question, he paused to recall. "I played the hero, I guess? The details are fuzzy—I’ve saved too many people. Anyway, Guan Xia was out eating with friends when some drunk creep tried to harass her. I chased him off. The way she looked at me afterward, all starry-eyed—it felt pretty good. We exchanged numbers, had a few meals together, and just… clicked."
Dong Yuncheng picked up another art book and shot Shi Guangbo a teasing glance. "Charming both men and women, huh? Someone’s got serious competition."
Shi Guangbo understood the jab but said nothing, only leveling an impassive stare at Dong Yuncheng.
Dong Yuncheng immediately lowered his head in surrender. "Got it. I’ll shut up now."
Meanwhile, Guan Xia had been bustling around the kitchen for over ten minutes, finally managing to prepare two large pitchers of juice.
After cleaning the cutting board and juicer, she headed toward the study to check on the trio—only for the doorbell to ring again.
Surprised, Guan Xia opened the door to find a deliveryman holding packages. Then it hit her: the books she’d ordered earlier had arrived.
Staring at the three massive boxes on the floor, she immediately yelled for backup. "Pang Le! Emergency! Come help me, quick!"
All three men emerged from the study. Pang Le blinked at the boxes. "What did you buy this time? Please don’t tell me it’s all books."
Guan Xia grinned sheepishly. "You know me better than anyone. Help me move these into the study. Dinner’s not ready yet, so we can shelve them first. I even cleared a whole bookcase just for these."
Pang Le rolled his eyes and muttered, "Always bossing me around." But he obediently hoisted one of the boxes.
Guan Xia reached for another, but Dong Yuncheng snatched it first, leaving her empty-handed as she trailed the group back to the study.
Pang Le pulled a pocketknife from his jeans and held it up. "Ready to open them?"
Guan Xia nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, yes!"
The moment the boxes were unpacked, Pang Le’s expression shifted. He grabbed one of the books and held it up. "Why are you suddenly buying books on criminal investigation?"
Shi Guangbo and Dong Yuncheng turned to Guan Xia, equally curious.
She stacked a few books onto the shelf as she explained, "I’ve been binge-watching crime dramas lately and got some vague inspiration. Figured I’d learn more about the subject. Besides, I’ve got free time—reading’s a good way to kill it."
Pang Le studied her for a long moment before saying quietly, "I really hope it’s just about inspiration."
Perhaps because of Shi Guangbo and Dong Yuncheng’s presence, he held back from saying more, leaving the remark as a veiled warning before helping shelve the rest.
Right on schedule, the last book was placed just as a woman’s voice called from the kitchen, "Dinner’s ready! Come eat!"
Guan Xia started toward the door but paused when she spotted the edge of a sketch peeking out—a drawing of a suspect she’d made days ago. She adjusted it to tuck it neatly away.
As she straightened, her gaze drifted to the window, where two small figures played on the lawn below.
Squinting, she recognized them: one was the little girl from Building 7, whose mother endured domestic violence, and the other—surprisingly—was the vegetable vendor’s daughter.
The two sat close, whispering like old friends.
Guan Xia watched idly, about to turn away, when the girl from Building 7 suddenly stood up, flung something to the ground in apparent anger, and sprinted off without a backward glance.
Left alone, the vendor’s daughter stared after her until the girl disappeared into the building entrance. Then, wordlessly, she bent to pick up the discarded item.
After a long look, Guan Xia realized it was a lollipop. The vendor’s daughter pocketed it, cast one last silent glance at Building 7, and walked briskly toward the neighborhood gates.
Though it struck her as odd that the two girls were together unsupervised, Guan Xia didn’t dwell on it. She slid the open art book back onto the shelf and cheerfully joined her friends for dinner.
