"Don't be discouraged. We came at the wrong time; it's normal not to run into anyone."
It was indeed late. When they entered the compound, the security guard in the booth was already dozing off. He barely lifted his eyes to glance at them before waving them in without a word.
The road was lit only by public lighting and their two lonely shadows. Ji Shuhe walked on, gazing at the dim and bright windows of the buildings ahead, then suddenly stopped. Her mood couldn't help but sink.
Shen Xing didn't offer deliberate comfort, but he spoke seriously: "From my observation, on weekend afternoons, elderly people bring their grandchildren out to play, then gather in small groups to chat. Whether you're looking for someone or trying to get information, that's the best time to ask."
Hearing his tone, Ji Shuhe, who had been lost in thought, couldn't help but laugh: "You've become quite localized, Senior. You've quickly identified the key demographic for community gossip."
"You called me 'Senior,' and this is the first time in all these years you've asked me for help. I have to do my best."
Shen Xing smiled and looked down. The person standing shoulder to shoulder with him only reached his shoulder. Today was a work event, so Ji Shuhe had tied her hair in a simple low ponytail. Under a solid-colored half-turtleneck, she wore a thin camel trench coat.
Now she was pulling the open lapels of her coat together, her hair tousled by the wind, her eyes deep and calm. For a moment, he couldn't figure out what she was thinking.
Shen Xing stared at her, pondering for a while, then looked away.
In their line of work, they met all kinds of people. Perhaps not intentionally, but reading people and gauging their thoughts came naturally to Shen Xing. He was four or five years older than Ji Shuhe; when she started her undergraduate studies, he was already in grad school. So he always thought he had a good read on her.
She was the young girl brought along by his father's old friend's new wife. The first time they met, she was seventeen, just having passed the IELTS and received a university offer. Her mother brought her to a gathering. She looked like a timid little rabbit, trying hard to keep her composure, but her beautiful eyes were clearly full of fear and confusion.
Ji Shuhe at that time was easy to understand—not weak, but definitely not assertive. She might have her own ideas, opinions, and principles, but she would always yield to the choices of others.
Also, she cared deeply about her mother—her attitude, her approval, everything related to her.
The relationship between mother and daughter had always struck Shen Xing as odd. He had categorized it as control and submission, but that wasn't quite accurate.
It wasn't until Ji Shuhe returned to Xinhai that things began to change.
But probing too deeply into a friend's affairs is rude, and not everyone or everything can be fully understood. After all, there is no true empathy in this world, and most of the time, a person can't even figure themselves out.
Shen Xing sighed softly, took the scarf off his arm, turned to face Ji Shuhe, unfolded it, shook it flat, and gently draped it around her neck, carefully wrapping it once: "You're dressed too lightly. It's cold at night; don't catch a cold."
The scarf was soft but carried a thin chill of dew. Ji Shuhe was a bit stunned.
She hadn't been back to Xinhai for so long; she was used to the crisp autumn of a temperate maritime climate and had forgotten the capricious weather here that could experience all four seasons in one day. The temperature difference between day and night was huge, and dressing poorly meant she was shivering from the cold.
So she didn't refuse Shen Xing's kindness—she was really cold.
Shen Xing's scarf was a classic from a British brand—thin cashmere, dark gray plaid, with a faint woody perfume scent.
Ji Shuhe turned to thank him: "Thanks, Senior. I'll wash it and return it when I get home."
Shen Xing smiled, his brows slightly furrowed, but they quickly relaxed: "Then let's head back. We've scouted the place today. We can come again when the timing is right."
"After all... if we stand here motionless under the building, and someone upstairs notices, they'll soon suspect we're up to no good."
Shen Xing was right. If they weren't dressed well enough not to look desperate for money, standing there staring intently at a residential building would make them look exactly like thieves casing the joint.
Ji Shuhe mused: "Would going to the police station to claim kinship be more efficient?"
"Sorry, Xiao Shu, I have to interrupt that dangerous thought." Seeing her serious expression, fearing she might actually consider it, Shen Xing quickly stopped her. "It's just the two of us in Xinhai now. If we really ended up there, we'd have to ask our partners to bail us out."
Of course, Ji Shuhe knew that. She had just been trying to lighten the overly serious atmosphere, to show Shen Xing she could handle her emotions, and made a joke. But he didn't get her dry humor.
"Senior, I was joking..."
Before she could finish her defense, a heavy breathing sound came from behind. It didn't seem human—more like the sound of wind rushing through a throat, or the rasp of an old bellows.
They both turned around and saw a very sturdy big dog running toward Ji Shuhe from a distance.
It looked like a Golden Retriever but not quite—likely a mix. Ji Shuhe immediately thought of Lizi.
Shen Xing stepped in front of Ji Shuhe, but the dog seemed to have locked onto her. It bypassed the obstacle and rushed straight at her, trying to put its front paws on her legs, tail wagging furiously.
It was an enthusiastic little... big dog, and very friendly.
Seeing the dog was stable and just being affectionate, Shen Xing relaxed but looked around—there was no owner in sight. "Where did this dog come from? I don't see an owner?"
The dog was well-fed and sturdy, with a long leash dragging on the ground, swaying as it moved. It clearly wasn't a stray.
"Probably ran off while playing—look, it's still wearing the leash." Ji Shuhe looked closely, a familiar feeling rising in her heart.
She missed her Lizi.
The same mix-breed, fluffy like a golden retriever, friendly but quiet. When she was busy, he would sit there, grinning goofily.
But this couldn't be Lizi.
Lizi was smaller, lighter in color, his eyes not white around the edges, and his muzzle wasn't bald.
Under the dim streetlight, Ji Shuhe examined him again and again—eyes, mouth, paws. She was sure this was a senior dog.
And her Lizi... would be ten this year too.
If this were ten-year-old Lizi...
Maybe he would look like this dog—white around the eyes, dull fur, but not weak because he was well cared for.
What if... this was her Lizi?
No! It couldn't be!
Ji Shuhe subconsciously resisted the possibility that this dog was Lizi, as if refusing to accept it would keep Lizi as the puppy who used to drag Ji Shulang around, and she hadn't missed eight years of his life, and he would never grow old.
Besides, she had always been unlucky; fortune rarely favored her. How could she encounter such a bizarre coincidence?
She had been gone for seven or eight years. Lizi had probably forgotten her by now.