An alarm rings loudly on Li Ting's phone, breaking the quiet of the morning.
She groans softly and turns over in bed. "Oh no… I forgot to turn off the alarm," she mutters sleepily. Then she suddenly remembers, "Wait… there's no school today."
With half-closed eyes, she reaches for her phone, turns off the alarm, and drops it beside her. Pulling a pillow over her face, she curls up again, hoping to fall back asleep.
A few minutes pass peacefully.
Then suddenly—knock knock.
Li Ting frowns. "What now…?" she murmurs. Reluctantly, she gets out of bed, her hair messy and her eyes barely open. She walks slowly to the door and opens it.
Standing outside is Li Hang, looking energetic as always.
"Let's go out for breakfast," Li Hang says with a bright smile. "It's been so long since I've been to our favorite places… and since we've spent time together like this."
Li Ting rubs her eyes. "I'm really sleepy," she replies. "You go without me. And anyway, I have an exam tomorrow. I should study."
Li Hang crosses her arms. "It'll only take a little while. We'll go, eat, and come back. You can study after that."
Li Ting shakes her head. "No… I just want to sleep."
Li Hang sighs in frustration. "Fine. If you're not coming, then don't talk to me!" she says angrily and turns to leave.
Li Ting watches her for a second, then quickly calls out, "Wait!"
Li Hang stops but doesn't turn around.
"Okay… I'll come. Just give me a few minutes to get ready."
A small smile appears on Li Hang's face. "Hurry up," she says.
After a short while, Li Ting changes her clothes, ties her hair neatly, and steps outside. Together, the two sisters leave the house.
The morning air is fresh, and the streets are calm. As they walk, Li Ting slowly wakes up, and her mood begins to improve.
Soon, they arrive at a cozy café.
Li Hang looks around with soft eyes. "Do you remember this place?" she asks. "Dad used to bring us here for breakfast all the time."
Li Ting nods gently. "Of course I remember. Even after you left… I still came here with Dad sometimes."
For a moment, both of them fall silent, thinking about those days.
They walk inside and sit at a table near the window. A waiter comes, and they order their breakfast.
After placing the order, Li Ting looks at her sister.
"Sister… can I ask you something?"
Li Hang nods. "Yes, go ahead."
Li Ting hesitates for a second, then asks quietly, "When you were abroad… why didn't you answer my calls?"
Li Hang's expression changes slightly. She looks down at the table.
"I was very busy with my studies," she says softly. "But… ever since you left, I called you thousands of times too… and you didn't answer even once."
Li Ting looks surprised.
Li Hang continues, "I'm sorry. Maybe we both were too busy. But this time… when I go back, we'll talk every day. I promise."
Li Ting looks at her with a hint of sadness. "You'll leave again?"
Li Hang nods. "Yes. I have to. I still need to complete my studies."
Before Li Ting can say anything, the waiter arrives.
"Ma'am, your order."
"Yes, put it here," Li Hang says, pointing to the table.
The waiter places the food and leaves.
Li Hang smiles slightly. "Come on, eat something. I'm really hungry."
Li Ting nods, and both of them begin eating. Slowly, the mood lightens again as they share small smiles and quiet conversation.
Meanwhile, across the city, Zhou ming is getting ready for his first day back at the office.
He stands in front of the mirror, adjusting his shirt and tie. His expression is serious.
"After such a long time… I'll finally see the office again," he thinks. "I don't know how things will be now… or what kind of people I'll have to deal with."
He pauses for a moment.
"Will I be able to handle everything? This is a big responsibility."
Taking a deep breath, he picks up his bag. "I have to do this. I need to stay focused."
He leaves the house, gets into his car, and drives toward the office.
When he arrives, a manager greets him respectfully and shows him inside.
"This is your father's office," the manager says as they enter a large room. "He used to sit here. And he told me that you should use this room as well."
Zhou ming looks around slowly, observing every detail. There's a sense of familiarity, but also pressure.
"Did my father call you?" zhou ming asks.
"Yes," manager replies. "He told me he had to go out for some work."
"Please, have a seat."
Zhou ming sits down in the chair behind the desk.
"Sir, should I explain the work to you?" the manager asks.
Zhou ming shakes his head slightly. "You've just brought me here. Let me settle in for a moment. Then you can explain everything."
"Of course, sir."
Just then, Zhou ming's phone rings. It's Momo calling.
"That's fine, you can go for now," Zhou ming says to the manager. "I'll call you later. And please send a cup of coffee."
"Okay, sir," the manager replies and leaves the room.
Zhou ming answers the call. "Momo, how are you?"
"I'm fine," she says. "How is Dad? He's not answering my calls."
Zhou ming hesitates for a moment. "Dad has gone to the office," he says, his voice slightly unsteady.
"What? Why didn't you stop him? He wasn't feeling well."
"Don't worry," Zhou ming says gently. "He was feeling a bit better, so I let him go. And you have your exam tomorrow, right? How's your preparation?"
"My preparation is okay…" Momo replies softly. "But I really miss Li Ting."
Zhou ming smiles faintly. "Then you should call Li Ting over to the house. You both can study together."
"That's actually a really good idea," Momo says. "I'll call her. And you take good care of Dad."
Just then, someone knocks on Zhou ming's office door.
"Momo, someone's at the door. I'll talk to you later."
"Okay, brother. Bye."
The call ends.
"Yes, come in," Zhou ming says.
A staff member enters with a tray. "Sir, here is your coffee."
"Thank you," Zhou ming says, picking up the cup.
"Sir, should I leave now?"
"Yes, you may go."
The room becomes quiet again.
Zhou ming takes a sip of his coffee and looks around the office, lost in thought.
Meanwhile, Momo sits alone on her bed, holding her phone.
She stares at the screen for a moment, then slowly puts it down.
"Why do I feel like my brother is hiding something from me?" she wonders.
She shakes her head slightly.
"Maybe I'm just overthinking… why would he hide anything from me?"
Still, a strange feeling lingers in her heart.