The alley was deep and silent, the walls mottled with moss, and layers of leaves hung over the high wall. Moonlight spilled onto the walltop, and longing easily fermented there. This was a downhill path, the wind especially clear in their ears, and behind them, a bicycle bell jingled incessantly. A group of young boys, reckless and carefree, whizzed past them in the moonlight, showing no intention of slowing down.

Ethan Turner didn’t notice, lost in thoughts about how to strike up a conversation more naturally. She barely avoided being brushed by the bikes and didn’t care, forcing herself to open the next topic. “What year and month were you born?”

After asking, she felt something was off—the timing didn’t add up. It was unlikely he had a son this old.

“Me? You’re asking my birthday?” Brian Brooks glanced up at the group of unruly kids, quietly moved to her outer side, and, perhaps finding it amusing, the corner of his usually indifferent mouth lifted slightly. “You might as well ask my name first. Don’t you know the basic steps of starting a conversation?”

“…Oh.”

And that was it.

Brian Brooks: “……”

“Aren’t you going to tell your boyfriend?”

When they reached the mouth of the alley, Brian Brooks locked his phone, holding it between two fingers and spinning it lazily in his hand. Whether it was casual or intentional, as he stood at the busy street corner watching the traffic light about to change, he suddenly asked this question.

Ethan Turner felt his question wasn’t very friendly, and her next thought was that being his girlfriend must be very restrictive.

“Can’t you have dinner with someone of the opposite sex if you have a boyfriend?”

Her gaze was so sincere that Brian Brooks’s hand, which had been spinning his phone absentmindedly, paused for a moment—

“…Good question.”

Yifeng Alley’s barbecue street was famous far and wide. Not just in Qingyi City, but even people from neighboring cities came for it. At this hour, the place was packed, and all sorts of luxury cars were squeezed into any available space. Ethan Turner wasn’t in the mood to wait in line, so she found a place with the shortest wait on Meituan and reserved a table. It was a local specialty: seafood and bone barbecue.

As soon as they sat down, Brian Brooks’s phone rang. He glanced at it while looking at the menu and immediately declined the call. The screen showed “Her Majesty the Queen.”

Ethan Turner exchanged a glance with Emily Carter.

Henry Clark knew it was his killjoy of a mom. “Wow, you’ve got guts now. You dare not answer Her Majesty’s call? Don’t want your credit card unlocked?”

“You reminded me,” Brian Brooks sighed in mock defeat and tossed the menu to the two girls across from him. “You guys order.”

Henry Clark drummed on the table excitedly. “Hurry up, don’t bother saving him money. Tell the boss to bring out ten raw crayfish first.”

Emily Carter snatched the order pad. “We’re treating, okay?”

Henry Clark: “Don’t worry, he never lets girls pay.”

Brian Brooks went to the restroom to call Ms. Lian Hui back. He held the phone to his ear, head down as he washed his hands. “Mom.”

Ms. Lian Hui’s voice was as dignified and gentle as ever. “Now that exams are over, aren’t you planning to move back home?”

He smiled indifferently, turned off the water, and pulled a paper towel to dry his hands. “I’ll be going abroad in less than two months anyway, no need to move back and forth. What, do you miss me?”

“We’ve almost finished preparing your documents for going abroad. If things go quickly, you’ll have a video interview next week.”

“Mm, got it.” Brian Brooks tossed the paper into the trash, leaned against the sink, and spoke lazily.

“Aren’t you curious which university it is?”

“No matter which one, I’ll get in, right?” Brian Brooks looked up in exasperation, pressing the bridge of his nose. “Mom, I get what you mean. No matter what kind of no-name university he finds for me, I’ll go and attend obediently.”

**

When Brian Brooks came back, the food had just arrived, and the trash can was already full of empty skewers. Henry Clark’s mouth was greasy with cumin. Brian Brooks pulled out a chair and sat down, disdainfully handing him a napkin. “Wipe your mouth, it’s not appetizing to look at.”

Brian Brooks glanced at Ethan Turner. Her spot was clean; she hadn’t eaten much. Her phone was on the table, already plugged into his power bank. He glanced at it but said nothing. “Not hungry?”

“I’m okay,” Ethan Turner explained proactively, pretending to unplug it. “My phone died earlier, Henry Clark—”

“No need, let it charge.” He lowered his head and sipped some meatball soup.

“Henry Clark, you don’t eat cilantro?” Emily Carter said in mock heartbreak.

Apparently, while he was gone, Henry Clark had already introduced himself for them, and took the liberty of introducing him as well: “That beauty is Emily Carter, the ‘Cai’ from her surname, and ‘Ying’ as in crystal clear. This fairy is Ethan Turner, ‘Xu’ with the double person radical, and ‘Zhi’ as in gardenia. You’re Brian Brooks, I already told them.”

Emily Carter: “I heard your English name is Lucy?”

Henry Clark nodded. “Because my buddy was too good-looking as a kid, his English tutor thought he was a girl.”

Emily Carter said skeptically, “He doesn’t look like a girl now, he’s really handsome. Ethan Turner, don’t you think so?”

Ethan Turner thought Brian Brooks was the kind of handsome guy who could stand up to scrutiny. His features were all very standard, and no one could dispute his looks. His straight, long brows were gentle and neat, the corners of his eyes sharp and thin, his pupils dark, bright, and cool, so he looked aloof and not easy to fool.