The Secret Realm of Time, His and Her Life Through the Changes

At the same time, Zhou Yanruo returned to Rushang Group, quickly finished her work, and went back to her rented apartment complex. As soon as she entered the complex, she saw Zhou Zihang chatting happily with several aunties in the small garden.

"Zihang, when did you arrive?"

Zhou Yanruo shook her head, smiled, and stepped forward to ask.

"Ruoruo, you're back! I just arrived a short while ago."

Zhou Zihang was chatting happily with the aunties when he saw Zhou Yanruo walking over, and responded with a big smile.

"Is this your girlfriend? She's really beautiful. I've never seen her in the neighborhood before," a plump woman asked with a smile.

"Haha, thank you for praising my Ruoruo, Auntie. I just haven't wanted to let anyone else see her." Zhou Zihang joked. "We'll be going now. We'll definitely invite a few aunties over to our house another day so I can show off my skills and let them taste my cooking."

Zhou Yanruo blushed, feeling a little embarrassed by what was said: "Zihang, let's go to the property leasing department, otherwise we'll be closing soon."

"Okay, let's go now." After saying goodbye to the aunties, Zhou Zihang went to the property office with Zhou Yanruo.

As Zhou Yanruo walked, she laughed and said, "In just a short time, you've made more neighbors than I have in the past six months."

“I’ve already made an appointment with the property leasing department. There happens to be an apartment downstairs from my place with the exact same layout as mine. It features a minimalist European design in black, white, and gray tones, and I think you’ll definitely like that style.”

"I'm glad you're satisfied. I've always trusted your judgment," Zhou Zihang said, dragging his heavy suitcase. "Look, I've brought all my luggage. This means I've officially moved in."

“I also think it’s quite suitable. There’s no problem signing the contract directly. I’ve checked everything carefully, and the property management has arranged for someone to fix any flaws.” Zhou Yanruo glanced at his suitcase and joked with a smile, “Looks like you were prepared in advance.”

Shangqing Jiayuan A3 Community is located on the North Third Ring Road and can be considered a high-end residential community in Beijing. It boasts an elegant and pleasant environment and first-class property management services.

Skipping over complicated procedures, they directly signed the lease agreement, paid the deposit, and received the keys, quickly completing all the formalities.

Finally, the property management company also provided complimentary in-home cleaning services, which was truly thoughtful and considerate.

The two entered the apartment and put down their luggage. Zhou Zihang simply walked around the rooms without looking at them in detail, and then took Zhou Yanruo to a nearby large supermarket to stock up on some daily necessities.

By the time they returned from shopping, the cleaning staff had already finished cleaning.

"Take your time packing. Let me know if you need anything. I'm heading back now," Zhou Yanruo said softly.

"Actually, there's not much to pack, just some everyday items," Zhou Zihang replied with a smile, glancing around the newly moved-in apartment. "Perfect, I'll cook dinner. Hmm, you should go back and rest first. I'll text you when dinner is ready, then you can come downstairs to eat."

When Zhou Yanruo heard his words, she thought of how, over the past ten years, in a foreign land, her life would never have been the way it is today if it weren't for Zhou Zihang taking care of her. A warm feeling welled up in her heart.

"Okay, then I won't stand on ceremony. It's been so long since I've had your cooking, I'm in for a treat today."

After saying that, Zhou Yanruo turned around and walked out of the apartment, gently closing the door behind her.

Zhou Zihang escorted her to the entrance, watching Zhou Yanruo's departing figure, his thoughts swirling with emotions...

Christmas Eve 2005

Christmas parties for international students in North America have long been an annual tradition for Chinese Americans. In this foreign land, international students hold various parties throughout the year, but this year-end party is arguably the grandest and has the widest participation.

Rather than a gathering of international students, it was more like a grand Chinese New Year reunion for Chinese Americans. Generally speaking, unless there are special circumstances, many international students would attend at this time.

The identity of "international student" still applies, whether you are currently studying or have already graduated. This gathering is not only a platform for everyone to make friends, communicate, and share resources, but also a place to release stress and express homesickness.

Zhou Zihang just graduated this year with a PhD in Biology from H University and was fortunate enough to join the nationally renowned "Freudian Life Sciences Lab," enjoying a thriving career and prime of his life. Due to the busyness of graduation and his desire to avoid those self-important faces, he hadn't attended this gathering for two or three years. This time, he attended mainly to see long-lost old friends and, after more than two years of busy work, finally had some free time to relax and spend happy moments with friends.

At this moment, Zhou Zihang, holding a drink, strolled leisurely around the venue, nodding to acquaintances from time to time. Whenever he came across a topic that interested him, he would enthusiastically join in and chat with everyone.

"Oh, Dr. Zhou, it's a rare sight indeed! How come such a busy person has time to grace our little gathering with his presence?" A middle-aged man, a 'returned student' with a large belly, said in a teasing tone.

"Haha, Mr. Gu, you're the real busy man. I heard you opened a new store on 78th Street, and business is booming!" Zhou Zihang replied with a smile.

"Dr. Zhou, please don't make fun of me. I'm just making a living by running a small business. Unlike you, who graduated smoothly and is now thriving in the Chinese community," said President Gu with an air of knowing everything.

"Not at all, it's all thanks to my friends' kindness." Zhou Zihang spoke in a businessman's tone, his words oily and smooth, not at all like a PhD scholar.

As soon as he turned around, his perfunctory smile vanished, and he couldn't help but feel a little bored. He regretted coming to the gathering today and planned to say goodbye to a few old friends before making an excuse to leave.

Without realizing it, his gaze fell on the seat by the window, where a girl sat quietly alone, with only a glass of water in front of her.

Zhou Zihang carefully observed the girl. She was wearing a simple white shirt and jeans, with sneakers on her feet. Her shoulder-length straight hair was casually tucked behind her ears, giving her a refreshing and quiet feeling. In this noisy and chaotic environment, she stood out remarkably.

Zhou Zihang was drawn to the girl and walked towards her unconsciously, passing through groups of two or three people chatting animatedly.

The girl sat quietly by the window, her eyes lowered, staring at the glass of ice water in front of her. Her slightly empty eyes revealed an undisguised loneliness. Although the number of people at this gathering was not large, the venue was quite spacious, and the guests were scattered throughout the area. It seemed that no one noticed the quiet girl in this corner.