NOVPUBLiu Changqing glanced at the girl’s face. Without proper lighting, he could only make out a vague outline but couldn’t clearly see her features.
However, her anxious tone and the tremble in her voice were unmistakable.
She was being followed.
This thought immediately sprang to Liu Changqing’s mind.
Although he couldn’t see her face clearly, her voice and petite frame told him she was a young girl—likely quite young.
At this hour, walking alone in such a deserted place…
The girl clung tightly to Liu Changqing’s arm.
Like many girls, she had slightly long nails. Perhaps due to fear or tension, her head remained lowered, and her hands trembled slightly. Yet her grip on Liu Changqing’s arm was unyielding.
Hiss...
Her nails were digging into his arm, and it hurt a little.
Liu Changqing grasped her wrist, broke free from her grip, and pulled her behind him.
"Don’t be afraid. Take your time and tell me—what’s going on?"
"Som... someone... someone’s following me!"
Her voice quivered so much it was clear she was terrified.
Liu Changqing softened his tone, bending slightly to meet her at her level.
"Someone’s following you, right? Don’t worry. Stand behind me."
With that, Liu Changqing turned his head to look ahead.
He could now hear low growls emanating from the so-called stalker.
"Rrr...!"
The growls were low, as if deliberately suppressed.
Strangely, they sounded familiar to Liu Changqing.
He scanned his surroundings and spotted a stone lying nearby.
Bending down, he picked it up and tested its weight.
It was heavy enough.
In situations like this, having something in hand always felt a bit more reassuring.
Liu Changqing took a few steps forward.
The girl clinging to his back tightened her grip on his undershirt, pulling it partially out of his waistband.
As he reached the alley’s exit, Liu Changqing took a quick stride and hurled the stone in the direction from which the girl had come.
"Arf! Arf! Arf!"
In the stillness of the night, the mournful yelps of a dog echoed through the air.
It was a stray dog with a coat of mixed brown and black.
"...…"
Liu Changqing froze for a moment.
The dog glanced back at him, then bolted off, howling pitifully as it ran.
That’s it?
"The one following you... was a dog?"
Liu Changqing turned his head, confused, to look at the girl still clutching his shirt.
Now that he had a closer look, he finally understood why she had seemed so familiar earlier.
She was the daughter of the breakfast shop owner he had visited that morning!
The girl often came up in conversation because she was still in elementary school, which had left a deep impression on Liu Changqing.
Peeking out from behind Liu Changqing, Zhou Shiyan stared blankly at the stray dog that had run off.
Her eyes reflected her own confusion.
Just now, she was sure…
"Girls walking alone at night are bound to overthink things," Liu Changqing remarked. "You probably didn’t turn around and mistook the dog for a person."
"No… that’s not it."
Zhou Shiyan raised her head to look at Liu Changqing, her face growing flustered.
"I did look behind me... and I swear it was a person back then…"
"Really?"
Hearing this, Liu Changqing surveyed the area.
It was empty—just the two of them.
He looked at Zhou Shiyan again. Her face still bore traces of fear, as though she’d been utterly terrified.
"Either way, it’s dangerous for a girl to head home alone, especially this late."
Liu Changqing glanced at the bag she was carrying.
"Evening classes just ended?"
"Y-Yes."
"What kind of school has such inhumane hours? Sending kids to a place like that is pure cruelty!"
The question seemed to evoke some unpleasant memories of his own school days, making Liu Changqing’s tone more agitated.
"What school are you from? I’ll write an anonymous complaint someday to stop them from holding evening classes!"
"The Third Experimental Middle School…"
"...…"
Liu Changqing fell silent.
That was his son’s school.
"What grade are you in?"
"Second year… After summer, I’ll be in third year."
"No wonder. Getting into a good high school is a major turning point in life…"
"Evening classes are optional if your grades are good enough. If you feel they’re unnecessary, you can apply not to attend…"
"Are your grades bad?"
Liu Changqing was puzzled by Zhou Shiyan’s explanation.
Judging by her demeanor, she didn’t seem like a struggling student.
She shook her head slightly, gazing at the man in front of her with a face that now seemed oddly familiar.
"My grades are good enough to skip evening classes, but I’ve already applied to skip morning self-study. If I don’t attend evening classes too, I won’t have enough time to study…"
"...…"
Liu Changqing fell into a contemplative silence.
She was a sensible kid.
Though her petite stature made her look like an elementary schooler, from the way she helped out at the breakfast shop and her harmonious relationship with her mother, it was clear she wasn’t rebellious at all.
Such a well-behaved child…
Like his own son, she was probably around the same age.
After chatting a bit longer, Liu Changqing decided it was time to leave.
Feeling there wasn’t much else to discuss, he was about to bid farewell when he noticed Zhou Shiyan glancing around nervously.
It seemed like she had something to say but didn’t know how to express it.
After all, she was still a child. Even though there hadn’t been a stalker, the earlier scare had clearly shaken her.
Sighing softly, Liu Changqing turned and said to the girl behind him, "How far is your home? I’ll walk you there. Think of it as me taking a stroll."
"Uncle…"
"My last name is Liu. Just call me Uncle Liu—it’s easier."
"Uncle Liu…"
"Let’s go. Don’t overthink it now. It’s getting late, and your mom’s probably waiting for you at home, right?"
Liu Changqing smiled at her.
"...…"
Zhou Shiyan stared at him in silence, as if trying to commit his face to memory.
When she didn’t respond, Liu Changqing felt slightly awkward.
Dropping his smile, he decided to start walking. After taking two steps, he stopped abruptly.
"Lead the way. I don’t know where your home is."
"Oh, okay!"
Snapped out of her daze, Zhou Shiyan quickly ran to his side.
The two walked side by side.
"My son is in your school. Do you know him?"
"Uncle Liu’s son?"
"His name is Liu Zhiyue. Have you heard of him?"
"We’re in the same class."
"Really? What a coincidence!"
Liu Changqing was genuinely surprised.
Meanwhile, Zhou Shiyan had already prepared herself for this revelation.
After all, she had thought Liu Changqing looked familiar when she saw him at breakfast earlier that morning.
She quickened her steps to keep up with him, her head tilted upward as she listened to Liu Changqing chat away.
Her gaze lingered on Liu Changqing.
When he talked about his son, the unmistakable affection in his eyes was plain to see.
For some reason, Zhou Shiyan felt a pang of envy.
