C7 The Fragrance Was Pleasant

"Hey! Are you zoning out? Why are you staring like that?" At that moment, Fong Chao heard a girl's playful voice.

He turned toward the sound.

There stood Lee Qingxiang, cocking her head and looking at him.

She was holding onto a big yellow dog.

The dog eyed Fong Chao intently, as though calculating the best spot to bite.

Lee Qingxiang's family owned a wholesale store at the Stone Stronghold Town Market and were among the first to become wealthy on the Fong Family Platform. They had given up farming two or three years prior.

That's why Lee Qingxiang could afford to leisurely stroll around with her dog.

Her family mostly resided in the townhouses, using the new village houses as storage. Lee Qingxiang living here essentially meant she was overseeing the warehouse.

"Heh! When did you get here, Lee Qingxiang? I honestly didn't notice you," Fong Chao said with a smile as he observed the girl.

She was known for her feisty nature.

In his past life, Fong Chao had been entangled in a romantic affair with her.

Her family, however, disapproved of the impoverished Feng Chao's house, forcing Lee Qingxiang to marry another.

Before her wedding, Lee Qingxiang had traveled to Yuzhou and booked a hotel for several days right next to the college Fong Chao attended, spending every night clinging to him.

On her final night, she clung to Fong Chao, pleading, "Forget about me after tonight."

Yet, after uttering those words, she burst into tears and through her sobs, she implored, "If you have any conscience, don't forget me. I'll never forget you. Even if we can't be together, maybe we can still meet up occasionally in the future."

After that night, their encounters became scarce.

When they did meet, she lacked the fervor and passion of the past.

She had become a mother, and her family appeared quite content.

The past was indeed painful to revisit.

"When did I arrive? I've been here for nearly an hour, watching you hunched over that little stool, engrossed in writing. It's not homework, is it? I wanted to come closer to take a look but didn't want to interrupt. Now, my legs have gone numb," Lee Qingxiang complained, pursing her lips.

Today, she donned a white chiffon dress, cinched at the waist with a yellow leather belt, looking incredibly charming and adorable.

"Oh, my apologies," Fong Chao hastily said.

Lee Qingxiang approached with her large yellow dog in tow.

"Why did you run away last night?" she asked, squinting her eyes and pouting in a playfully reproachful manner.

"Cough, cough! I... I'm scared of dogs biting," Fong Chao admitted.

"Big Yellow is actually quite gentle. He usually doesn't bite people he knows. Don't believe me? Go ahead and pet his head," Lee Qingxiang coaxed with a sweet smile.

The dog, seemingly understanding its owner's words, glanced at Fong Chao, wagged its tail, and even flashed a peculiar grin.

A dog that smiles is probably a lucky one, right?

"See? Big Yellow is smiling at you. He seems to like you. Don't you, Big Yellow?" Lee Qingxiang affectionately stroked the dog's head.

"Woof! Woof!" The dog gave a couple of soft barks and affectionately licked Lee Qingxiang's hand.

Then, the dog sidled up to Fong Chao, rubbing against him in a friendly gesture.

A warmth spread through Fong Chao's heart.

Actually, in his past life, he recalled having a rather good rapport with this dog.

This was a dog with a deep understanding of humans.

He reached out and patted the dog's head twice, saying, "He really is a great dog."

"That's for sure. Now, Fong Chao, what's your honest opinion of me?" Lee Qingxiang edged closer to him, her scent wafting to his nose.

"You're quite wonderful," Fong Chao responded.

"That's so vague. What exactly makes me wonderful? There's got to be a reason," Lee Qingxiang said with an eye roll.

"Well, you have a pleasant disposition and you're beautiful," Fong Chao complimented.

Now, mere inches separated him from Lee Qingxiang. Her petite figure was nearly within reach, and the glimpse of her fair skin revealed by her V-neckline left Fong Chao awestruck.

The girl was within his grasp, fueling his fantasies even more.

"Really? Do I actually have a good temper? I've heard people say I can be quite temperamental, always ready to argue, and that I have a tongue as sharp as a knife when I'm right. Hehe!" Lee Qingxiang said as she playfully twisted her body, her chest quivering slightly, sending ripples through the air.

Fong Chao was reminded of peaches bending branches in the height of summer.

"You're sharp-tongued but soft-hearted," Fong Chao remarked.

"Look who's talking. Is your mouth coated with honey?" Lee Qingxiang teased with a giggle.

"Would you like to find out?" Fong Chao flirted back, unable to resist.

"Ugh, you're terrible! Are you trying to get me to kiss you?" Lee Qingxiang chided with a coy expression.

"Oh, I was just speaking off the cuff. I didn't mean anything by it," Fong Chao quickly clarified, gesturing dismissively.

Despite the fact that he had returned to the year 1990 and had become a youthful, attractive man, Fong Chao still had the mindset of an older man. He felt it was inappropriate to tease a young woman.

"Hehe!" Lee Qingxiang chuckled and glanced around.

The field across the mound was bustling with people hard at work.

She refrained from acting too boldly.

"Fong Chao, what are you writing? May I have a look?" Lee Qingxiang shifted the conversation, eyeing the notebook Fong Chao held so dearly, as if it were a treasure he couldn't bear to part with.

"Cough, cough!" Fong Chao cleared his throat, uncertain whether to share his novel with Lee Qingxiang.

"What's the matter? Don't want to show me? Is it a love letter to some girl? Have you fallen for someone, Fong Chao?" Lee Qingxiang prodded.

"Fallen for someone? No way," Fong Chao denied, shaking his head.

"Hehe! With your good looks, I'm sure there's no shortage of girls who like you. Come on, spill it—who's stolen your heart?" Lee Qingxiang inquired.

"There's really nothing like that! Don't make things up, Lee Qingxiang. Actually, I'm working on a novel," Fong Chao finally confessed to her.

"What? You're writing a novel? My goodness! Fong Chao, are you aspiring to be a writer?" Lee Qingxiang's eyes widened with a newfound respect.

"I want to make money," Fong Chao stated candidly.

Nowadays, being a writer is still a highly respected career. To the average person, it seems quite prestigious.

"Hehe! I'd love to read your novel, okay? If it's well-written, I'll help you promote it and get you some fame. Writers need readers, don't they? I'm hoping to be your first reader," Lee Qingxiang offered.

"Sure, I'll let you see it," Fong Chao replied.

He was aware that Lee Qingxiang was tenacious, never resting until her goal was reached. Now that she had taken an interest in his novel, he knew she would insist on reading it before she would let the matter go.