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

Chapter 107 Children

The phone navigation system played a voice like Lin Chi-ling's sweet voice: "Please take the far right lane. Turn right at the next intersection, and you'll be there. This navigation session is now complete."

Zhou Yanruo quickly reminded Shang Yibo: "Don't turn right into the community. Go straight to the intersection and then turn right. That's the public parking lot. Park your car there."

Shang Yibo asked, "Don't you keep going into the residential area?"

Zhou Yanruo replied, "I don't have a car, so I haven't rented a parking space in the community."

Jian Zheng leaned forward and said to Zhou Yanruo, "It's inconvenient not to have a car in Beijing. My company should have some cars, you can use them for now."

Shang Yibo turned to Ding Jiajia and said, "Ding Jiajia, doesn't the studio have any cars available?"

Before Ding Jiajia could reply, Zhou Yanruo quickly said, "No need, no need at all. I haven't renewed my driver's license yet. I've been so busy these past few months since I came back. I was planning to schedule a traffic regulations test to renew my license, but I haven't had the time yet."

Ding Jiajia glanced at the situation outside the car and said, "Yibo, pull over. You guys get out here and go into the residential area first. I'll drive to the parking lot."

Zhou Yanruo immediately understood Ding Jiajia's intention. She was afraid that if Shang Yibo walked this route from the parking lot and was recognized by passersby, who might cause some trouble. Although Ding Jiajia was young, she was much more experienced than her.

“Jiajia is so thoughtful,” Zhou Yanruo said. “Let’s get off here; it’s hard to park up ahead.”

Shang Yibo turned the steering wheel and parked the car at the entrance of the residential area.

After everyone got out of the car, Ding Jiajia went around to the driver's seat.

Zhou Yanruo said to Ding Jiajia, "I'll send you Zihang's house number. If you can't find it, call me and I'll come out to pick you up."

Ding Jiajia: "No problem, no one's that stupid, we can find it."

Jian Zheng: "Jiajia, you've worked hard!"

Ding Jiajia: "Mr. Jian, you're too kind!"

"Are you coming or not?" Shang Yibo had already started walking towards the residential area on his own.

As soon as the three of them stepped out of the elevator, Zhou Zihang greeted them warmly, saying with a smile, "Welcome to my humble abode."

Zhou Yanruo followed closely behind and introduced, "This is Jian Zheng, and this is Shang Yibo."

Zhou Zihang smiled and nodded, then introduced himself: "I am Zhou Zihang, it's nice to meet you all."

Zhou Zihang was dressed formally in a navy blue shirt and matching trousers, the shirt neatly tucked in. In contrast, Jian Zheng's floral shirt with white casual trousers and Shang Yibo's t-shirt with cargo pants appeared more relaxed. This difference in attire made it difficult to immediately discern who was the host and who was the guest.

Shang Yibo stood behind Zhou Yanru and Jian Zheng. He glanced at Zhou Zihang, a faint smile playing on his lips, and stepped forward, saying, "Dr. Zhou? Zhou Yanru's friend?"

Zhou Zihang was in a great mood, and his tone was naturally cheerful, "Yes, we've been old friends for fifteen years."

Shang Yibo's eyes were clear and cold as he repeated calmly, "You've known each other for fifteen years! You're old friends, aren't you?"

After saying that, she raised one eyebrow at Jian Zheng and said slyly, "So you and Zhou Yanruo have been friends for almost twenty years?"

Jian Zheng immediately said, "Zhou Yanruo and I have been friends for over twenty years. We've known each other even longer than Dr. Zhou."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zihang's smile vanished, as if he had already won the competition but had been outdone by someone else. He pouted childishly and said to Zhou Yanruo with a wronged expression, "Ruoruo, they are also your old friends. I thought they were new friends you made when you came back this time."

Knowing that Dr. Zhou was acting like a child again, Zhou Yanruo quickly said, "Being able to become friends is fate, it doesn't matter who came first."

After she finished speaking, she looked at Zhou Zihang and saw that he still looked unwilling, so she added, "Aren't they all old friends? Yibo is someone I just met. Although he's my boss, well, I still treat him like a kid. Right, Yibo?"

A cold glint flashed in Shang Yibo's eyes. He was genuinely displeased by Zhou Yanruo's words, thinking to himself that she was going to such lengths to please her boyfriend by emphasizing that he was someone she had just met and that he was her little friend.

Despite thinking this in his heart, Shang Yibo did not show any displeasure on his face, and said indifferently, "Friends are friends, why should there be a difference in age?"

Jian Zheng sensed that the atmosphere was starting to get a little strange. "Are we going to stand in the elevator lobby and just keep introducing ourselves like this? This kind of first meeting is really unique."

When Jian Zheng said this, everyone felt it was somewhat strange.

Just then, the elevator doors opened, and Ding Jiajia stepped out. "Hey, why are you still standing here? Can't you find the door?"

Zhou Yanruo pulled Ding Jiajia along, saying, "You're pretty quick." Then, she introduced Ding Jiajia to Zhou Zihang, "Zihang, this is Ding Jiajia."

"Hello Dr. Zhou!" Ding Jiajia turned to Zhou Yanruo and said, "The great doctor is not what I imagined."

Zhou Zihang also asked Zhou Yanruo in a low voice, "This young lady must be a new friend, right?"

Zhou Yanruo smiled and said, "Yes, she's a new friend. We're colleagues and friends."

Then he asked Ding Jiajia, "How come it's different?"

Before Ding Jiajia could speak, Shang Yibo's calm voice rang out from behind her: "Are we going to stand here forever?"

Zhou Zihang warmly extended his hand in a gesture of invitation, "Please come in, everyone, come inside quickly."

Shang Yibo walked in first, then, remembering something, turned around slightly and waved his hand, "Dr. Zhou, we have prepared some small gifts, please accept them."

Jian Zheng, who was following closely behind, quickly handed the gift box to Zhou Zihang, saying, "We came in a hurry, and we don't know if the gift we prepared will suit your taste."

Zhou Zihang accepted the two large gift boxes, feeling flattered, and said, "Hey, why did you bring gifts? These gift boxes are so big, what's inside? Um... um... please come in."

Zhou Zihang lives abroad and has always been engaged in scientific research. He deals with bottles and jars in the laboratory every day, and he is not very good at interpersonal relationships.

The group followed Zhou Zihang into his house. The house was very large, with the living room alone being about 40 or 50 square meters.

Shang Yibo looked around. The decor was exquisite, with black, white, and gray as the main colors, simple yet sophisticated. Every design was very thoughtful, but Shang Yibo felt that something was missing. It felt the same as Zi Mo Garden—everything was good, but something was missing.

Yes, it's the lack of warmth, the lack of the warmth of home. It's just a decent house, nothing more.

However, it's normal that rental apartments with industrial-standard decorations lack the warmth of home.

In stark contrast to the minimalist decor of the apartment, a large round table sits in the dining room, laden with seven or eight cooked dishes that look delicious and appealing.

Zhou Zihang warmly said to everyone, "Please make yourselves at home, don't be shy. I'll go stir-fry two more vegetarian dishes, these should be cooked fresh and eaten immediately. I've got everything ready, it'll be quick."

Then, he turned to Zhou Yanruo and said, "You take care of everyone. I'll go to the kitchen and busy myself for a while. It'll be ready soon."

“Okay, go ahead.” Zhou Yanruo acted like the lady of the house, turning around to get drinks for everyone from the refrigerator.