Just at the beginning of summer, the weather in South City had become exceptionally muggy.
He Luo glanced at the old air conditioner on the wall, left behind by the previous owner. It was covered in cobwebs, and even if she cleaned it, she wasn’t sure if it would work.
When she decided to move to this old residential area in the suburbs, she anticipated there would be many issues.
Living on the sixth floor without an elevator.
The yellowing, moldy walls, and the green vines extending in from the balcony…
But none of this stopped He Luo from liking this place.
Her favorite small balcony offered a view of the rolling wheat fields in the distance. Whether at sunrise or sunset, the scenery was always spectacular, and she could tirelessly paint from dawn to dusk.
After graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts, He Luo worked in a state-owned enterprise for three years. The salary was decent, and she got along well with her boss and colleagues. Many people envied her job, so when she handed in her resignation, her colleagues were surprised. But she knew she wasn’t suited for the nine-to-five lifestyle.
He Luo chose to move to this small place in South City, far from the stressful and tedious life. For the first time in her life, she felt a sense of belonging.
Although the house was in a mess and there were many things to fix.
He Luo started by clearing out the unwanted old furniture from the master bedroom and placing it in the living room. She had only ever held a paintbrush or mixed colors since childhood, and later just typed on a keyboard in the office, never doing heavy work. Experiencing it now, she realized her body, long out of exercise, couldn’t take it. Her hands and legs felt weak, and before long, she collapsed onto the small sofa in the living room.
As she got older, He Luo’s parents frequently urged her to find a boyfriend. She used to deflect by saying she was busy with work, but now she didn’t even have that excuse.
During the Spring Festival, He Luo laid down the law: no urging about marriage, no blind dates, or she wouldn’t go home for the holiday. This finally brought her some peace.
Now, looking at the pile of discarded furniture in the living room, she felt overwhelmed. She finally acknowledged the problem.
She really needed a man!
Having a man around would be nice…
Maybe she shouldn’t be so frugal and should just hire a moving company—it would be so much easier.
He Luo took off the thin shirt she was wearing outside, leaving only a fitted camisole that clung to her body. She opened the window for some air. It was near evening, and the breeze brought a rare coolness, along with the aroma of fried skewers and roasted sweet potatoes from the small shop downstairs.
The smell made He Luo’s stomach growl with hunger, so she decided to go downstairs and buy something to eat. After taking a shower, she casually grabbed a dress to change into. It was a new-style Chinese dress with a long skirt, but the top was very fitted, outlining her body curves. The highlight was a crescent-shaped cutout at the chest, perfectly revealing the white skin underneath.
After leaving the residential area and walking for a while, He Luo realized she was completely headed in the wrong direction. Although there were many shops along the street, few of them sold food. In her line of sight, she only saw a fruit shop at the corner.
It was around two or three in the afternoon, with the sun shining brightly. There weren’t many people on the street. Those who were there were leisurely sitting at small tables outside the shops, drinking tea and chatting, enjoying a relaxed and carefree life, very different from the bustling city life.
He Luo thought, since she was already here, she shouldn’t waste the trip.
The refrigerator in her house was empty, so it was a good idea to buy some fruit.
He Luo saw a young man unloading goods at the entrance of the fruit shop. It was a new shipment of cherries, quite a large quantity, neatly arranged in boxes being moved from the truck to the left side of the shop entrance.
The man was carrying a stack of goods almost as tall as himself with ease and agility.
He was wearing a black baseball cap, so his face wasn’t clearly visible, and he was shirtless, which made He Luo first notice his strong, well-built body.
He Luo had drawn many sketches and painted many perfectly sculpted human figures, but she had never seen such a well-proportioned and solid body in real life. There wasn’t a bit of excess fat, the muscle lines were smooth but not overly exaggerated—just the kind of body she admired most.
Was she too hungry? Why was she suddenly feeling a bit… greedy?
She was so engrossed in her observation that she didn’t even notice the man had already put down the goods and was looking in her direction with deep, piercing eyes.
The man slightly raised his head, his jawline tense, and his tone somewhat cold.
“If you’re buying fruit, come inside and pick.”