Songhai City. At 7:30 a.m., in the dimly lit room, on the soft bed, Zhang Yuanqing suddenly woke up, clutching his head and arching his body like a shrimp. The headache was so severe it felt as if his skull were splitting open, with steel needles embedded deep inside, causing his scalp to tremble. As a result, he experienced hallucinations and auditory distortions—flickering images danced in his mind, and the sounds around him were chaotic and meaningless. Zhang Yuanqing knew his chronic condition had flared up again. With trembling hands, he climbed off the bed and opened the drawer on the bedside table, then reached for the bottle of medicine, quickly unscrewing it and pouring out five or six blue pills, swallowing them whole. He then returned to the bed, taking deep, labored breaths, enduring the intense pain. After a few seconds, the soul-splitting headache gradually eased and then settled down. "Ah," Zhang Yuanqing exhaled in relief, drenched in cold sweat. While still in high school, he suffered from a strange illness characterized by the uncontrolled recall of all past memories—including forgotten trivial details; the unceasing gathering and analysis of external information; and an extraordinary level of control over his body. Fortunately, this state could not last long, as his body eventually became overwhelmed and the symptoms would inevitably interrupt. Precisely because of this ability, he managed to secure admission to Songhai University—a top-tier national institution—more like a casual achievement. Zhang Yuanqing referred to this condition as "cerebral overload," believing he might be evolving into a superhero. However, due to his body's inability to sustain such evolution, the condition frequently interrupted. When he shared this hypothesis with his doctor, the doctor found it hard to understand but was deeply impressed, recommending that he visit the psychiatry department downstairs. Ultimately, the hospital could not identify the underlying cause. Later, his mother brought back a specialized medication from abroad, which brought the condition under control—once taken regularly, the episodes no longer occurred. "It must be that I didn't get enough rest last night—I'm so tired, all thanks to Jiang Yu'ei, who insisted on coming to my room at midnight to play games..." Though saying this, his heart grew steadily heavier, for Zhang Yuanqing knew the medication's effect was waning and his condition was worsening. "I'll have to increase the dosage soon..." He slipped on his cotton slippers and walked to the window, pulling the curtain open with a swift "shh." The sunlight poured in vigorously, filling the room. In April in Songhai City, the spring weather was bright and pleasant, with a cool, refreshing breeze blowing in from the morning. "Knock-knock!" At that moment, the sound of footsteps came from the door, and Grandma called out from outside: "Yuanzi, get up!" "No way!" Zhang Yuanqing rejected her with cold determination—he wanted to sleep in. With spring sunshine and a weekend day, wasn't it a waste of life to not enjoy a lazy morning? "Give me three minutes," Grandma said, now equally firm. "If you're still not up by then, I'll wake you up with a bucket of water!" " He knew that his fiery grandmother could really pull off such a thing. When Zhang Yuanqing was still in elementary school, his father passed away due to a car accident. His strong-willed mother never remarried and brought him back to Songhai to live, entrusting the care of the boy to his grandparents. She then fully immersed herself in her career, becoming the admired "strong woman" in the eyes of her relatives. Later, she bought her own home, but Zhang Yuanqing didn't particularly like the spacious, empty apartment and continued to live with his grandparents. After all, his mother was always busy—going out early and coming home late, frequently traveling for work—so even on weekends, when she wasn’t working overtime, she’d order takeout at mealtime. The one thing she’d always emphasize to him was, "Is the money sufficient? If not, you must tell Mom." It sounded wonderful to have a career-driven, financially reliable mother. Yet Zhang Yuanqing would always smile and say, "The allowances from my grandmother and aunt are more than enough." Yes, and there’s also his younger aunt. The woman who insisted on coming to his room last night to play games is his younger aunt. Zhang Yuanqing yawned, turned the handle of the bedroom door, and walked into the living room. The house at his grandmother's place, including shared areas, totals 150 square meters. When he and his family sold their old home to buy this one, he remembered the price was around 40,000 yuan per square meter. After six or seven years, the property prices in this neighborhood have now risen to about 110,000 yuan per square meter—nearly doubling. Fortunately, his grandfather had been forward-thinking back then; otherwise, Zhang Yuanqing would have had to sleep in the living room, as he's grown up and no longer able to share a room with his younger sister. At the long dining table by the living room, his headache-inducing culprit—Zhang Yuanqing's younger sister Jiang Yuwei—was quietly drinking porridge with a soft, rhythmic "gur-gur-gur" sound, her pink slippers gently swaying beneath the table. Jiang has a refined and beautiful appearance, with a round, oval face that looks particularly sweet, and a tear-shaped birthmark near her right eye. Due to having just woken up, her hair flows in loose Seeing Zhang Yuanqing step out, Auntie licked a bit of porridge from the corner of her mouth, surprised: "Wow, you're up so early—this isn't like your usual routine." "Your mother's to blame." "How come you're scolding her?" "I'm just being honest." Zhang Yuanqing studied Auntie's beautifully youthful face, bright and full of energy. They say that night doesn't reward those who stay up late—it gives you dark circles under the eyes. Yet this rule seems to hold no sway with the woman before her. Hearing the commotion in the kitchen, Grandma peered out, then after a moment, carried a bowl of porridge to the table. Grandma's hair, now streaked with silver, had a sharp, keen gaze—typical of a stubborn old lady. Though her skin had softened and her face bore gentle lines that had dimmed her former elegance, one could still sense her once-stunning beauty. Zhang Yuanqing took the porridge from Grandma and drank deeply, saying: "Where's Grandpa?" "He went out for a walk," Grandma replied. Grandpa is a retired police officer, and even though he's older, his lifestyle remains very regular—he always goes to bed at 10 p.m. and wakes up at 6 a.m. The lovely aunt is drinking porridge, smiling warmly and saying, "After breakfast, I'll take you shopping to buy some clothes." You're so kind! Zhang Yuanqing was about to agree, when Grandma gave him a fierce glare: "If you dare go, I'll break your dog's leg." "Mom, how can you be like this?" the aunt said, sounding annoyed. "I just want to buy Yuanzi a few spring outfits—why aren't you happy? Though he's called an 'outer-nephew,' he's still very close to us." Grandma, undeterred, countered, "Do you really think I'll break your dog's leg?" The aunt rolled her eyes and lowered her spoon to drink her porridge. Upon hearing the back-and-forth between mother and daughter, Zhang Yuanqing knew for sure that Grandma had another matchmaking plan in store for the aunt—her clever, lively aunt, meanwhile, wanted to pull him in and stir things up. It has always been this way—taking her nephew out for dates. After just a few minutes, the socially ambitious nephew would effortlessly charm the date, engaging in lively conversations that ranged from everyday concerns to global affairs, leaving her completely sidelined. All she needed to do was sip her drink and scroll on her phone. The date would even feel confident that she had demonstrated sufficient social maturity and insight, feeling pleased and self-assured. Jiang Yubi has always been refined and endearing, a favorite among neighbors, admired for her striking appearance, sweet temperament, and charm—qualities that naturally win over elders. Such a beautiful daughter, of course, demanded strict protection from her grandmother. Since elementary school, she had been repeatedly urged not to develop early romantic feelings or spend time with male classmates. Her younger daughter certainly lived up to expectations—never settling down with a boyfriend until after university graduation. But once she entered the workforce, especially after turning 25 at the beginning of the year, the grandmother began to feel increasingly restless. After all, I only wanted to delay her early romance—I never intended for her to become a "leftover" woman. How long can a woman maintain her youth and vitality? Then she gathered her elder sisters from all over, collected profiles of promising young men, and began arranging dates for her daughter. "Grandma, she's clearly not interested in dating—she's just going along with it, like a watermelon forcibly twisted." Zhang Yuanqing chewed on a baozi while volunteering, "Why don't you arrange a few dates for me? My watermelon is definitely sweet now." Grandma snapped, "You're still young—what's there to be anxious about? You've got so many female classmates at university—how hard can it be for you to find someone on your own? If you keep making a fuss, I'll give you a good scolding." Grandma was a woman from the south, yet her temper was far from gentle—she was especially fiery. Even Zhang Yuanqing's mother, a strong-willed career woman, dared not challenge her. "I'm grown now, I've been working as a craftsman for several years... I'm just not used to this." Zhang Yuanqing murmured to herself. After breakfast, under her grandmother's firm insistence, her cousin returned to her room to change clothes and get ready for the date. The cousin wore a light makeup A loose-fitting round-neck knitted shirt paired with a long coat, a light-washed, slim-fit denim pants accentuates two long, well-proportioned legs, neatly streamlined. The pants are neatly tucked into black Martens boots. A fresh, nature-inspired, minimalist look—neither flashy nor overly ornate, yet particularly refined. Aunt Li throws him a knowing glance, lifts her bag, and gives a little sway to her waist as she heads out: "Mom, I'm going out for a date." Zhang Yuanqing returns to his room, calmly changes into a black T-shirt and a rain jacket, then puts on running shoes. A few minutes later, he opens the bedroom door. In the living room, Grandma is tidying up and, upon seeing him, pauses her work and quietly watches him. Zhang Yuanqing adopts his aunt's tone: "Mom, I'm also going out for a date." "Go back here!" Grandma raises her broom, threatening, "If you step out of this door, I'll break your legs." "Yes, Mom!" Zhang Yuanqing obediently returns to his bedroom. Sitting by his desk, he held his phone and sent a message to his aunt: “Out of the starting gate, yet fallen before success—this has made heroes weep ever since.” “Say it in plain English!” His aunt was likely driving, and her reply was concise. “I’ve been kept at home by my grandmother. You go on and handle the date yourself.” A voice message came through. Zhang Yuan opened it, and the speaker’s voice came through breathless: “Why do you even need me?!?” His aunt withdrew the previous message and sent another one, this time with a softer tone, sweet and endearing: “Dear nephew, come on now! I really love you most, Mua~” Hmph. Women! Can you really expect me to touch my grandmother’s nerves just by being sweet and cute? At least send a little red envelope! At that moment, a slightly jarring ringtone sounded. Zhang Yuan walked into the living room, under his grandmother’s watchful gaze, and pressed the intercom button, saying, “Who is that?” A voice answered through the speaker. Zhang Yuanqing pressed the door button. After a few minutes, a delivery courier in uniform arrived on the elevator, carrying a package in his arms. "Is this Zhang Yuanqing?" "Yes, it is." I haven't ordered any online shopping... the courier looked puzzled as he signed for the package. He glanced at the delivery details—no sender's name was listed, but the address was in Hangzhou, Jiangnan Province, next door. He returned to his room and retrieved a paper cutter from the drawer of his desk. He opened the package. Inside was a shock-absorbing cushion enclosing a black card and a yellow envelope. Zhang Yuanqing picked up the black card, the size of an ID card. The material felt metallic, yet surprisingly warm to the touch. The card was exquisitely crafted, with delicate silver cloud patterns along the edges and a central black circular moon. The black moon was rendered with great precision, and the irregular spots on its surface were clearly visible. What could this be? With a sense of curiosity, he opened the envelope and unfolded the letter. "Yuanzi, I've obtained something quite interesting—something I thought would transform my life. But, with my current abilities, I simply can't manage it. I believe you would find it much more manageable. Brotherhood, this is the gift I'm giving you. Lai Yibing!"