You have kept us waiting long enough.

The first season of the comic *The Lamplighter* has already been released, and the second season is currently in serialization. The script Zhang Tan submitted previously covered the first season, and preparations for the second season were now underway.

After confirming him as the screenwriter, Director Li from the project team called him over, and the two had a long discussion.

Looking at Zhang Tan’s youthful face and his confident, articulate manner, the lingering uncertainty in Director Li’s mind finally dissipated, and he truly accepted him.

After Zhang Tan secured the role of screenwriter for *The Lamplighter*, Director Li had still been somewhat uneasy. He had privately consulted with Luo Ming and the head of the script evaluation group, Lao Liu, and received affirmative feedback. Now, after this conversation with Zhang Tan, he was convinced that the young man possessed genuine talent. He was unflappable, dared to voice his own ideas, and was confident without being arrogant.

In the afternoon, Director Li invited Zhang Tan and the original author of the comic to discuss the script. Before parting ways, the author—a *kawaii* young woman—gave Zhang Tan the story outline for the second season. Since it hadn’t been drawn yet, it consisted only of brief written descriptions; how to translate that into visuals would require ongoing communication between them.

The three of them finished their discussion just as the workday was ending.

"Zhang Tan, please see Xiao Song out for me," Director Li said.

"No need, really, no need."

Xiao Song’s full name was Song Wen.

"Ms. Song, don’t be so formal. It’s no trouble at all." Zhang Tan saw her out the door and they entered the elevator together.

They were the only two in the elevator. After a moment of silence, Song Wen looked up and said to Zhang Tan, "Don't call me Ms. Song anymore; just call me Xiao Wen."

Zhang Tan nodded. "Alright."

Song Wen asked, "Zhang Tan, did you come to the Pujiang Film Studio right after graduation? How many years have you been working?"

Zhang Tan watched the floor numbers lighting up as the elevator ascended and said, "I just graduated this year."

"Oh?" Song Wen was quite surprised, then smiled. "You look so mature and steady."

She looked only eighteen or nineteen herself, but her actual age was twenty-four; she simply possessed a petite and cute appearance that made her look younger than she was.

*Ding.* The elevator doors opened. Zhang Tan held the door open with his hand to let Song Wen exit first. She thanked him, and they walked to the underground parking lot. As they were about to get into their cars, she added, "Let’s add each other on WeChat. I’ll be troubling you quite a bit with the comic in the coming days."

"Let me scan you." Zhang Tan took out his phone, scanned Song Wen’s QR code, and they parted ways after adding each other.

Back at the office, Luo Ming had returned. Seeing him, he asked, "How did it go with the director today?"

"It went well. The comic author came by in the afternoon, too," Zhang Tan replied.

"That’s good. The beginning of everything is difficult," Luo Ming said. "Don't bother moving your things; just work here from now on."

After securing the screenwriting role for *The Lamplighter*, Zhang Tan was naturally no longer Luo Ming’s assistant. According to standard procedure, he would usually be based at the project team's office, much like Luo Ming, who spent most of his time there and only occasionally returned to this office.

"Sure." Zhang Tan agreed happily without hesitation; he did need a permanent place to work.

On his way home after work, passing through West Chang'an Street, Zhang Tan parked his car in the shopping mall’s parking garage and took the elevator to the third floor to buy some groceries. Having had a bowl of cold noodles sent over by Lao Li a few days ago, he was still lingering on that taste, so he planned to buy ingredients to make some himself.

The mall sold ready-made cold noodles, packaged like instant noodles—you just soak them at home and eat—but Zhang Tan knew that the taste was nowhere near authentic. It fell far too short.

He decided to make them from scratch. He bought a pack of cold noodle strands, pears, garlic, sugar, beef, shrimp, tomatoes, and more. With a full bag in hand, he was just about to leave when he heard someone calling him. Looking toward the checkout lines, he saw a round, festive-looking face: it was Huang Meimei.

"Zhang Tan, you’re buying groceries too?"

Huang Meimei was quite enthusiastic. This girl would fluctuate between being cold toward him, guarding against him like a thief, and acting like an old friend, as she was doing now.

Zhang Tan, of course, couldn't lower himself to the level of a small-minded woman. He lifted his shopping bag and said, "Preparing dinner. You too?"

Huang Meimei said in surprise, "I didn't expect that. You can actually cook for yourself? You’ve really changed."

Zhang Tan: "..."

She hadn't meant anything special by it, but in the crowded space, with people waiting in line all around them, everyone turned to look at him, which made him feel quite embarrassed.

Zhang Tan gave a dry laugh and hurried away, only to hear Huang Meimei call out, "Wait for me, Zhang Tan!"

The girl had bought a lot of things. Zhang Tan guessed she wanted him to help carry them.

He guessed wrong.

Although there were many items, Huang Meimei managed to carry them all by herself, though it looked like a struggle. So, Zhang Tan offered, "Do you want me to help you with some of that?"

*Plop.* Just then, a bag fell at his feet. Without a word, Zhang Tan bent down to pick it up. His expression stiffened for a moment, but he tried his best to appear natural as he stuffed it back into Huang Meimei’s arms.

"Hehehe..." Seeing this, Huang Meimei gave a sheepish laugh and said, "Just help me carry it, I really can't manage anymore."

Zhang Tan proactively took two watermelons. "These are heavy, I’ll take them. It’s better if you hold the personal items yourself."

Huang Meimei teased, "Oh, oh, oh."

*Oh, what are you oh-ing about?*

After helping Huang Meimei put her items in her car, she said, "There’s a junior high reunion this weekend. Are you coming?"

"Junior high classmates?" Zhang Tan had forgotten all about them.

"Yeah, junior high classmates. Not everyone is coming, just a few of us who were close. If you come, there will be eight of us total. There will be lots of pretty girls, too."

Zhang Tan wasn't interested. He waved his hand, declining.

He and Huang Meimei had been classmates in elementary and junior high. While she still kept in frequent contact with them, he did not. He had plenty of other friends, and he couldn't really click with those old classmates anymore. Besides, unlike high school or college, people’s worldviews hadn't fully formed back then. By now, they were no longer in the same circle. Were they supposed to meet up and talk about who used to pee the furthest, or who was wearing a bra?

They probably wouldn't have anything to talk about anyway! It was fine for Huang Meimei, who stayed in touch, but for him, having not spoken to them in seven or eight years, what would they even discuss?

Back at the residential compound, Zhang Tan scanned the courtyard. *Huh,* Xiao Bai wasn't there.

He looked at his watch; it was nearly 6:30 PM. The little girl usually arrived by now, and she typically spent her time playing soccer.

"Xiao Bai is here; I don't know where she went to play," Lao Li said from behind him.

Zhang Tan turned around and smiled. He thought, *Lao Li, you’re like a worm in my stomach—I just stopped to look around, and you already knew what I was looking for.*

He didn't see Xiao Bai on the first floor of the building either. He didn't go out of his way to find her; he still needed to cook dinner to satisfy his hunger—eating was the priority.

However, when he reached the third floor, he saw a little girl sitting at the stairwell, holding the fish-belly glass jar he had given her, happily peeling and eating peanuts. She was so absorbed and oblivious, munching away like a little hamster; her small mouth was incredibly lively.

The floor was covered in peanut shells, indicating she had been at it for a while.

Zhang Tan had arrived without her noticing; her eyes were fixed on the half-can of peanuts in the glass jar.

*So that’s why she didn't go play soccer. She was waiting here, busy eating peanuts. No wonder she didn't have time to play.*

Zhang Tan smiled and said, "Are you... quite busy?"

Xiao Bai was just about to pop a peanut into her mouth but stopped as if someone had pressed the pause button. Her large eyes darted around, and when she saw it was Zhang Tan, she grabbed a handful of peanuts and said with a grin, "Uncle, why are you only here now? You kept me waiting so long! Here, have some."