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Psst! We're moving!
By the time they arrived at the small town, it was already noon. The aroma of cooking smoke wafted above the gray-tiled, brick-roofed houses.
Unlike the towering hotels in the city, none of the buildings here exceeded three stories. The first floor wasn’t used for living quarters but served as a service area. Xu Wu had booked the entire guesthouse.
After lunch, the room key cards were distributed.
“Xu Wu, thank you so much for helping me. Just leave it—I’ll handle it,” Shu Ke said, leaning against the wall and catching her breath as the luggage wheels slid across the floor.
There was no elevator in this guesthouse, and their rooms were on the third floor.
Xu Wu followed behind her, set down Shu Ke’s suitcase, and retrieved her bag from the top of it.
“So tired,” Shu Ke groaned, rubbing her arms after lugging the suitcase. “Xu Wu, are you planning to eat out tonight?”
They had spent nearly half the morning on the bus, sitting on hard seats that left their bottoms sore, arms aching, and bodies exhausted. “No, I’m not.”
“Alright, I don’t plan to go out either. Do you want some self-heating hot pot? My mom packed some for me.” She pressed the handle on her suitcase.
After eating, Xu Wu didn’t feel like moving at all. Besides, wandering around alone in an unfamiliar place after dark wouldn’t be safe. “Sure, thank you. How much is it? I’ll transfer the money to you later.”
“No need, Xu Wu. Just take it,” Shu Ke opened a small box, revealing that more than half of it was filled with food. “It’s my first time traveling far from home, and my mom was worried I wouldn’t adjust to the local food, so she specially packed all my favorites.”
Earlier, during the meal, Li Qingyang had mentioned that Shu Ke was often sick as a child and rarely went out, having been well-protected by her parents.
Xu Wu lowered her gaze and accepted the self-heating hot pot Shu Ke handed over. “Actually, you didn’t have to come along.”
Shu Ke closed her suitcase and replied earnestly, “No, my brother is right. I can’t rely on my parents forever—I need to get out and experience life.”
Xu Wu didn’t say anything. Shu Ke wanted to prove her independence, free from her parents’ support.
But unlike Shu Ke, Xu Wu thought that having parents to rely on was actually quite fortunate.
Xu Wu’s room was next to Shu Ke’s. After entering her room and inserting the key card, she placed the self-heating hot pot on the table and took a photo to search for its price online. Once she found the matching product, she transferred the money to Shu Ke.
She unpacked her belongings, lay down on the bed for a short rest, and unknowingly fell asleep.
When she woke up, it was already evening. She unzipped her bag, grabbed a change of clothes, and headed to the shower.
Sitting on the balcony, waiting for the self-heating hot pot to cook, she gazed at the scenery. This guesthouse had an excellent location—far in the distance, lush green and golden fields stretched across the mountains.
The evening glow bathed the forest, and the wind gently swayed the potted plants on the balcony, giving the small town an air of tranquility and leisure.
The fresh air brought a sense of calm and contentment that Xu Wu hadn’t felt in years, buried as she was in her busy life.
As the last rays of twilight faded, night fell. Stars twinkled faintly through the thin clouds, illuminating the dark curtain of the sky.
The notification sound from her phone broke the brief silence. Xu Wu opened it to find a message saying that the package she ordered had been delivered to the apartment’s collection station below and would need to be picked up when she returned.
Just as she turned off the screen, a WeChat message popped up—
Wild: [Pudding barely ate a few bites of dinner. Are you free to video call now?]
Without hesitation, Xu Wu called him. When he answered, his face appeared close to the camera.
As he leaned closer, strands of hair casually fell across his forehead. It felt as though they had returned to the past—when Xu Wu was in her final year of high school, overwhelmed with studies, she would only video call him after finishing her evening self-study sessions.
Just as his hand reached toward the screen, a white paw mercilessly swatted it away. A flicker of impatience crossed his brows. “Stop messing around and sit still.”
After he finished speaking on his end, Xu Wu realized what was going on and asked about Pudding’s condition. “What’s wrong with Pudding?”
Perhaps hearing Xu Wu’s voice, Pudding barked once, seemingly full of energy.
Zhou Jinye pointed the camera at Pudding. Seeing Xu Wu appear on the screen, the dog immediately drew closer, behaving much differently than it had with Zhou Jinye earlier.
As Pudding prepared to lick the phone screen, Zhou Jinye stopped it. “That’s a phone.”
Seeing the scattered dog food pellets near Pudding’s bowl and recalling how the dog had swatted Zhou Jinye’s hand earlier in the video, Xu Wu asked, “Is it throwing a tantrum?”
“Yes,” Zhou Jinye’s voice came through the phone, slightly grainy.
Xu Wu looked at Pudding on the screen and gently asked, “Has this happened before?”
“Yes, but only once—and that was a long time ago.” His voice grew quieter.
It was hard to imagine Pudding throwing a tantrum at him.
“When was it?” Xu Wu blurted out.
Unable to see his expression, she could only hear his low voice through the phone’s speaker. “When we were abroad—it missed you and threw a fit at me.”
She froze, her lips parting but no words coming out, as if her voice had been silenced.
After a moment of silence, Xu Wu finally spoke to Pudding, her voice softer than usual, carried by the evening breeze. “Pudding, I’ll be back the day after tomorrow. I haven’t really left. Remember to eat your meals at home, okay?”
Pudding barked twice and began eating from the bowl filled with dog food.
The steam from the self-heating hot pot had dissipated. Xu Wu held her phone, opened the lid, and found the contents too hot. She decided to let it cool for a bit.
As she picked up her phone, the camera on the other side shifted, and the man’s gaze dropped momentarily. “You’re eating this for dinner?”
“Yes,” Xu Wu raised her phone. “It’s too late. There probably aren’t many shops open outside.”
The other side fell silent. Xu Wu watched until Pudding finished eating, then bid them goodnight and ended the call.
Outside, the bright streetlights illuminated the empty streets. The night wind blew, growing colder as thin clouds gradually obscured the moonlight.
Since their reunion, every time topics related to the past came up, his words would unexpectedly reopen old wounds. It was like a hidden knife striking without warning. Though the number of times was few, each strike hit a vital point.
But this time, he hadn’t. Perhaps they had silently reached an agreement on her request—to avoid mentioning the past and simply maintain a neighborly relationship.
She couldn’t break the promise she had made to that person back then. At that time, she had nothing left to lean on, utterly helpless, and could only cling desperately to the last shred of hope. She couldn’t bear to lose another person and had no choice but to make that decision…
This arrangement was fine too. After returning to the country, he had become the founder of LUNAR New Energy Vehicles, surrounded by admirers and still the favored prodigy. He shouldn’t be dragged back into that deep, muddy abyss.
······
________________________________________
At six o’clock in the morning, thick mists hovered between the trees. As the sun rose in the east, dawn peeked through the fog.
Through the mist, the mountain ridges were gilded with gold.
The photographer was already in position, using a drone camera to begin filming.
A puff of white mist escaped from someone’s mouth—it was unclear how many yawns Shu Ke had let out by now.
Concerned, Xu Wu suggested, “Why don’t you go back and rest for a bit?”
The temperature difference in autumn was significant, and the morning air was chilly. Shu Ke zipped her jacket up to her neck. “No, I’ll go back with all of you.”
This was her first time traveling far from home, and she realized she wasn’t used to sleeping anywhere other than her own bed. She had tossed and turned until the middle of the night before finally dozing off.
She was responsible for the overall arrangements and had to stay with the team. Seeing that the photographer was almost done, she picked up the water bottle and equipment. “We still need to head up the hill to film later—it might not be until noon that we return. You should go rest.”
Shu Ke stood up and looked toward the horizon. “Xu Wu, look—the sun is being covered by clouds. Will it rain today?”
Xu Wu also looked over. Several cumulus clouds were blocking the sunlight.
Before leaving, she had double-checked and specifically looked at the local weather forecast. Still unsure, she opened her phone again—it showed clear skies for the morning.
“It might clear up soon,” Xu Wu observed Shu Ke’s drowsy state. “You should go back and rest for a bit.”
Shu Ke shook her head. “Actually, I’m not used to sleeping in new places. Even if I go back, I won’t be able to sleep. I’d rather stay with you all.”
Xu Wu followed the guide from the town, walking ahead. “Alright, lean on me and take a nap later.”
“Okay.”
As the morning mist cleared, ancient trees stood scattered in disarray. The fresh air carried a faint scent of grass and wood.
Xu Wu watched the little girl circling around Old Wu.
The guide was a local villager named Old Wu. Unfamiliar with the area, Xu Wu had hired him to lead the way, ensuring they didn’t waste time. He was the town’s guardian, accompanied by his three-year-old daughter.
Old Wu introduced the area as Xu Wu, who hadn’t eaten much in the morning, bought snacks from the village store to tide herself over.
She noticed the little girl glancing over occasionally. Xu Wu handed her a bag. “Here, for you.”
The little girl was shy, her voice barely audible. “Dad says I shouldn’t take things from strangers.”
Xu Wu smiled, opened the snack, and ate one herself. Softly, she reassured the girl, “It’s safe to eat.”
“Take it—the big sister gave it to you,” Old Wu ruffled the girl’s head. “Thank you.”
“I should thank you,” the girl finally accepted it from Xu Wu and turned to Old Wu. “For leading us.”
“You can’t say that. I’ve been paid for this—it’s my job. It’s only right.” Old Wu’s honesty didn’t make anyone uncomfortable.
“How do you earn money without leaving the town?” Shu Ke, who had rested enough, sat up from Xu Wu’s shoulder and asked curiously.
Old Wu chuckled and explained, “I have something to guard here. I don’t plan to leave.”
Shu Ke: “What about her mother?”
“We divorced long ago. She went to work in the city.”
Shu Ke suddenly felt her mouth should have stayed shut. “Sorry.”
Xu Wu glanced at Old Wu, who didn’t seem to mind and continued chatting casually.
“It’s fine. Now that the town has become a popular tourist spot, there’s business to be had. I can earn some money to send her to school. As long as she grows up healthy and happy, that’s all that matters.”
His hair had turned mostly white. Xu Wu stared at him for a long time. “Yes, she will. And you must stay healthy too.”
These two strangers inexplicably felt familiar to her. In the girl, she saw a reflection of her younger self—back then, she too had lived happily with her father until she grew up. Until the case her father was investigating changed everything.
During work hours, Xu Wu didn’t let her emotions show for long. Quickly composing herself, she focused on the director’s arrangements for the shoot.
________________________________________
The sun had completely disappeared, and the sky gradually darkened as leaden clouds churned at the horizon.
Seeing this, Old Wu hurried over to Xu Wu. “This weather is going to bring rain soon. We need to pack up the equipment and head down the mountain immediately. The soil here is loose, and large rocks can collapse easily.”
As he spoke, raindrops the size of beans began pelting down, landing on their faces.
Xu Wu found the director, who was using a megaphone to direct the crew. “Hurry up, pack everything and head down the mountain now—it’s going to rain!”
The rain grew heavier, shrouding the forest in a haze. The ground was quickly soaked, and the steep slope made the descent difficult.
The wet mud made the path slippery, and Xu Wu’s shoes were already caked with dirt.
The filming equipment was both numerous and expensive.
The camera crew swiftly dismantled and packed the gear, cradling it protectively in their arms. Xu Wu counted the group, organizing an orderly retreat down the mountain. She and Shu Ke stayed toward the back.
The rushing rainwater mixed with the loose soil, creating muddy streams cascading downhill.
Progress was arduous. Xu Wu supported Shu Ke as they moved.
Old Wu led the way, holding a long wooden stick. His daughter, with her short legs, couldn’t keep up after running just a few steps and fell behind in the crowd.
The little girl had fallen multiple times, her small body covered in wet mud. Water streamed down her face—whether from tears or rain, it was unclear. Xu Wu stopped, wiped her face with her sleeve, and picked her up. The child wasn’t too heavy, making it easy to carry her without strain.
The girl was well-behaved, understanding that Xu Wu was helping her down the mountain. She didn’t fuss, resting her head gently on Xu Wu’s shoulder and softly whispering, “Thank you, big sister.”
The rain was heavy, and Xu Wu heard it clearly as she softly consoled the girl in her arms: “It’s alright, we’ll catch up with your dad soon.”
Seeing that Xu Wu had her hands full holding the child, Shu Ke didn’t let her support her. She carefully took one step at a time down the slippery slope.
However, the rainwater dripping from her bangs blurred her vision. The footprints left by those ahead were quickly washed away by the rain. As Shu Ke wiped her eyelashes, her foot slipped on the wet mud, and she tumbled downward.
A gray shadow darted past Xu Wu’s feet. After stopping to take a closer look, she shielded the girl in her arms and quickened her pace down the slope. “Shu Ke!”
________________________________________
Outside, the rain began to taper off, its sound growing fainter. Traces of water lingered on the single-pane glass window, dripping down in thin streams.
Zhou Jinye stood by the window. He had just finished a business call with the CEO of Stada Semiconductor when hurried footsteps approached from the doorway.
“Zhou Jinye, lend me your car.”
Li Qingyang, enduring the pain in his toe, rushed over and leaned on his desk.
His expression was urgent. Zhou Jinye frowned slightly and asked, “What happened?”
“My mom called just now. She said Shu Ke fell down a slope and got injured. It sounds serious. My cars in the garage aren’t suitable for driving up those slopes—can I borrow your SUV keys?”
Hearing “slope,” Zhou Jinye immediately connected the dots. “Was she with Xu Wu?”
“Yes,” Li Qingyang urgently pressed for the car keys. “Quickly, give me the keys first.”
“You still have that ingrown toenail—it’s not convenient for you to drive. I’ll go.” As he spoke, Zhou Jinye slipped on his suit jacket, swiftly opened the drawer, grabbed the keys and his phone, and headed out.
Li Qingyang had been suffering from an ingrown toenail, which wasn’t severe initially. However, after meeting the person who had crashed into his car, things escalated unpleasantly. The other party had stepped on his already painful toe, worsening the condition upon his return.
Pausing by the door, Zhou Jinye suddenly remembered something and tossed a key to him. “By the way, take care of my dog for me, and send me the address on my phone.”
“What about when it gets dark?” Li Qingyang knew about Zhou Jinye’s nyctophobia and instinctively furrowed his brows.
“It’s fine—I’ll make it there before nightfall.” With that, Zhou Jinye disappeared from sight.
In less than five minutes, Zhou Jinye reached the garage to retrieve the car. His ear was met with a series of mechanical beeps—the automated female voice on his phone repeated:
“The number you dialed is currently switched off. Please try again later.”
An incessant busy tone rang in his ear. His expression darkened as he impatiently tossed the phone into the cup holder. Running multiple red lights, he stopped at a nearby psychiatric hospital to pick up medication.
After the rain had washed over the plants lining the road, leaves littered the ground, and droplets still clung to the branches. As they were about to fall onto the highway, a sleek black SUV sped past.
________________________________________
The antiseptic smell in the clinic was overpowering, making her dizzy. Since that incident years ago, she never wanted to smell it again.
This unexpected visit to the hospital brought back the scent she dreaded, leaving her head feeling heavy.
The nurse handed Xu Wu two portable heaters. Her clothes were already half-dry from being near the heaters.
Inside the examination room, the only sounds were those of small medical instruments being handled.
The nurse used small scissors to cut the medical tape and applied gauze to Shu Ke’s forehead.
“There, all done. You’re fine now.”
Shu Ke fiddled with the stray strands of hair near her injury and asked, “Nurse, will I be scarred?”
“No, you’ve just been stitched up,” the nurse explained while organizing the tools into their respective boxes. “Just remember, don’t let water touch the area when washing your face or hair to avoid infection.”
“Okay, I understand. I’ll be careful.”
Once the nurse left, Shu Ke sighed in relief. “There was so much blood earlier—it scared me to death. When I fell down the slope, I thought I was done for.”
Rolling down the slope, she had accumulated a lot of mud on her body. The slope was rocky, and her head hit a stone, injuring her right temple. Several people immediately carried her into the clinic, where Xu Wu stayed behind to look after her.
The town’s hospital didn’t have patient gowns, and the mud on Shu Ke’s body had dried halfway. Her face, however, was cleaned thoroughly.
“Come warm up by the fire,” Xu Wu told her. “Don’t catch a chill.”
Shu Ke came over and sat next to Xu Wu, suddenly remembering something. “Oh, my phone is charged now. Before it turned off, I exaggerated the situation to my mom. She must be worried—I should call her.”
She unplugged the charger. Xu Wu noticed over a dozen missed calls from her family and handed her a power bank.
Shu Ke called her mother, who wasn’t far away. Xu Wu could hear the gentle yet anxious concern in the speaker’s voice.
Silent as always, Xu Wu watched the deep black screen of her own phone reflect her face. Quietly, she connected her power bank to charge her phone.
Her phone had run out of battery at some point, so she had prioritized charging Shu Ke’s first. Her phone now displayed the lowest battery level.
While waiting for her phone to turn on, Shu Ke reassured her mother: “Mom, I exaggerated earlier—it’s really nothing. Don’t worry, it was just an accident. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
After hanging up, she made another call. “Hello, Brother.”
There was a brief pause before Li Qingyang’s voice came through. “How are you doing now?”
“I’m fine!” Shu Ke reassured him. “I just told Mom I’m okay. Did you hear you’re on your way here?”
“Wait, what about Xu Wu?” Hearing her name on someone else’s phone, Xu Wu’s lashes flickered.
Shu Ke assumed they knew each other and added, “Xu Wu is sitting next to me—she’s fine too.”
“Let me speak with Xu Wu.”
“Xu Wu, my brother wants to talk to you,” Shu Ke said, handing her the phone.
Xu Wu took the phone. “Yes, what is it?”
“I borrowed Zhou Jinye’s car this morning to come see my sister, but my foot isn’t in good shape. Zhou Jinye is on his way—he should arrive soon.”
Li Qingyang’s voice echoed in her ear.
Zhou Jinye was coming?
Her phone had regained enough charge to fully power on:
Beep. You have one missed call.
On the black screen, a string of missed calls popped up.
Xu Wu stared at the notifications, a swirl of unnamed emotions rising within her.
She tried to calm herself. Shu Ke was injured, and Li Qingyang couldn’t come due to his condition. Zhou Jinye was coming to check on his sister.
Why would this involve her?
“Hello?” she dialed back, and he answered quickly.
There was silence on the other end. Xu Wu held the phone lightly, her breathing soft. She tried again. “Zhou Jinye?”
“Mm, I’m here,” his hoarse voice finally responded.
Leaning against the wall, Xu Wu replied, “Shu Ke only hurt her forehead. Don’t worry.”
He gave a nonchalant “Mm” and then asked, “And you? Are you planning to leave instructions behind?”
“Instructions? What instructions?” Xu Wu was puzzled. What was he talking about?
The other side remained silent.
The post-rain sunlight filtered through the gauze curtains, casting a gentle glow on her face. “I’m fine.”
Another indifferent “Mm.” “I see.”
Thinking about what Li Qingyang had said, Xu Wu asked, “Are you on your way here now?”
“Yes, I’ll be there in about half an hour.”
Xu Wu pushed open the gauze curtain, watching dust dance in the golden light. “Drive carefully. Don’t worry about Shu Ke—I’m watching her at the hospital.”
With him driving, she didn’t say more and ended the call.
Watching Shu Ke’s sleeping profile, Xu Wu asked the nurse for a pillow. She adjusted it on the armrest of the bench and let Shu Ke rest comfortably.
While Shu Ke slept, Xu Wu didn’t sit idle for long. She went to the pharmacy window and bought a box of cold medicine.
The yellow sun slowly sank below the horizon, and the evening glow streamed through the corridor windows, casting dappled shadows on Xu Wu’s sleeping face.
The light danced on her eyelids, too bright. Xu Wu’s consciousness stirred, awakening hazily.
The familiar woody scent lingered in her nose. Something soft covered her chin.
Having taken cold medicine earlier to prevent illness, the effects were kicking in. Closing her eyes, she drifted off to sleep.
After sleeping for a while, her neck felt stiff. She turned her head slightly, catching a familiar silhouette in her half-open eyes.
Squinting again, her awareness gradually returned. “Zhou Jinye.”
Her voice, still soft from just waking up, caught his attention. Looking up, he saw a small patch of dried mud stuck to her cheek.
He reached out and gently wiped it away.
Still groggy, Xu Wu let him pinch her cheek without resistance.
“Hmm,” a sound escaped from Shu Ke, resting on Xu Wu’s shoulder.
The quiet corridor rustled with movement. Xu Wu instantly snapped awake, subtly pulling her head back.
Her skin retreated, but the warmth of her touch still lingered on his fingertips. Slowly retracting his hand, he said, “You had dirt on your face.”
Xu Wu pursed her lips. “Thank you.”
“Jinye Ge,” Shu Ke woke up and sat up from Xu Wu’s shoulder.
Zhou Jinye glanced at her slightly reddened earlobes and then looked at Shu Ke.
Fortunately, she had been asleep earlier; otherwise, explaining might have been troublesome.
Xu Wu’s arm felt stiff. As she moved to stretch, a suit jacket slipped off her shoulders.
So that was where the familiar scent came from.
Shu Ke, still half-asleep, looked at Xu Wu and then at Zhou Jinye.
“I arrived at the hospital and saw you two sleeping. I draped a jacket over you,” Zhou Jinye quickly explained, picking up the fallen jacket and brushing off the dust. Specks floated in the air. “Did you two sleep well?”
Shu Ke rubbed her eyes and opened them. By then, he had already put the jacket back on. “Mm, yes.”
He pulled the car keys from his pocket. “Then let’s go.”
“Jinye Ge, did my brother ask you to come?” Shu Ke, now fully awake, asked Zhou Jinye as they reached the guesthouse.
Zhou Jinye glanced back, his gaze landing on Xu Wu behind him. Their eyes met briefly before he casually replied, “Yes and no.”
Unconsciously, Xu Wu averted her gaze and gathered her belongings.
“Recently, we’ve had many guests. All the rooms are booked—there’s no extra space.”
There were only a few guesthouses in the town.
Zhou Jinye had arrived unexpectedly without a reservation, and there were no available rooms. Night was approaching, and he couldn’t stay without a place. Xu Wu hadn’t brought much luggage, so it was easy to tidy up.
“I’ll squeeze into a room with Shu Ke for now. If you don’t mind, you can use my room.”
“No need. Aren’t there other rooms with the men? I’ll just sleep on the floor and share with them.”
Xu Wu knew he couldn’t sleep on the floor. “You wouldn’t be used to it.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized what she had said. Shu Ke was right beside her, but Xu Wu avoided looking at her expression and quickly tried to smooth over her statement: “The floor here is hard, and the mattresses aren’t soft—it wouldn’t be comfortable to sleep on.”
“Yeah, I didn’t sleep well last night either,” Shu Ke chimed in.
He glanced at Xu Wu but didn’t say anything, nodding instead. Afterward, Xu Wu asked the owner for a blanket and a pillow.
Before leaving, she inquired about power outages.
This guesthouse had 24-hour electricity without interruptions.
She tidied up the room simply, knowing his habits. “Alright, you can go rest now. Everything’s clean—just remember to keep the light on at night.”
He nodded.
“Xu Wangshu,” Zhou Jinye called out to her from behind, “I’m glad you’re alright.”
“I just ordered hot pot nearby—come eat with Shu Ke.”
It was a straightforward statement, giving her no reason to refuse.
________________________________________
The lights of the small-town restaurants illuminated the streets brightly after night fell.
Generally, businesses in small towns closed relatively early, around eight o’clock in the evening.
Steam rose from the bubbling hot pot.
“It’s a blessing in disguise—you didn’t get seriously injured, so we should nourish ourselves well,” Shu Ke said, eyeing the meat in the pot.
There wasn’t a single dish in the hot pot that she disliked. The meal carried the comforting taste of home.
Xu Wu ate her fill during this meal.
As the bathroom door opened, humid air rushed out. Xu Wu dried her hair with the towel she had brought, then stepped out.
“Xu Wu, when we were sleeping in the hospital corridor earlier, wasn’t that suit jacket Zhou Jinye draped over you?”
Coming out of the bathroom, Xu Wu heard Shu Ke ask this and paused mid-towel-dry.
“It might’ve been placed on your side too.” Her response was vague.
Shu Ke sat on the chair, eyeing her suspiciously. “Impossible. Something’s off.”
Xu Wu calmly continued drying her hair.
Behind her, Shu Ke mused aloud, “Hmm… could it be that he has feelings for you?”
Her hand accidentally pulled at her hair while holding the towel. She looked up at Shu Ke, incredulous. “What are you talking about?”
“Maybe Jinye Ge really likes you.”
Shu Ke repeated her speculation.
Xu Wu’s lips twitched slightly. Knowing that Shu Ke was unaware of their history, she remained silent.
“He definitely likes you,” Shu Ke continued, lost in her own theory. “I thought he dated a lot of girls before and found him kind of sleazy, but later, my brother told me none of those relationships involved any intimacy.”
“Tsk, I vaguely remember he dated someone for quite a while. Xu Wu, weren’t you in the same school as him?”
She silently nodded, saying nothing.
“So, if that’s the case, you’re one year below him—did you know about his girlfriend back then?”
“No.”
“How could you not know? Stories about how much he doted on her spread even to our year,” Shu Ke frowned. “You really don’t know?”
Xu Wu shook her head. “Your body’s still dirty—go take a bath.”
Stories, huh?
Back then, he and she were dating—a high-profile relationship. Other girls approached him, but he would bluntly shut them down with, “I already have a girlfriend.”
His affection for her was genuine—he’d fill empty bottles with hot water until they overflowed.
Even when she casually mentioned missing her father, he came all the way from university just to pick her up the day before Tomb-Sweeping Day, accompanying her back to Jiangcheng.
That was also when she learned he wasn’t used to sleeping on hard floors…
The passionate young man would unhesitatingly bring her back to her hometown at her slightest word…
By the time they reached Jiangcheng High-Speed Railway Station, it took another two hours by car to get to her hometown. By the time they arrived, it was already evening.
Zhou Jinye was already an adult, but they only booked one room.
He gave the bed to Xu Wu and slept on the floor himself.
Because of his condition, the room’s light stayed on.
Under the bright light, the only sound was the ticking of the alarm clock on the tea table.
Xu Wu wasn’t used to sleeping with the light on, so she buried her head under the covers.
In her drowsy state, she heard faint rustling sounds from the edge of the bed. “Can’t you sleep?”
“Mm,” his voice was hoarse. “Did I wake you?”
“Mm, are you not used to it?”
He replied, “The floor’s too hard.”
Xu Wu pulled back the covers and looked at Zhou Jinye lying on the floor. “Why don’t you come sleep on the bed?”
Zhou Jinye’s gaze darkened. “No need. You sleep.”
At that time, Xu Wu only knew that Zhou Jinye had accompanied her to Jiangcheng—she slept on the bed, and he slept on the floor. She felt uneasy about it.
She got out of bed and pushed him, urging him to sleep on the bed while she took the floor instead.
Zhou Jinye covered his eyes with his hand, his voice still raspy. “Listen to me—go to sleep.”
Xu Wu stared at him for a long moment but eventually lay back down on the bed herself.
She quietly noted that he wasn’t used to sleeping on hard floors, though she never brought it up again.
________________________________________
“How’s it going?” Li Qingyang’s voice came through the phone. “Did you manage to clear up the misunderstanding from back then with Xu Wu?”
Zhou Jinye sat where Xu Wu had video-called him the previous night. The evening breeze brushed past as he spoke lazily, “That doesn’t matter anymore.”
“What do you mean, ‘doesn’t matter’?” Li Qingyang chirped impatiently into the phone. “What happened between you two?”
Annoyed, Zhou Jinye sneered, “Why are you so nosy?”
Li Qingyang retorted from the other end, “I’m concerned about your lifelong happiness, and you call me nosy?”
“You should focus on your ingrown toenail and see a general surgeon at the hospital as soon as possible.” It was late at night, and Zhou Jinye was too lazy to continue the conversation. “That’s all for now. Goodbye.”
The streetlights still shone brightly. Zhou Jinye lay on the bed.
When he heard about Shu Ke’s accident, the first thing that crossed his mind was that Xu Wu was also there.
The four-hour drive from the city to the town gave him plenty of time to think about Xu Wu’s situation.
He dared not imagine the worst-case scenario. On the way, he still harbored resentment over their breakup, wanting to confront her and demand the truth. But when Xu Wu called him and he heard her voice, all his grievances and questions suddenly seemed unimportant.
He closed his eyes. As long as she was safe.
The morning breeze swept through, ringing the small bells hanging in the pavilion. Red ribbons fluttered in the wind, carrying wooden plaques inscribed with wishes.
This was the final filming location in the town—one of the popular tourist spots: Fuling Temple.
The crisp sound of bells echoed in the air.
The accumulation of wish plaques swayed gently.
The cylindrical pavilion above was adorned with countless plaques.
This pavilion was Fuling Temple’s “trademark”—wishes written on these plaques were said to come true.
“Where do we get the wish plaques?” Shu Ke, curious and hopeful, asked Old Wu beside her.
“Just go to that window over there.” Old Wu pointed to a small house with a tiny window.
“Xu Wu, since we’re here, why don’t we write our wishes together and see if they come true?” She looked at Xu Wu.
“Sure, do you want to go?” Xu Wu agreed with Shu Ke and then turned to ask Zhou Jinye.
He initially said he’d leave early in the morning, but later followed behind Xu Wu and the others. When asked, he said he’d return with them, always staying close behind.
“No need—I’ve hung one before.” Zhou Jinye gazed at the mass of plaques overhead; some inscriptions were clear, while others had faded.
“From before?” Xu Wu asked. “Did your wish come true?”
As the wind blew, the sound of bells rang once more. He nodded at her. “It did.”
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