CITM - 49

Ye Yun thought that after Bai Wenfu had left her behind, he wouldn’t wait for her anymore. But when she reached the end of the alley, his tall figure stood by the gate of the courtyard, his ink-black eyes gazing in her direction, heavy with the weight of half a lifetime.

He had waited for her return. Watching her approach, he lowered his gaze and swept her into his arms, carrying her across the threshold.

From tender licks to unrestrained kisses, his palm cupped the nape of her neck, their lips brushing and entwining. Her heartbeat was repeatedly overwhelmed, her vision falling into darkness as her mind filled entirely with the intensity of his emotions.

It was as though only through this most primal act could he feel her presence again and again—her heartbeat, her breaths, the tangible connection between them.

The neatly made bed quickly became disheveled. She was now so sensitive to him that the moment his scent invaded her senses, her body would go limp.

Afterward, he held her close for a long while, savoring her before finally stepping out of bed to light a cigarette in the courtyard.

When he returned to the room, Ye Yun was still curled up under the covers. The only difference was that the glass of water originally on the table was now half-empty, and the scattered clothes at the foot of the bed had been moved inside.

Bai Wenfu’s gaze flickered over the glass, and he sat down on the edge of the bed. His hand stroked the gathered quilt, causing the delicate body beneath it to tremble slightly. His hand slipped further inside, grabbing the clothes and pulling them out.

Ye Yun opened her eyes in alarm. In Bai Wenfu’s hand was a small white pill, his face dark with fury.

“What is this?”

Ye Yun clutched the corner of the blanket, shrinking back toward the headboard. Bai Wenfu leaned down, holding the pill up to her face, his voice seething with anger: “Did Su Hong give this to you?”

Her body was covered in love bites—moments ago, she had been soft and yielding beneath him, but now here she was, hiding from him by taking contraceptive pills.

He raised his hand, crushing the pill into his palm. The deep furrows etched into his brow highlighted the jagged scar on his face, which looked terrifying. His fist hovered near Ye Yun’s head, his knuckles cracking audibly.

She tightened her grip on the blanket, closed her eyes, and trembled uncontrollably.

“You think I want to touch you!”

The bed shifted as he got up. She squinted to see him grinding the pill to dust with his fist before tossing it aside.

As he had said, he didn’t touch her again.

That night, he turned his back to her, refusing even to brush against the hem of her clothes. His broad frame took up most of the bed; every time he moved, he pulled the blanket away with him. Unable to bear the winter chill, Ye Yun instinctively moved closer to him, curling up at the edge of the blanket.

Without turning around, his harsh voice cut through the silence: “Stay away from me.”

With no choice, Ye Yun scooted further toward the wall, pulling her coat over herself. Her small feet were exposed, freezing painfully. Tentatively stretching her legs under the blanket, she accidentally brushed against Bai Wenfu’s leg. Its warmth startled her, and she quickly withdrew.

Suddenly, darkness enveloped her as Bai Wenfu threw the blanket over her, covering her completely from head to toe. Ye Yun pushed the blanket aside to peek out and saw that his upper body was exposed. She reached out to pull the blanket over him, but he swatted her hand away, got out of bed, and walked out into the courtyard, where he sat until midnight.

Later that night, Ye Yun felt herself being pulled into an embrace. Comforted, she fell into a deep sleep.

But when she woke up in the morning, Bai Wenfu was gone. She looked around but couldn’t find him anywhere.

Ever since Ye Yun had spoken those words to him days ago, he had stayed by her side without leaving, even locking the door behind him whenever he went out to buy cigarettes at the alleyway entrance.

Ye Yun got out of bed and glanced outside through the window. Sure enough, Bai Wenfu had left the house. She walked to the front door, placed her hand on the doorknob, and gently turned it to the right. The door opened, letting in the cold winter breeze mixed with the first light of dawn.

He hadn’t locked it—he had returned this gateway to her future. Ye Yun raised her head, sunlight streaming into her eyes, revealing a world brimming with infinite possibilities.

She stood there for a long moment before turning back into the house, heading to the corner where she rummaged through a cloth bag.

At the bottom of the brown, elongated fabric pouch lay folded items. She emptied the contents onto the floor, finding the money bag. Quickly untying the string, she opened it to reveal various denominations of crumpled bills.

As she prepared to count all the money, she noticed several hundred-dollar notes tucked underneath. Clutching the cash tightly, Ye Yun sat on the floor, stunned for a long while.

She carefully repacked everything back into the cloth bag. Just as she stood up, something caught her eye—a folded piece of paper had slipped under the sewing machine. Bending down, she picked it up and unfolded it.

Seeing Ma Jianliang’s handwriting momentarily disoriented her. Her gaze landed on the address written there: Hudu.

“I’m going to Hudu next month. Make me some clothes—choose whatever style you like. I only have one request: make sure they outshine all the women in Hudu.”

“What do people wear there?”

“All kinds of things—it’s very fashionable.”

Fang Lizhen’s words echoed repeatedly in Ye Yun’s mind. A more developed city, diverse styles of clothing, evolving aesthetics, high tolerance, and demand—all willing to pay for her creativity and innovation.

Hudu—a place known for its inclusiveness, blending Eastern and Western cultures, distinct seasons, and a prime geographical location. The vibrant urban scene she had once glimpsed through the square television screen suddenly flooded her thoughts, expanding endlessly and occupying her mind.

Ye Yun refolded the paper and placed it back in the cloth bag. Turning to the sewing machine, she lifted the cover.

Bai Wenfu hadn’t been gone long. By noon, he was already back, carelessly tossing his bike into the courtyard without bothering to lock it before pushing open the door.

Ye Yun sat quietly at the sewing machine, her short hair tucked behind her ears, her tranquil features focused intently. The rhythmic sound of stitching filled the air, and Bai Wenfu’s tense expression softened slightly.

She paused what she was doing and turned her head to look at him. Their eyes met. His gaze was turbulent and complex.

Ye Yun withdrew her eyes and continued with her work. Bai Wenfu turned back to prepare lunch.

The two of them had a quiet meal together. Although Ye Yun still ate very little, at least she wasn’t deliberately starving herself anymore or confronting him in silent protest.

In the afternoon, she stayed inside working, while Bai Wenfu built a fence in the yard. Neither of them spoke, not disturbing each other.

That night, he still didn’t touch her. Ye Yun quietly curled up by the wall. In the middle of the night, she turned over and opened her sleepy eyes, only to find Bai Wenfu’s dark, clear eyes gazing at her without blinking.

Most of her sleepiness dissipated. In the darkness, the two silently looked at each other. Then, Ye Yun turned back around and closed her eyes again.

The next day, Bai Wenfu still went out for a short while. Ye Yun was nearly finished with the coat she had been working on and kept herself busy from morning until night.

On the third day, as soon as the front door closed, Ye Yun got up. She quickly tidied up, folded the finished coat, and left the house.

Arriving at Second Tail Alley, she found a small boy on the street, gave him some change, and asked him to deliver a message to Fang Lizhen at the apartment complex.

After the boy ran off, she touched the hundred-yuan bills in her pocket and headed straight to the tailor shop. The closer she got, the more mixed her emotions became. From a distance, she saw the tailor shop’s door tightly shut. She quickened her pace, only to find a notice posted on the door announcing the shop had closed last week.

Ye Yun stood stunned before the closed shop door, clutching the money in her pocket, her eyes shadowed with light and dark.

Before long, Fang Lizhen arrived at the shop. Ye Yun handed over the finished coat.

Fang Lizhen tried it on and was delighted: “You’re really good at this. I was worried you wouldn’t finish it in time. I even went to the department store a couple of days ago and couldn’t find anything suitable. Let’s see, how much should I pay you?”

It was a labor-intensive coat, and a winter one at that. Normally, the cost would be high. Fang Lizhen had come prepared and brought enough money.

But Ye Yun said, “I don’t want money. I just need a favor.”

She grabbed Fang Lizhen’s hand and pressed the money into her palm.

...

Ye Yun had been gone a while. When she returned to the alley, she was no longer hesitant or adrift—there was determination and fearlessness in her eyes.

Arriving at the small house, she paused for a moment. The yard gate was open, and Bai Wenfu’s car had already returned.

She walked into the yard, closed the gate behind her, and stepped into the house. Bai Wenfu met her at the door, and she fell into his familiar embrace.

“Where did you go?” he asked, breathing heavily.

For the first time, she raised her arms and hugged him back, burying her face in his chest. “Delivering the coat,” she replied.

He hadn’t touched her in days. Her sudden response left him breathless. He picked her up with one arm and placed her on the table.

As he lowered his head and touched her lips, both of them trembled with emotion. He parted her lips and kissed her deeply. Ye Yun’s eyes filled with tears under his kiss. Even though she had told herself to resist his gentleness, being kissed like this, she still longed for him.

His kisses trailed to her ears. She lay limp against him, her voice soft and powerless: “If you gave this kind of tenderness to another woman, few would be able to resist. You could still find—”

Before she could finish, he bit her neck hard, making her cry out softly, “Gentle!”

His hand moved toward her pants. “Hard? I haven’t even used any strength yet. What are you moaning for?”

Ye Yun was pushed down on the table. Her limbs spread open by him. She lifted her head to seek his lips. He lowered his head, waiting for her kiss. All the sorrow melted into endless desire.

As he watched her trembling figure in his arms, his chest tightened painfully. Her curves were breathtaking, white as snow. Under the dim light, she dazzled the eyes. Her waist, soft and slender, overflowed with sensuality at the slightest touch.

She was born to be a seductress—enough to drive a man mad, to drown in her tenderness and never want to wake up.

The thought of her leaving him, being with someone else in the future, made Bai Wenfu’s chest feel like it would explode. His eyes turned red, like a beast on the verge of losing control.

The frenzy of desperation brought a soul-shaking madness, like a blade tearing through the night. Spring desires surged, endless and overwhelming.

He had no sound body, no flawless skin. His past was dark, filled with stories that made others fearful. He was not accepted by society, not recognized by the public.

Yet despite all that, he gave her the most unforgettable, soul-deep love.

On the morning of the 19th, Ye Yun stayed in bed, unwilling to get up. Before Bai Wenfu left the house, he bent down and kissed her cheek.

She heard the door open and slowly opened her eyes.

That morning, shortly after Bai Wenfu left, Ye Yun slung a cloth bag over her shoulder and left the small house. She left behind everything Bai Wenfu had bought for her, except for the books he had given her.

On the neatly made bed lay a set of clothes she had sewn for Bai Wenfu herself.

On top of the clothes were the betrothal gifts the Bai family had once given her—every cent accounted for, not a penny less.

This was her farewell to him.

...

As she walked out of the slums, Ye Yun’s eyes were vigilant, scanning every passerby on the street. She walked quickly, not stopping for a second, leaving behind this place that devoured people.

She didn’t know how far she had walked when she heard the sound of a bicycle bell. Lü Ping stopped her bike in front of her, glanced at the cloth bag in her hand, and asked, “Where are you going?”

Ye Yun was in a hurry, carrying something heavy. Her nose was sweating, and she panted lightly, staring at Lü Ping with guarded eyes.

Lü Ping looked at the road ahead, then turned back to her. “Get on. I’ll take you.”

Ye Yun frowned warily.

Lü Ping’s gaze slid over her face, a playful smile tugging at her lips. “If you walk this road, I guarantee Bai Wenfu will catch you before you’re out of Second Tail Alley. Look ahead.”

Ye Yun followed her gaze to the row of shops ahead.

“Both rows of shopkeepers know him. You’re carrying such an eye-catching bag—there’s no way you won’t be recognized. Try it if you don’t believe me.”

Lü Ping tossed the items on the backseat into the front basket.

“I’ll take you through a different route. Don’t worry. In this alley, I’m the person who most wants you to leave—and the last one who’d want Bai Wenfu to find you.”

Ye Yun looked into Lü Ping’s eyes. After a moment, she jumped on the bike.

“The train station.”

Lü Ping immediately turned into a side alley. After winding through several paths, they emerged onto a wide, unfamiliar street.

The wind brushed against Ye Yun’s face, lifting her short hair. The scenery flashed past her eyes. This was her final impression of the city.

Lü Ping pedaled quickly to the train station. As Ye Yun got off, Lü Ping let out a long breath. “You finally left. My chance has come again.”

Ye Yun’s face paled for a moment. Still, she lifted her head and said, “Thank you for bringing me here.”

Then she turned to leave. Lü Ping looked at her thin, fragile back and, dropping her sarcasm, called out: “Hey.”

Ye Yun stopped and turned.

“My family introduced me to a guy. I’m dating him now.”

Lü Ping smiled. “People have to look ahead. Go on.”

Ye Yun’s cold eyes shimmered with light. She smiled faintly and waved goodbye.

As the train pulled away, Ye Yun’s mind echoed with a thought she never told Bai Wenfu—because she didn’t want to add to their sorrow.

She had always wanted to tell him that if it hadn’t been something involving his family, if there had been any other way—she truly intended to stay with him, to work through the rumors, to brave the judgmental eyes, to stand with him against the world until the end of time.

But there were no more “ifs.”