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Psst! We're moving!
Turning the corner, Zhou Heng slowed his pace.
“It was pressed under the plate,” Zhou Heng tossed the silver lighter into the air and caught it. “Fortunately, when I rushed back, the waiter hadn’t started clearing the table yet. If they had been slightly careless, they definitely would have taken my lighter to the kitchen and thrown it into the sink with the dishes.”
Cheng Wanyue was still leaning against the corner, her entire figure enveloped in shadows.
After they hastily separated, Qing Hang retreated under the streetlight. The damp heat of sweat in his palm hadn’t yet dissipated, and his breathing was uneven. Though Zhou Heng’s voice was right beside him, he clearly saw Cheng Wanyue extend her tongue to lick the bloodstain at the corner of her mouth.
“It’s good that you found it,” Cheng Wanyue brushed aside a strand of hair stuck to her cheek.
Her gaze started from Qing Hang’s feet, slowly traveling up along his legs. She lingered for two seconds at his waist and abdomen, then smiled as she looked at Zhou Heng. “You ran pretty fast.”
Zhou Heng said, “When I first started working, I trained in the emergency department for two months. Being slow wasn’t an option.”
Still catching his breath, he approached and noticed Cheng Wanyue’s bag and the paper bag Qing Hang was holding lying on the ground. “Did something happen between you two?”
Qing Hang bent down to pick up the items.
The force had been too strong, leaving a faint red mark on her collarbone.
“Nothing happened,” Cheng Wanyue pointed to the drainage outlet by the roadside. “Just now, a rat ran out of the sewer pipe.”
“Rats aren’t aggressive animals; there’s nothing to be afraid of. We handled plenty of them during experiments back in school.” Zhou Heng’s attention quickly shifted. “I thought you’d already gone home. It’s still early. Want to walk a bit more?”
“No, I’ve walked a lot today,” she glanced down at her high heels. “My feet hurt a little.”
Zhou Heng didn’t insist. He had always been very gentlemanly around women. “Alright, go back and rest early. Sleeping early is good for your skin, health, and prevents hair loss.”
The walk home was like the journey from the hot pot restaurant to the corner, with Zhou Heng chatting with Cheng Wanyue about various topics while Qing Hang silently walked on the outside.
Separated by one person, Cheng Wanyue occasionally slowed down by half a step. Her gaze passed over Zhou Heng’s shoulder toward Qing Hang. Qing Hang knew that the night could conceal all physiological reactions, but thinking about the intimacy hidden in the darkness just minutes ago—where their breaths entangled—made even her light glance feel like it could ignite the thin oxygen in the heated air, as if Zhou Heng were casually playing with his lighter.
He thought she was looking at him, but she wasn’t.
She might have been looking at the speeding cars on the road, the late-night strolling students, the homeless man rummaging through trash bins, or perhaps just casually glancing this way after hearing some sound.
He just happened to be standing in that direction. That fleeting moment of eye contact felt like an illusion.
Just like under the streetlight at the corner, when she lowered her head while talking to Zhou Heng and their eyes met—but in reality, she was only looking at her high heels.
Upon reaching the building, Qing Hang handed both the bag and the paper bag to Cheng Wanyue.
Cheng Wanyue took them and politely thanked him, “Thank you, Doctor Qing.”
Zhou Heng said goodbye to her. Standing on the steps, she smiled, her gaze passing over Zhou Heng.
“See you next time.”
This was the only thing Qing Hang was certain tonight—that she was saying this to him.
...
Cheng Yan Qing didn’t return too late. He had been drinking but wasn’t drunk. He went inside to grab a bottle of cold water, drank a few sips, then turned to knock on Cheng Wanyue’s door.
“Come in.”
He opened the door but didn’t enter, just leaned against the doorway.
Cheng Wanyue was doing yoga. The dress fell out of the paper bag and was casually thrown onto a chair.
She had worn that dress several times, so it was likely she no longer liked it.
She tied her hair into a bun, revealing a clean oval face. Cheng Yan Qing noticed a spot on her lower lip that was noticeably darker than her natural lip color.
“In a good mood, huh? Got it handled?”
Cheng Wanyue thought for a moment. “About thirty percent.”
“Cheng Wanyue, that’s not enough. You need more practice in dating. There are online manuals for taming men. Buy one at any cost, and you’ll make rapid progress. You might get over the honeymoon phase by next week.”
“Very funny. Do I need those?” She didn’t need extra tutoring. “You’re the expert, Mr. Flower-Giver for years.”
Cheng Yan Qing took a sip of water. “What flowers?”
“The ones my sister-in-law just posted on her social media. So it wasn’t you who sent them?” Cheng Wanyue pretended to be surprised. “I wonder who sent them. Their taste isn’t bad. Oh, someone’s been locked in the doghouse again—or maybe directly unfriended?”
Cheng Yan Qing immediately closed the door to make a phone call.
His girlfriend had gone abroad for further studies for a year and would return in six months. Distance didn’t stop their arguments.
He and his girlfriend had very similar tempers, not complementary at all. When they were good, they were incredibly loving, every moment like the honeymoon phase. But when they fought, it was intense—arguing over the phone wasn’t enough; they bought plane tickets to argue face-to-face.
They had only been together for two months, and friends and family already thought they were close to breaking up. But somehow, amidst their quarrels, they had been together for three years, their bond strengthening with each fight.
Both families had met, and they planned to finalize the wedding during the Spring Festival.
Cheng YuZhou had already registered their marriage and would hold the wedding in October.
Only Cheng Wanyue remained.
After taking a bath, Cheng Wanyue picked up her phone and took a selfie under the light. She posted it on social media along with the animated GIF of the Teletubby swinging.
There was nothing particularly special about the photo, but upon zooming in, one could clearly see the bite mark on her lower lip.
Qing Hang liked the post.
But canceled it the next second.
More than one person commented, asking whether it was bitten by someone or scratched by a cat. Watching the black crescent moon avatar disappear from the likes, Cheng Wanyue replied to a friend: After eating hot pot, I’m feeling overheated.
...
In the morning, when Cheng Wanyue got up, Cheng Yan Qing had already prepared breakfast. He hummed a tune, seemingly in a good mood.
His presence at home indicated that last night’s call was merely a relationship booster between him and his girlfriend; otherwise, he would already be abroad.
Cheng Wanyue liked eating noodles for breakfast. They slurped their noodles while watching TV.
She had to find a show or variety program to accompany her meal, otherwise she wouldn’t enjoy it. As she flipped through channels, she suddenly saw a familiar face. She pressed the button too quickly, switching to the next channel, but somehow switched back unexpectedly.
The camera zoomed in on the actress’s face, just as Cheng Yan Qing happened to look up.
Qin Hua was the only female star to emerge from the small town of Bai Cheng. Compared to those who were virtually unknown in the entertainment industry, she had already achieved significant success, having starred in a hit drama and making appearances in major films.
On TV, an interview program featuring her was being broadcast.
Qin Hua didn’t follow the idol route. At thirty years old, actresses her age no longer avoided discussing personal topics as they did when they first debuted. The host easily steered the conversation toward relationships.
When talking about her first love, a fleeting sadness crossed her expression.
The host joked, “Do you regret it?”
“I don’t regret it. My lifelong dream has always been to become an actress, and I feel that any sacrifice for my dream is worth it. I just… suddenly felt a bit nostalgic. Maybe no one will ever love me the way he did.”
“He must have treated you very well if you’ve remembered him for so many years, right?”
Qin Hua gave a faint smile.
“He was wonderful, truly wonderful. He even transferred to a school in Beijing for me. How good was he to me? So good that my friends would joke that I must have saved the galaxy in my past life. Back then, if he had a thousand yuan in his pocket, he’d spend nine hundred and ninety on me, leaving himself only ten yuan for bus fare and instant noodles. No matter how far away I had auditions, he would accompany me, staying up until three or four in the morning without a single complaint. He only worried about whether I was cold, hungry, or being mistreated.”
The host sighed, “I feel so sorry just hearing this.”
Qin Hua said, “When you’re young, you want too many things—roles to play, fame, recognition—and in the process, you lose the most precious person.”
They quickly moved on to other topics. Qin Hua’s appearance on the show was primarily to promote her upcoming drama.
Cheng Yan Qing had already finished his bowl of noodles, while Cheng Wanyue started eating only after switching to a variety show. Cheng Yan Qing’s cooking skills had improved significantly. Since Cheng Wanyue’s lips were chapped, he hadn’t added any chili, keeping the dish light. She drank every last drop of the noodle broth.
“You went through all that for her, huh?”
“Everyone has their moments of being blind and deaf.”
In student days, when you like someone, no matter what others say or how they try to dissuade you, that person is the best in your eyes, regardless of whether they’re good or bad.
“The past is the past,” Cheng Yan Qing said with a calm demeanor. “Does your foot still hurt?”
Cheng Wanyue swung her leg up onto the chair. “It hasn’t hurt for a long time.”
“I’ll wash the dishes. The weather isn’t too hot today. You tidy up, put on makeup, change clothes, and I’ll take you out shopping.”
“You’re planning to take leave next week to visit your fiancée, right? You’ll need to adjust to the time difference, so why not rest at home this weekend?”
“Your sister-in-law has been charmed by blonde-haired, blue-eyed men. I need to spruce myself up and make her swoon when she sees me.”
“Then don’t waste money on useless things. Taking off your clothes would be more straightforward.”
“Cheng Wanyue!” Cheng Yan Qing threw the dishcloth heavily onto the table. After a moment, he turned around. “I’ll take your advice. I’m naturally handsome and don’t rely on clothes. I’ll buy you a few new outfits instead, you ugly duckling.”
“Wah! Thank you, ugly duckling!”
Her phone vibrated. Cheng Wanyue picked it up—it was a WeChat message.
lune : I’ve made an appointment for you. Come for a follow-up on Monday.
She replied: I’m busy.
Ten minutes later.
lune : What are you busy with?
No punctuation marks.
Y : Guess.
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