The fully loaded truck drove along the country road, the bumpy dirt path making Lin Yiran dizzy. On both sides of the road were ponds divided into separate sections. In the windless evening, the water surface calmly reflected the sky.

If the camera pulled back, the entire scene would be still. The truck entered from one corner of the frame, rumbling through without taking away the serenity or the living essence embedded in the crops and ponds.

Beyond the long asphalt country road was a village filled with family-run factories.

Qiu Xing drove the truck to the freight station and told Lin Yiran to stay in the vehicle, not letting her get out. Qiu Xing didn’t come to this place often and wasn’t very familiar with the people here. Lin Yiran wasn’t feeling well, so she didn’t follow him.

At first glance, this place resembled Brother Lin’s repair shop, except there were more vehicles parked here. Drivers wore tank tops or were bare-chested, with large shorts below, mostly speaking in dialect.

People passing by with cigarettes in their mouths would look into the truck, and upon seeing the young, pretty girl sitting in the passenger seat, would stare unabashedly, their gazes completely uninhibited.

Lin Yiran didn’t know where Qiu Xing had gone. She looked around but couldn’t find him. She turned on her phone, which had been off for many days, then went to sit in the back, on Qiu Xing’s bunk, so that people passing by outside couldn’t see her.

Qiu Xing was gone for nearly an hour, and the sky had completely darkened.

The light in the truck grew very dim. Lin Yiran curled up in the back, her head against the truck wall. The discomfort in her body wasn’t sharp, but it was constant, causing her to feel waves of cold in the otherwise stuffy summer night.

Messages popped up one after another on her phone. The most recent one was sent several days ago—since she kept her phone off, the sender had stopped contacting her. Looking at these messages, Lin Yiran still felt a vague uneasiness, though not particularly alarmed, despite knowing she couldn’t stay with Qiu Xing forever. When the break ended, she would go to school alone, and then she would have to face these things again.

But at this moment, Lin Yiran chose not to think about it.

“Lin Xiaoboat.”

She heard Qiu Xing calling her from below the truck.

“Yes,” Lin Yiran responded immediately.

“Bring your things and come down,” Qiu Xing said.

“Okay,” Lin Yiran answered and went to get her bag.

Qiu Xing added: “Bring mine down too.”

Lin Yiran had already moved to the passenger side and leaned her head out to ask him: “What should I bring?”

“Toiletries,” Qiu Xing was about to say something more, but after a pause, he said, “Just come down, I’ll get them myself.”

Lin Yiran carried her bag while Qiu Xing brought his change of clothes and toiletries as they walked through the parking lot.

There weren’t as many people in the parking lot as before, just a few scattered individuals. Lin Yiran could feel people watching her with undisguised appraisal.

It wasn’t that Lin Yiran was particularly eye-catching, but in a place like this, the mere presence of a woman was strange, let alone a young girl. She was out of place here; everyone had to look a few times.

Past the parking lot, through two small buildings, accompanied by dog barks, Qiu Xing led her into a huge courtyard.

Two large black dogs barked furiously in their direction. The barking startled Lin Yiran. One of the dogs approached them while barking, and Lin Yiran closed her eyes tightly, pressing close to Qiu Xing.

Qiu Xing ignored it. The dog stopped a few steps away from them, just standing there barking.

In the courtyard were several rows of houses, some with lights on, others with pitch-black windows.

The courtyard was crowded. Most of those drivers from earlier were here. Some sat together smoking, while others had set up small tables for drinking.

Qiu Xing didn’t greet anyone, leading Lin Yiran directly to one of the rooms, opening the door and turning on the light.

The room was extremely bare. Two single beds were placed against the walls on either side, with a table inside on which sat a liquid crystal television of uncertain age. Besides that, there was only a plastic stool tucked under the table, and two electric fans hanging on the wall.

Qiu Xing left the doors and windows open and turned on the fans, telling Lin Yiran: “You’ll stay with me.”

Lin Yiran nodded repeatedly. In a place like this, she wouldn’t dare stay alone anyway.

She put her bag on the bed. The sheets at least looked quite clean, with no obvious stains.

The truck would have to wait outside in line for unloading at night. Later, someone from the freight station would come to drive it over. The sounds of other trucks being unloaded would continue clanging throughout the night. After unloading, they would need to leave at four in the morning.

So tonight they could only sleep here. Lin Yiran didn’t ask anything; no matter how poor the conditions, she never showed unwillingness or the slightest difficulty.

The toilet and bathroom are outside. I’ll take you there,” Qiu Xing said.

In a place like this, Lin Yiran originally didn’t want to take a shower, but after hesitating, she still brought her bathing supplies—she wasn’t feeling well today.

The bathroom was a separate cubicle that could be locked from the inside. It wasn’t dirty, just very old.

Before entering, Lin Yiran looked back at Qiu Xing. Qiu Xing raised his chin slightly, gesturing for her to go in.

During their time together, Lin Yiran and Qiu Xing had developed a kind of tacit understanding. For instance, right now, though Qiu Xing hadn’t spoken, she understood that he meant he would wait for her here.

Just one look from Qiu Xing was enough to reassure Lin Yiran. She knew he wouldn’t leave her alone here.

After Lin Yiran finished washing, Qiu Xing asked her to wait inside while he quickly showered in another stall and changed his clothes.

As they walked back, Qiu Xing walked ahead, minding his own business. Lin Yiran still had a damp coolness clinging to her, but her clothes were buttoned up completely.

The two large black dogs were still barking wildly in the courtyard. Lin Yiran stuck close to Qiu Xing, darting inside as soon as he opened the door.

Although they normally lived together in the truck, at an even closer distance, somehow sharing a room with two beds felt different.

But neither of them minded—Qiu Xing naturally didn’t care, and Lin Yiran had no luxury to worry about such things.

She didn’t use the pillow on the bed, nor did she cover herself with the blanket.

She put on Qiu Xing’s dirty clothes over her own and used her backpack as a pillow.

Qiu Xing lay on the other bed and said: “Call me if you need anything.”

Lin Yiran responded softly, and Qiu Xing closed his eyes to sleep.

Outside gradually quieted down, with occasional people passing by not far from their door. In a place like this, Lin Yiran couldn’t sleep. She lay straight on the single bed, eyes closed, listening to Qiu Xing’s breathing.

This place didn’t make her feel as secure as the truck did.

She carefully rolled over, facing the wall, curling up with her hands at her stomach, clutching Qiu Xing’s clothes that she was wearing.

In the deep night, Lin Yiran dozed off for a while, but didn’t sleep soundly.

Half asleep, half awake, she suddenly opened her eyes and slightly raised her head to look toward the window.

In that instant, Lin Yiran’s heart suddenly contracted.

Someone was looking in through the window. In the darkness, Lin Yiran couldn’t make out their face clearly, but she could distinctly see the shape of a person.

Lin Yiran immediately sat up in bed, her chest heaving violently.

The person at the door, seeing she was awake, turned and left, moving leisurely as if nothing was amiss.

The scene was so similar to what had happened at the rental room. For a long time afterward, Lin Yiran’s breathing remained rapid, her heart pounding.

She didn’t dare close her eyes again, constantly feeling like someone was watching her.

Fear wrapped around her in the darkness. The only thing that could calm her was the sound of Qiu Xing’s breathing.

Lin Yiran put on her shoes and quietly walked to Qiu Xing’s bedside, sitting down at the foot of the bed.

Lin Yiran was a strong girl. When life’s misfortunes came, disasters piling one after another—losing her mother, then being pushed to such circumstances by her father—what she was going through was too difficult for a young person who had just come of age.

But despite all this, she remained relatively calm. Except for those few times when she had frantically sought help from Qiu Xing, the rest of the time she quietly stayed by his side. In such an awkward and difficult situation, she made herself appear as composed as possible.

She accepted it all with sadness and grief, without self-pity or crying in daily life.

But that night, although she tried to keep her breathing as quiet as possible, Qiu Xing still heard her.

Perhaps because she wasn’t feeling well, perhaps because she’d been frightened, or perhaps because everything over this period had finally crushed her enough to temporarily let her emotions loose.

Qiu Xing opened his eyes and saw her sitting by his legs, her back very straight, silently wiping away tears.

She was already thin, and staying on Qiu Xing’s truck through this difficult time had made her even thinner.

Now wearing Qiu Xing’s T-shirt—even with her shirt underneath—it still hung loosely on her. Her shoulders and back were so thin, her neck slender. With her head slightly lowered, the curve looked fragile and vulnerable.

She didn’t know Qiu Xing was awake, trying hard to make her breathing steady and quiet.

Qiu Xing let her cry quietly for a while before speaking: “What are you doing sitting here?”

Lin Yiran visibly straightened even more, turning back to Qiu Xing. This time she didn’t apologize, only said softly: “Qiu Xing, I’m scared.”

Qiu Xing made an “mm” sound, his calm voice sounding inexplicably gentle in the darkness: “Scared of what?”

Lin Yiran’s voice still revealed she had been crying, slightly hoarse: “There was someone at the window just now.”

“Scared you to tears?”

Lin Yiran shook her head and said: “No.”

Qiu Xing moved inward, creating more space in front of him.

Lin Yiran looked toward that space, then silently moved over.

This was where Qiu Xing had been lying, and it still held his body warmth. It was closer to Qiu Xing, with his arm right behind her.

Qiu Xing lay flat, closing his eyes and saying: “I’ll sleep a bit more. Tired. We’ll leave soon.”

Lin Yiran made an “mm” sound and said: “You sleep.”

Qiu Xing was always silent, yet he always managed to create a small safe space for her beside him. The space wasn’t big, just enough for her to fit.

As long as she had this space, Lin Yiran could stay calm in any environment, waiting for Qiu Xing to finish his work and take her away.

In the time that followed, she went with Qiu Xing to more places, met more strangers, and saw more facets of Qiu Xing.

Qiu Xing wasn’t always as he appeared. Sometimes he would joke with those uncles, speaking sweetly with an unlit cigarette between his teeth.

At these times, Qiu Xing matched Lin Yiran’s childhood impression of him—a mischievous boy.

And no matter where Qiu Xing went, he always left that small space for Lin Yiran. He wouldn’t specifically instruct her on anything, nor would he constantly pay attention to her, only occasionally glancing back.

Lin Yiran would always stay at a distance that was neither too far nor too close, her gaze always following him. Whenever Qiu Xing looked back, their eyes would meet, caught by her gentle and constant gaze.

As time passed, everyone knew that Qiu Xing had a little girlfriend whom he always brought along and protected fiercely. The little girlfriend didn’t talk much but was very pretty.

Qiu Xing never bothered to explain much—he couldn’t be bothered.

Their relationship had changed somewhat from the beginning, becoming more tacit, with more eye contact, and Lin Yiran no longer always so polite.

In this gradually deepening tacit understanding, they inevitably grew closer, though neither of them realized it.

*

Qiu Xing walked below the truck. The passenger side wheels were already half suspended in the air, as the roadside had a slope with a ditch below.

Two trucks were parked on the roadside, each with several workers in the cargo area, directly transferring goods from one truck to another. This way, they could pass items directly, saving the intermediate journey.

Lin Yiran hadn’t gotten out of the truck. Qiu Xing walked past the passenger side, standing on the slope, and reached up to hand a thick wad of cash to Lin Yiran.

Lin Yiran leaned out to take it, asking softly: “Should I count it?”

Qiu Xing said: “Yes, count it.”

Lin Yiran said: “Okay.”

After counting, Lin Yiran sent a message to Qiu Xing with the number. She was using Qiu Xing’s phone—he had only taken his work phone with him, leaving the less-used one in the truck.

Qiu Xing replied: “Got it.”

They were all familiar faces who came and went regularly. When collecting payment, Qiu Xing couldn’t count it on the spot, just pocketed it, but there were indeed times when the cash amount didn’t match.

He often just tossed cash into the truck, and Lin Yiran would collect it and put it in the designated money spot.

Lin Yiran’s university admission letter had already been retrieved from the school and was kept in the truck along with her records, ID card, and bank card. She no longer had to carry everything with her, even to the bathroom.

Qiu Xing tacitly permitted all her actions. In this truck, whatever Lin Yiran did was allowed.

They had been parked on this abandoned road for nearly three hours, unloading goods, and were only halfway done.

Lin Yiran’s side of the door faced the ditch slope. Due to the gradient, she would be unable to stand steadily and might fall straight into the ditch. The driver’s side door was blocked by the adjacent truck and couldn’t be opened. Earlier, Qiu Xing had jumped out from the passenger side, and he had to take two quick steps to find his footing.

Lin Yiran simply couldn’t get down, so she could only sit in the truck.

After a while, Qiu Xing came over and asked from below: “Do you need to use the restroom?”

Lin Yiran leaned on the window, looking at Qiu Xing expectantly, nodding vigorously.

Qiu Xing smiled slightly, saying: “Come down then.”

Lin Yiran pointed at the water ditch below: “I can’t get down.”

Qiu Xing told her to open the door and stepped down a bit further himself. Lin Yiran stood on the first step, looking around helplessly, not knowing where to place her feet.

Qiu Xing raised his hands slightly, gesturing to her, and said: “Come down.”

Lin Yiran understood, hesitating only for a second before bending down, her body leaning slightly forward.

Qiu Xing caught her legs with one arm, cradled her down, and set her aside.

In that brief moment when her feet were off the ground, Lin Yiran had her eyes closed. After setting her down, fearing she might lose her balance on the slope, Qiu Xing lightly supported her back.

Lin Yiran stood with her back to Qiu Xing, her eyelashes lowered, her heart beating a little faster.

The restroom was in the factory, quite far away. Qiu Xing took her there. On the way, someone greeted him: “Is that your girlfriend, little Qiu?”

Having been asked so many times, Qiu Xing didn’t answer, just smiled.

Lin Yiran was wearing a plain white T-shirt, bought for thirty yuan at a village market they had passed earlier. At that time, she and Qiu Xing had gone to eat, and when they reached the market, Lin Yiran was intrigued by its liveliness. Qiu Xing had walked her through it, buying two towels and two T-shirts. Qiu Xing’s was black; he said he couldn’t pull off white.

Lin Yiran had also bought herself a pair of flip-flops. Now, in her large T-shirt and flip-flops, she looked relaxed and casual, no longer always covered up as she had been initially.

But despite this, that quiet, studious air about her couldn’t be erased. To others, she still seemed very well-behaved.

She looked like a good girl led astray by Qiu Xing, who had left home against her family’s wishes to follow her boyfriend, mistaking hardship for romance.

But Lin Yiran had no home to speak of, and she wasn’t brought out by any boyfriend.

Not only was she not brought out by someone else, but she had actively imposed herself on the other person, stubbornly refusing to leave his truck.

All told, she could stay on Qiu Xing’s truck for one more month.

Lin Yiran certainly wanted to go to university; she had been looking forward to it—those new days full of hope.

But that also meant she would once again have to face those things she had temporarily forgotten.

Without Qiu Xing.

*

Most of the time, Qiu Xing still maintained that cold demeanor, rarely showing his emotions.

He was like a money-making machine, not treating himself as human, as if he didn’t know fatigue or exhaustion. He was diligent and strong, cold and numb.

Only Lin Yiran, being closest to him, could see his occasional moments of softness, like a crack in his weathered hard shell.

“When did I promise you that?” Qiu Xing held the phone with his shoulder, smiling as he spoke.

“No such thing. I’m busy as hell. Going out to play? Dream on,” Qiu Xing said self-mockingly.

“You miss me? Then I’ll come see you in a few days.”

Hearing Qiu Xing’s tone on the phone, Lin Yiran knew it was Auntie Fang, Qiu Xing’s mother, on the other end.

“My dad? He’s busy too,” Qiu Xing said. “What do you want to cook for me?”

Qiu Xing made an “mm” sound, then said: “Make a soup.”

Qiu Xing talked on the phone for a few minutes, promising several times before hanging up that he would visit her in a few days.

Lin Yiran asked: “Are you going to visit Auntie Fang?”

Qiu Xing said: “Not certain, we’ll see.”

Lin Yiran looked at him and said: “You promised her.”

Qiu Xing put down the phone and said flatly: “She won’t remember.”

Lin Yiran fell silent, feeling somewhat sad.

Qiu Xing had said before that visiting her would trigger her—she couldn’t accept the current Qiu Xing, couldn’t bear to see that he had grown up.

Lin Yiran asked softly: “Do you miss her?”

Qiu Xing said: “Of course I do.”

He answered calmly and naturally, telling Lin Yiran: “I also think I’m heartless, leaving her there without looking after her.”

Lin Yiran immediately shook her head, saying, “No, you’re not.”

Qiu Xing said: “I have no choice.”

Lin Yiran didn’t speak. After a while, Qiu Xing spoke again, saying: “I miss her too.”

That evening’s phone call made Qiu Xing even more silent than usual.

He was in a bad mood; Lin Yiran could feel it.

He silently parked the truck, went to wash up, then silently returned to sleep.

Lin Yiran couldn’t sleep and didn’t climb up to her bunk. These days, she often sat in the front at night. This way, if there was any sound outside, she could hear it, and she could shine a flashlight to check the back. This meant Qiu Xing didn’t have to go down to check every time, allowing him to sleep more soundly.

That night, Qiu Xing had a dream.

Normally, he slept quietly; he was so tired that even dreaming was a luxury. This was the first time Lin Yiran had seen him trapped in a nightmare.

Qiu Xing’s breathing became rapid, his throat making muffled, distressed grunts, his brows tightly furrowed, looking very pained.

Lin Yiran turned back to call him: “Qiu Xing.”

After calling several times without waking him, Lin Yiran crossed over, half-kneeling on the front platform, shaking his hand: “Qiu Xing…”

Qiu Xing gripped Lin Yiran’s hand tightly; his palm was covered in cold sweat.

In the instant of opening his eyes, Qiu Xing briefly called out “Dad.”

“You were dreaming.” Lin Yiran’s hand was being squeezed painfully by Qiu Xing, but she didn’t pull away.

Qiu Xing seemed not fully awake yet, only making an “mm” sound.

“It’s okay now,” Lin Yiran comforted him softly, gently shaking her hand that Qiu Xing was gripping. “Don’t be afraid.”

Her voice was gentle and soothing. Qiu Xing made another “mm” sound, and after half a minute, finally released her hand.

Qiu Xing’s eyes were somewhat dazed, clearly not yet recovered from the dream. His breathing was still fast, his forehead covered in sweat.

Lin Yiran pulled out a tissue and wiped the sweat from Qiu Xing’s forehead.

Qiu Xing looked at her, his gaze empty. For the first time, Lin Yiran saw such direct bewilderment in his eyes, still carrying the lingering vulnerability brought from the dream.

Lin Yiran’s heart felt heavy.

“Don’t be sad,” Lin Yiran said softly. “It’s all over now.”

Qiu Xing just stared at her blankly.

Lin Yiran stroked his forehead, her thumb slowly brushing over his brow, saying: “Don’t be sad.”