Qiu Xing finally understood what Lin Yiran was asking, and for a moment his expression faltered as he looked at Lin Yiran in disbelief.

He didn’t answer, nor did he deny it, which seemed like an admission.

A large teardrop suddenly fell from Lin Yiran’s eye, sliding straight to her chin before dropping down.

Only then did Qiu Xing seem struck by that teardrop. He took a deep breath and stood up.

Qiu Xing stood by the bed, looking down at her with an indescribable expression, and asked, “What if I did use it?”

Lin Yiran didn’t raise her head, only lifting her gaze to look at him. Her beautiful eyes were brimming with tears, looking extremely pitiful, yet her expression was angry, her lips pressed together defiantly.

“What would you do if I used it?” Qiu Xing asked.

Lin Yiran thought about her relationship with Qiu Xing, realizing she didn’t have solid ground to stand on, which was quite laughable. Lin Yiran didn’t answer, only making a move to get up and leave.

Qiu Xing pressed down on her shoulder, making her stay seated. “I give up.”

He looked around, “Where are my pants?”

Then he remembered he had put them directly into the washing machine after his shower. Qiu Xing, wearing only shorts, went to the bathroom and brought back the jeans he had worn during the day.

In front of Lin Yiran, he took out a gray piece from his pocket and asked, “Is this what you mean?”

Lin Yiran hadn’t recovered yet. She blinked and hesitantly asked, “What about the black one?”

Qiu Xing felt around his pants, reaching into another pocket and pulling something out expressionlessly. “This?”

Everything matched up now. Lin Yiran was instantly speechless.

“Checking up on me?” Qiu Xing raised one eyebrow, looking at Lin Yiran. Now he couldn’t bring himself to be angry, nor could he smile.

“Why… why do you have them in your pocket…” Lin Yiran stammered.

“Do you want to sleep here or not?” Qiu Xing carelessly threw his pants on the floor. “Any other questions?”

Lin Yiran was completely at a loss for words. The situation was awkward and difficult to salvage.

Qiu Xing stood by the bed, and after a while, he used the back of his hand to wipe away the tears on Lin Yiran’s face, not very gently. Looking down, he asked, “In your eyes, am I capable of anything? Am I that disgusting?”

Lin Yiran instinctively shook her head, but after what had just happened, she couldn’t bring herself to deny it. She was too ashamed to raise her head and could only lift her arms to gently encircle Qiu Xing’s waist.

Qiu Xing looked at the back of her head with nothing more to say, his anger gone.

Later that night, Qiu Xing was extremely fierce. Lin Yiran didn’t dare make a sound. She unwrapped the gray piece herself.

Qiu Xing just watched her coldly, not moving, and afterward showed no intention of helping.

Lin Yiran’s face was burning, but she had no choice. She had to deal with the mess she’d created.

*

This incident made Lin Yiran feel a bit guilty and quietly apologetic toward Qiu Xing for the next two days. Qiu Xing, on the other hand, remained aloof, putting on airs.

But it wasn’t without benefits.

Though he maintained his distance, Qiu Xing, with an attitude, seemed more human than usual. The lukewarm relationship between them during this period had changed, breaking through because of this small, awkward incident.

“Qiu Xing?” Lin Yiran returned to the room with water from outside and, not seeing Qiu Xing, called out.

No one answered. Lin Yiran checked the bathroom, peeking in. “Qiu Xing?”

Qiu Xing was fixing the shower head. The connector had been leaking slightly, and Qiu Xing had unscrewed it and was applying plumber’s tape. Without turning around, he asked, “What are you checking on me for now?”

Lin Yiran silently shrank her shoulders and replied softly, “Not checking.”

“Then what do you want?” Qiu Xing said coldly.

“Just asking…” Lin Yiran walked in with the water, opened it, and offered it to Qiu Xing. “Are you thirsty? Want some water?”

“No,” Qiu Xing said.

“Oh…” Lin Yiran took a small sip herself and put the cap back on. “Do you need any help?”

“No,” Qiu Xing answered.

Lin Yiran had nothing more to ask. Qiu Xing continued working while she stood behind him.

Lin Yiran wasn’t particularly talkative. She was also quiet, and when two quiet people get together, it’s not lively. Usually, it was fine, but now Lin Yiran found it tricky.

She didn’t know how to coax him, and Qiu Xing wouldn’t listen anyway.

Qiu Xing was almost finished, just needing to reinstall the shower head.

He felt someone touching his clothes and looked back to see Lin Yiran leaning against the sink, playing with the edge of his clothes.

Qiu Xing ignored it and went back to tightening the shower head.

Lin Yiran continued silently tugging at his clothes, wrapping the edge around her fingers. Qiu Xing finished with the shower head, bent down to pick up the pliers and tape, and prepared to leave.

Lin Yiran remained quiet, still not letting go, just holding onto the edge of Qiu Xing’s clothes.

Qiu Xing switched hands, transferring the tools to his other hand. With his now free hand, he reached back and grabbed Lin Yiran’s hand, leading her out.

Lin Yiran obediently followed. Before leaving the room, Qiu Xing glanced at her, seeing her still standing there with lowered eyes and a submissive demeanor. He came over and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Lin Yiran smiled, wrapping both hands around Qiu Xing’s arm as they went out.

Their inseparable behavior made them look like an affectionate couple in others’ eyes.

They weren’t much different from a couple. They had done everything couples do, and it was genuinely sweet at times. But only they knew that their seemingly couple-like relationship had an expiration date, becoming invalid when the time came.

Lin Yiran didn’t try to disrupt the status quo. She hadn’t come this time to bring up that matter with Qiu Xing. She came without any purpose, simply for the reason she had told Qiu Xing.

*

Brother Lin also took a trip during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday and stopped by Qiu Xing’s place on his way.

He hadn’t called ahead, so Qiu Xing didn’t know he was coming. When Brother Lin drove in, he saw Qiu Xing and Lin Yiran about to go out.

Qiu Xing saw his car and raised his arm in greeting.

“Where are you headed?” Brother Lin asked, leaning out the window.

“Going out to eat. Have you eaten?” Qiu Xing said.

Brother Lin waved at them. “I haven’t eaten either. Let’s go together. Come get in the car.”

Lin Yiran sat in the back seat. Brother Lin greeted her and asked when she had arrived.

Lin Yiran smiled and answered, “The day before yesterday. I came during the holiday. How is Sister-in-law Lin?”

“She’s the same as always, doing well.” Brother Lin turned to Qiu Xing and said, “Your mom is doing well too. I heard from your sister-in-law that she made zongzi and sent some over yesterday. Said she’s in great spirits.”

“Mm, she’s been okay recently,” Qiu Xing said.

Lin Yiran had known Brother Lin since that summer when she started following Qiu Xing around, and by now they were quite familiar. She wasn’t uncomfortable eating with them and focused on her food while listening to their conversation.

They talked about the two factories, Qiu Xing’s car, and the several cars he had hired.

Brother Lin smiled at Qiu Xing. “You’ve finally turned things around. These past few years have been too hard on you.”

Qiu Xing didn’t seem to have strong feelings about this, figuring that what’s past is past.

Lin Yiran didn’t expect the topic to shift to her as they were talking.

“By the way,” Brother Lin suddenly called to her. Lin Yiran looked up at him.

“Your father is back,” Brother Lin said.

Lin Yiran choked and coughed a few times. She looked at Brother Lin, then turned to Qiu Xing with a slightly dazed expression.

Qiu Xing asked, “You saw him?”

“No, I just heard about it,” Brother Lin said. “I was planning to tell you both after I saw him myself, but I never did, so I forgot.”

“It doesn’t matter if he’s back,” Lin Yiran said calmly after she stopped coughing. “As long as he pays back the money.”

After Lin Yiran started college, Qiu Xing had asked Brother Lin to find someone they both knew to act as an intermediary. The middleman connected both sides and arranged a meeting. Whether it was the money owed by Lin Yiran’s father or the people Qiu Xing had beaten up twice, it was all worth discussing.

Brother Lin had some connections in the area and carried a certain amount of respect. Eventually, those people agreed not to bother Lin Yiran anymore and only look for her father.

This certainly cost some money, though Qiu Xing never specified how much, only saying it wasn’t much.

As a result, Lin Yiran could attend university without constant fear, focusing on her studies without worrying about debt collectors finding her at school.

Lin Yiran didn’t know or care whether her father had repaid the money. But given how peaceful her university life had been, she guessed he probably had.

Now, hearing the news that her father had returned, Lin Yiran felt a slight stirring in her heart at first, but then nothing at all.

“Now that he’s back, won’t he look for you?” Brother Lin said to Lin Yiran. “Who knows if he’s back to live properly or if he’s running from debts elsewhere. Anyway, if he finds you, don’t go soft. See what he wants.”

Lin Yiran nodded and said, “Okay, I understand.”

Qiu Xing touched Lin Yiran’s hand holding the chopsticks and said, “Eat your food.”

Lin Yiran responded with a soft “mm” and continued eating.

This matter hardly registered as an issue in Lin Yiran’s life. Most of the time, she couldn’t even remember she had a father.

Yet while she wasn’t concerned, Qiu Xing seemed more worried than her. When they were alone, he dropped the distant attitude he’d maintained for the past two days, becoming more approachable and much gentler.

Lin Yiran thought that Qiu Xing might be afraid she was brooding, or perhaps he felt sorry for her—her mother had passed away, and she only had a father who had pushed her to the edge.

On the evening before Lin Yiran’s departure, Qiu Xing came out after a shower to find Lin Yiran already in bed.

She moved over a bit to make room for Qiu Xing.

Qiu Xing turned off the light and, before lying down, felt around the pillow with his hand, brushing away Lin Yiran’s hair. Her hair was long, and Qiu Xing had accidentally lain on it several times before.

“Don’t come again after you go back this time. Don’t tire yourself out,” Qiu Xing paused before adding, “I’ll come over when I have time.”

The relationship between the two had grown closer these past few days. Lin Yiran said softly, “But you never come.”

“I don’t come because I’m busy,” Qiu Xing said with his eyes closed, then added, “Not because I’m doing anything shady.”

At the mention of this, Lin Yiran had nothing more to say. She quietly took Qiu Xing’s hand under the covers.

“I understand,” she said softly.

“You might as well count them now, so you don’t say the numbers don’t match next time and I can’t explain myself,” Qiu Xing said.

“Count wha—” Lin Yiran didn’t finish her sentence as she realized what he meant. She quickly said, “No need, no need. I won’t ask again.”

In the darkness, Qiu Xing held her slender fingers, rubbing them back and forth. The temperature was just right, neither cold nor hot. Holding hands like this was comfortable, and Qiu Xing’s gentle playing with her fingers felt tender.

As Lin Yiran was drifting off to sleep, she felt Qiu Xing bring her hand to his lips, giving it a light kiss before placing it back.

“Don’t worry about useless things. I promised to be with you for three years, and I’ll see it through,” she heard Qiu Xing say.