Only after Qiu Xing had walked away for a few minutes did Lin Yiran begin to feel cold.

The northern weather this time of year was damp and chilly. The room, with its lights off, was so still it felt devoid of any human presence. On this rainy day without moonlight, no light came through the windows, plunging the entire room into complete darkness. Lin Yiran found herself submerged in a suffocating blackness.

Yet she wasn’t afraid, precisely because this was Qiu Xing’s room.

The rain fell lightly. Two wolfhounds whimpered as they trotted over, circled, and then left.

All that remained in Lin Yiran’s ears was the soft patter of raindrops and the sound of her breathing.

When Qiu Xing returned some time later, he opened the door with such force that it made a loud noise. He tossed a bag onto the bed and carried some kind of machine in his other hand as he headed toward the bathroom.

He didn’t say a word to Lin Yiran, acting as if he didn’t see her.

Lin Yiran listened to the clattering sounds he made, standing obediently without making a sound. Qiu Xing came out of the bathroom to retrieve items from the cabinet twice, then stayed in the bathroom without coming out.

The two of them each occupied their territory—one in the bedroom, one in the bathroom—standing in silent confrontation.

Time slipped by quietly. Even though Qiu Xing wasn’t speaking, the room felt less cold and empty because of his presence.

The sound of the shower came from the bathroom. Qiu Xing walked out, and in the darkness, Lin Yiran couldn’t make out his expression. He yanked off the work uniform wrapped around her and tossed it aside, then pushed her by the back toward the bathroom.

The bathroom window was closed, the blinds drawn, and the only light came from the flashlight on Qiu Xing’s phone placed on top of the washing machine.

Hot, humid steam flowed out from the shower area. By the phone’s light, Lin Yiran saw that Qiu Xing had connected a generator and water heater using two power strips.

“Go wash up,” Qiu Xing said, his voice still cold and hard. “Don’t provoke me.”

Lin Yiran had no intention of provoking him further. She obediently began to undress. She didn’t hide from Qiu Xing, removing her wet clothes one by one in front of him.

Qiu Xing stuffed her clothes and pants into the washing machine and turned to leave.

Lin Yiran instinctively called out to him: “Qiu Xing.”

Qiu Xing ignored her and left anyway.

Lin Yiran pressed her lips together, then walked barefoot into the shower. The slightly hot water instantly poured over her. Lin Yiran adjusted the temperature to be more moderate and stood under the showerhead, letting the hot water flow over her body.

A moment later, Qiu Xing came in again, placed something on top of the washing machine, and without looking at her once, sat on the closed toilet lid and began looking at his phone.

From then until Lin Yiran finished her shower and washed her hair, Qiu Xing remained there without leaving.

Lin Yiran rinsed off the soap and turned off the water.

“Where’s my towel?” Lin Yiran asked softly.

Qiu Xing stood up. “It’s on the floor mat.”

Lin Yiran didn’t get angry. She said, “Then I’ll use yours.”

Qiu Xing tossed a towel to her. Lin Yiran knew from one touch that it was her towel. Her towel and Qiu Xing’s felt different—his wasn’t absorbent enough for drying hair.

Lin Yiran wrapped her hair up, and Qiu Xing handed her a bath towel.

In the small bathroom, with the rustle of movement, the space felt warm from the hot water. Qiu Xing unwrapped a package and handed it to her. Lin Yiran took it—it was a pair of pajama pants.

After this time, Qiu Xing appeared to be less angry.

When Lin Yiran was dressed, Qiu Xing didn’t let her walk back barefoot but picked her up again.

She was warm all over from the shower, soft and damp. As Qiu Xing carried her, Lin Yiran’s arms rested on his shoulders, and he could smell the body wash on her with every breath.

Lin Yiran trembled from the cold, so Qiu Xing quickly carried her out and placed her on the bed, tucking her into the blanket.

“Stay put,” Qiu Xing said.

However, when he tried to straighten up, Lin Yiran didn’t let go of him.

Her slender arms gently encircled his neck, and her smooth shoulders were exposed outside the blanket.

“Qiu Xing…” Lin Yiran called to him softly.

Qiu Xing remained unmoved.

Lin Yiran bit her lip in the darkness and leaned in to kiss him.

Qiu Xing moved back slightly, avoiding her kiss. He stared at Lin Yiran, his gaze fixed on her.

Lin Yiran paused for a few seconds, then moved forward again. This time, Qiu Xing didn’t dodge.

Lin Yiran took Qiu Xing’s lips between hers, kissing him tenderly. At first, Qiu Xing didn’t respond, but later, when Lin Yiran made a soft sound and rubbed his ear.

Lin Yiran kissed him recklessly in this invisible environment.

Qiu Xing’s breathing gradually became heavier, and at one point, he unexpectedly bit Lin Yiran’s tongue.

She frowned slightly with a soft moan, but her arms didn’t release his neck—instead, she held him tighter.

The blanket covering her fell away, exposing her freshly showered skin to the cold air, raising goosebumps.

Qiu Xing supported her back with one hand as he kissed her, while using his other hand to wrap the blanket around her again.

In their intimate moments, Lin Yiran was usually passive, always accommodating Qiu Xing’s intensity, but too shy to initiate anything herself.

What made her brave and bold this time might have been the darkness, or perhaps it was because she had cast aside everything in her desperation to keep Qiu Xing.

She slowly moved her hand downward, murmuring “Qiu Xing” against his lips.

Qiu Xing’s brow twitched, and he arched his back, avoiding her touch.

“What are you doing?” Qiu Xing asked, his voice low and husky.

When Lin Yiran tried to move again, Qiu Xing restrained both her hands with one of his, gripping her thin wrists. “Trying this with me?”

Lin Yiran called his name again.

Qiu Xing straightened up and said, “Stay by yourself.”

Then he turned and went to take a shower.

*

When Qiu Xing made up his mind, he truly stuck to his decisions.

But that was only with the previously obedient Lin Yiran who had understood him.

Now, Lin Yiran didn’t care about any of that. She was determined to be unreasonable, and Qiu Xing truly had no way to deal with her.

Qiu Xing took a quick shower. When he came out, Lin Yiran had already put on his t-shirt and sweatpants and was quietly lying curled up under the blanket.

“You’re going back to school tomorrow,” Qiu Xing told her.

After their earlier kiss, Qiu Xing’s voice couldn’t maintain its coldness; it had returned to his usual calm tone that sounded neutral at first hearing.

“Okay,” Lin Yiran immediately replied, “but you have to promise me.”

Qiu Xing stood by the bed, looking down in her direction, and asked, “Promise you what?”

“That we won’t separate,” Lin Yiran said, then clutched the blanket and added, “And give me money.”

“How much do you want?” Qiu Xing asked.

“Give me some every month, any amount is fine,” Lin Yiran said.

“I’ll transfer it all to you tomorrow,” Qiu Xing didn’t give in. “Don’t mention anything else. We won’t repeat what was already decided.”

“That was then, I’ve changed my mind,” Lin Yiran said with a set jaw. “Stay with me for three more years.”

Qiu Xing stopped responding to her, lifted the blanket, and lay down with his back to her.

Lin Yiran was left hanging, but she didn’t feel dejected. If before, when Qiu Xing said he wasn’t interested anymore, Lin Yiran had felt sad, now she only regretted not having persisted more at the time.

No matter how cold Qiu Xing acted, or how genuine his words seemed, the nearly four hundred thousand in debt he had taken on for Lin Yiran, when he hated owing debts the most, had revealed his true feelings.

Lin Yiran could no longer believe him.

Qiu Xing was unaware of this.

Lin Yiran hadn’t slept well the night before, and with today’s emotional rollercoaster and her period, she curled up quietly like a kitten behind Qiu Xing, not speaking to him anymore, and soon fell asleep.

She slept deeply without a care, and after quite a while, Qiu Xing turned to look at her. The room was too dark to see clearly. Qiu Xing raised his hand to touch the top of her head, felt the damp towel, removed it, and tossed it far away, landing it on a chair.

Lin Yiran slept peacefully. Qiu Xing shook out her hair, spreading it out on the pillow. Though his movements weren’t gentle, Lin Yiran didn’t wake, still breathing steadily.

Only during her period would Lin Yiran sleep so deeply. Qiu Xing knew what she was like. He couldn’t see her face now, but he guessed she didn’t look too well.

Lin Yiran was essentially very honest and obedient, without too many complicated thoughts. She couldn’t pretend to sleep or mumble in her dreams, nor did she know how to habitually snuggle into someone’s arms. Her only trick was to awkwardly seduce him as she had tonight, and when it didn’t work, she didn’t try again.

She had truly fallen into a deep sleep, curling up when she felt cold, holding her stomach when it hurt.

Qiu Xing’s expression was stiff as he placed his hand on her stomach, and Lin Yiran lightly rested her hand on his.

Before sleeping, all Qiu Xing could think about was taking her to the train station first thing in the morning.

So far, he hadn’t changed his mind.

He was a hard-hearted person. Once he believed something was right, he would stubbornly stick to it.

*

Lin Yiran slept for a long time, surrounded by Qiu Xing’s scent, with a soft pillow and warm blanket.

When Qiu Xing got up and went out, she vaguely knew it, but she felt unable to wake up completely, so she indulged herself and continued sleeping.

Lying in Qiu Xing’s bed gave her a sense of security, like returning to where she belonged.

Qiu Xing came back twice during this time. Lin Yiran heard him but still didn’t wake up. Qiu Xing didn’t wake her either, just sat in the chair for a while, then left again.

When Qiu Xing opened the door and came in again, Lin Yiran finally slowly opened her eyes.

Qiu Xing wasn’t wearing his work uniform but a hoodie and jeans, looking as if he was about to go out.

As he walked in from the doorway, he saw the freshly awakened Lin Yiran.

Her fair, small face had very swollen eyes, clearly showing she had cried before sleeping, and not lightly. Her hair, which hadn’t been dried before she lay down, was now a mess after a night’s sleep, scattered everywhere. Her arms were relaxed outside the blanket, with rumpled sleeves, and her collar was askew, exposing half of her collarbone.

She looked pitiful, yet her expression was contentedly relaxed as she looked at Qiu Xing with her swollen, single-lidded eyes. Her gaze carried the haziness of someone just woken up, along with a soft bewilderment.

This scene gave an indescribable feeling—both contradictory and harmonious. Just by looking, one could tell she had slept warmly and comfortably.

Before Qiu Xing came in, he had planned to wake her up if she was awake, tell her to get ready, and take her to the train station.

But after standing at the foot of the bed for a long time, Qiu Xing only looked at her without speaking.

Lin Yiran met his gaze, not knowing what she was thinking, or perhaps still spacing out after just waking up.

Lin Yiran was like a small animal that had been tangled into knots, completely different from her usual dignified goddess-like quality. She was both beautiful and disheveled, with an innocent look and an unconscious dependence.

Autumn sunlight poured through the window, with dust floating gently in the air. The atmosphere carried the texture of sunlight, tinged with a pale yellow color—dry, clear, and time seemed to stretch.

Surprisingly, it was Qiu Xing who smiled first.

He turned his head away, the corners of his eyes softening into a subtle arc.

That expression seemed like he’d given in, like he’d accepted it.

But Lin Yiran hadn’t said a word; she hadn’t even done anything. A scene so simple it couldn’t be simpler, a single frame of someone just waking up, and Qiu Xing’s self-proclaimed hard heart inexplicably softened.

Lin Yiran blinked and quietly opened her arms towards him.

Qiu Xing walked over, still carrying a bit of the coolness from outside, and leaned on the edge of the bed. Lin Yiran hugged his neck, her warm face against his, and called, “Qiu Xing.”

Qiu Xing let her hug him. “What is it?”

“My stomach hurts,” Lin Yiran said.

“If you get soaked and stand for another day, it won’t hurt anymore,” Qiu Xing said.

Lin Yiran didn’t mind his sarcasm and just kept hugging him.

Qiu Xing said, “Get up and pack. I’ll take you to the train station.”

“I’m not going,” Lin Yiran shook her head next to Qiu Xing’s ear, her hair brushing against his face. “My stomach hurts.”

Qiu Xing said, “Don’t pretend.”

Lin Yiran said softly, “Qiu Xing, stay with me a bit longer.”

“No,” Qiu Xing said.

“You’ve already spent so much money on me, spend a little more,” Lin Yiran said again.

“I’ll transfer it to you later,” Qiu Xing replied.

“Don’t transfer it all at once. I won’t feel secure and won’t dare spend it,” Lin Yiran said.

Her chin rested on Qiu Xing’s shoulder, moving slightly as she spoke, making Qiu Xing feel a little ticklish.

She hugged Qiu Xing softly, refusing to give in.

Qiu Xing countered her point by point, but his tone suggested there was room for negotiation.

Lin Yiran secretly took a breath and asked, “Are you afraid that when you turn twenty-eight, it will affect your dating life?”

Qiu Xing pulled back a little, and Lin Yiran let go of him.

Lin Yiran sat on the bed, looking into his eyes, and said, “Then a shorter time is fine too, or if you happen to like some girl in between, I’ll let you go. I won’t hold you back from finding another girlfriend.”

Lin Yiran was deliberately provoking him, but her inexperience made her attempt seem quite clumsy. This tone didn’t suit her.

But Qiu Xing still stared at her for a long time, and when he spoke again, his tone had become somewhat serious. He asked, “Three years?”

Lin Yiran nodded immediately. “Three years.”

When Qiu Xing didn’t speak, it always made people anxious, unable to guess what he was thinking.

Lin Yiran’s breathing became lighter as she waited for Qiu Xing’s answer.

Qiu Xing stood by the window looking at her in silence for a while, and finally vigorously rubbed the top of her head.

Lin Yiran’s heart settled, and she closed her eyes.

Qiu Xing bent down, lightly bumping his chin against her forehead. “Get up, let’s go eat.”

When he stood up, the light shone through, illuminating the space in front of Lin Yiran with warmth and brightness.

Lin Yiran pulled back the blanket, smiled as she stood by the bed, and was picked up and carried away by Qiu Xing.

*

In this half-cold northern October, on a clear day with high skies and light clouds after the rain.

Lin Yiran was carried by Qiu Xing to wash up. Qiu Xing was cold yet tender, and Lin Yiran felt a sense of security that comes from regaining something once lost.

Lin Yiran had no shoes, so Qiu Xing placed her on his feet, one arm around her waist.

Lin Yiran squeezed toothpaste, and before putting it in her mouth, she smiled at Qiu Xing, who was watching her in the mirror. And so began their second three years together.