Shu Nian hadn’t expected him to care so much about what others thought, and she didn’t know what to say, so she could only quietly comfort him: “She was probably just joking.”

Xie Ru He lowered his eyes to look at her.

Shu Nian continued: “Don’t take it too seriously.”

Xie Ru He was silent for a few seconds, not sure why the conclusion had become that he cared about it.

But Xie Ru He also didn’t know how to explain: “…Alright.”

Shu Nian didn’t reply to Lin Qi Qi, putting her phone back in her bag, not daring to take it out again. She didn’t continue resting, and after giving her voice a little break, she began practicing again.

Until five in the afternoon, Shu Nian had gone into the recording booth several more times, with results slightly better than before.

Xie Ru He was still pointing out the places where she wasn’t doing well, straightforward and serious, not knowing how to be tactful. But Shu Nian thought his strict approach was good, at least he was genuinely helping to gradually fill in her shortcomings.

Because the practice went well, Shu Nian stayed longer than yesterday.

What interrupted them was a phone call to Xie Ru He from Fang Wen Cheng.

Shu Nian had gotten into a flow state, and only when she looked at the time did she realize it was already past seven. Along with the emptiness in her stomach came dryness in her throat. She picked up her water bottle and took a sip.

Shu Nian didn’t know what Fang Wen Cheng had said.

After taking that call, Xie Ru He shortly told her: “Let’s stop here for today.”

Shu Nian responded with an “okay.”

The two of them tidied up a bit and left the living room. At this time, Fang Wen Cheng was in the living room, with freshly prepared dishes on the dining table, a faint aroma wafting over, surrounding them.

Through the window, Shu Nian saw the darkened sky outside and didn’t linger any longer: “Then I’ll head back first, thank you Teacher A He for today.”

Xie Ru He responded with a low sound of acknowledgment.

Shu Nian said goodbye to both of them and walked toward the entrance.

Xie Ru He didn’t speak, looking at the food on the table. Then, he raised his eyes to Fang Wen Cheng.

Noticing his gaze, Fang Wen Cheng became nervous, not understanding what he meant, and hesitantly guessed: “Teacher, do you think it’s too late and want me to send Miss Shu Nian home?”

“…” Xie Ru He’s voice was very low, as light as a feather, “Is that what I meant?”

Shu Nian stopped in her tracks, only hearing what Fang Wen Cheng had said. She didn’t want to trouble him and turned back to decline: “No need, I can get back by myself. Thank you.”

She happened to meet Xie Ru He’s eyes.

Just for a second.

He lowered his eyes, not continuing what he had just been saying, and said again “Go escort her,” then turned his wheelchair toward the dining table.

Fang Wen Cheng nodded and also walked toward the entrance, saying to Shu Nian: “It’s getting late, let me take you home.”

Shu Nian glanced in Xie Ru He’s direction.

From this angle, she could only see his back, sitting alone at the large dining table, very quiet. The bright white light shining down added a sense of coldness and loneliness.

She withdrew her gaze, feeling inexplicably stifled. Suddenly wanting to ask Fang Wen Cheng about some things, she no longer refused.

“Okay, thank you for the trouble.”

The two went to the underground parking garage and got into the car.

Shu Nian fastened her seatbelt, not wanting to trouble him too much: “You can just drop me at the subway station, and then I’ll take the subway back myself.”

Fang Wen Cheng didn’t insist and started the car: “Alright.”

In the quiet car, it was so silent they could hear the howling wind outside. The two weren’t familiar with each other, had no extensive conversation, and had no common topics to discuss.

Shu Nian struggled for a long time, carefully choosing her words in her mind, and after a while asked: “Doesn’t Teacher A He live with his family?”

Fang Wen Cheng nodded and said: “Yes, after returning from abroad, you… The teacher stayed at his maternal grandfather’s home for a while, then moved out to live on his own.”

“Why?”

Fang Wen Cheng smiled, casually saying: “The teacher’s schedule is irregular, and he was worried it would affect others.”

Shu Nian felt that asking these questions was a bit intrusive, but she still couldn’t help asking: “So he just stays at home by himself every day?”

Fang Wen Cheng tacitly agreed, saying helplessly: “Teacher doesn’t like going out.”

Shu Nian lowered her head, her expression a bit absent: “That’s not good.”

It was a bit like her.

If it weren’t for going to the recording studio, Shu Nian would probably be living the same kind of life.

Spending each day alone in a small room, as if bound by invisible chains. Thick curtains isolate the outside world, a locked door rejecting the world beyond.

Muddling through, consuming time bit by bit.

Always felt that if she opened the door, something terrible would pounce on her with bared fangs. So rather than taking that risk, she’d rather never see the colorful world again.

The longer one lives like this, the more courage gradually wears away, feeling uncomfortable as soon as one leaves that small room, and losing the ability to interact with people.

Shu Nian thought for a moment, then asked him something she didn’t dare to mention in front of Xie Ru He, her manner cautious: “Can Teacher A He’s legs get better?”

“With consistent rehabilitation…” Fang Wen Cheng wasn’t certain either, “it should be possible.”

Shu Nian breathed a sigh of relief: “Then he should persist.”

Fang Wen Cheng didn’t know what to say, he could only smile at her.

Shu Nian repeated once more, serious and stubborn: “You have to make him stick with it.”

Shu Nian didn’t go to the recording studio but went straight home.

She took a shower, put a Golden Throat lozenge in her mouth, and lay on the bed, planning to rest for a while before continuing to practice singing. The hot water washed away her fatigue, and the bright, piercing room gave her an overwhelming sense of security. She lay on her side, her body unconsciously curling up, and unknowingly fell asleep.

After some time, the phone placed beside her suddenly rang.

Shu Nian was startled awake, her heart blocked with anxiety, the feeling of palpitations overwhelming her, making it hard to breathe, and tears falling uncontrollably. She wiped away her tears and checked the caller ID.

It was her college roommate, Ruan Xi Tong.

It was just after ten o’clock, and she had slept for less than an hour.

Shu Nian calmed her breathing and managed to answer the phone: “Hello?”

Ruan Xi Tong’s crisp voice came through: “Is this Shu Nian?”

“Mm.”

“I’ve been trying to reach you on WeChat for a while with no response, so I decided to call you,” Ruan Xi Tong laughed. “It’s been so long since I’ve called you, I was worried you might have changed your number.”

Shu Nian made another affirmative sound.

Ruan Xi Tong didn’t say much more and got straight to the point: “It’s like this, we’re planning to have a class reunion at the end of the month, on the 31st. Do you want to come?”

Shu Nian lowered her eyes, didn’t think much about it, and directly lied: “I don’t have time.”

“Huh? December 31st, it’s the New Year’s holiday, you don’t have time?” Ruan Xi Tong laughed. “Or are you going on a date with your boyfriend? You can bring him along too.”

“…”

“It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other, let’s take this opportunity to meet up. We all miss you.” Saying this, Ruan Xi Tong suddenly mentioned another person, “By the way, do you know about Xu Ze Yuan’s recent situation?”

Shu Nian remained silent, not uttering a word.

“He recently participated in a singing competition and won first place. He’s popular now. He’ll be coming on the 31st too.” Ruan Xi Tong sighed, “Why did you two break up back then? Xu Ze Yuan is so good, he’s so handsome, sings so well, and he pursued you for a long time. He liked you…”

Shu Nian interrupted her, her emotions plain and unmasked.

“I don’t want to go.”

Ruan Xi Tong was taken aback: “Huh?”

“I don’t want to go.” Shu Nian repeated, her mood genuinely poor, without a trace of remaining patience, holding back from losing her temper, “Don’t contact me again.”

With that, she hung up the phone.

Afterward, Shu Nian opened the bedside drawer took out a bottle of anti-anxiety medication, opened the cap, and poured out a few pills. Soon, her movements stopped as she remembered she had already stopped taking the medication. After a moment of hesitation, she put the pills back in the bottle.

Shu Nian got up, checked all the doors and windows in the room again, then sat on the carpet beside the bed.

Recalling the scene she had just dreamed of, Shu Nian hugged her arms tightly, her whole body trembling. She buried her face in the crook of her arm, tears falling, her throat filled with the sound of suppressed sobs.

“Don’t be afraid…”

She repeated these three words in a murmur.

These sudden nightmares and emotions would come once every so often.

The next day when she woke up, Shu Nian’s mood had somewhat recovered, though she was still downcast. She praised herself in the mirror for not taking the medication last night, then left home.

Meanwhile.

Xie Ru He finished lunch, his mood inexplicably terrible, his face clouded with gloom. Thinking that Shu Nian would be coming over soon, he grabbed a pack of cigarettes and headed toward the balcony.

Fang Wen Cheng had just returned from outside and said: “Young Master, Xu Ze Yuan’s manager contacted me, saying they hope you could write a song for Xu Ze Yuan’s new album.”

Hearing this name, Xie Ru He paused and looked at him.

“Xu Ze Yuan is a male singer who’s become popular recently,” Fang Wen Cheng said. “His popularity is very high. I think you can write for him, it would also be good for your reputation…”

Xie Ru He interrupted him: “What’s the name?”

“…Hmm?”

“What’s the name?”

“Xu Ze Yuan.” Fang Wen Cheng patiently explained, “The ‘Xu’ with the double person radical, the ‘Ze’ from ‘glossy’, the ‘Yuan’ from ‘New Year’s Day’. They told me they’re very sincere and will personally visit later.”

The atmosphere was quiet for a moment.

Xie Ru He repeated slowly: “Xu… Ze… Yuan…”

Soon, he let out a light laugh, his voice casual and light: “Now even what kind of eighteenth-tier singer thinks they can sing my songs?”

Not knowing how he had again touched a sore spot, Fang Wen Cheng immediately fell silent.

Xie Ru He’s gaze was cold: “Have they arrived?”

Fang Wen Cheng didn’t dare to speak.

“Are you mute?”

“They should be here soon…”

Shu Nian had never thought that she would encounter Xu Ze Yuan again outside the residential complex where Xie Ru He lived. It was an unexpected reunion, although she hadn’t given it much thought.

The security guard recognized her and opened the gate directly, intending to let her in.

Xu Ze Yuan’s appearance hadn’t changed much, except for some makeup on his face and his hair dyed light brown, he still looked like his former self. Seeing Shu Nian, he was also stunned, standing in place for a few seconds.

Seeing that Shu Nian was about to enter the complex, he hesitantly spoke: “Shu Nian?”

Hearing this, Shu Nian turned around and nodded to him.

Xu Ze Yuan hesitantly asked: “Do you live here?”

Before Shu Nian could speak, Xie Ru He’s voice suddenly came from behind.

“Shu Nian.”

Following the voice, Shu Nian looked over.

Seeing the person standing next to her, Xie Ru He pursed his lips, his jaw tense: “Come here.”

Shu Nian was slightly stunned and walked toward him: “Why did you come down?”

Xu Ze Yuan stood in place, and the manager beside him reminded him: “That’s Teacher A He.”

By the time he regained his senses, he had already been pulled into the complex by his manager.

Xu Ze Yuan barely recovered from his surprise, walked over to stand in front of Xie Ru He, no longer focusing his attention on Shu Nian, and politely greeted: “Hello, Teacher A He.”

Xie Ru He didn’t even look up, and said to Shu Nian: “Let’s go.”

Xu Ze Yuan thought he hadn’t heard him, and added: “Teacher, I am—”

Xie Ru He suddenly looked up, interrupting him: “What’s your name?”

Xu Ze Yuan good-naturedly smiled, about to introduce himself.

Xie Ru He spoke again, his gaze icy, carrying undisguised hostility and mockery.

“What does that have to do with me?”