Away from the hospital, the surrounding light dimmed.

Raindrops struck the ground, stirring up fleeting water splashes that appeared like ink under the dark sky.

The streetlight at the end of the road was malfunctioning, flickering as if about to extinguish at any moment. Shu Nian turned on her phone’s flashlight to illuminate the path ahead and slowly walked forward.

Cold wind mixed with fine rain continuously poured into the hollow of her neck. Her chest felt as if something sharp was piercing it, inexplicably painful.

Shu Nian gripped the umbrella handle tightly and let out a muffled sigh.

Had she mistaken someone else for him?

After all, so many years had passed. The Xie Ruhe in her memory was still just a youth.

Deep black hair, and eyes of the same hue. Blue and white striped school uniform, worn-white sneakers. Upright posture. Rarely speaking, rarely smiling.

So gloomy that no one dared approach him.

Always alone, always solitary. As if living in his world.

And the man just now.

Cool demeanor, dressed in a black coat. Even though he was much shorter than others due to being in a wheelchair, he still regarded everything with indifference. His features were more defined than in his youth, sharp and distinct.

A sense of familiarity washed over her.

Shu Nian sniffled.

She had no ill intentions, nor did she mean to seek favor. She had only seen that he seemed to be waiting alone for a long time and wondered if someone was coming to pick him up. And for some unknown reason, he was… in a wheelchair now.

So she just wanted to tell him.

The weather was cold, and the rain showed no signs of stopping; she could give him her umbrella. Her home wasn’t far, she could run back, or go to a nearby convenience store to buy another umbrella.

Just this simple offer.

But he still didn’t listen, and she no longer had the stubborn courage she once possessed.

Fang Wencheng didn’t understand why Xie Ruhe suddenly had such an idea.

With a complicated expression, Fang Wencheng shifted the car into first gear, half-releasing the clutch, and drove forward slowly. From the corner of his eye, he noticed a stray dog darting past from the side.

Exiting the small road, they entered the main street.

The woman walked on the sidewalk, and Fang Wencheng drove the car, maintaining a distance of about five meters behind her. From time to time, impatient honking came from vehicles behind him, making him uncomfortable.

After a few minutes.

“Young Master,” Fang Wencheng said with a pained expression, his hands sweating on the steering wheel, “I hope the people behind us won’t get out and come after me.”

Xie Ruhe continued watching the woman outside the window, motionless, ignoring his words.

Cars sped past from another lane.

Behind them came successive honking, occasionally accompanied by disgruntled cursing from male drivers.

Soon, Fang Wencheng couldn’t bear it anymore and carefully glanced at the rearview mirror: “Young Master, do you want to know where this young lady lives?”

Xie Ruhe didn’t speak.

Fang Wencheng swallowed and felt that his job was truly unbearable: “I don’t think following her like this in a car is appropriate. We might frighten the young lady.”

“…”

“What I mean is, if you like her, why not just ask for her contact information directly…”

“…”

Fang Wencheng scratched his head and offered another suggestion: “Or I could get out and follow her on foot… What do you think?”

This seemed to touch a nerve with Xie Ruhe. His eyes moved slightly, and he slowly withdrew his gaze, pulling out a smile that carried no warmth whatsoever.

After a few seconds, Xie Ruhe’s expression froze, the curve of his lips receding.

The atmosphere in the car instantly dropped to freezing.

Xie Ruhe’s voice was light, tinged with irritation, and unpredictable. His tone carried heavy malice, intensifying with each word he uttered—

“And let me, a cripple, drive instead, is that it?”

Because her thoughts were entirely focused on having just seen Xie Ruhe, Shu Nian’s mood was somewhat low, her attention scattered. Her vigilance wasn’t as intense as usual, but she quickly noticed… there seemed to be a car following her.

Afraid she was overthinking again, Shu Nian sneaked a glance in that direction, pretending to be casual.

A black Bentley, with a man visible in the driver’s seat. No one was in the passenger seat, and she couldn’t see clearly in the back seat.

Shu Nian lowered her eyes, took out her phone from her pocket, and cautiously dialed 110. Keeping her head down, she used her umbrella to shield her view, pretending to avoid puddles. Walking, stopping, then walking again.

All the while keeping an eye on that car with her peripheral vision.

The black Bentley, as she suspected, followed her stop-and-go pattern. When she walked, it drove; when she stopped, it stopped.

A car stuck to the side of the road, moving at a snail’s pace, ignoring the honking from behind, insisting on maintaining this speed—it might as well have hung a sign declaring to the world: “I’m stalking someone, don’t disturb me.”

Shu Nian’s face instantly turned pale, as if drained of all color, and she instinctively moved to the innermost part of the sidewalk. Her pace quickened, her breathing becoming uneven.

Only one thought remained in her mind.

Get to the nearby police station.

No matter who was following her, once she reached the police station, she would be safe.

Shu Nian’s steps grew increasingly rapid.

Her white shoes stepped into puddles, splashing water, and getting stained. The light was dim, the wind biting cold. Her head hung low, timid like a homeless small animal trembling on the street on a rainy night.

Before Shu Nian could turn the corner.

Because she kept her head down and didn’t look at the path ahead, she bumped into someone’s chest. Shu Nian’s breath caught, and she immediately backed away several steps as if avoiding a snake or scorpion. She looked up.

“I’m sor—”

Her apology wasn’t finished. At the same moment, a loud crash came from behind.

BANG—

The sound of a car hitting the car.

Shu Nian turned toward the noise.

The black Bentley was still about five meters away from her. A man got out of the driver’s seat of the white car behind it, his face full of anger, walked straight to the black Bentley, and knocked hard on the window: “Are you sick in the head?!”

A rear-end collision.

The ensuing cursing strangely made Shu Nian feel relieved.

The next moment, the man she had bumped into spoke.

His voice was rugged, deep, and heavy, a smoker’s voice that carried a hint of sensuality. It also sounded familiar.

“Young lady.”

Shu Nian looked up.

The man wasn’t using an umbrella; he wore a waterproof hooded jacket. The jacket was loose, the hood pulled over his head, and stubble grew on his chin. Handsome features, tall and sturdy build.

It was someone she knew.

He You, the Officer He that Deng Qingyu referred to.

He You glanced at the situation over there, not paying much attention. He instinctively reached for his pocket, took out a pack of cigarettes, and then quickly put it back, looking at Shu Nian: “Why that expression?”

Shu Nian didn’t make a sound.

Seeing this, He You lowered his head and noticed her face, pale to the point of bloodlessness. He raised an eyebrow slightly, with a faint smile: “Oh, being followed again?”

“…”

Shu Nian’s lips pressed into a line. Holding her bag with one hand, she changed the subject with a downcast mood: “There seems to be an accident over there. Aren’t you going to check it out?”

He You snorted lightly: “Since when did traffic police duties become my job?”

Shu Nian responded with an “oh”: “Then I’ll head back now.”

“Don’t need me to see you home?” He You didn’t notice her mood and laughed, “Don’t keep scaring yourself. If it happens too often, I’ll think you’re trying to hit on me.”

Shu Nian’s steps halted, her brows furrowed, feeling as if he was treating her like a fool. She gripped her bag tightly, creating wrinkles, and turned to look at the black Bentley: “There is someone…”

Her voice was low and slow, pausing at a certain moment.

At that moment, the back window of the black Bentley was opened halfway, clearly revealing a man sitting in the back seat. As if detached from the situation, he rested his elbow on the window, his expression cold, half his face in shadow, outlining a deep profile.

He did not attempt to hide his gaze fixed on her.

Their eyes met.

Shu Nian suddenly found herself unable to speak.

He You waited for a few seconds, not hearing her continue, and looked down. Then he took the umbrella from her hand, covering most of it over her: “Alright, let’s go.”

Shu Nian withdrew her gaze, stunned for a moment: “Where to?”

“Where else?” He You’s tone rose slightly as he smiled, “Taking you home. Young lady.”

Shu Nian responded with an “okay” and followed him. Her thoughts couldn’t help but return to the Bentley, but when she looked in that direction again, she found that the back window had been raised.

Leaving only a black mirrored surface, reflecting the streetlight’s glow.

He You seemed to have other matters to attend to.

On the way, Shu Nian heard him answer a phone call, apparently being urged to hurry. He You had little patience and directly shouted into the phone: “Alright, what’s the rush? I’ll change clothes and be right over.”

Shu Nian was startled and stepped into a puddle.

Both of them got splashed.

He You looked at her expressionlessly: “Did you jump in to step on it?”

Shu Nian wasn’t in a good mood and looked at her dirty white shoes with a frown.

“Sis, why don’t you say anything?” He You hung up and said helplessly, “You’re like a clam.”

Shu Nian thought for a moment and realized her behavior wasn’t ideal, so she obediently changed the subject: “Are you also going home?”

“Yeah, forgot to bring an umbrella, got soaked all over, going back to change clothes before heading out again.” He You reached up to wipe his face, “I’m freezing to death.”

Shu Nian understood: “So you just wanted to share my umbrella, not escort me home.”

“…”

He You’s expression was somewhat speechless, instantly amused and irritated: “You’re so damn nitpicky.”

Shu Nian’s apartment building had no elevator.

The corridor wasn’t narrow, and the sound-activated lights were very bright.

Shu Nian lived on the second floor, just one flight of stairs up. She hung the umbrella on the shoe rack, not rushing to close the door, and looked up to say: “Officer He, would you like some rock sugar pear soup? My mom made it.”

He You lived upstairs from Shu Nian. At this moment, he had just reached his door and was taking out his key. He waved his hand: “No need, I’m going out again soon. Thank your mother for me.”

Shu Nian acknowledged without insisting. She closed the door, not forgetting to lock it. Exhausted, she threw her bag onto the sofa but still toured every corner of the apartment, checking doors and windows before returning to the living room.

She picked up her dirty white shoes and went to the bathroom.

Shu Nian filled a basin with hot water and squatted down to scrub her shoes. Absent-minded, her mind kept conjuring the image of the person in the back seat of the black Bentley.

After a while, with drooping eyelids, she carried the basin to the balcony to dry her shoes.

After washing up, Shu Nian, with her wet hair loose, practiced mouthing words in front of the TV in the living room. Noticing it was almost noon, she finally turned off the TV.

Shu Nian turned on the bedroom light, leaving the door wide open. Then she went to the living room and turned off the lights. Darkness covered her eyes, and she rushed back to her room in one go, pulling the three locks on the side of the door.

Turning on the air conditioner, Shu Nian climbed onto the bed, not feeling sleepy.

She hid under the blanket, staring at the ceiling. After a few seconds, Shu Nian suddenly picked up her phone from the bedside table and scrolled through the sparse list of contacts.

Shu Nian’s gaze stopped on the three characters “Xie Ruhe,” her fingertip pausing over them, hesitating for a long time.

She wanted to know if the person today was Xie Ruhe.

If it was him, why did he ignore her; if it wasn’t, why did he follow her?

She couldn’t figure it out no matter how much she thought about it.

This was the number Xie Ruhe had used five years ago, after which he went abroad. Back then, when she contacted him, it was mostly through online tools like QQ.

So Shu Nian wasn’t sure if he was still using this number.

Shu Nian sighed, tossed the phone aside, rolled into the blanket, closed her eyes, and forced herself to go to sleep quickly.

After a while, Shu Nian got up, the corners of her eyes slightly drooping, her expression listless. She opened her phone again, this time directly dialing the number, as if on impulse.

She didn’t even consider that it was already late.

Beep, beep, beep—

During this waiting time.

Shu Nian inexplicably recalled the scene of their first meeting, her expression blank, unwittingly lost in thought. The mechanical sound continued, no one answered the phone for a long time, and it automatically hung up.

Shu Nian let out a muffled sigh. She brought her mind back and placed the phone on the bedside table.

It made a light tapping sound.

At the same time, the phone’s ringtone suddenly rang as if a switch had been turned on.

Shu Nian’s expression froze. She looked down, then stood stunned.

Surprisingly, he was calling back…