Shu Nian looked at the candy in her hand, and her hand was still being held by him. Then, she looked up at him and asked puzzledly: “Why apologize for touching my hand?”
Xie Ru He didn’t answer.
Shu Nian didn’t take the candy from his hand, nor did she continue to bring up what had just happened. She withdrew her hand, unwrapped the candy, and put it in her mouth: “That one is for you to eat.”
The two entered the house.
Xie Ru He lowered his head, looking at his hand, loosely clenching it. The warmth from her hand seemed to still linger.
His mood suddenly became extremely good.
They moved from the entrance hall to the living room.
Fang Wen Cheng was sitting on the sofa, his expression heavy, as if he had experienced something tragic. Noticing their return, he immediately stood up, showing a slightly apologetic smile.
Shu Nian greeted him.
Fang Wen Cheng, still wearing the remorseful expression he had put on for Xie Ru He to see, forced a smile at Shu Nian: “Miss Shu, you’re here.”
Xie Ru He suddenly spoke: “Fang Wen Cheng.”
Fang Wen Cheng immediately looked at him, very politely and properly: “Does the Teacher need anything?”
Xie Ru He pulled up the corners of his mouth, seemingly because there was another person present, his tone lacked sharpness, even had a touch of gentleness, with a hint of a smile: “The last time.”
“…” Fang Wen Cheng inexplicably felt a chill down his spine, understanding it was probably about the Xu Ze Yuan matter, “Yes, I understand.”
Sensing the atmosphere between them, Shu Nian felt it was a bit strange, but didn’t say much.
Soon, Fang Wen Cheng was assigned a few tasks by Xie Ru He, after which he left. The time had come, and Shu Nian followed Xie Ru He into the recording studio.
Once in work mode, Shu Nian would very formally call Xie Ru He “Teacher,” seemingly not wanting him to give her any special treatment. Occasionally when his tone was harsh, she would only feel distressed about what she had done poorly.
During their time in the studio, they rarely discussed personal matters.
Only occasionally would they mention a few things.
Shu Nian entered the booth, walked to the microphone, and put on the headphones. She adjusted her state and cleared her throat. The next moment, Xie Ru He’s voice suddenly came through the headphones: “Shu Nian.”
Shu Nian nodded: “Teacher, I’m ready.”
Xie Ru He looked at her from the control room, remained silent for a few seconds, and then said: “Let’s listen to the accompaniment first.”
“Alright.”
A bright and cheerful melody began playing in her ears, interspersed with Xie Ru He’s voice, relatively calm as if he was just chatting with her: “Did you ask Fang Wen Cheng about my situation yesterday?”
“…” Shu Nian instantly came out of her state, feeling a bit embarrassed, “Did Assistant Fang tell you?”
“He generally reports everything to me.”
Shu Nian didn’t look at him, lowering her voice: “Mmm…”
Xie Ru He said: “Why not ask me directly?”
Shu Nian didn’t know how to explain, and quietly apologized: “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”
Xie Ru He paused, asking puzzledly: “Why are you apologizing?”
“…” Wasn’t his tone just now meant to reproach her?
“You can ask me directly,” Xie Ru He said seriously. “There’s no need to ask others.”
Shu Nian nodded instinctively: “Okay.”
Silence for a few seconds.
Xie Ru He suddenly called her again: “Shu Nian.”
“What is it?”
“I will persevere properly.”
Shu Nian was stunned for a moment, inexplicably recalling what she had said to Fang Wen Cheng yesterday—”You have to make him stick with it.”
Through the transparent glass, Xie Ru He was sitting right under the light. His dense eyelashes cast dark shadows beneath his eyes, his almond eyes slightly lowered, black pupils deep and bright.
He looked at her as if making an important promise.
Shu Nian looked at him, and curved her lips: “Good.”
Fang Wen Cheng’s statement that “recording a song normally only takes an hour or two” didn’t apply to Shu Nian at all. She spent over a week before finally completing the recording.
On the last day, after finishing the recording, Shu Nian had dinner at Xie Ru He’s home.
It was Fang Wen Cheng who suggested it.
During these days, Shu Nian would usually leave the studio at seven in the evening, and then Fang Wen Cheng, following Xie Ru He’s instructions, would drive her home. Shu Nian had become somewhat familiar with him, losing the initial unfamiliarity when they first met.
Shu Nian had originally wanted to refuse.
But when her gaze glimpsed Xie Ru He with his head lowered, and recalling the sight of his lonely back sitting at the dining table, Shu Nian still agreed.
The three ate together.
Shu Nian generally didn’t talk while eating, and Xie Ru He was naturally taciturn, even more silent during meals, so only Fang Wen Cheng kept talking endlessly at the table.
Xie Ru He had already been scowling because of the extra person, and this person was still oblivious, constantly calling attention to himself. He put down his chopsticks and asked softly: “Were you always this talkative?”
Fang Wen Cheng immediately closed his mouth.
Shu Nian sat to the side, watching Xie Ru He habitually bully Fang Wen Cheng, feeling somewhat amused.
After dinner, Shu Nian didn’t stay long. Fang Wen Cheng opened the door and went out first, she followed behind, saying goodbye to Xie Ru He. Before she could close the door, Xie Ru He suddenly called out to her: “Shu Nian.”
Shu Nian turned back.
Xie Ru He looked at her and said: “Keep in touch when you’re free.”
Now that the work was done, Shu Nian no longer needed to go to Xie Ru He’s house every day. Her life returned to how it was before, running to various recording studios in the city every day.
Voice actors don’t have fixed holidays. Originally, during the New Year’s Day holiday, she had planned to stay in the studio. But the cold that had completely recovered earlier flared up again due to the deep winter.
Fortunately, Shu Nian had no work these few days, so she simply stayed at home.
On the evening of the 31st, Shu Nian went out, planning to buy some daily necessities at the supermarket.
There was a supermarket near her home, quite close, about a ten-minute walk.
At this time, the sun hadn’t completely set, dyeing half the sky red, colors like splashed ink. Sunlight fell on her body, yet it didn’t feel warm at all. Recently, the temperature had dropped below ten degrees Celsius, and the cold seemed to penetrate through clothes, straight to the bone marrow.
Shu Nian exhaled white breath, lowered her head, and counted her steps out of boredom.
Before she could count to a hundred, Shu Nian heard someone calling her name.
It was a woman, her tone somewhat uncertain: “Is that Shu Nian?”
Shu Nian looked toward the voice and saw not just one person, but counting, about five or six, all faces she recognized. The person who had just called her was none other than Ruan Xi Tong, who had called her a few days ago.
Xu Ze Yuan was also there, standing at the back with another guy.
Ruan Xi Tong seemed to have forgotten Shu Nian’s attitude on the phone, and smiled at her: “It is you? Long time no see, you haven’t changed much.”
Shu Nian nodded at her, not knowing what to say.
A girl beside me asked: “Where are you going?”
Shu Nian answered honestly: “The supermarket.”
“We’ve just bought some things and are preparing to go to our class monitor’s place for hot pot,” Ruan Xi Tong extended an invitation to her, “It’s the class reunion I mentioned when I called you before. Why don’t you join us?”
“No thanks,” Shu Nian refused directly, “Have fun.”
“Are you sure you won’t come?” Ruan Xi Tong continued to persuade, “It’s not just us, others are already at the class monitor’s place, we just came out to buy some things…”
Before she could finish, Xu Ze Yuan suddenly interrupted: “If she doesn’t want to go, then she doesn’t want to go. Ruan Xi Tong, why do you keep insisting?”
“…”
An instant awkward silence.
Shu Nian pursed her lips, and repeated once more: “Have fun.”
Then she continued walking toward the supermarket.
Someone followed from behind, and Shu Nian could faintly hear Ruan Xi Tong’s angry voice: “Wasn’t he the one who broke up with her? Who is he getting angry at now? What’s wrong with him…”
Shu Nian walked a few more steps, then turned back: “Do you need something?”
Xu Ze Yuan raised his cap a bit, and exhaled: “I’ll walk you there.”
Shu Nian said: “No need.”
Xu Ze Yuan insisted: “I’ll walk you there.”
Shu Nian was equally insistent: “You should go back.”
Xu Ze Yuan stood in place motionless, just looking at her.
Shu Nian didn’t argue with him, turned, and continued walking.
Xu Ze Yuan followed behind her, abruptly blurting out: “Are you with Teacher A He now?”
Shu Nian paused and didn’t answer.
Her reaction, in Xu Ze Yuan’s interpretation, was as good as confirmation. He also fell silent, and after a long while said: “Shu Nian, I tried to find you afterward.”
Xu Ze Yuan truly hadn’t thought that his breakup proposal at that time would have such a big impact on Shu Nian.
She was taken home by her parents, took a very long leave, and never returned to school. She even moved and never answered his calls; no one could contact her.
As if she had vanished from the face of the earth.
Shu Nian asked puzzledly: “Why were you looking for me?”
Xu Ze Yuan lowered his eyes: “Should I not have proposed breaking up at that time?”
Hearing this, Shu Nian looked at him: “Are you feeling guilty about this?”
“…”
“There’s no need,” Shu Nian didn’t care much, “Being together when you like someone, separating when you don’t, it’s very normal. It’s your right, you can bring it up whenever you want.”
“…It’s not that I stopped liking you,” Xu Ze Yuan clenched his fist, mustering courage, “Shu Nian, I regret it.”
Once the words were out, Xu Ze Yuan felt relieved, feeling as if courage instantly filled his entire chest. He looked at Shu Nian, nervously repeating: “I regret it.”
The light around was dim, the bulb flickering. Cold wind whirled with sand, making a circle on the ground. The sound of car horns could be heard, a couple laughing in the distance, leaves rustling on the trees.
The next moment, Shu Nian’s phone rang. She lowered her eyes, softly saying “I’ll take this call,” then answered it.
It was Xie Ru He.
His tone was somewhat low, his mood seemingly not good: “Shu Nian, are you free?”
Shu Nian responded: “Yes, what is it?”
Xie Ru He was silent for a moment, then said: “I’m doing my rehabilitation properly.”
Shu Nian said: “Mm, that’s good.”
After another moment of silence, Xie Ru He suddenly said: “Today is December 31st.”
Shu Nian was about to say she knew, but before the words came out, she suddenly stopped, remembering something.
December 31st.
…Xie Ru He’s birthday.
Then, Xie Ru He softly asked her: “Do you want to eat cake?”
Shu Nian guiltily pinched her sleeve, not knowing how to respond for a moment, and after a long while said: “Do you want to eat some?”
“Mm.”
His voice revealed neither happiness nor anger.
Shu Nian licked her lips, and hesitantly said: “Shall I buy you one?”