Shu Nian’s body was always cold, her hands and feet were cool in all four seasons, like soft ice.

Now Xie Ruhe’s palm pressed against hers, the sensation warm and gentle, not applying much pressure, yet somehow bringing an overwhelming sense of security. Like electricity, from palm to wrist, everywhere he touched became burning hot.

Unlike any previous time.

Her body stiffened, and she slowly withdrew her gaze without pulling her hand away. Shu Nian didn’t know what to say, nervously took a sip of milk tea, her eyes downcast, all her attention focused on her wrist.

Because he was holding her, Xie Ruhe could only push the wheelchair with one hand, which looked rather inconvenient.

Shu Nian pretended not to care much, not daring to look up at him, afraid he might discover her thoughts. She gently freed her hand, then held his instead, saying softly, “Let me help you.”

It shouldn’t be anything special.

Just, helping him a little, without any ulterior motives.

If an elderly lady fell nearby and she went to help, that would be normal too, right? No need to overthink such a small contact, it was just a simple gesture.

Absolutely! Not! Necessary! At! All!!!

Shu Nian struggled to convince herself.

Seeing Xie Ruhe looking over, Shu Nian’s throat tightened. Her previous self-persuasion seemed completely useless, and she spoke without thinking, stumbling over her words: “Are you… are you thirsty? Would you like some milk tea…”

Hearing this, Xie Ruhe’s gaze moved to the milk tea in her left hand.

Shu Nian sensed something wasn’t right, and opened and closed her mouth, wanting to say something.

Xie Ruhe had already looked away, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly: “You drink it.”

The words seemed like a polite rejection, showing no intention of sharing a drink with her, even though that was just something Shu Nian had blurted out thoughtlessly.

Even though she hadn’t even considered the idea originally.

“…” Shu Nian’s face immediately burned.

She didn’t know what she looked like now, afraid her face had turned red, she instinctively pulled her scarf higher. Noticing from the corner of her eye that he hadn’t looked over, Shu Nian finally let out a small sigh of relief.

Then, as if to add something.

Xie Ruhe said with lowered eyes: “I won’t drink any now.”

Shu Nian felt her current situation was heading in an awkward direction.

But she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what the problem was. The feeling was strangely familiar, not like something she had experienced herself, but more like hearing something from someone else and finding resonance.

She racked her brain trying to remember what it was, but couldn’t recall for the moment.

When they reached the entrance of the residential compound, Xie Ruhe seemed to be losing strength.

Shu Nian quickly noticed this and had him sit in the wheelchair, habitually pushing from behind: “Do you still do rehabilitation training every day like before?”

“Mm.”

“I have quite a bit of free time these days.” Shu Nian’s voice lowered as she felt a bit nervous, “Just… if you need anything, though it’s fine if you don’t.”

Xie Ruhe turned to look at her. Since he was sitting, his head tilted slightly upward, giving the impression he was listening attentively.

But before Shu Nian could finish explaining what she meant, he had already agreed.

“I need it.”

Shu Nian wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination.

She felt that Xie Ruhe seemed somewhat different from the last time they met.

“…” Shu Nian controlled her inexplicably quickened breathing and finished what she wanted to say, “Just, to accompany you until you’re completely better. I promised you before, didn’t I? It feels like I haven’t fulfilled that promise.”

Xie Ruhe didn’t seem to mind: “Alright.”

Xie Ruhe held the milk tea and the bag of donuts Shu Nian had just bought. He glanced at it casually, noticed there were quite a few, and remembered she had mentioned “bought six.”

He didn’t continue with that topic: “Why did you buy so many donuts?”

The sudden change of topic caught Shu Nian off guard, and she replied innocently: “I bought six. Two for you, two for me, and two for Assistant Fang.”

Hearing the mention of someone else, Xie Ruhe frowned.

Shu Nian didn’t notice his reaction. At the mention of donuts, she instinctively looked at the bag again and licked her lips.

She enjoyed sweet foods and candies, milk tea, and hot chocolate. Too much would feel cloying, but when she didn’t have any, she would constantly think about them. So when she went out, Shu Nian most frequently visited dessert and cake shops.

But Shu Nian wasn’t wealthy, her salary wasn’t high, so gradually she went less often.

Today she came to visit Xie Ruhe and felt it wouldn’t be right to come empty-handed.

The two entered the building and waited for the elevator.

Xie Ruhe’s expression hardened, his tone stiff, suddenly blurting out: “I want to eat four.”

“Huh?” Shu Nian asked, “The donuts?”

Xie Ruhe didn’t feel his behavior was childish; he simply didn’t want her to always include that outsider Fang Wencheng whenever she bought things.

Regardless, it made him extremely annoyed.

Just then the elevator arrived. Shu Nian pushed him inside and fell silent. She reached out to press the third-floor button, feeling what she wanted to say was difficult to express. After a few seconds, she asked softly: “Would three be okay?”

The elevator doors closed, and in the small space, suddenly there were only the two of them.

Every word spoken seemed to create an echo.

Xie Ruhe: “Hmm?”

Shu Nian looked at the donuts in his hand, her expression complicated, finding it hard to speak her mind. She lowered her eyes, her voice sounding a bit pitiful, soft, and tender: “I want to eat one too…”

Fang Wencheng felt particularly idle recently.

Apart from taking Xie Ruhe back to the Ji family for New Year’s Eve dinner, he had nothing else to do.

Xie Ruhe rarely went out. Although he would compose songs during this period, he wasn’t accepting commissions from others. Most of his time each day was spent on the seventeenth floor doing rehabilitation training, alone and repetitively.

It didn’t seem like he had suddenly found motivation.

Xie Ruhe’s behavior, to Fang Wencheng, seemed more like urgency. Like a struggling student cramming before an exam, wanting to get good results in tomorrow’s test, staying up all night, desperately reviewing.

But Fang Wencheng didn’t know what he was rushing for.

According to his previous progress and the rehabilitation physician’s training plan, recovery was inevitable. This was no longer just a hope as before, but something about to be realized.

Although he didn’t know why, Fang Wencheng felt the current situation was quite good. Each month he received an extremely high salary to come to this fancy house to play on his phone and sleep.

Occasionally following Xie Ruhe’s instructions to do some trivial errands, life was sweet.

Just now Xie Ruhe suddenly came out of the recording studio. Fang Wencheng thought there was something to do, but Xie Ruhe went to his room, changed clothes, and silently left in his wheelchair.

Throughout, he didn’t glance at Fang Wencheng once.

The message was clear: he had no value here.

He had encountered this situation many times.

Invariably, it meant Shu Nian had arrived.

Thinking they would return soon, Fang Wencheng didn’t dare go back to sleep. He made a show of standing up, trying to find something to do, and circled the room once, yet couldn’t find anything meaningful.

He yawned lazily and started playing a game on his phone.

After some time, the sound of the door opening came from the entrance.

Fang Wencheng immediately put his phone away, ignoring his teammates’ curses in the game, and hurried to greet the two: “Young Master.”

As expected, seeing Shu Nian standing behind Xie Ruhe, Fang Wencheng greeted her as well.

After entering, Xie Ruhe changed into slippers and stood up directly. Holding the milk tea in one hand, he walked slowly supporting himself against the wall, ignoring Fang Wencheng, though his expression was somewhat strange and subtle.

Shu Nian carried a bag, following behind him, also not speaking.

Fang Wencheng didn’t understand the atmosphere between them but wisely remained silent.

The two walked into the living room one after another.

Xie Ruhe sat on the sofa, and after hesitating, Shu Nian sat down beside him.

Silence.

The spacious living room held three people, yet it felt as if no one was there.

Xie Ruhe pressed his lips together, making the first move. He pushed all six donuts in front of him toward Shu Nian, saying in a low voice: “I was just joking with you earlier.”

Shu Nian was still embarrassed by her own words, not knowing what to say.

Xie Ruhe said: “I don’t eat sweets.”

Hearing this, Fang Wencheng exclaimed in surprise: “Young Master, didn’t you buy dozens of packages of soft candy for your room?”

“…” Xie Ruhe gave him a cold look, expressionlessly correcting himself, “I don’t like donuts.”

Shu Nian hadn’t eaten donuts for a long time, so her earlier words had just slipped out. But her main purpose was indeed to buy them for Xie Ruhe, and now having him deliberately lie to accommodate her—

Shu Nian felt very ashamed.

She said sullenly: “You eat them.”

Xie Ruhe’s temple twitched, really not wanting his image in Shu Nian’s eyes to become someone who fought with her over snacks. He licked the corner of his lips, weighing his words, thinking about what to say.

Beside them, Fang Wencheng didn’t understand their situation and couldn’t help asking: “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Just because of a donut, the atmosphere had become awkward, like children’s behavior. Shu Nian didn’t know how to explain, her words stuttering: “It’s just, it’s just…”

Before she could finish.

At the same time, Xie Ruhe took out a donut from the bag and held it to her lips.

It was a sudden action.

Shu Nian immediately closed her mouth, looking at him with round eyes, somewhat bewildered.

Xie Ruhe lowered his eyes, staring at her lips: “Take a bite.”

Shu Nian’s mind went blank, like a robot, doing whatever he said. She clutched the hem of her clothes tightly and, from his hand, took a small bite.

“Is it good?” Xie Ruhe asked.

Shu Nian chewed a couple of times and nodded mechanically.

Seeing this, Xie Ruhe seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, the gloom that had hung over his features finally easing.

“Then they’re all for you.”