After saying this, Shu Nian didn’t care about his reaction. She lowered her head, walked around him, and headed toward the checkout counter. Though she had vented her anger, her emotions weren’t the least bit relieved.

She didn’t hear him following behind her.

After walking quite a distance,

Shu Nian suddenly thought of Xie Ru He’s legs. Her footsteps halted, her grip on the shopping cart handle tightened, then relaxed. She felt her thoughts were inappropriate—she was still angry about his strange behavior, but when she thought about this—

She felt that her anger toward him was truly unwarranted.

Back then, it was because of something so devastating that he was taken away by his grandfather, leaving Shi Yan Town. Had something else happened afterward? Something that made him become like this now.

Shu Nian genuinely hoped that he had lived a good life.

Even if not that good, at least not like his current state.

One look, and she knew he wasn’t happy.

Shu Nian secretly glanced back.

Sure enough, he hadn’t followed.

She felt inexplicably dejected, stood in place arguing with herself for a while, then resignedly walked back.

But Xie Ru He was no longer in his original position.

Shu Nian stood in place for half a minute, feeling somewhat downcast, then left the area. She lowered her eyes to look at her phone, and when she looked up again, she happened to see Xie Ru He coming from the snack section.

Shu Nian froze.

Unlike before, Xie Ru He’s arms now held not only the pack of sanitary pads that Shu Nian had thrown at him earlier but also five or six more packages. Each package wasn’t small, and they were stacked fully in the crook of his arm, creating a kind of endearing contrast.

Shu Nian was very familiar with that packaging—it was the mango-flavored soft candy she had loved since long ago.

Xie Ru He moved his wheelchair with one hand while holding the candy with the other. With one unsteady movement, a package fell to the ground.

With a plop, it rolled between the two of them.

Shu Nian walked in front of him, picked up the candy before he could, and handed it to him.

Xie Ru He lifted his thin eyelids, looked at her, and silently accepted it.

Shu Nian stood up straight, but she wasn’t much taller than him sitting in his wheelchair. She lowered her head and apologized first: “I’m sorry for talking nonsense just now.”

Xie Ru He no longer maintained his silence. Unlike his formerly clear, youthful voice, his voice was now hoarse and deep.

“What.”

Shu Nian didn’t look at him, extended her hand to point at the pack of sanitary pads in his hand, and emphasized softly: “I don’t think you need to use those.”

Xie Ru He: “…”

Shu Nian still stood in front of him, looking dejected, and didn’t speak further. She remained motionless, as if she wouldn’t take a single step away without his forgiveness.

Xie Ru He didn’t persist in the standoff: “I know.”

Shu Nian’s expression visibly relaxed a bit, and she looked at him again: “Do you need to buy anything else?”

Xie Ru He said indifferently: “No need.”

Shu Nian thought for a moment, then suggested: “Then shall we go pay together?”

Xie Ru He paused, then nodded.

The two of them joined one of the checkout lines, one in front of the other.

Neither was particularly talkative; Shu Nian didn’t try to speak to him again, and Xie Ru He didn’t initiate conversation either. The two maintained an indescribable awkwardness, just like true strangers.

Shu Nian stood in front, never turning back to look at him. She paid first, then stood aside waiting for him.

She noticed the cashier pick up the pack of sanitary pads, ready to scan the barcode. Shu Nian suddenly realized and helped him tell the cashier: “Hello, we don’t need this anymore.”

The cashier’s movements paused, and she looked at Xie Ru He: “You don’t want it anymore?”

Xie Ru He hesitated, but still said: “I want it.”

“…”

“What are you buying it for?” Shu Nian turned to look at him, her expression puzzled. “Were you going to buy it?”

Xie Ru He avoided her gaze and made a somewhat unnatural sound of agreement.

When he received the bag from the cashier, the two walked toward the escalator. Shu Nian still found it a bit strange and quickly understood: “Oh, are you buying it for your girlfriend?”

Hearing this, Xie Ru He’s hand, which was moving the wheelchair, froze, and he stopped in place.

Noticing from the corner of her eye, Shu Nian turned back: “What’s wrong?”

Xie Ru He’s eyes were lowered as if he was pondering something, and for a long time, he didn’t move. Then, he suddenly held up the bag in his hand and gave it to her: “For you.”

Shu Nian was stunned: “For me?”

Xie Ru He nodded, repeating: “For you.”

“Why give it to me?” Shu Nian was bewildered, but noticing that the bag was transparent and that it seemed quite awkward for him to hold it, she could only say, “Then let me take this out.”

In the bag, besides the pack of sanitary pads, there were five packs of mango soft candy.

Xie Ru He shook his head: “All for you.”

This time he didn’t wait for Shu Nian’s reaction, directly putting the bag into her hand. His fingertips touched her palm, trembled slightly, and quickly withdrew, then he went ahead on his own.

Shu Nian stood in place for a few seconds, her expression still slows to react.

Back when they were familiar with each other, Shu Nian never understood what Xie Ru He was thinking. Now, after so many years, with their relationship growing distant, she was even more confused by his actions.

Shu Nian didn’t think further, caught up to him, and asked: “How will you get back?”

Xie Ru He didn’t answer, but asked in return: “How are you getting back?”

“I’m taking the subway.”

“Good.”

These words still didn’t explain how he would return. Shu Nian glanced at him but didn’t say anything more.

Xie Ru He, seeing her hands full, remained silent for a moment before taking the initiative: “I’ll help you carry them.”

Shu Nian shook her head: “No need.”

Hearing this response, Xie Ru He’s expression froze, his eyes darkened, and his mood visibly worsened. He gripped the bag in his hand tightly, his voice very soft with a hint of coldness: “Why not.”

Not understanding why he had suddenly become unhappy, Shu Nian said softly: “What do you mean ‘why not’?”

His expression was gloomy: “Do you think I can’t help you?”

Shu Nian didn’t hear clearly: “What?”

The two had just exited the supermarket’s main entrance.

The strong wind blew noisily, merging into the night, and weaving through the crowds.

Xie Ru He didn’t bring up his previous words again. His black eyes were like they were mixed with ink, profound. He raised his head, for the first time showing a posture of inferiority.

“Shu Nian.”

This was the first time he had called her name since they had met again.

Shu Nian stopped, asking with confusion: “What is it?”

Xie Ru He had his back to the light, his entire face buried in darkness, but those eyes were bright and clear. He curved his lips, his voice obscure: “Why don’t you ask me why my legs became like this?”

“I don’t think you necessarily want to talk about it,” Shu Nian’s hand gripping the bag tightened, feeling a bit at a loss, her heart as if gripped by someone, unable to breathe. “Besides, it probably isn’t a good memory. If it can gradually get better, then that’s good.”

If someone were to ask her why she had become the way she was now,

Shu Nian wouldn’t want to talk about it either.

Those were very unpleasant memories.

She wouldn’t want to relive them.

“Gradually getting better…” Xie Ru He’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his gaze dimming, as if recognizing reality, his voice becoming low and hoarse. “Shu Nian, I’m not going your way.”

Shu Nian didn’t mind: “Is someone coming to pick you up?”

Xie Ru He neither confirmed nor denied. Then, he finally revealed the reason he had been following her all day: “That phone call you made yesterday was to my number. If you need help with anything in the future, you can find me.”

“…”

He said something else, his voice very low, and Shu Nian didn’t hear clearly.

Shu Nian wanted to ask more.

But Xie Ru He had already turned, going in another direction, without even saying goodbye.

Shu Nian, carrying a large bag of items, borrowed a shared bicycle from nearby and rode to the subway station. From this station to the one near her home was about a fifteen-minute ride.

The walk back home was just over ten minutes.

It was still early, and the shops along the street were still open. Neon lights and street lamps shone brightly; the laughter of couples and the calls of vendors could be heard, and the colorful night market was especially lively.

Shu Nian bought a sauce-flavored pancake nearby before heading toward her residential compound.

Along the way, she kept thinking about Xie Ru He’s words.

She found them somewhat puzzling, and her mood became somewhat depressed and unhappy because of them. Shu Nian didn’t know where her unhappiness came from; his words hadn’t carried any malice.

Although he had lied to her on the phone and had been so self-righteous about it.

She tried not to think about this anymore.

She began to recall what Xie Ru He’s last sentence was.

That lip movement…

Shu Nian was used to matching lip movements, and her memory wasn’t bad.

Thinking about it now, Xie Ru He should have said seven characters.

But he had spoken so vaguely, with his lips and teeth barely moving. Shu Nian didn’t understand lip-reading and didn’t know what he had said.

With nothing else to do, Shu Nian kept speaking following his lip movements all the way.

When she reached the entrance of her building, Shu Nian looked around to ensure no one was nearby, then rushed up to the second floor in one go, quickly opened the door, and locked it behind her.

Breathing heavily, her continuous mumbling finally became audible: “Don’t let others bully you.”

Shu Nian was stunned for a moment and repeated it once more, still not quite believing it. She felt that Xie Ru He wouldn’t say such things, but these words matched his lip movements perfectly.

Shu Nian was lost in thought for a while.

She soon began to follow her usual routine: checking doors and windows, cooking frozen dumplings, showering, washing clothes, practicing lip-syncing with the TV, reading the script… By the time Shu Nian finished all this, it was nearly dawn of the next day.

She lay on her bed with the bright lights on, playing with her phone.

Thinking of the name she had heard in the bathroom earlier that day, Shu Nian scratched her face, hesitating for a few seconds. She opened her browser and typed “A He” in the search bar.

Shu Nian didn’t pay much attention to this area and rarely listened to music.

Looking at what was displayed on Baidu, she learned that A He was an independent musician who had become popular in recent years.

He had started posting his works on online platforms five years ago.

His first album was called “Wu Nian” (My Thoughts), and due to the lack of promotional channels, he had virtually no fans initially. But he seemed unconcerned about this, just immersing himself in his world.

The song “Difficult to Control” from his second album was played during a popular game streamer’s broadcast, which gradually led to his discovery and modest fame.

With each album’s release, his popularity grew.

In the past two years, he had stopped singing himself. Moving behind the scenes, he focused on creation. His name mostly appeared in other people’s albums as a composer, arranger, and occasionally a lyricist.

Shu Nian pressed her lips together and played “Difficult to Control.”

The prelude wasn’t particularly long; the style was emotional and melancholic, with various background noises of unknown origin. Soon, the clamor suddenly quieted down. In this silence, A He’s voice began.

Shu Nian’s eyelashes fluttered.

As she had suspected, it was Xie Ru He.

His voice stretched with the rhythm, deep and ethereal, each word and phrase bringing dark and desperate emotions. His breath was shallow, the melody like the person—clean and sharp. When singing, his voice was highly recognizable.

Surrounded by such a melancholic song, Shu Nian’s mood improved.

Shu Nian gradually felt drowsy with his voice.

Before falling into deep sleep,

Shu Nian inexplicably thought again of Xie Ru He’s words.

—”I’m not going your way.”

…

Several days had passed since Li Hong was admitted to the hospital.

Because of her subjective and rash actions and words, Shu Nian had been reflecting for many days. Finally, she reluctantly concluded, feeling that she was too young, unable to consider things thoroughly and that it was forgivable.

She emphasized this conclusion to herself dozens of times every day.

But before the brainwashing could succeed, this notion was shattered by Chen Han Zheng, a classmate.

Chen Han Zheng was close to Li Hong’s son, Li Chao, and Chen Han Zheng was always hanging around Shu Nian, talking to her. This allowed Shu Nian to understand one thing clearly—before Li Hong was hospitalized, the bicycle’s brakes had already malfunctioned.

Sometimes working, sometimes not. Li Hong, to save money, simply hadn’t fixed them.

When Chen Han Zheng said this, he still had a pen clenched between his teeth, with a sneer: “Fate hasn’t been stingy with him, the money he saved all went to the hospital, and he even had to pay extra. It’s the first time I’ve seen someone with such a hobby, enjoying spending money to suffer.”

Shu Nian remained silent.

Chen Han Zheng found this unusual; normally, she would frown and lecture him maturely not to use foul language. But at this moment, she didn’t say a word.

Chen Han Zheng felt a sense of crisis: “What’s wrong with you?”

Shu Nian looked up: “?”

“Scold me, boss!” Chen Han Zheng shouted, “Why aren’t you scolding me anymore? Have you changed your heart? Don’t you love me anymore? I fucking won’t listen!!!”

“…”

Shu Nian was preoccupied and not in the mood to deal with him. But she still seriously refuted his words: “I’ve never scolded you, I’ve always been educating you.”

“…”

“Also, changing hearts, love, and affection—don’t say such things anymore.” Shu Nian frowned. “How old are we? Why is your head filled with all these irrelevant things?”

This time it was Chen Han Zheng who fell silent.

After a long while, finding himself speechless, he pulled at the corners of his mouth and laughed: “Truly, as they say, a thirteen-year-old female old man. I’ve learned something new.”

Shu Nian ignored him, lying on the desk and looking out the window.

Lost in thought.

After quite some time, Shu Nian suddenly noticed a group of youths running on the playground, wearing blue and white striped school uniforms. She suddenly raised her eyes to look at Chen Han Zheng, her expression thoughtful.

Chen Han Zheng felt somewhat uneasy: “Alright, alright, alright, I won’t say it anymore, okay? Don’t look at me like that.”

Shu Nian, with her round eyes, thinking of the appearance of the “most beautiful middle school student,” asked him: “Do you know the name of the best-looking boy in our school? Not sure which grade he’s in.”

Hearing this, Chen Han Zheng immediately brought his face closer to hers, rubbing the tip of his nose with his fingertip.

“I know.”

Shu Nian immediately perked up: “Who?”

Chen Han Zheng curved his lips, speaking bluntly: “It’s me.”

Shu Nian didn’t play along, frowning: “Did you not hear clearly?”

“Hmm?”

Shu Nian was very serious, without the slightest intention of joking.

“I said the good-looking one.”

Chen Han Zheng: “…”