Less than fifteen minutes after Zhou Wan replied with an “mm,” Lu Xixiao arrived at the arcade.

He seemed to have just woken up, with faint red marks on the side of his face and slightly messy hair. Due to drowsiness and fatigue, his entire face appeared even more cold and distant. Dressed in black clothes and pants, he exuded an icy demeanor.

It was already dark outside – had he just woken up?

He walked straight to Zhou Wan, pulling out his wallet with one hand while lighting a cigarette with the other, placing five hundred yuan on her desk.

Zhou Wan loaded the money onto his game card and handed it back to him. “Done.”

Lu Xixiao didn’t leave. He continued leaning against the counter smoking, looking rather roguish. Then he raised his eyes to look at Zhou Wan, his gaze emotionless like a deep pool.

Most of the time, Zhou Wan felt that Lu Xixiao wasn’t someone who enjoyed lively atmospheres. Even though he had many boisterous friends and was never short of female attention, he always seemed somewhat disinterested in it all.

Just like now – having just woken up, that veneer of frivolity and sociability was stripped away, revealing an unmasked coldness that poured out, his entire being steeped in detached darkness.

He raised an eyebrow: “Don’t recognize me?”

Zhou Wan called his name: “Lu Xixiao.”

He smiled crookedly, his voice hoarse as if he had a cold.

Then again, wearing so little in this cold weather, it would be strange not to catch one.

He flicked his cigarette ash, slightly lifting his chin: “So you’re pretending not to know me?”

“…”

Zhou Wan didn’t know what he meant.

Was he referring to how she didn’t cling to him like other girls, or to how she pretended not to see him that afternoon during the break?

After a pause, Zhou Wan lowered her eyelashes and asked softly: “Do you have a girlfriend?”

Her question was very direct.

Lu Xixiao furrowed his brows, as if not understanding why she would ask this: “No.”

Then, remembering the scene from that afternoon, he added, “That wasn’t what you think.”

“…”

Zhou Wan was stunned for a moment, unconsciously curling her fingers: “Oh.”

She was about to participate in a physics competition and didn’t have time to chat more with Lu Xixiao, quickly returning to her practice problems.

Meanwhile, Lu Xixiao played games nearby. He was already familiar with all the arcade machines and easily won many prize tickets.

Girls around them watched admiringly, discussing among themselves.

Lu Xixiao undoubtedly had an appeal to girls their age.

Some girls gathered their courage to ask for his contact information, but Lu Xixiao didn’t give it, casually rejecting them all.

Zhou Wan heard the voices from that direction, looked up briefly, then lowered her head again.

After completing two competition papers, the light before her was blocked.

She looked up.

Lu Xixiao stood in front of her, placing a thick stack of prize tickets on her desk.

“So many…” Zhou Wan was startled.

Lu Xixiao tapped the desk: “Off work?”

Zhou Wan checked the time, only then realizing it was already eleven at night, and the arcade was empty except for the two of them.

“Yes,” Zhou Wan said, “Let me help you record these points first.”

The stack was so thick that just entering them took several minutes. Zhou Wan looked at the number displayed on the machine – already forty thousand points: “Want to redeem them?”

He took out a cigarette, tapping it on the table: “Keep them.”

Zhou Wan returned the game card to him, but he still didn’t leave. When Zhou Wan finished packing up and walked out of the arcade, he left with her.

He exhaled a breath of smoke.

He looked quite handsome when smoking.

Zhou Wan looked at his hollow cheeks as he smoked, saying softly: “You smoke a lot.”

He lowered his eyes: “Does it bother you?”

Zhou Wan shook her head slightly.

Guo Xiangling was a smoker. Back when they had no money, although she smoked thin ladies’ cigarettes, the smell was particularly acrid. Zhou Wan had grown used to it since childhood.

The two walked together on the quiet, empty street.

After the autumn rain, the ground was covered with withered yellow leaves that made crackling sounds under their feet.

Lu Xixiao suddenly asked: “Want to eat noodles?”

Zhou Wan’s steps paused, and she nodded: “Okay.”

It was the same old noodle shop. This time Uncle Kang didn’t even ask what they wanted, just called out to the small kitchen inside: “Two bowls of three-delicacy noodles.”

Zhou Wan rushed to pay again.

Noticing Lu Xixiao’s gaze on her, Zhou Wan thought he might not like this when out with girls. After a pause, she explained softly: “You’ve loaded a lot of money at the arcade, I get commission from that, so I should treat you.”

He raised an eyebrow.

Zhou Wan thought for a moment and added: “Though I can only treat you to something cheap right now.”

He smiled: “Fine, you can treat me to expensive things in the future.”

When he was in a good mood, such flirtatious words came naturally to him, no wonder so many girls couldn’t get over him.

Lu Xixiao didn’t talk much, and neither did Zhou Wan. They quietly finished their two bowls of noodles and got up to leave.

Lu Xixiao had walked her home once before; this was the second time.

Zhou Wan didn’t think he was specifically escorting her home, probably just because it was on his way.

But, Guo Xiangling didn’t live here now?

This area was mostly old buildings, far from the developing bustling district where Guo Xiangling now lived in the most expensive area.

Zhou Wan could only think of one reason.

Lu Xixiao had moved out to live on his own.

It wasn’t hard to guess – he seemed to dislike Guo Xiangling.

“Lu Xixiao.” Zhou Wan ran a few steps forward to keep up with him.

He turned his head.

“Do you live nearby too?”

“I live alone,” he said, “A bit further ahead.”

As expected.

The old neighborhood had a cluster of old buildings two streets ahead, with several vintage Western-style houses. Though they couldn’t compare to today’s villas, twenty-some years ago those houses were the most fashionable.

He probably lived in one of those old buildings.

Reaching Zhou Wan’s home, she waved to Lu Xixiao: “I’m going in, goodbye.”

He gave a faint “mm.”

Zhou Wan entered the apartment building, glancing back at him once before withdrawing her gaze.

The old complex had no elevator. She ran upstairs, stomping hard at the corner. The sensor lights lit up one after another, but the light on her third floor was broken and didn’t work.

Zhou Wan unlocked the door and entered: “Grandma.”

No response.

Had she fallen asleep?

It was rare that she hadn’t felt unwell today and could get a peaceful sleep.

Zhou Wan took off her backpack, and rubbed her eyes, planning to stay up late to do more practice problems. It was then that she faintly heard rapid, labored breathing coming from her grandmother’s bedroom.

Zhou Wan’s heart instantly tightened as she rushed into the room.

The white-haired elderly woman was curled up on the floor, struggling to breathe as if she couldn’t get any air, her fingers tightly clutching at her heart. There was vomit on the floor.

Zhou Wan rushed over, cradling her grandmother in her arms: “Grandma, Grandma… what’s wrong, don’t scare me…”

The elderly woman’s face was deathly pale, her forehead covered in large beads of sweat, her body wracked with continuous spasms.

Never having encountered such a situation before, Zhou Wan was completely at a loss, all her usual composure and calmness vanishing—she couldn’t imagine how to face life without her grandmother.

If even her grandmother was gone, she would truly be left all alone.

Lu Xixiao hadn’t gone far.

Anyway, his home was empty and lifeless too, so he wasn’t in a hurry to return.

Suddenly he heard a voice from behind.

“Lu Xixiao!”

This was the first time he’d seen Zhou Wan like this – tears streaming down her face, breathing chaotic and broken, on the verge of collapse.

She clutched Lu Xixiao’s wrist tightly, like grabbing onto the last piece of driftwood in a vast ocean, her voice choked and trembling: “My grandma, my grandma’s acting strange, it seems like she can’t breathe, what should I do, Lu Xixiao, what should I do…”

“Zhou Wan.”

Lu Xixiao gripped her shoulders, bent down, and looked straight into her eyes, his black pupils like a swamp pulling her in. His voice was steady, composed yet firm, “Have you called an ambulance?”

Under his gaze, Zhou Wan slowly regained her senses and immediately pulled out her phone to dial 120.

The sound of the ambulance broke through the quiet night.

Fortunately, Dr. Chen was on duty tonight. Familiar with her grandmother’s condition, he quickly started emergency treatment, providing oxygen and monitoring her heart rate.

Zhou Wan stood outside the operating room, covered in cold sweat, still not recovered from the earlier shock. Her face was pale, and she’d unconsciously bitten her lower lip until it bled.

Lu Xixiao stood nearby watching her.

Seeing the wound getting deeper, blood almost seeping out, he stepped forward and raised his hand, his cool fingers carrying the scent of tobacco lightly touching her cheek.

Zhou Wan suddenly came to her senses, abruptly looking up at him, finally releasing her lip.

“What is it?” Zhou Wan asked.

“Nothing.” Lu Xixiao withdrew his hand, putting it in his pocket, saying softly, “I’m going downstairs for a bit.”

“Mm.”

After a pause, Zhou Wan remembered to add, “Thank you.”

Lu Xixiao didn’t respond, turning to go downstairs.

Zhou Wan thought he must be leaving, but unexpectedly he returned just ten minutes later with two bottles of water.

He opened one and handed it to Zhou Wan.

Zhou Wan thanked him and took a sip, the water soothing her dry mouth and throat.

The operating room’s green light stayed on, and outside, the two of them waited – Zhou Wan sitting, Lu Xixiao leaning lazily against the wall, both quiet, neither speaking.

Zhou Wan knew that by proper etiquette she should tell Lu Xixiao to go home, that he didn’t need to stay with her.

But she didn’t have the energy to spare to say anything to him.

There was another reason too – she was afraid.

She was afraid that today she might receive bad news, destined to be alone from then on. At least while accepting this reality, there was still someone keeping her company.

As it turned out, Lu Xixiao was the best companion.

His presence was strong; even just standing there, no one could ignore him.

He was also very quiet, silently standing nearby, not disturbing.

Every minute and second felt like torture until the surgery light went off.

The nurse came out saying everything was successful.

Zhou Wan’s whole body went limp, her taut nerves finally relaxing, tears instantly streaming down uncontrollably.

What followed was a series of busy running around – her grandmother being moved to a ward, Zhou Wan going to Dr. Chen’s office to inquire about her grandmother’s condition.

Even late at night, the hospital was full of people, telling stories of human suffering and torment.

After handling everything, Zhou Wan suddenly remembered she hadn’t paid the surgery fees.

Dr. Chen raised his eyebrows in surprise: “You’ve already paid, haven’t you?”

Zhou Wan was stunned.

Dr. Chen pulled up the records on the computer: “Look, you’ve even paid for half a month’s ward fees.”

“But I haven’t paid…”

Just then, a nurse walked in: “It was the young man standing next to you during surgery who went downstairs to pay.”

Zhou Wan was stunned.

Lu Xixiao?

When he went downstairs that time, he didn’t just buy water, he also paid her medical bills.

At that moment, Zhou Wan’s heart was filled with mixed emotions.

She asked the nurse how much it was, intending to pay Lu Xixiao back soon, but fell silent upon hearing the amount – she couldn’t gather that much money at once.

After leaving the office, Zhou Wan went to check on her grandmother in the ward.

Lu Xixiao had paid for a private room.

The ward was very quiet, good for sleeping.

Her grandmother was still under anesthesia and wouldn’t wake up for a while. Zhou Wan poured a glass of water and left it by her bedside, then left the ward and sent Lu Xixiao a message.

[Zhou Wan: Where are you?]

After a while, Lu Xixiao replied.

[6: Downstairs.]

Zhou Wan found him at the hospital entrance.

Smoking was prohibited inside the hospital, so this space at the entrance had become the default smoking area. Lu Xixiao had an unlit cigarette between his teeth, moving it up and down between his teeth. In the moonlight, his figure was tall and unconventional.

“Lu Xixiao.”

He turned around without speaking.

“Thank you,” Zhou Wan thanked him earnestly.

He smiled faintly: “You’ve been saying that to me all night.”

“This time it’s for helping me pay the medical bills,” Zhou Wan looked at him and said, “But I can’t pay you back right away. Could I return it to you when I’ve gathered enough money?”

“No need.” He lowered his head, using one hand to block the wind as he lit his cigarette, replying carelessly, “Didn’t you treat me to noodles too?”

Zhou Wan was stunned for a moment, saying softly: “But the difference is too big.”

“It’s the same thing.”

Zhou Wan knew he wasn’t short of money.

Perhaps those medical bills were truly insignificant to him, but she couldn’t think that way – no one was obligated to help her.

However, Lu Xixiao seemed very different from what she had previously thought.

She used to think he was wild and carefree, fickle and heartless, with many questionable friends, getting into fights, living a life of debauchery, playing games with people’s hearts, someone who was so unrestrained that he didn’t care about many people or things.

So, she had tentatively planned to use him to get revenge on Guo Xiangling.

After all, he wouldn’t truly care about her, and wouldn’t be hurt.

If everything went according to her plan, it would only take a month – Lu Xixiao never kept a girlfriend for more than a month.

Just one month, and she could get revenge on Guo Xiangling, then part ways amicably with Lu Xixiao, each going their separate ways.

But now, she discovered Lu Xixiao wasn’t like his surface appearance at all.

He was very thoughtful and had even become her grandmother’s lifesaver.

Lu Xixiao held his cigarette between his fingers, sat down on the steps, and turned to look at her: “Sit for a while.”

Zhou Wan sat down beside him, somewhat stiff, hands properly placed on her knees.

The autumn breeze felt nice on her skin, though her face was a bit dry from crying. Zhou Wan wiped her face, saying softly: “Lu Xixiao.”

“Mm?”

“Do you like being in relationships?” she suddenly asked.

Lu Xixiao turned his head, his gaze becoming playful.

But Zhou Wan’s gaze was calm and clear, her eyes pure.

Lu Xixiao looked away, smiling faintly: “No.”

“Then why do you have so many girlfriends?”

“Just bored.”

“Did you like them?”

He didn’t answer, just smiled noncommittally, very indifferent.

Zhou Wan understood his answer, and then asked: “Aren’t you going home?”

“Nah.”

“…”

After a while, Zhou Wan asked again, “Why do you live alone?”

“Moved out early,” Lu Xixiao said with a wry smile, “Besides, my dad brings women home now, better not to see it.”

He said it very directly.

Zhou Wan picked at a hangnail until it bled, she raised it to her lips, the metallic taste of blood spreading between her teeth.

Her eyelashes trembled: “Do you hate that woman?”

“That woman has nothing to do with me, I just can’t stand Lu Zhongyue being like that.”

Lu Xixiao leaned back, hands propped behind him, chin raised, his profile smooth, Adam’s apple prominent, sharp as a bloodless knife.

Around them, people hurried in and out of the hospital.

He spoke in a very calm voice: “Lu Zhongyue betrayed my mom and caused her death, so I can’t bear to see him happy.”

Zhou Wan was stunned.

She knew his parents were divorced, but this was the first time she learned that his mother was gone.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly, lowering her head.

Lu Xixiao looked at her, raising an eyebrow: “Besides ‘thank you’ and ‘sorry,’ what else can you say?”

“…”

Zhou Wan looked at the stars in the sky – the fog was heavy today, making even the stars seem unclear, gloomy, and dark.

“Lu Xixiao.” She looked at the brightest star, the North Star, trying to find direction from it, “Then if someone betrays you, what would you do?”

Lu Xixiao glanced at her, smiled, and answered half-jokingly, carelessly: “I’d kill her.”