The sofa at home was L-shaped. Yun Ye sat on the part next to Fu Shize, munching on the strawberry he’d been given and stealing glances at him.
Though Fu Shize appeared calm and indifferent to his surroundings, his jet-black pupils revealed a sharp, cold intensity. Without leaning on anything, he sat against the sofa, propping up his face as he stared in Yun Li’s direction.
Hmm, he wouldn’t be bad as a brother-in-law, Yun Ye thought.
As Yun Ye alternated between sneaking looks and eating strawberries, Fu Shize suddenly asked, “What are you peeking at?”
“…”
“Nothing.” Flustered, Yun Ye quickly ate several strawberries. Afraid of being scolded by Yun Li, he glanced in her direction a few times before carefully asking, “Big brother, are you from West Science University?”
“Mm.”
Fu Shize looked at him thoughtfully, “How did you know?”
“Oh, my sister mentioned it,” Yun Ye found an excuse. He was now almost certain that Fu Shize was the person from Yun Li’s high school wall photo. After some thought, he continued, “Big brother, don’t listen to what I said earlier. My sister has never chased anyone. With her personality, if she did, she’d follow them to Mars.”
“…”
“Have you been to West Science University?” Fu Shize handed Yun Ye another strawberry.
“Thank you, big brother.” Yun Ye replied obediently. Fu Shize seemed much warmer than before. He ate the strawberry and thought for a moment. “My sister drove me there a few times.”
“To visit?” Fu Shize offered another strawberry.
“No… Thank you, big brother.” Yun Ye accepted it again. “My sister said she had a friend there. She said she was going to find someone, so I just read books there with her.”
Fu Shize didn’t pursue this topic further and continued chatting with him about applying to West Science University and choosing majors.
As Yun Li’s game was coming to an end, Fu Shize pushed the strawberry plate toward Yun Ye again. “Have some more.”
Seeing that Yun Li was about to come over and they wouldn’t have any more time alone, Yun Ye hurriedly said, “Big brother, my sister is a very good person.”
“Mm.”
“She’s great.”
“Mm.”
“Do you think she’s good?”
“…”
Yun Ye wasn’t good at hiding his thoughts and felt his intentions were too obvious. He ate a strawberry to cover his embarrassment.
Fu Shize didn’t say anything. The siblings shared some facial similarities, and their expressions when embarrassed were almost identical.
When Yun Li took off her VR headset, she saw Fu Shize and Yun Ye sitting on the sofa chatting. His demeanor seemed much gentler and calmer than usual, like an older brother, while Yun Ye looked like a naive, bewildered youth.
Remembering what Fu Zhengchu had said when drunk, four words flashed through Yun Li’s mind—
No! Way! Possible!
Damn.
The thief is in the house.
“Yun Ye, didn’t you say you had a lot of homework?” Yun Li grabbed Yun Ye’s wrist and pulled him toward his room.
After closing the door, Yun Ye saw Yun Li’s expression and became nervous. “I didn’t say anything! I was just saying good things about you!”
Yun Li remained silent.
Yun Ye, frightened, said, “Really, I swear to heaven.”
Yun Li eyed him, “Yun Ye, you like girls, right?”
“…”
Understanding her implication, Yun Ye angrily replied, “Yun Li, you’re sick.”
When Yun Li returned to the living room, Fu Shize was already packing up the equipment. She glanced at the coffee table and saw the paper was empty. Yun Li was stunned for a moment, “Did you eat the strawberries?”
Fu Shize turned off the VR glasses and packed all the stands back into the bag before slowly replying, “No.”
Yun Li rushed back to Yun Ye’s room and whispered, “Did you eat my strawberries?”
“Am I not allowed to eat them?” Yun Ye looked confused.
Yun Li: “No! I left one on the table.”
Yun Ye: “I don’t know which one it was. That brother kept handing me many.”
“…”
Yun Li glared at him, “You’re going to be the death of me. Don’t eat the rest.”
Yun Ye was speechless, “Even a stranger we just met knows to let your brother eat strawberries. Yun Li, you’ve been a sister for sixteen years, how come you have no awareness?”
Thinking of her heart-shaped strawberry, Yun Li felt heartbroken. The plan she had prepared all night had gone to waste. She had originally intended to let Fu Shize take a box of strawberries home, with the heart-shaped one on top.
Ignoring Yun Ye, she returned to the living room. Fu Shize had already packed up and was standing at the door, having changed his shoes. Not expecting him to leave so quickly, Yun Li closed the room door, momentarily at a loss.
“Are you leaving?”
“Mm.”
Yun Ye, hearing Yun Li’s question from his room, opened the door and poked his head out. “Sis, why don’t you see the brother off?” He tilted his head, “Otherwise it’s impolite.”
Yun Li grabbed her car keys, slipped on her shoes, and took a coat before following Fu Shize. After they entered the elevator, she pressed the B1 button. Remembering the tender moment in the living room that Yun Ye had interrupted, Yun Li suddenly felt nervous and unconsciously pinched her sleeve.
The family’s parking spot was near the elevator. After getting in the car, Yun Li fastened her seatbelt and lowered the window for some air.
Fu Shize stood outside the passenger door, hesitating to get in.
He propped one hand on the car door. From Yun Li’s angle, she could only vaguely see him bending over, his pale chin resting on the window.
Yun Li thought the door might be locked and reached over to open it for him.
As soon as the door opened, Fu Shize bent down to enter, stumbling into the seat. Yun Li’s body was still leaning forward, and the scent of tobacco suddenly hit her. The moment she touched him, Yun Li jerked back as if electrified, holding her breath and not daring to speak.
She gripped the steering wheel tightly, only daring to look at the road conditions on both sides of the parking lot.
After a moment, Fu Shize softly said, “Sorry.”
Noticing something off about his voice, Yun Li turned her head to see Fu Shize frowning, his hand clutching his abdomen in a grasping motion, his body tense and hunched over.
“Are you in pain?” Yun Li was still driving and didn’t know what to do. She pulled over as soon as they left the garage.
Fu Shize leaned back against the seat, his forehead covered in sweat, his body curled up, the veins on his hand prominent as he tightly gripped his stomach. His complexion, already pale, was now completely bloodless.
“Is it your stomach?” Yun Li frantically reached for her phone but fumbled and dropped it on Fu Shize. “I’ll call 120. I have a car, I can take you to the hospital now.”
“No need.” Fu Shize grasped her hand as she reached for the phone. “I’m used to it. It’ll pass in a moment.”
After speaking, he didn’t let go of Yun Li’s hand.
Yun Li didn’t dare move, holding her breath, waiting for Fu Shize’s next action.
The seconds stretched endlessly.
Slowly, his brow began to relax, and his tense muscles followed suit.
He opened his eyes, his gaze full of exhaustion.
Seeing this, Yun Li asked, “Are you feeling better?”
“Mm.”
“Can I take you to the hospital now?” Yun Li asked carefully.
“Back to the hotel. I need to sleep for a while.”
Fu Shize didn’t say anything more.
After dropping him off at the hotel, Yun Li drove home with a heavy heart, only to realize her hands were shaking. She pressed down on her trembling hands and walked to the kitchen, filled with worry.
Yang Fang and Yun Yongchang had already returned home and were preparing dinner.
Seeing her return, Yun Ye approached her: “That brother today was quite handsome.”
Yun Li’s thoughts were all on Fu Shize’s stomach pain, and she responded absent-mindedly, “Mm, and then?”
“He’s tall and has a good aura too.”
Yun Li: “What are you trying to say?”
“Yun Li, why did you suddenly bring a guy home?” Yun Ye’s clear eyes stared at Yun Li provocatively.
“…”
Yun Li didn’t want to deal with him.
Yun Ye gossiped as he moved closer to her: “I’m sure I didn’t mistake him. This brother is the one from your wall photo. And he also told me he’s from West Science University.”
“…”
“When you were washing strawberries today, that brother kept looking at you. My door was open, but he didn’t notice me.”
“You’ve been chasing him for so many years, and finally your persistence paid off?”
Yun Li couldn’t take it anymore: “Why do you have so much nonsense to say?”
Ignoring Yun Ye’s flood of questions, Yun Li brought the dishes to the dining table. Yun Yongchang was already seated, looking unhappy. He first complained about the driving school before shifting his focus to Yun Ye’s studies.
Yun Li, thinking about what Yun Ye had just said, responded absent-mindedly.
“You had Yun Ye help you shoot a video today?”
Yun Li didn’t deny it: “Mm.”
Yun Ye quickly kicked her under the table.
“Your brother just got into the top class,” Yun Yongchang said sternly. “It’s bad enough that your grades weren’t good, don’t drag your brother down too.”
Yang Fang complained, “Lili rarely comes home. Can’t you say less?”
Yun Yongchang: “I told you not to go to Nanwu for graduate school, but you went ahead without asking. Now you come back to shoot videos and need your brother’s help. Do you think you can support yourself?”
Yun Li silently ate a couple of mouthfuls of rice.
Yun Ye couldn’t help but argue, “Dad, I just appeared in the video. I didn’t do anything else, and it didn’t interfere with my studies.”
Yun Yongchang glared at him, “You be quiet too.”
“Bang.”
Yun Li put down her chopsticks forcefully.
“I’m full. I’m going out for a walk.”
She stood up, grabbed her coat, and walked out.
As Yun Li had expected, the peaceful moments at home were always very brief. She began to regret her decision to stay home for a week, imagining the tense atmosphere at the dinner table for the next few days. She felt suffocated and wanted to escape.
She drove aimlessly onto the streets, reaching the city center where familiar roads and shops surrounded her. While spacing out at a red light, Yun Li could even remember the approximate duration of the light.
Without realizing it, her eyes had reddened.
Yun Yongchang always loved his children in what he believed was the right way. He was merely complaining about Yun Li going to Nanwu for graduate school without permission, but he went further to belittle her as worthless, thinking that by putting pressure on her this way, she would admit her mistake and back down.
Yun Li gripped the steering wheel tightly, only to realize she had unconsciously driven to the area near Fu Shize’s hotel.
She stopped at an intersection and sent Fu Shize a message: [Have you had dinner?]
Yun Li’s mind went blank as she continued typing: [There’s a famous fish porridge place near you, which is good for the stomach. Shall we go eat together?]
Without waiting for a reply, Yun Li could guess his refusal. She drove directly to the shop and packed a portion of their signature dish.
Her phone vibrated.
Husband: [No, thanks.]
As expected.
Driving back to the hotel area, Yun Li found a spot to park on the side of the road. She carried the fish porridge to the hotel lobby and sat down. She composed several messages on her phone but didn’t send any of them.
Afraid of being rejected again.
Yun Li stared at the porridge in her hands, muttering, “What should I do with you?”
After hesitating for a long time, she walked to the front desk and asked them to send it to Fu Shize’s room. After the front desk staff went upstairs, she sat back down on the public sofa in the lobby, harboring a faint hope that he would come down to see her.
He wasn’t there.
The front desk returned the thermal bag to Yun Li. She dejectedly carried it back to her car, unsure of her feelings.
Staring at the thermal bag in her hands, with its colorful seafood patterns printed on it, she could feel the warmth coming from inside.
She hadn’t seen him.
Yun Li realized that her trip wasn’t just because she thought Fu Shize hadn’t eaten dinner and might hurt his stomach. She was hurt, so she wanted to see him, wanted him by her side.
The thought of going back and facing Yun Yongchang’s face made Yun Li prefer to spend the night in her car.
After scrolling through her phone for a while in the car, Yun Ye sent a message: [[Red envelope] Don’t be sad]
Yun Li: [I only accept 200 yuan red envelopes.]
Yun Ye: [[Red envelope] Don’t be sad]
Yun Li laughed, opening the two red envelopes. The first one Yun Ye sent was 52 yuan, with an emoji attached – a little cat with big eyes gently scratching her. The second one was 200 yuan, with everything else the same as the first envelope.
Yun Ye: [??? Give me back the first one.]
Yun Li: [Oh.]
Ten minutes later.
Yun Ye: [You still haven’t returned it.]
Yun Li: [Oh.]
Yun Ye: […]
Her previously terrible mood suddenly improved. Yun Li opened her photo album, which was full of pictures of her and Yun Ye, and browsed through them for a long time.
She reached out to touch the porridge on the passenger seat, which had already cooled. She thought, she still had Yun Ye, the brother who had grown up with her since childhood.
But what about Fu Shize?
She recalled seeing his WeChat interface last time. Apart from Lin Wanyin’s 100+ unread messages, messages from other people were almost all from a week ago.
Yun Li realized that Fu Shize might have always been alone.
After staying in the car for nearly an hour, someone lightly tapped on the window. Yun Li snapped out of her thoughts and turned her head. Fu Shize was holding a can of beer, gently knocking on the window.
Yun Li hurriedly rolled down the window: “Why are you here?”
Fu Shize shook the can: “Buying things.”
He walked to the passenger side, opened the door, and climbed in, casually moving the thermal bag on the seat to the side. Seeing the words ‘Fish Porridge Shop’ prominently printed on it, he thought for a moment and asked, “For me?”
The cans of beer in the plastic bag clinked as he got in.
“Mm… it’s probably cold now, don’t eat it.” Yun Li said slowly. “But you had stomach pain at noon, and now you’ve bought…” She lowered her gaze to glance at the plastic bag with beer, “five cans of beer, so you probably don’t need to drink porridge.”
Yun Li usually spoke softly and gently to Fu Shize, but now there was a hint of sulky sarcasm in her voice.
She didn’t know how to be angry with Fu Shize, nor did she know if she had the right to be. She simply turned her face away, looking out the window.
“I’m not in a good mood right now. I don’t want to chase you. Please get out of the car.”
Fu Shize had just sat down when the person next to him suddenly asked him to leave. He was stunned for a moment and glanced at Yun Li a few times. She didn’t even turn her head towards him, seeming to be sulking.
Perhaps frightened by Yun Li’s unpleasant tone, Fu Shize consciously put the beer in his hand back into the bag. After getting out of the car, he threw the beer, bag, and all, directly into the nearby trash can.
Then he sat back in the passenger seat and began to open the thermal bag.