On the way back, Chen Xi sat in the taxi looking at the snow-covered streets outside the window, her eyes feeling slightly sore.

It seemed like nothing particularly sad had happened, yet she just felt like crying.

When she got home, Chen Xi packed up everything she had bought from Baiji and mailed it all to Liu Boyang, asking him to distribute it to the other families after receiving it.

After finishing this, Chen Xi took out her suitcase from the walk-in closet and began packing things to take home.

In half a year, Chen Xi had accumulated quite a few more clothes.

There were the two sets of pajamas and several autumn outfits that Qin Lie had taken her to buy at the mall during her first few days here.

There were also several sweaters she had bought online after winter arrived, two pairs of snow boots, and a baseball cap.

Chen Xi stuffed all her clothing into the suitcase.

The walk-in closet returned to how it looked four months ago, without leaving any trace that she had lived here.

After packing her suitcase, Chen Xi walked to the balcony and silently smoked a cigarette.

She leaned against the railing, watching the setting sun gradually dye the accumulated snow orange-yellow.

She didn’t know how much time had passed before she returned to the walk-in closet.

She crouched down, opened the suitcase, and hung back up several autumn outfits she wouldn’t need immediately and the two sets of pajamas.

That night, she fell asleep before Qin Lie came home.

Perhaps because of what she had been thinking about during the day, she dreamed of San Huang in the middle of the night.

In the dream, she seemed to be at her aunt’s house, searching for San Huang’s figure in vast stretches of vineyards.

After looking for a long time, she finally saw a fuzzy earth-colored back darting in and out of the grass.

Chen Xi felt great relief in her dream and hurried into the grass after him.

She chased San Huang’s figure, weaving through the grass.

Grasshoppers hidden in the grass were startled by her and flew about in all directions with spread wings.

In the dream, it was a bright autumn day, and Chen Xi’s breath seemed to carry the dry, rugged scent of the northwest small town’s high sky and light clouds.

She ran, joy bubbling up from her heart like a dried spring suddenly gushing clear water.

But just as she was about to catch up to San Huang, the grass and grape vines before her suddenly disappeared, and her surroundings became a vast desert.

She saw Grandma’s back, sitting in front of a small earth-colored mound.

Chen Xi ran over in a few steps, crouched down, and called out, “Grandma, what are you doing?”

Grandma turned around, and Chen Xi’s heart suddenly lurched.

The wrinkles on her face were so deep they looked carved by a knife – she was almost unrecognizable.

Chen Xi turned and saw San Huang lying on the ground, his body stiff and straight.

Chen Xi rushed to hold San Huang, but Grandma stopped her.

“What’s wrong with San Huang?”

Chen Xi asked frantically.

Grandma sat on the sandy ground, her voice flat as she said, “He’s dead. You came at just the right time – bury him.”

Chen Xi instantly broke down in tears, “How could he die?”

Grandma smiled, her voice sometimes near, sometimes distant.

“Silly girl, whether it’s people or dogs, when they get old, they die.”

Chen Xi hugged San Huang and began wailing.

Gradually, a voice began calling her name in her ears, low and deep.

“Chen Xi, Chen Xi.”

Chen Xi suddenly opened her eyes and saw Qin Lie’s face.

A small lamp was on at the bedside, casting a warm glow.

“Having a nightmare?”

Qin Lie stroked her hair and asked softly.

Chen Xi wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and asked groggily, “What time is it?”

Qin Lie: “Two in the morning.”

Chen Xi: “How did things go at the company?”

Qin Lie: “The leak is being investigated. Nebula 9 has to be delayed. We’re planning to use Nebula 10’s specifications directly for Nebula 9.”

Chen Xi made a sound of acknowledgment, then suddenly said, “I want to go back to Dunhuang first. You can come back after you finish your work.”

Qin Lie nodded, “I saw the suitcase in the walk-in closet when I came back and already booked your ticket.”

He pulled Chen Xi into his arms and said quietly, “I’m sorry.”

After saying this, he suddenly felt a wave of melancholy.

Lately, he had been saying these three words to Chen Xi with increasing frequency.

Chen Xi said nothing, rolled over, and continued sleeping.

Qin Lie turned off the bedside lamp and lay down beside her.

In the darkness, he listened as her breathing gradually became steady and long.

He got up, put on his clothes, and went to the bone-chilling balcony to smoke a cigarette.

He knew Chen Xi had been trying very hard.

But in this world, some people could be satisfied with love alone, while others could never be fed enough by love.

Chen Xi, away from Dunhuang, was like a desert rose removed from the Gobi.

Her life was losing color day by day, becoming withered.

This wasn’t the kind of life his girl should be living.

The next morning, Chen Xi woke to find Qin Lie making breakfast in the kitchen.

“Aren’t you going to the company?”

Chen Xi stood in the kitchen doorway in her pajamas, looking somewhat surprised at Qin Lie bustling around the stove.

Qin Lie was following a video to learn how to make ham and scrambled eggs, saying casually, “I’ll go to the company after seeing you off.”

Chen Xi made a sound of acknowledgment and fell silent.

Qin Lie glanced back at Chen Xi and asked quietly, “What did you dream about last night?”

Chen Xi said listlessly, “San Huang. I dreamed he died.”

They were chatting intermittently when Chen Xi’s phone suddenly rang. The call was actually from Ms. Leng.

Chen Xi instinctively straightened up and answered the phone.

“Hello, Ms. Leng.”

Qin Lie watched Chen Xi answer the phone seriously and suddenly wanted to laugh.

In front of Ms. Leng, Chen Xi would unconsciously become a fangirl.

This treatment he didn’t even receive.

Qin Lie turned off the range hood, and the room suddenly became very quiet.

Ms. Leng’s voice came through the phone.

“Chen Xi, are you free tonight? Let’s have dinner together.”

Chen Xi leaned against the kitchen doorframe, shifting her weight from foot to foot in difficulty.

“Sorry, Ms. Leng, I have a flight today. I’m going back to Dunhuang.”

Ms. Leng made a sound of acknowledgment, was silent for a moment, then said, “Then I’ll tell you over the phone first.”

Chen Xi quickly hummed in response, listening attentively.

Ms. Leng: “The main character, little rabbit from Crescent Moon Town – I want to make it into a virtual idol. Can I entrust the design to you?”

Chen Xi wasn’t as excited as she might have imagined. She asked cautiously, “What would the design work involve?”

Ms. Leng: “All of the little rabbit’s merchandise and derivatives. You need to design everything imaginable on the market before the animation airs.”

“Including this rabbit’s family, living environment, and daily stories.”

Chen Xi roughly estimated the workload – it was no less than the animation design for this series, and the timeline was very tight.

She hesitated, unsure how to respond for a moment.

After a few seconds of silence, Ms. Leng’s slightly puzzled voice came through the phone.

“What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”

Chen Xi suddenly looked toward Qin Lie and saw him calmly dividing the ham and scrambled eggs from the pan into two plates.

As if sensing Chen Xi’s gaze, Qin Lie suddenly turned around and smiled at her.

His look reminded Chen Xi of half a year ago, when they first waved goodbye at Dunhuang airport – the carefree smiles on both their faces.

Back then they had no sorrow, no confusion. Sunlight streamed through the huge glass wall, making them both shine brilliantly.

That was their best selves – stars and moon reflecting each other’s light. If either were dimmed, it wouldn’t be what the other wanted to see.

Chen Xi suddenly spoke, saying to Ms. Leng, “Ms. Leng, I probably can’t take this job.”

Ms. Leng’s voice shifted from surprise to curiosity as she asked with a laugh, “Why?”

Chen Xi glanced at Qin Lie again, but only saw his sharply defined back.

Her words were on the tip of her tongue. Whether hesitation or regret, at this moment she just wanted to speak frankly.

“I have my main occupation back home. Thank you for allowing me to participate in Crescent Moon Town’s production.”

“But after this project ends, I need to go back home to handle my own business.”

As she spoke, she watched Qin Lie.

Her gaze shifted from initial hesitation to certainty.

Qin Lie kept his back to her, unhurriedly preparing breakfast.

Ms. Leng’s voice became even more curious.

“What main occupation?”

Chen Xi: “Car repair.”

After a moment of silence, sudden laughter came through the phone – Ms. Leng’s hearty “hahahaha.”

Chen Xi held the phone away from her ear, silently complaining to herself.

This crazy woman – where was the billionaire businesswoman’s demeanor?

When Ms. Leng finished laughing, she suddenly said, “Though it’s a pity, if you weren’t this kind of person, you probably couldn’t draw things that move my heart.”

She paused, her voice suddenly becoming serious.

“Go, Chen Xi. Live the life you want to live.”

Chen Xi softly hummed in acknowledgment and said, “Even though I won’t be in Beijing anymore, if there’s anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

Ms. Leng said with a smile, “It’s a deal.”

Chen Xi hung up the phone and silently watched Qin Lie’s back.

The house suddenly became deathly quiet, with only the sound of Qin Lie cutting oranges on the cutting board.

Chen Xi waited like this until Qin Lie arranged the cut oranges on two plates.

Qin Lie picked up the plates and turned around, meeting Chen Xi’s complex gaze.

He smiled at Chen Xi and said, “Time to eat.”

Chen Xi didn’t move from leaning against the doorframe. She looked at Qin Lie, suppressed the melancholy and sadness in her heart, and said calmly, “Don’t you want to talk about this?”

Qin Lie, holding the plates, suddenly bent down and kissed Chen Xi’s forehead, then walked directly to the dining room.

Chen Xi unconsciously touched her suddenly burning forehead and followed Qin Lie into the dining room.

“Qin Lie.”

Chen Xi felt uncomfortable and insisted on hearing him say something, even if it wasn’t anything particularly caring.

Qin Lie set breakfast on the dining table and turned to ask Chen Xi, “Talk about what?”

Chen Xi was suddenly at a loss for words. It was she who couldn’t hold on anymore, yet an inexplicable resentment welled up in her heart.

“What do you think?”

She looked at Qin Lie coldly.

After being together for so long, this was the first time she wanted to lose her temper with Qin Lie.

Qin Lie walked over without saying a word, wanting to hold her, but Chen Xi stepped back to avoid him.

“I can’t hold on anymore.”

Chen Xi suddenly spoke.

“I’m sorry, I still prefer my old life.”

If not for Ms. Leng’s phone call, perhaps this barrier would have continued to be muddled over by her.

Dragged until some future moment when it could no longer be concealed.

She would drag her suitcase and casually say goodbye to him at the airport, waiting for him to come back to celebrate New Year together.

Then continue walking forward with him, taking it step by step until there is no way forward.

About this relationship, she had never been optimistic from the beginning to the end.

It was just that his certainty and devotion had made her temporarily forget how difficult the road ahead would be.

“Chen Xi.”

Qin Lie looked at her, his voice low. “Give me some time.”

Before he finished speaking, his phone rang – a call he couldn’t not answer.

Chen Xi quietly watched Qin Lie finish the call, knowing he had to leave.

She picked up the down jacket thrown on the sofa and handed it to him, saying quietly, “Go handle your business. I can get to the airport myself.”

Qin Lie wanted to say something, but Chen Xi spoke first.

“I’m a selfish person. I can’t give much, and I can’t bear others’ giving either.”

She lowered her eyes and helped Qin Lie zip up his down jacket.

“So let’s go back to how things were before. Let nature take its course – don’t make me so tired.”

Qin Lie looked down at Chen Xi. After a long moment, he suddenly turned and walked out the door without a word.

There was still time before departure. Chen Xi ate the breakfast Qin Lie had made, cleaned up the kitchen, and then went to the walk-in closet and repacked the clothes she had taken out of her suitcase yesterday.

The phone beside her rang – it was Qin Lie’s secretary Xiao Tang calling to drive Chen Xi to the airport.

Chen Xi said it wasn’t necessary, but Xiao Tang said it was arranged by President Qin.

Xiao Tang discussed the afternoon departure time with her. Chen Xi listened in a daze, feeling like somewhere in her heart had suddenly become empty.

Without the pressure she hated, she had also lost weight.

She numbly hummed in acknowledgment, politely said thank you, and silently hung up.

When it was time to leave that afternoon, Chen Xi dragged her suitcase to the door and took one last look at her home behind her.

The minimalist-style furniture and decor were no different from when she had arrived.

Chen Xi gently closed the door. Fortunately, this home hadn’t had time to leave any indelible traces of her.

She took the elevator down to the parking garage and indeed saw a black business car parked in Qin Lie’s spot.

A young man got out of the driver’s seat, but it wasn’t Xiao Tang.

Chen Xi greeted the young man and asked somewhat hesitantly, “Where’s Assistant Tang?”

The young man took Chen Xi’s suitcase and said politely, “Assistant Tang had something urgent come up and asked me to drive you.”

Chen Xi’s gaze lingered on the young man’s face for a moment. She suddenly felt he looked somewhat familiar, but couldn’t remember where she had seen him.

They drove in silence. At the airport, the young man got out and helped Chen Xi retrieve her luggage from the trunk, smiling as he said, “Have a safe trip.”

Chen Xi thanked him and said goodbye, then dragged her suitcase toward the domestic departure entrance.

After taking two steps, she suddenly turned back and asked the young man who had just gotten back in the car, “Is your surname Song?”

The young man’s eyes widened in surprise as he smiled at Chen Xi. “Yes.”

Chen Xi was stunned for a moment, then forced a smile.

“Drive safely, Mr. Song.”

She stood by the roadside watching the young man drive the business car farther and farther away.

She finally remembered where she had seen this familiar face.

It was back in midsummer when one evening after her shower, she had received a video from Yang Shan of a well-known legal affairs program.

Mr. Song from Beijing had bought an accident car at Dunhuang’s used car market.

The seller happened to be the same used car dealer who had made Chen Xi silently swallow her losses.

She leaned back in her chair, staring blankly, not knowing how many other quiet acts of devotion by Qin Lie she remained unaware of.

The plane soared into the clear sky. Chen Xi looked at Beijing growing increasingly blurry outside the window, her eyes also blurred by tears.

She had ultimately left something behind in this city, which she could never grow close to.

Her heart would never be whole again.