As soon as these words came out, the room instantly fell silent for a few seconds.

Chen Yi stopped kissing her and straightened up slightly. The emotions in his eyes hadn’t yet withdrawn. His lips had gotten wet from the recent kiss, adding a few touches of allure to his face.

“Hm?” He drawled, enunciating each word: “Aes-thet-ic fa-tigue?”

“…” Only after speaking did Ruan Mian realize she’d said the wrong thing. Her gaze dodged uncomfortably, deliberately playing dumb. “Ah, what?”

Chen Yi raised his hand to pinch her face, applying a bit of force. He’d originally intended to question her, but when she hissed softly in pain, his attention was diverted. “Did I hurt you?”

Ruan Mian took advantage, her hands looping around his neck, acting coquettish. “A little.”

Her skin was fair and soft—even slight pressure could leave marks. Chen Yi remembered that time in the disaster area when he’d only gripped lightly and her wrist had gotten slightly injured.

Her cheeks were the same now. Two finger marks were clearly visible, like unevenly applied blush, looking somewhat comically cute.

Chen Yi lowered his head to kiss it, his lips touching her cheek, making a very light smacking sound. He sighed. “How can you be so delicate?”

“I’m not.” Ruan Mian muttered, her hand hooked around his neck, her fingers restlessly poking at the area behind his neck, feeling his hard spine, even resting there and rubbing twice.

Chen Yi was afraid that if she continued touching, something would happen. He grasped her arm and pulled back some distance, his meaning pointed. “Don’t get handsy. I’m afraid you won’t be able to control yourself.”

“…” Ruan Mian didn’t want to continue talking with him. She shook off his arm and walked into the room, her tone bland. “Weren’t you going to look at the place? Go ahead, it’s that room.”

This was the first time Chen Yi had seen Ruan Mian throw a little tantrum. For a moment, he actually found it somewhat cute. He quickly followed and hugged her from behind. “Are you angry?”

Ruan Mian also learned from his previous words. “Don’t get handsy. I’m afraid you won’t be able to control yourself.”

Chen Yi was thoroughly amused. In this position, he lowered his head to peck at her neck a few times, then laughed unclearly. “Mm, it’s me who can’t control myself.”

“…”

Both of them were in their twenties, but when they had conflicts, it was quite childish. After a “cold war” of over ten minutes, they made up again, holding hands while viewing the apartment.

“Senior Sister’s bedroom is smaller, but it also faces the sun. The lighting is pretty good.” Ruan Mian showed Chen Yi the secondary bedroom, then the kitchen and the bathroom outside. Finally, as if going through the motions, she also took a look at the master bedroom.

“Hey.” Chen Yi stood in the doorway and pointed at the bed in the bedroom. “Can the bed in the secondary bedroom be changed to this size?”

“Probably not. The room is that small—a meter-fifty bed is already the limit.” Ruan Mian looked at him, reminding him, “You’ll only come back two days a month anyway.”

“That’s true too.” He was calm and composed. “Then I’ll just make do in the master bedroom for two days when the time comes.”

“…”

The two busied themselves all morning. Saying they were viewing the apartment was just an excuse. In the end, it still turned into a date, but both were quite lazy. After going out to eat, thinking about how tomorrow was Monday, they just wanted to go back and lie down. After wandering around, the date location changed back to home.

Upon entering, Ruan Mian went to the kitchen to boil water and turned to tell Chen Yi, “I put your pajamas on the bay window in the bedroom. Go in and change yourself.”

Chen Yi made a sound of acknowledgment, lowered his head to reply to messages, and walked toward the bedroom.

Ruan Mian waited in the kitchen until the water boiled, then did some light washing up in the outside bathroom. Estimating the time was about right, she also prepared to return to the bedroom.

Chen Yi hadn’t closed the door tightly when he entered earlier, leaving a crack. When she pushed it open, the person she’d originally thought would have long since changed clothes was bending over pulling pants onto his legs.

He straightened up with the sound of the door opening, pulled his hand up, and the pants hung loosely. His upper garment was open, exposing a large expanse of chest and abs, his v-line disappearing beneath the waistband.

Ruan Mian instantly froze in place. Her gaze unexpectedly encountered such a stimulating scene, and for a moment she forgot to look away.

Chen Yi didn’t make a sound either, just leisurely buttoning his shirt. The scene changed from static to dynamic. Ruan Mian suddenly snapped back to her senses, somewhat flustered, and dove headlong into the bathroom inside.

The bathroom light switch was outside. Now with the door closed, it was dark inside. Ruan Mian, using that bit of weak light, saw in the mirror a face red to the point of exploding. She suddenly raised her hand to cover her face.

Really, it was too embarrassing.

She seemed both ashamed and at a loss. She sat down on the toilet lid, meditating there to calm her mind—in other words, escaping.

The sounds from outside the room seemed to be amplified countless times. The footsteps, sometimes far and sometimes near, were like stepping on her heart. When they quickened, her heartbeat quickened. When they slowed, her heartbeat followed suit.

After a while, the footsteps changed from sometimes far and sometimes near to gradually approaching. Ruan Mian looked up to see a dark shadow reflected on the glass door, and her heart suddenly skipped.

Chen Yi stood outside the door, his hand on the door handle. “Ruan Mian.”

No response.

He spoke again, this time with a hint of a smile. “I’m coming in, okay?” After speaking, his hand pressed down accordingly, making a subtle sound.

“…Don’t, I’m using the toilet.” A muffled voice came from inside.

Chen Yi withdrew his hand, standing there without moving. He turned his head to look at the switch nearby and pressed the one with the word “lighting.”

A cold white light lit up inside.

He didn’t rush her. After a few seconds, the door in front of him was pulled open from inside. Ruan Mian avoided his gaze. “I’m going to get some water.”

Chen Yi reached out to stop her. “Ruan Mian.”

Her heart skipped. Forced to meet his gaze, she said, “Mm?”

“You seem—” The corner of his lips slowly curved up, saying carelessly, “To have not flushed the toilet.”

“…” Ruan Mian responded randomly, went back in to press the flush button, and finally washed her hands as if covering something up.

Chen Yi found it increasingly amusing and developed the thought of teasing her. He deliberately drawled, “Just now, what did you see?”

After he finished speaking, Ruan Mian’s mind automatically began replaying the scene she’d seen earlier, but her mouth wasn’t honest. “I didn’t see anything.”

He made a sound of regret. “Since that’s the case—”

Chen Yi deliberately paused. Ruan Mian looked up at him. “…What?”

He looked at her with a half-smile, suddenly raised his hand to unbutton his shirt from top to bottom, and said leisurely, “How about I take it off now and let you look properly and carefully again?”

Ruan Mian almost nodded to say okay. The unspoken words were held back by rational thought that snapped back, and her teeth unexpectedly bit her tongue tip. The pain made her brow furrow.

This time it really hurt, very different from the coquettish “hurt” in the living room this morning.

Chen Yi could also tell. His attention was immediately diverted. He raised his hand to grip her jaw, making her open her mouth, his tone indulgent yet helpless. “Let me see. How can you bite your tongue just from talking?”

Ruan Mian stuck out a bit of her tongue tip. The right side had been bitten open in a small spot, blood seeping out. “It’s fine, in a bit it’ll—”

As soon as she opened her mouth, Chen Yi suddenly bent down and licked her tongue tip, then bit her lip, his tongue slowly entering. “A kiss and it won’t hurt.”

Ruan Mian tilted her head back slightly, receiving this kiss. In the quiet room, the soft mattress suddenly made a sound.

Chen Yi tightened his arms around Ruan Mian. The blanket was kicked to the floor in the motion. The pillow was squeezed to one side. Breathing gradually became rapid.

Silence surrounded them, leaving only the wet sounds of kissing, each other’s panting and soft moans, even the sound of heartbeats.

…

After a long while, Chen Yi suddenly got up from the bed, stepped barefoot over the blanket on the floor, and hurriedly left the room.

Ruan Mian’s arm lay across her eyes. She raised her hand to pull down the clothes that had been pushed halfway up, lying there slowly calming her breathing.

After quite a while, she sat up, straightened her clothes, got up to pick up the blanket from the floor, and arranged the pillow properly. The sound of running water from outside came through the unclosed door.

Ruan Mian pressed her lips together, gently closed the bedroom door, and walked into the bathroom inside. From the mirror, she glimpsed the red marks on the side of her neck. Pulling down her collar, there were also some on her collarbone.

She raised her hand to pat her face, lowered her head and washed her face with cold water, eliminating those lingering images from her mind.

After tidying up, Ruan Mian pulled out a face towel to wipe away the water and walked out of the bathroom. She stood by the door for a while, thought about it, but still didn’t go out.

She drew the curtains and lay back down.

Outside the room.

After Chen Yi rushed into the bathroom, he turned on the sink faucet and splashed several handfuls of water on his face. The ice-cold sensation doused some of the heat in a certain part of his body.

Considering there were still other people living here, Chen Yi didn’t do anything excessive in the bathroom. He just stood there, waiting to calm down.

After about ten minutes or so, he washed his face again before coming out of the bathroom. When he returned to the bedroom, Ruan Mian was already nearly asleep.

He lifted the blanket and lay down. Ruan Mian turned over, her fingers feeling the coolness on his face. They were both adults—it wasn’t hard to imagine what had happened.

She lowered her head and buried it in his neck, saying softly, “Chen Yi…”

Chen Yi raised his hand to pinch her earlobe. “What’s wrong?”

“Never mind, it’s nothing.” Ruan Mian found a comfortable position. “Let’s sleep.”

“Okay.”

That day, Chen Yi didn’t stay too late at Ruan Mian’s place. He returned to the military district in the evening. His moving in was already a settled matter. Lin Jiahui also began gradually packing and sending some large luggage items back to S City.

By the end of the month, she had tidied up the room almost completely, leaving only some personal luggage. The day before leaving City B, Lin Jiahui packed up and sent some things Zhou Yuan had given her before to Zhou Yuan’s residence. In the evening, she had dinner with Ruan Mian outside.

Early the next morning, she left two letters for Ruan Mian, dragged her luggage, and left this city in the misty autumn morning.

Over ten years ago, Lin Jiahui had come alone to a strange city for the person she liked. At twenty-eight years old, she had wandered full circle back to the original starting point.

…

“Little junior sister, I’m sorry to say goodbye this way. I didn’t want to make the parting grand. It’s best like this, quiet. There’s another letter on the table left for Zhou Yuan. If he comes looking for you, help me pass it to him. If not, then forget it. I’m leaving. Take good care of yourself. I wish you and Chen Yi an early successful conclusion. We’ll meet again at greater heights.”

Signature: Senior Sister Lin Jiahui.

The autumn morning sunlight in City B was a thin layer, carrying not very obvious warmth. In the empty living room, sunlight filled every corner.

Ruan Mian stood by the dining table, finished reading the letter Lin Jiahui left for her, was silent for a long time, and lowered her head to let out a long breath.

She picked up the other letter. On the outside envelope were only the two characters “Zhou Yuan” written with such force, as if to carve this name into it alive.

Ruan Mian sighed again and put away this letter.

By afternoon, she was just preparing to go out to the hospital when unexpectedly Zhou Yuan suddenly came to the door. The man’s expression was dejected and anxious. “Ruan Mian, Jiahui she…”

“Senior Sister has already left City B.” Ruan Mian looked at him but didn’t feel sympathy. “Wait here. She left a letter for you.”

Ruan Mian went inside to get that letter for him.

Zhou Yuan didn’t rush to open it but asked, “Why did she suddenly leave City B and send back all the things from before to me?”

Ruan Mian’s tone was cold. “Perhaps after you read this letter, you’ll understand everything.”

Zhou Yuan suddenly choked up, lowered his head to look at the letter in his hand, gripping it slightly tighter, as if not daring to face it, not opening it for a long time.

Ruan Mian didn’t say much more to him. After giving him the letter, she went downstairs.

Over the next few days, Zhou Yuan couldn’t contact Lin Jiahui. Colleagues in the hospital department also concealed her whereabouts. Unable to find her, he blocked Ruan Mian’s door every day.

On the evening of the second, Chen Yi began his National Day holiday. He went back to pack some luggage, preparing to move to Ruan Mian’s place. Around eight o’clock, he arrived at the residential complex entrance. Ruan Mian had left a set of keys stored in the express locker at the entrance. He got out to get the keys, registered, drove the car in, and took the elevator up to the fifteenth floor.

As soon as he exited the elevator, he saw a man crouching by the door. His expression froze for a moment. He wheeled his suitcase over to the man and said indifferently, “Excuse me, could you move?”

Zhou Yuan supported himself on the door and stood up from the ground, his voice somewhat hoarse. “You are?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Chen Yi looked up at him. “Late at night, what are you doing crouching at my door?”

“Your home?” Zhou Yuan frowned. “Did Ruan Mian rent the place to you?”

“Does it concern you?” Chen Yi fished the keys from his pocket—it was the set Lin Jiahui had used before, with a charm she’d left on it.

Zhou Yuan instinctively reached out to grab it. Chen Yi caught his arm with his other hand, pressed him against the wall, and said coldly, “What are you doing?”

He strained his neck, saying, “That key was used by my girlfriend before.”

Chen Yi glanced at the keys, guessed he should be Lin Jiahui’s ex-boyfriend, released his hand, stepped back one step, and opened the door. “You also said it was before.”

He carried the suitcase inside and shut the person outside, letting him pound on the door panel.

Chen Yi put the luggage in the secondary bedroom, took a bottle of water from the refrigerator, found the residential property’s phone number in the phone book by the door, and called someone up to take the person away.

After things quieted down, he went out again to drive to the hospital.

Ruan Mian was on the night shift today, only coming out of the department after ten o’clock. Finding Chen Yi’s car at the hospital entrance, she walked over and knocked on the window. “Didn’t I say you didn’t need to pick me up?”

“I had nothing else to do anyway.” Chen Yi tilted his head. “Get in.”

Ruan Mian nodded, walked around to the front of the car, opened the door and got in. Chen Yi watched her buckle her seatbelt and said, “When I went back just now to drop off luggage, I ran into your senior sister’s ex-boyfriend.”

“Zhou Yuan?” Ruan Mian was also somewhat helpless. “Senior Sister didn’t tell him when she left, and didn’t tell him where she went either. He can’t find her, so he blocks my place every day.”

“Every day?” Chen Yi looked at her. “How long has this been going on?”

“I’m not sure either, but every time I come back from the night shift he’s there. Sometimes when I go back earlier, I don’t run into him instead.”

Chen Yi nodded, his expression thoughtful.

Afraid he’d worry, Ruan Mian added, “Don’t worry. He just wants to ask me for Senior Sister’s contact information. He won’t do anything to me.”

He made a sound of acknowledgment and didn’t ask more.

When the two arrived home, they unexpectedly ran into Zhou Yuan at the door again. Ruan Mian had previously spoken to the duty office at the entrance, but she didn’t know how he managed to get in.

“Ruan Mian…” Zhou Yuan anxiously stepped forward. Seeing Chen Yi standing to the side, his steps stopped again. “Can you tell me where exactly Jiahui went?”

Ruan Mian looked at him. “Since Senior Sister chose to keep it from you, I think she naturally has her reasons. I have neither the right nor the obligation to inform you of her whereabouts.”

Zhou Yuan was about to say something more when Chen Yi moved to the side to block him, used the key to open the door, and pushed Ruan Mian inside. “You go in first. I’ll chat with this Mr. Zhou.”

“Don’t do anything to him.” Ruan Mian worried.

He smiled. “I won’t. Just a couple of words.”

After closing the door, Chen Yi turned to look at Zhou Yuan, leisurely rolling up his sleeves, looking down at him. “Are you afraid of pain?”

“…What?”

“Nothing. It’s just that my hand might be a bit heavy in a moment.” Chen Yi smiled, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I hope you can bear it.”

…

Inside, Ruan Mian finished removing her makeup and heard the sound of the door opening. She stuck her head out from the bathroom. “Did he leave?”

“He left.”

“What did you say to him?”

“Nothing much, just casual chat.” Chen Yi looked at her. “A peaceful chat.”