That afternoon, after Cen Jin fell asleep, Li Wu quietly left the room, telling Aunt Tang, “I’ll be back soon, if sister wakes up and needs anything, have her call me,” before heading out.

His voice was very low, but his clean, handsome face was beaming. Aunt Tang stared blankly, and before she could respond, the young man had already disappeared.

Li Wu first returned to Meet to resign and apologize to the manager.

Hearing that he had urgent family matters, the manager was understanding and didn’t withhold any of his part-time wages, paying him the full amount owed.

Cheng Rui stood beside him cursing, throwing around phrases like “choosing romance over friendship” and “hormones making you betray your brother,” but Li Wu took it all in stride, just kept smiling, got the keys from Cheng Rui, and went back to pack. He was extremely efficient, taking less than two hours to catch a taxi back.

When he returned to the villa, Li Wu was sweating profusely. Aunt Tang felt sorry for him and quickly brought him an ice pop.

Li Wu thanked her, glancing at Cen Jin’s door, asking softly: “Has sister woken up?”

Aunt Tang said: “Not yet.”

He asked again: “How did she hurt her leg?”

Aunt Tang said: “They say she fell from a stage. She cried every day after coming back from the hospital. It breaks my heart to see her like this. I’ve watched Jin Jin grow up since she was little. She’s always been so strong-willed. Now she can’t do anything and can’t go out—she must be suffering terribly.”

Li Wu pondered this thoughtfully.

Aunt Tang took the opportunity to chat with him: “Little Wu, I heard from Jin Jin’s mother that you were sponsored by Jin Jin and her previous husband?”

Li Wu paused slightly, then nodded.

Aunt Tang sighed: “You’re such a good kid, doing so well in your studies. My grandson is starting high school after summer break, but he’s so playful—who knows what university he’ll end up at.”

Li Wu was never comfortable with praise, only saying: “I wouldn’t even be able to go to school without my sister.”

He glanced at Cen Jin’s bedroom direction again: “How long does sister usually nap?” It had only been a short while since he’d seen her, but he already missed her.

Aunt Tang said: “Hard to say, sometimes she stays quiet in there all afternoon.”

Li Wu quickly took out his phone and sent Cen Jin a WeChat message: I’m in the living room, call me if you need anything.

Cen Jin had just woken up and was sitting up to check her phone when this message appeared before her eyes.

She closed the chat window, closed her eyes, then opened it again, sending a warning to this kid who bloomed at the slightest ray of sunshine: I’m awake, but I don’t need anything.

Li Wu replied: Okay.

He added: I’m going to take a shower.

Cen Jin paused: No need to report every little thing to me.

The young man seemed not to hear: Ten minutes.

Cen Jin: “…”

Ten minutes later, just as there was about to be a knock on the door, Cen Jin, who was reading her company WeChat group, felt her heart jump, and asked impatiently: “What—”

Li Wu’s voice came clearly: “I’ve finished showering, can I come in?”

Cen Jin worried that refusing would make Aunt Tang overthink things, so she had to agree: “Come in.”

Li Wu pushed open the door. He had indeed just showered, looking much fresher than in the morning, his hair tips fluffy and glossy black, like wild grass growing rampantly in midsummer.

He was tall with long limbs, walking through a beam of light, and for those few seconds, the youth seemed to be rimmed with light, relaxed and bright.

Cen Jin was momentarily dazed, inexplicably recalling her father’s words from lunch about “growing from a handsome boy into a handsome young man.” When she caught herself, finding it strange, she casually moved her gaze away.

She laughed inwardly—wasn’t it because she had raised him well?

Cen Jin pulled out her tablet to watch dramas while Li Wu continued reading his book, not disturbing each other, the atmosphere peaceful.

Over the next few days, Li Wu was completely accommodating—playing games with her, accompanying her on the Wii, reading to her, serving food and water, and in the evenings pushing her wheelchair around for fresh air. Because his care was so thorough and attentive, meeting every request flawlessly, Cen Jin gradually shifted from awkwardness to acceptance, able to maintain her composure while letting Li Wu carry her around, even becoming as imperious as an empress being carried in her sedan chair.

She had to admit, a young person’s strong arms were indeed much more useful than a wheelchair or crutches.

One night, Cen Jin expressed such sentiments to a friend on WeChat.

Chun Chang sent ten “ha” characters in a row: Finally admitted it, right? Aren’t you going to thank me?

Cen Jin refused to acknowledge it, only asking: Am I being too much, rejecting him but still enjoying his care?

Chun Chang said: Then just accept him. What’s wrong with dating? Don’t think about the future, just be together, enjoy young love and physical attraction, isn’t that nice?

Cen Jin reflexively replied: No.

Chun Chang: Why?

Cen Jin recalled various details from the past year and this holiday, honestly admitting: If I dated him, I’d feel like it was incest, but somehow it seems fine when he’s in a brother role—I can accept these somewhat flirtatious behaviors from him then.

Chun Chang: Damn, what kind of modern player are you? You’re even now, he treats you like this because he likes you, okay?

Cen Jin replied: I know, but he won’t leave no matter how I try to drive him away, what can I do?

Chun Chang: Are you bragging, or taking advantage and still acting coy? I couldn’t dream up this kind of scenario.

Cen Jin: I’m just expressing my honest thoughts. I hate this kind of ambiguous relationship, but I do… I don’t know how to explain it, I do care somewhat, or at least don’t want him to completely leave me, don’t want to completely ruin our relationship. You say it’s like, but it doesn’t seem to be that either, there’s nothing intense or clear about it, I can’t figure it out.

…

After ending the chat, Cen Jin fell into deep thought—both deep contemplation and deep self-reflection.

This thinking continued until midnight.

Li Wu would punctually leave her bedroom at 10:30 each night to rest in the next room.

During this period, Cen Jin had no work to occupy her and had companionship, so her sleep quality had improved dramatically. She usually wouldn’t wake up at night, but today her friend’s criticisms had kept her awake. After scrolling Weibo for half an hour, she decided to have a proper talk with Li Wu.

She opened WeChat and messaged Li Wu: Are you there?

The young man replied almost instantly: Yes.

Cen Jin asked: Do you still like me?

The young man, lying in bed with his arm as a pillow, felt his mind explode and sat up straight. He stared at this short message for quite a while before rubbing his head, ears burning as he typed back one word: Yes.

Cen Jin pinched her brow, carefully typing: Listen carefully to what I’m about to say, don’t get excited like last time in the dorm.

Li Wu pressed his lips together: Okay.

He was still anxious: Are you going to tell me not to like you again?

Cen Jin replied: No.

She continued: I just thought about things between us, and I realized I still can’t accept a relationship beyond siblings for now, so I want to seriously discuss this with you today.

Li Wu felt a painful stagnation in his chest but still responded: Okay.

Cen Jin also sat up, directly sending a voice message.

He immediately accepted.

They sat against their headboards on opposite sides of a wall, in almost identical positions.

Cen Jin organized her thoughts before speaking calmly: “Li Wu, personally speaking, being liked by such an excellent young man, both inside and out, is very flattering and satisfying to my vanity. But have you thought about it? If we got together, we’d face many issues. For instance, you’re at school while I’m at the company—our environments mean we’d barely intersect, and our experience gap would create a huge generation gap. And how would we explain all this to our parents?”

She tucked her hair back, speaking methodically: “Remember my colleague? The one who flirted with you at Meet? She often maintains relationships with younger men, whether physical or emotional, coming together when compatible and separating when not, and having fun without any pressure. But if we put this scenario on us, could you accept it? You’re such a proud kid, you wouldn’t want that either. Not to mention what you told my father about choosing F University—you already have your considerations and plans, showing you want a long-term development with me, right?”

The other side listened with heavy pressure, only now giving an “mm” in response.

Cen Jin exhaled: “I know what I’m saying now is very realistic and bare, but not laying it out clearly would harm both of us, especially being irresponsible to you. You’ve barely been an adult for long, still full of youthful spirit, without enough rational judgment about many things. Following pure passion can easily make you lose yourself.”

“I don’t want to talk about relationships with any sort of experienced person’s superiority, but I have indeed gone through a failed marriage. At the very least, I’ve opened that textbook and studied it wholeheartedly, while you haven’t—you’re a true beginner. These matters of love, in the end, are intangible and unpredictable. At first, it’s intense like fire, but fire eventually burns out—not everyone can maintain spring forever. I’ve also just reflected that maybe because I led you out of the mountains and have been supporting your education, I have some sense of control, some sense of entitlement. We’re even now, I shouldn’t look at you or handle our relationship with such a distorted mindset anymore.”

“Before, you were either studying at Yi High or staying with me, which wasn’t fair to you. Why not wait until university? After this summer holiday, a bigger world awaits for you to explore and experience. You’ll meet all kinds of excellent people, including excellent women. Maybe then you’ll realize Sister Cen Jin isn’t all that special. I don’t want to be that leaf or that well—they’re too narrow. I don’t want to become that kind of existence. Don’t let me block your vision or confine your world. Li Wu, step out and look around, look at the forests, the mountains, the sea, look at all those richer and more beautiful things out there, then make your choice.”

After she finished speaking, the other side remained silent for a long while before making a sound.

The young man’s nose was blocked, his voice slightly choked: “Sister, there won’t be anyone better than you.”

He said “anyone,” not just “woman,” making it sound more profound.

Cen Jin felt an uncontrollable, dull pain in her chest.

But even though she truly felt the ache brought by this sincere heart, she still had to comfort him gently: “Don’t make such absolute statements. Let’s give ourselves some time.”

“If at this time next year, you still like me as much as you do now, and I haven’t liked anyone else, then we can consider this matter. Meanwhile, I’ll try changing my mindset in how I interact with you, okay?”

After saying this, Cen Jin gave a self-mocking smile. She actually could make such a concession, extending the conditions this far, willing to use the final moments of her precious twenties to conduct this completely unpredictable experiment.

The young man’s voice suddenly brightened: “Really?”

Cen Jin affirmed: “Really,” she smiled slightly: “And thank you for taking care of me these past few days. I might get my cast removed at the hospital the day after tomorrow, but I still can’t walk normally for now. I’ll have to trouble you more this holiday—consider it pre-university training.”

Li Wu replied without hesitation: “Okay.”

Cen Jin thought for a moment, confirming she had nothing else to add: “Then, goodnight?”

Li Wu made an “mm” sound, then quickly asked: “Can I still like you?”

Cen Jin replied: “As you wish.”

Seeming to have received a promise, the young man’s smile instantly spread through, particularly certain: “I won’t stop liking you.”

“Oh,” Cen Jin responded lightly: “I’ll believe that for now.”

Li Wu said: “Goodnight.”

Cen Jin lowered her eyes: “Okay, goodnight.”

After hanging up the voice call, Cen Jin let out a breath, looked at Li Wu’s WeChat for a while, and just as she was about to turn off her phone, her heart, which had just relaxed, suddenly tightened again.

In the chat box was a message.

Like a defiant oath, like a vow, like putting a death curse on himself.

Li Wu: I will like you until I die, and only like you.

Kids these days… Cen Jin sighed, about to close it directly when her finger paused, moving to the input box, quickly typing back two characters: Mature.

Seeing her reply, he grew bolder, pressing his advantage: From today on, can you stop seeing me just as a brother?

Cen Jin snorted, replying: Then what should I see you as?

The other side contemplated for a while, sending back a two-character answer: A man.

Cen Jin was amused: Go to sleep, man, you haven’t even finished growing yet.

Li Wu: …

After exchanging goodnights again, Li Wu focused intently, smiling as he read these messages over and over countless times, almost burning through his phone screen, before reluctantly lying down.

Still tossing and turning unable to sleep, he opened his phone to search “when do males stop growing,” wanting to refute her tomorrow.

The webpage answered: Around age 22.

He irritably turned off the screen, messing up his bangs, wondering if Cen Jin already knew this, feeling annoyed.

After a while, he still lit up his phone, going straight to WeChat, rereading his chat history with Cen Jin, somewhat disbelieving yet ecstatic, then smiling, the corner of his mouth lifting, continuing to smile. Confirming he would be sleepless all night, he wondered if the woman next door might be the same as him, and carefully sent a greeting: Sister, are you asleep?

Cen Jin: Shut up. Sleep.

Li Wu: Oh.