Shen Yi had left at half past five in the morning, pedaling out on his bicycle before dawn had even broken.

He had an early-morning part-time job delivering milk and newspapers. Temperatures had dropped recently, and there was already a noticeable chill in the air at this hour, yet Shen Yi was still dressed lightly — simple black trousers and a white crew-neck sweater, shirt hem tucked neatly into his waistband as always.

He was always meticulous about his appearance and valued cleanliness. Even at home, Rong Qian had never once seen him look disheveled or unkempt.

The wind was strong on the road, so Shen Yi had put on a black baseball cap, the brim pulled low. From the front, only the lower half of his face from his nose bridge down was visible.

His rosy lips were pressed into a straight line. His refined jaw was flawless. His fair skin looked almost as though it had a filter over it — more delicate than any girl’s — yet his expression was ice-cold and utterly unsmiling.

Shen Yi returned to the apartment at half past seven, carrying two bottles of fresh milk as he climbed the stairs. He found the door slightly ajar, unlocked, and a pair of men’s shoes sitting at the entrance.

Something shifted in the depths of Shen Yi’s eyes. His steps quickened instinctively, and he pushed the door open with considerable force — the panel nearly smacked the wall and almost swung back at him.

“You’re back.”

Rong Qian was sitting on the sofa, just as usual, smiling and waving at him in greeting.

Shen Yi had grown accustomed to coming home and being greeted by Rong Qian every time. Ever since she arrived, he had for the first time come to understand what it felt like to have a home.

Like in the evenings when he pushed open the door and found the lights inside were on, and the scent of instant noodles drifting from the kitchen.

Rong Qian wasn’t much of a cook, but she was excellent at making instant noodles — and besides, given their limited means, having something to eat for a late-night snack at all was already good enough.

Shen Yi felt a warmth bloom inside his chest. He was greedy for this feeling and didn’t want to ever lose it. He even felt a sudden and reckless urge — to keep Rong Qian by his side forever, whatever it took.

But the moment that thought surfaced, he crushed it and extinguished it. His reason prevailed over his desire.

Shen Yi’s sense of possessiveness toward Rong Qian was very strong. He felt she was his and his alone — he couldn’t stand anyone else even looking at her.

Yet right now, someone had entered without his permission and was alone in a room with her.

Lin Feng was sitting in the chair, having waited a long time for Shen Yi to come home. He had barely been able to hold up under Rong Qian’s interrogation, and was counting on Shen Yi to rescue him. But then he took one look at Shen Yi’s expression and froze.

Had he done something wrong? Why was Shen Yi looking at him like that? It was terrifying.

Shen Yi was indeed displeased — even genuinely angry.

Rong Qian at this moment was still in her pajamas — a purple spaghetti-strap sleep dress with a belted robe draped over it, soft and comfortable. The neckline at her collarbone left a wide expanse of skin exposed, and her slender calves were smooth and well-proportioned. With her legs crossed, glimpses of pale thigh were dimly visible.

Having just woken up, her long straight black hair was loose and fell across her face; she casually swept it behind her ear, revealing a slightly flushed earlobe. Every movement she made carried the natural, unconscious sensuality of a mature woman.

Shen Yi had never allowed anyone to see Rong Qian looking like this, and now of all times it had to be Lin Feng who slipped through.

His expression dark, Shen Yi — who was always so tidy and hygienic — didn’t even bother changing his shoes at the door. He walked straight over to Rong Qian and said, “Go wash up and get changed first.”

“All right. Since you’re back, you talk to him. I’ll go brush my teeth and wash my face.” Rong Qian raised no objections, got up, and went to the bathroom.

Shen Yi gave Lin Feng a look, gesturing for him to step outside. Shen Yi closed the door and stood at the top of the stairwell, back leaning against the wall. “When did you get here?”

“Half an hour ago. Never mind that — what’s this about the medical bills?” Lin Feng got straight to the point.

Shen Yi didn’t answer, and instead turned the question around. “When did Thomas start making trouble for you?”

“Shen Yi!” Lin Feng’s temper flared. “I’m the one asking questions here — don’t change the subject. Forget it. I know you’re struggling financially. I’ll pay you back.”

“No need.” Shen Yi declined.

Lin Feng took a deep breath and told him directly and earnestly, “Shen Yi, you and I aren’t even friends. Don’t think you caused this for me — the trouble is something I brought on myself and has nothing to do with you whatsoever. You had absolutely no obligation to pay my medical bills. Understand?”

“Then what if I said I consider you a friend?” Shen Yi’s tone was completely calm, without the slightest ripple.

A surge of hot anger rose to Lin Feng’s head. “Are you an idiot? Any normal person would run the other way in this situation. But here you are — the moment I have trouble, you tell me we’re friends. Is there something wrong with you?!”

“Say that again.” A layer of coldness settled over the depths of Shen Yi’s eyes.

Lin Feng was suddenly at a loss for words. The words reached his lips and he couldn’t push them out. All right — he’d admit it. Hearing Shen Yi say something like that in a moment like this moved him deeply. It proved his judgment about this person had been right.

But being moved was one thing, and being angry was another. Lin Feng admired Shen Yi’s courage, but he was also furious that he hadn’t thought of himself.

Shen Yi wasn’t the type to act impulsively. Everything he did, he weighed carefully. He had seen enough of Lin Feng’s character to judge. Paying the medical bills wasn’t about playing the hero — it was simply something he felt he ought to do.

Lin Feng couldn’t win an argument with Shen Yi, but he still felt unsettled inside.

He truly had no money, but he could contribute his effort. Shen Yi had helped him like this today — that loyalty, Lin Feng would lock deep in his heart and never forget.

When Lin Feng had said what he came to say, he prepared to leave. Shen Yi had more to ask and stopped him. “What did she say to you?”

“Who? Oh, you mean your sister? Actually, speaking of that — you really could have just told me she was your sister. Instead you let me assume all kinds of things.” Lin Feng said with some irritation.

But Shen Yi’s brow furrowed. “Sister?”

“Yeah, she said she’s your sister — just arrived in America with nowhere to stay, so she’s living with you for the time being. Is there some problem?”

Shen Yi said, his expression flat, “She’s not my sister. She and I share no blood relation whatsoever.”

“No blood relation? Oh, I get it — blended family. I guessed right, didn’t I!” Lin Feng put on the look of someone in the know and gave him a suggestive nudge of the eyebrow.

Shen Yi met his eyes with an unusually grave tone. “Her name is Rong Qian. She and I have no familial relationship of any kind.”

“If the two of you have no relationship, then why is she living with you?” Lin Feng asked, genuinely puzzled.

Shen Yi said nothing, turned his face away, and kept his silence.

Lin Feng then thought of something. His eyes went wide in disbelief. He grabbed Shen Yi by the shoulders, forced him to look at him, and said in astonishment: “Don’t you dare tell me you and her are in that kind of… that kind of relationship! You’re only sixteen! It’s impossible between the two of you!”

Lin Feng was having a hard time accepting this. Even if things were more open abroad, there had to be limits, didn’t there? At his age, he should be focused on his studies. If he let himself go astray now out of selfish desire, how was that any different from throwing his life away?

“Age isn’t even the point…” Shen Yi lowered his gaze, concealing the loneliness that flickered in the depths of his eyes.

From the very fact that four years had passed and Rong Qian had not changed even slightly, Shen Yi already knew — she could cross through time to any period of his life at will. And one day, inevitably, he would grow older than her.

Even when he was a frail old man with white hair, Rong Qian would still look exactly like this. Time would leave no mark on her whatsoever, because she was merely a passing visitor through time and space.

When he thought of this, Shen Yi’s heart felt deeply ill at ease.

But Lin Feng knew none of this. The way Shen Yi’s words landed in his ears — “age isn’t even the point” — only meant one thing: that age didn’t matter to him!

Lin Feng was alarmed and proceeded to talk him through it earnestly. “Shen Yi, you’ve always been steady and level-headed. I trust you’re not the type to be led astray by desire. But you need to think this through clearly — this affects your entire future!”

Shen Yi shook his head and said simply, “Talking to you is pointless.”

“You can leave now.” With that, Shen Yi indicated he could go. Lin Feng still wanted to argue, but was shut out with a closed door.

Lin Feng thought about knocking, but remembering Rong Qian was inside, he let it go. He’d find a way to talk to Shen Yi privately another time.

When Shen Yi came back inside, he found Rong Qian standing sideways at the window, curtains drawn, peering through the gap as though watching something below. There was no smile on her face. Her brow was set with quiet gravity.

This was the first time Shen Yi had ever seen her look like this.

She was usually careless and carefree, always smiling and joking, as though she didn’t have a worry in the world and was breezing through life without a care. But seeing this serious side of her now, Shen Yi suddenly realized — he might not know her as well as he thought.

“What are you looking at?” Shen Yi walked over and asked.

Rong Qian turned around quickly to block the view, a smile back on her face. “Nothing. There’s just a young couple kissing on the street below. I was peeking at a scene not suitable for children, so you definitely shouldn’t look.”

Shen Yi gave a slight cough. “I have no interest in that sort of thing.”

With that, Shen Yi walked away and into the kitchen.

The moment Shen Yi left, the smile at the corners of Rong Qian’s mouth vanished. She cast a sideways glance out the window, her expression cooling slightly, and then went back inside to change her clothes.

Hearing the sound of the bedroom door closing, Shen Yi immediately stepped out of the kitchen and walked over to where Rong Qian had just been standing. He peered through the gap in the curtains and looked down.

There was not a single person on the street below.

Shen Yi withdrew his gaze, looked at the bedroom door, and something complex passed through the depths of his eyes.