Meng Fuyuan was just about to tear open an iodine cotton swab when Chen Qingwu asked, “Do you have tweezers?”

He glanced at her. She was lowering her head, carefully examining her fingertip.

“Got a splinter?”

“Mm.”

Meng Fuyuan opened the medicine box and found a pair of tweezers inside.

After a moment’s hesitation, just as he was about to hand them to Chen Qingwu to let her handle it herself, a figure flashed past the storage room doorway.

Meng Qiran walked straight in.

Without a word, he grabbed Chen Qingwu’s hand and simultaneously reached out to take the tweezers from Meng Fuyuan’s hand, saying, “Let me do it.”

Chen Qingwu struggled slightly. Meng Qiran turned his head, “Don’t move. It’ll go in deeper in a moment.”

Meng Fuyuan’s gaze swept over Chen Qingwu, whose expression had stiffened slightly. After Meng Qiran’s gentle reprimand, her eyelashes lowered and she stopped moving.

That expression seemed to indicate she had acquiesced.

The small storage room was still too cramped for three people after all.

Meng Fuyuan lowered his gaze, handed both the iodine cotton swab and tweezers in his hand to Meng Qiran, then turned and walked out without looking back.

Meng Qiran bowed his head, holding the tweezers in one hand, searching for where the splinter was.

Chen Qingwu said helplessly, “Just let me do it myself. I’m not useless.”

Meng Qiran acted as if he hadn’t heard, holding his breath as he used the tweezer tips to pinch the splinter and carefully pulled it out.

He lifted his eyes to look at her expression, “Does it hurt?”

“…It’s not that dramatic.”

Meng Qiran tore open an iodine swab and gently dabbed it on the skin of her fingertip.

His breathing was slow, but because they were close, the rise and fall was still obvious. “I thought you wouldn’t come back for Dragon Boat Festival.”

“I can’t not come home.”

Seeing that the disinfection was about done, Chen Qingwu withdrew her hand.

But Meng Qiran took the opportunity to grasp her wrist. “…Are you still angry with me?”

“No. And this isn’t a question of being angry or not. We already spoke clearly enough last time.”

“I still have things I want to tell you…”

Chen Qingwu interrupted, “As far as I’m concerned, this matter is completely over. Qiran, you might just be temporarily unaccustomed to it, or perhaps unwilling to accept it…”

“You won’t even listen before jumping to conclusions.”

Chen Qingwu sighed, “…I finally managed to come home for once. Right now I just want to spend the holiday in peace and quiet.”

Meng Qiran paused.

Sensing Meng Qiran’s fingers loosening slightly, she took the opportunity to withdraw her wrist, turned and walked out, saying in a low voice, “Let’s go out.”

When Qilin learned that Chen Qingwu had been stabbed by a bamboo skewer, she felt very apologetic and refused to let her do any more work afterward, including serving juice.

When dusk fell, everyone moved to the back garden.

The barbecue grill had already been set up, with silver charcoal burning beneath the iron rack. Heat rose in wisps as one approached.

Once the iron rack was heated, they brushed it with clear oil, and sliced pork belly and skewered beef and lamb were placed on it in sequence.

Meng Fuyuan and Meng Chengyong were in charge of grilling.

Chen Suiliang said with a laugh, “Here I am eating ready-made food again.”

Meng Chengyong said, “Tomorrow at your place, don’t worry about not having things to keep you busy.”

Meng Fuyuan took the grilled pork belly slices and first placed them on Chen Suiliang and Liao Shuman’s plates.

Chen Suiliang tried a piece and praised the perfect timing, “How is Fuyuan so skilled at barbecuing too? I don’t see anything you can’t do well.”

Qilin said with a smile, “I was joking with Old Meng before, saying what a pity Shuman only had one daughter. If she’d had two, wouldn’t that be double the happiness.”

Liao Shuman laughed, “Stealing away one of my precious daughters isn’t enough, you want to steal a second one?”

Meng Fuyuan just kept his head down turning the food on the grill, his expression showing no change, his lenses blocking the faint annoyance in his eyes.

Chen Qingwu across from him also acted as if she hadn’t heard the parents’ jokes, keeping her head down and silently drinking her juice.

After a moment, a small plate was placed in front of her.

On the plate were two skewers of cucumber and two skewers of corn kernels—both things she liked to eat.

Chen Qingwu looked up and said thank you to Meng Fuyuan.

Meng Fuyuan acted as if he hadn’t heard, making no response whatsoever.

After eating for a while, everyone felt a bit hot. Meng Chengyong told Meng Qiran to go get some more beer.

Shortly after, Meng Qiran returned with the items.

Besides beer, there was also a box of frozen durian.

He sat down and, without drawing any attention, first placed the durian beside Chen Qingwu’s hand before going to distribute the beer.

Chen Qingwu looked at that box of durian, her expression momentarily blank.

Meng Fuyuan glanced at it, his expression growing even more indifferent.

After eating for a while, Qilin went to take over Meng Fuyuan’s work.

There were many empty seats. Meng Fuyuan scanned the area and chose to sit diagonally across from Chen Qingwu.

Across the barbecue grill and the person doing the grilling, this position meant he didn’t have to directly see Chen Qingwu and Meng Qiran sitting side by side.

After finishing dinner, Qilin called the housekeeper to help clean up, telling the young people to go play and not help.

After tidying up, everyone drank tea in the courtyard.

Having socialized non-stop all day, Chen Qingwu really couldn’t take it anymore. When Chen Suiliang and Meng Qiran were chatting about competition-related matters, she quietly got up.

Without the slightest hesitation, she walked straight toward the main gate.

During dinner, unable to refuse their hospitality, she had drunk a can of beer—she couldn’t drive now and could only call a taxi.

Standing in the front courtyard, she had just taken out her phone to call a car when she suddenly heard someone call from behind, “Qingwu.”

Meng Fuyuan’s voice.

Her momentarily tense nerves relaxed.

Meng Fuyuan walked over, “Getting ready to leave?”

“Shh.” Chen Qingwu glanced toward the gate, “Don’t let them know, or they’ll definitely have Qiran drive me.”

Meng Fuyuan looked at her, “You don’t want him to drive you?”

“Mm.”

“Then I’ll drive you.”

The flat tone nonetheless made her heart inexplicably skip a beat again.

Meng Fuyuan held out his hand, “Car keys.”

Chen Qingwu temporarily collected her thoughts, “Drive my car? Then how will you get back afterward?”

“Drive your car back again.”

“I’m joking.” Meng Fuyuan said, “I have plans to drink with a friend. I’d have to call a designated driver for my own car anyway. I’ll just take a taxi back then. Don’t worry about it.”

Putting it that way, Chen Qingwu took the keys from her bag and handed them to Meng Fuyuan.

The two got in the car.

The driving controls were slightly different. Meng Fuyuan asked Chen Qingwu about them, familiarized himself for a moment, then started the car.

Chen Qingwu was in a bad mood, and Meng Fuyuan’s spirits also seemed low.

The two listened to the radio together in silence.

It was a Cantonese song.

Having watched many Cantonese movies, she happened to understand about seventy to eighty percent.

“Two hundred years later together, we shouldn’t fear others’ disapproval.”

When they reached the Chen family gate and stopped the car, Meng Fuyuan took out the suitcase and helped Chen Qingwu carry it to the front door.

Chen Qingwu thanked him, “Come in for some tea before you go?”

Meng Fuyuan only said, “You don’t need to be so polite with me. Go in. Get some rest early.”

“…Mm.” Chen Qingwu smiled and responded with a muffled sound.

Meng Fuyuan nodded, turned and walked toward the main gate.

Through the black iron gate, he paused and looked back once. The light in the room at the end of the second-floor corridor had already turned on.

He walked in the direction of the return journey, lighting a cigarette in the humid evening breeze.

Chen Suiliang and Liao Shuman didn’t arrive home until past one in the morning.

After washing up, Liao Shuman was about to rest when her phone received a WeChat message from Chen Qingwu asking her to come to her room.

The room door was half-open. Liao Shuman knocked lightly.

“Come in.”

Liao Shuman pushed the door open, “It’s so late, why aren’t you asleep yet?”

Chen Qingwu pointed to the gift boxes piled high on her desk, “Did you let Qiran into my room?”

“I only let him leave the gifts and then leave. He didn’t touch your things.”

Earlier, when Chen Qingwu had entered her room, she’d been startled by the dazzling array of gifts.

She randomly opened one and realized they must all be from Meng Qiran.

The one she opened was a handbag.

One year when she and Meng Qiran took a flight out to play, they left late and nearly missed check-in. On the way rushing to the departure gate, they passed by a shop with the current season’s new products displayed in the window.

A handbag’s design immediately captured her aesthetic sense.

She paused slightly in her steps. Meng Qiran followed her gaze, glanced at it, and said they were going to miss boarding—he’d buy it for her next time.

Later she went to the boutique to look at that bag and felt that upon closer inspection it was just so-so, without the heart-stirring feeling from that first glimpse.

And Meng Qiran had naturally long forgotten about this matter.

A style from several years ago, still in unopened brand-new condition—acquiring it must have taken considerable effort.

The remaining gifts, without thinking too hard about it, were mostly of the same nature—Qiran’s “compensation” for the past.

But for someone whose cold had already healed, even the most effective cold medicine was superfluous.

Chen Qingwu walked over and closed the room door. “Mom, I want to say a few words to you.”

“Go ahead.”

Chen Qingwu thought it over repeatedly and decided to be straightforward: “You may not believe it, but Qiran and I have never been together…”

“What do you mean you’ve never been together?” Liao Shuman was both surprised and confused. “Aren’t you two boyfriend and girlfriend?”

“No.”

“But you two spent both college and graduate school together out of town, and sometimes you even traveled together… I don’t mean to blame you, Qingwu. What I mean is, we actually tacitly approved.”

“I know, but we’ve truly always only been childhood friends…”

“Don’t you two like each other? How many times have you been jealous over Zhan Yining…”

“Yes, but…”

“Qiran is so devoted to you—writing songs for you, buying you such expensive gifts, and this whole pile of gifts, isn’t it all to make you happy…”

Chen Qingwu felt mentally exhausted. How could she break down and explain such a thing to an outsider? “…He doesn’t really like me. He’s only acting out of responsibility…”

“Acting out of responsibility—isn’t that even better? The most important thing in a man is his sense of responsibility. Love’s shelf life is only so long. After the novelty wears off, for two people to maintain their relationship well, they need to rely on responsibility.”

Liao Shuman yawned and walked over, gently putting her arm around Chen Qingwu’s shoulder. “Qingwu, I think some things don’t need to be overly sensitive about. The way Qiran treats you—to us outsiders it really is impeccable. It’s not bad for girls to be sentimental, but sometimes it only hurts others and yourself. When getting along with people, focus more on their good points. Where in the world is there a perfect person?”

Chen Qingwu knew that what Liao Shuman actually meant was that she was being “unreasonable.”

Perhaps everyone would think she was being unreasonable.

She had a sense of painful awkwardness, like a clam shell being pried open and exposed under the scorching sun.

“Mom…” Chen Qingwu sighed, “Whether you understand or not, Qiran and I won’t continue developing according to your expectations. Don’t try to push us together anymore either.”

Liao Shuman looked at her, her gaze seeming to find her somewhat unreasonable. “We used to joke around—why didn’t you object then?”

Chen Qingwu opened her mouth, feeling suffocated. “That was before…”

“You and Qiran have known each other inside and out since childhood. To us adults, you two have always been perfectly suited. ” Liao Shuman yawned again. “Alright Qingwu, you two just had a little quarrel. Talk it through properly later—there’s no misunderstanding that can’t be resolved. I’m tired, I’ll go sleep first. Tomorrow Uncle Meng and the others are coming to our house—it’ll be a good chance for you to have a proper chat with Qiran…”

Liao Shuman patted her shoulder, “Get some sleep early.”

The door closed.

Chen Qingwu stood frozen in place for a long time without moving.

Her suitcase lay open on the floor, the dress she’d just changed out of draped over the chair back.

Chen Qingwu stood dazed for quite a while. When she came back to herself and looked over, she almost didn’t hesitate—she squatted down, took out a set of clean clothes from her suitcase, and changed out of her pajamas.

When leaving, her footsteps were extremely light. The main door closed with only a soft “click.”

Chen Qingwu felt around in her bag and suddenly froze—Meng Fuyuan had forgotten to return her keys.

At this hour, he must be asleep by now.

But maybe not necessarily—he did say he was going to drink with a friend.

After thinking about it, Chen Qingwu still sent Meng Fuyuan a WeChat message.

She’d heard from Meng Qiran that Meng Fuyuan always turned on Do Not Disturb mode when sleeping.

If he was already asleep, it shouldn’t disturb him.

The message was replied to almost instantly.

Meng Fuyuan: Still awake. What’s up?

Chen Qingwu: My car keys are still with you, right?

Meng Fuyuan: Yes. I’ll bring them over tomorrow morning.

Chen Qingwu: Can I come get them from you now? Will it disturb your rest?

Meng Fuyuan: Need the car now?

Chen Qingwu: Mm.

Meng Fuyuan didn’t ask where she was going in the middle of the night, only replying: I’ll bring them to you.

More than twenty minutes later, a figure appeared outside the main gate.

Chen Qingwu quickly walked over and pressed the button to open the door.

“Sorry to trouble you to make a trip.”

“No problem.” Meng Fuyuan handed over the car keys while taking in Chen Qingwu’s appearance.

She’d changed clothes and was carrying a tote bag, with her suitcase placed in front of the car behind her.

“…Where are you planning to go?” Meng Fuyuan couldn’t help asking.

“Oh. Running away from home.”

Meng Fuyuan looked at her.

Chen Qingwu said with a smile, “Really. I laid things out with my mom and didn’t get her understanding. Thinking about having to be bothered all day tomorrow, I could only run away overnight.”

For some reason, he felt her smile at this moment made his throat slightly itchy.

She had never truly been docile and resigned to her fate.

“Has the alcohol metabolized?”

“…Don’t know.”

“And you were still planning to drive.”

“Actually no… I was looking at designated drivers.”

“Driving from South City back to East City, the price isn’t cheap.”

“…That’s true.”

“I’ll drive you.” Meng Fuyuan said evenly, “Just treat me to a cup of coffee.”

Chen Qingwu was stunned. “…Didn’t you go drinking with your friend first?”

“Didn’t go. Went to see a movie instead.”

“…By yourself?”

“Sometimes watching alone is better.”

Chen Qingwu imagined that scene and felt there was a kind of lonely romance to it.

She had always watched movies with her close friends or with Qiran.

Meng Fuyuan raised his wrist to check his watch, “Have you decided?”

“I… this seems like too much trouble for you.”

“Just four hours.”

Meng Fuyuan simply reached out, took the car keys from her hand, and pressed the button.

The car lights behind them lit up.

Part of that light passed over her and fell on Meng Fuyuan. He was looking at her with that calm, waiting expression and gaze that seemed like an invitation.

She instantly thought again of that moment nine years ago during summer vacation when he appeared in the dusk.

She could find no more reasons to refuse.

Meng Fuyuan told Chen Qingwu to get in the car directly while he helped her arrange the suitcase. Then he got into the driver’s seat and first checked the fuel gauge.

Chen Qingwu connected the navigation and entered the destination.

A 24-hour coffee shop.

Meng Fuyuan looked at her.

She said with a smile, “I’m paying the ‘designated driver fee’ in advance.”

When the car reached the coffee shop entrance, Chen Qingwu told Meng Fuyuan to wait in the car while she went to buy it herself. “What would you like to drink?”

“Americano.”

Chen Qingwu made an “OK” gesture and opened the car door.

After quite a while, she finally returned.

“Sorry, sorry. There’s only one employee in the shop, making things very slowly. I also bought a taco—if you’re hungry you can eat it.”

Meng Fuyuan nodded, took the iced coffee, and casually placed it in the cup holder on his side.

Before getting on the highway, the car first went to the gas station to fill up.

Chen Qingwu said with a laugh, how come this “designated driver” is even giving her a free tank of gas?

With all preparations complete, they finally officially set out.

Meng Fuyuan observed the right rearview mirror, his gaze incidentally falling on her face.

The car was playing music she liked. She’d opened the car window to catch the breeze, squinting her eyes slightly with a completely relaxed expression.

As the city slept, in the dim yellow of early morning, only a few scattered cars passed on the road.

On such a quiet night, it was as if the world had forgotten them.

Driving a pickup truck, taking her to “run away from home.”

Even if someone told him that after dawn he would die, he would feel without regret.

Not long after getting on the highway, Chen Qingwu fell asleep.

They rested once at a service area midway. She suggested switching with Meng Fuyuan to drive, but was unsurprisingly refused—the reason still being concern that her alcohol hadn’t completely metabolized.

During the second half of the journey, Chen Qingwu tried hard to stay alert, not wanting to be an unqualified passenger.

Meng Fuyuan seemed to notice and told her to sleep if she wanted to.

“Are you okay driving alone?”

“Don’t worry.”

When it came to things he handled, she had never felt uneasy.

The car interior fell silent again.

Meng Fuyuan turned down the speaker volume and glanced at the passenger seat.

Chen Qingwu was sleeping leaning sideways, her breathing deep and steady.

The wind outside the car window blurred, this moment so tranquil. He treasured it so much that even thinking ahead to when this journey would eventually end brought an undeniable hidden pain.

As if by instinct, he maintained the car speed at the minimum speed limit.

Even if it could extend their time together by just one second, he was willing.

Chen Qingwu woke again when Meng Fuyuan called her.

She lifted her tilted head with effort and opened her eyes.

“Qingwu, look at the sunrise.” Meng Fuyuan reminded her in a low voice.

Hearing this, Chen Qingwu immediately became alert. She hurriedly sat up straight and looked outside.

The view outside the window was no longer pitch black.

The sky was a translucent gray. They were passing over an elevated bridge, and in the distant clouds, a pale red sun was emerging.

Chen Qingwu excitedly grabbed her phone, opened the camera, leaned close to the front windshield, and pressed the photo button.

The car sped along. After the curve ahead, they quickly lost the optimal view.

Only then did Chen Qingwu put down her phone, leaning forward slightly, gazing into the distance with rapt attention.

Before long, they exited the highway ahead and entered the southern suburbs area.

Chen Qingwu opened her phone and fiddled with it for a while.

Meng Fuyuan resumed his brotherly stance: “Still, you should let your parents know so they don’t worry.”

Chen Qingwu said with a smile, “Actually I left a note before going out.”

In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the studio entrance.

Meng Fuyuan parked the car and helped unload the suitcase.

Chen Qingwu stared at her phone screen, “Wait a moment.”

Meng Fuyuan didn’t understand but didn’t ask either.

After a while, he suddenly saw a ride-share car drive over.

Chen Qingwu said with a smile, “I called a car for you. I set the location as your company—you can have the driver change the destination to wherever you need to go. Get some good rest in the car.”

Meng Fuyuan nodded.

“I was going to order breakfast for you too, but it’s too early—nothing’s open yet.” Chen Qingwu looked at him. “…Thank you so much. Being able to run away and also see the sunrise—I’m especially happy.”

“…Mm.” Meng Fuyuan controlled the slight surge of emotion in his chest and opened the back door, looking at her. “Qingwu.”

Chen Qingwu: “Mm?”

“Can you send me the video?”

Chen Qingwu thought for a moment, “Can I edit it a little first before sending it to you?”

“Sure.”

Meng Fuyuan got in the car.

He had the driver change the address to his residence in East City. After the car left the creative arts park, he closed his eyes.

In truth he wasn’t sleepy—whether because of that cup of coffee or because of a secret joy he couldn’t share with anyone, he was very much awake.

About ten minutes later, his phone vibrated.

On WeChat, Chen Qingwu had sent the sunrise video.

The edited video was set to an upbeat background music, as if one could smell the morning breeze carrying moisture.

She sat right beside him, gazing joyfully at the distant clouds, her pupils slightly dilated from faint distraction, her fair cheeks illuminated by the pale red sunlight.

This was the most beautiful sunrise he had ever seen.

[*Note]: Let’s dedicate Jason Chan’s “Tough Life” to our big brother.