He’d only been to her house once before, yet he remembered the layout of the place precisely. Climbing the stairs to her bedroom, he nudged the door open with his knee and stepped in, gently laying her on the bed.

“Louis thinks you probably have low blood sugar. Let me find you something to eat — is there any food in the house?” His movements were as gentle as his voice.

She spoke faintly, her voice thin. “There’s some pastries in the cabinet to the left as you enter the kitchen downstairs…”

Lu Shicheng turned to go, but Wen Tingli sat up and grabbed his sleeve. “No, I can’t eat that right now. I want something hot — hot porridge, hot noodles, hot soup, anything.”

Lu Shicheng answered without hesitation. “All right, I’ll find a way.”

Wen Tingli thought hazily — what way did he mean to find? It was so late now, all the noodle shops nearby would be closed.

She should have just let him warm up some pastries with boiled water to tide her over. She was hungry and exhausted now, breaking out in cold sweats.

This was the first time she’d ever been this hungry — it was truly unbearable, her stomach twisting with acid. If only Zhou Sao hadn’t gone to Suzhou, at least then she could have had a hot bowl of noodles right away…

Suddenly she caught a scorched, fragrant smell, and thought she must be hungry enough to be hallucinating — but then she heard footsteps on the stairs. It was Lu Shicheng, bringing something steaming hot.

Wen Tingli’s eyes lit up.

It was actually a bowl of plain noodle soup! Which noodle shop was even open this late?!

Wait — wasn’t that their own soup bowl?

She stopped looking at the noodles and instead stared at Lu Shicheng in astonishment.

Lu Shicheng, however, made no move to explain where the noodles had come from, simply propping her up to sit, and carefully picking up a few strands of noodles with chopsticks to bring to her lips. Wen Tingli opened her mouth and ate, and he picked up another small bunch, blowing on it to cool it before bringing it to her lips again.

Wen Tingli wolfed down the second bite.

And so, spoonful by spoonful, the hot noodles found their way into Wen Tingli’s stomach. Strength gradually returned to her limbs, her fingers able to move again, and no longer content to be passively fed, she began leaning forward toward the bowl herself.

Lu Shicheng held the bowl with both hands while also trying to keep her forehead from bumping into it, but couldn’t quite manage both — there was a soft clack, and she accidentally bit down on the tip of the chopsticks.

Lu Shicheng stopped, concerned, and checked her lips. Fortunately, no cuts.

The dazed, worried look on his face inexplicably moved Wen Tingli. She felt much better now, with enough strength to gaze into his eyes — when still, they looked a little like a mountain lake, and right now, that lake reflected her own image, small, moving back and forth.

“Why are you still here?” The moment she had strength, she started picking fights again.

“If not here, where should I be?” His eyes were dark as ink.

“You should be with Miss Ge.”

She tried to keep a stern face, but a hint of amusement kept flickering unbidden across her eyes — and in that instant, they both understood: whatever Miss Ge might be, it truly hadn’t weighed on her mind at all. Yet she still wanted to press the question.

It was a game she never tired of playing — one outsiders would never understand.

He didn’t answer her. “Want more?”

“No more.” She curled back under the blanket. “I’m cold — go get me another blanket from Zhou Sao’s room downstairs.”

Lu Shicheng rose from the bedside, and soon she heard him going down the stairs. When he reappeared carrying a blanket, Louis was with him.

“Sorry, the car had a flat tire on the way… how is Miss Wen doing now?”

Wen Tingli lay half-reclined in bed with her eyes half-closed. Half an hour earlier, Louis had given her an injection; she felt much better now, her hands and feet warming, her stomach no longer aching so much. Only — she wasn’t sure if there was something sedative in the medicine, because she soon found herself growing too drowsy to keep her eyes open.

Yet she forced herself to stay awake, because Louis and Lu Shicheng were discussing her condition at the foot of the bed.

“Miss Wen really pushes herself too hard. By rights, you must have been feeling unwell for days already — didn’t you notice yourself?”

Wen Tingli managed a weak smile and shook her head. Glancing over, she caught Lu Shicheng gazing at her, unmistakable worry in his eyes.

Louis sighed. “I imagine Miss Wen’s grown used to handling everything on her own, which is why she tends to overlook any discomfort in her own body. I heard you started a film company with a partner? I’d wager you haven’t been eating on a regular schedule either — you’re at least seven or eight pounds lighter than the last time I saw you. Our bodies need care most of all, or the problems will eventually all surface at once…”

Lu Shicheng murmured to Louis, “She looks like she’s about to fall asleep — should we step outside to talk?”

Perhaps out of consideration that she might call for someone at any moment, the two of them didn’t fully close the door when they left. Wen Tingli faintly heard Lu Shicheng asking Louis, “Does she need to go to the hospital?”

“No need to worry too much. Her constitution is fundamentally healthy — as long as she doesn’t develop diarrhea or a fever tonight, there shouldn’t be any issue… I’ll have Nurse Michelle come sit with her later, though unfortunately, my other nurse just went on maternity leave, and Michelle’s been on night duty these past several days, so she may not be fully alert tonight. Not to worry, though, I’ll be on standby downstairs as well…”

Wen Tingli had been listening intently at first, but unable to withstand the effect of the medicine any longer, drifted off to sleep on her pillow.

When she woke again, everything before her was pitch black. She instinctively swallowed, her throat feeling as though it were on fire, and reached out to feel for the lamp on the nightstand, when the light suddenly flared on in front of her.

“Want some water?”

Wen Tingli stared blankly at the person before her.

Lu Shicheng immediately reached out to touch her forehead. “Does your head hurt? Where does it feel uncomfortable?”

He’d stayed by her bedside the entire time. She moved her lips dazedly. “I— I’m thirsty.”

Lu Shicheng immediately brought a bowl of water to her lips.

Wen Tingli watched him without blinking as she drank a few mouthfuls, only belatedly noticing that they were alone in the room, just the two of them.

“Where are Dr. Louis and Nurse Michelle?”

“Resting downstairs.”

Wen Tingli’s gaze wandered over him — he was the tidiest man she’d ever known, yet now his cuffs and collar were rumpled, dust smeared on his arm, and he seemed entirely unaware of how disheveled he looked, all his attention fixed on her.

Her heart melted completely. “You’ve been here all night watching over me? I’m much better now — you should go rest too.”

Lu Shicheng glanced at his watch.

“It’s only just past five. Louis said you shouldn’t be left alone tonight.”

Wen Tingli felt a little dazed, resting her cheek on her arm, watching him pace back and forth beside her bed. Lu Shicheng set the water bowl aside and went to wring out a damp cloth from the basin to wipe her sweat.

His movements were gentle and steady — he truly knew how to care for someone.

Wen Tingli suddenly touched her own face and threw back the blanket, moving to get up. Lu Shicheng stopped her. “What do you need? I’ll get it for you.”

“The washroom,” Wen Tingli said softly.

Lu Shicheng paused. “I’ll walk you to the door. Call out if anything feels wrong.”

There was a tenderness in his voice he himself likely wasn’t even aware of. Wen Tingli couldn’t help but nod, and the moment she entered the bathroom, turned on the tap.

She still had no strength to speak of, though at least she wasn’t dizzy anymore. Still, she couldn’t bear the thought of looking disheveled in front of Lu Shicheng — even at death’s door, that was a line she wouldn’t cross. She found tooth powder and soap, cleaning herself up neatly before coming back out.

Lu Shicheng wasn’t waiting right outside the washroom, but stood watch in the hallway instead, the bedroom door left open so he could immediately notice if anything happened on her end.

“I’m done,” she called softly, holding onto the doorframe.

He walked her back to bed and sat down at the bedside himself. Once she’d settled in, he tucked the blanket around her, then fixed his gaze on her, unblinking.

Wen Tingli reached a hand out from under the blanket and gently traced circles on the back of his hand.

“Did you make that bowl of noodles?”

Lu Shicheng paused for a moment. “Mm.”

“You forgot to add salt.”

He looked puzzled. Salt?

No wonder she’d only eaten a few bites before stopping.

“I’ll make you another bowl.”

“No noodles. I want steamed egg custard.”

He started to rise, but Wen Tingli caught his hand again.

She didn’t actually want steamed egg custard either — she wanted him. She rested her cheek against the back of his hand, her clear eyes fixed on him. Lu Shicheng couldn’t tear his gaze away, and found himself unable to move his feet either. He sat back down to keep watch over her. Outside, the sky was gradually turning pale with the coming dawn, and he watched her face in that early light.

She simply lay there, her cheek against his hand, and though neither spoke, it felt as though each could hear what the other was thinking — this long, sweet silence. He gently brushed the loose strands of hair from her forehead behind her ear.

Just then, the phone by the bed rang.

At this hour? The two exchanged a glance. Wen Tingli didn’t hide it from Lu Shicheng, reaching out from under the covers to pick up the receiver in front of him. “Hello.”

“It’s me, Xiao Wen.”

Head Nurse Liu! Calling this early meant it must be something urgent. Wen Tingli instinctively covered the receiver, glancing up guiltily at Lu Shicheng beside the bed.

A single exchanged glance, and Lu Shicheng understood — this was a call he wasn’t meant to hear.

He looked at her deeply for a moment, asked nothing, and turned to walk out, closing the door behind him for her.

Head Nurse Liu’s puzzled voice came through the receiver.

“Xiao Wen?”

Wen Tingli reluctantly pulled her attention back, apologizing. “Sorry — is something urgent, calling this early?”

“I’ve left what you asked for in the safe deposit box on the first floor of Bohai Hotel, box number 304. The key will be mailed to your home in a few days — go retrieve it as soon as you can.”

There was a lot of noise on the other end — it seemed Head Nurse Liu had quite a few people around her.

“The item?” Wen Tingli was puzzled. “What item?”

But Head Nurse Liu hung up in a hurry.

Wen Tingli hung up thoughtfully, craning her neck, waiting for Lu Shicheng to come back — but when the door opened again, it was Louis and Michelle who entered.

“Where’s Mr. Lu?”

“Mr. Lu went out to buy breakfast.”

Wen Tingli let out a breath of relief, but she couldn’t forget the look Lu Shicheng had given her just now. Regarding her secret, he hadn’t shown a trace of curiosity, nor the slightest inclination to press for answers — only understanding, and a matter-of-course avoidance.

No, it wasn’t just that. The mysterious trip to Ningbo, the lost gun, the wounds she wouldn’t discuss — these secrets remained a constant presence around her. So even though he was more understanding and tolerant than before, he hadn’t fully let his guard down, and that phone call just now had reopened the knot that had always existed between them. He probably felt that she could set him aside for someone else at any moment, when what he wanted was a simple, pure love — the kind he gave her.

She waited a good while for Louis and Michelle to finish examining her before finally asking, “Has Mr. Lu come back yet?”

Louis went downstairs, and when he came back up, he was carrying breakfast for the three of them.

“Mr. Lu left. He said now that Miss Wen is out of danger, there’s no more need for him to stay and help — he had other matters to attend to, and left the rest in our care.”

Opening the tray, she found a bowl of steamed egg custard sitting on top. Wen Tingli nodded, feeling a pang of wistfulness. At noon, Huang Yuanshan led the entire company to visit her, and Wen Tingli, mustering her spirits, announced from her bed the good news that Miss Ge would be visiting the company. Everyone was overjoyed.

She went on to discuss her plans in detail with Huang Yuanshan and the others, until Huang Yuanshan clapped a hand over her mouth in exasperation. “I’ll handle Miss Ge myself. You’re sick in bed, and all you can think about is work, work, work. Didn’t you hear what Dr. Louis said? What you need most right now is rest. We’ve already been working ourselves ragged lately — Twin Pearls and Spring Wind Blows Again are both more than half filmed. Taking a month or two off won’t affect the year-end release. Please, think about your own health for once!”

“All right, all right, I’ll rest,” Wen Tingli said, laughing at everyone. “I really am afraid of Sister Huang’s lion’s roar.”

Everyone burst out laughing, except Huang Yuanshan, whose face showed not a trace of humor. In her view, Wen Tingli’s sudden illness was likely tied to the frustration she’d suffered at Golden Films’ banquet the other night. If she’d known, she would have dropped everything and gone with Wen Tingli to that “Hongmen Banquet” herself.

Now, all she felt was guilt, with no room left for jokes. Fortunately, Wen Tingli seemed in good spirits, and after sitting with her a while at the bedside, the worry on Huang Yuanshan’s face gradually eased.

To help lift Wen Tingli’s spirits, everyone chattered away, and someone suggested Wen Tingli take a year’s leave of absence from school — she was pushing herself far too hard, and would only get sick again at this rate. This time, Wen Tingli actually began to seriously consider the suggestion.

Li Zhen said, “I hear Liu Menglin landed quite a bit of investment at the celebration banquet too, but strangely enough, right after Golden Films’ good news broke, the Hu Chun Daily published a statement declaring that Lu’s would no longer be collaborating with Golden Films in any capacity going forward.”

Everyone was stunned. “That doesn’t sound like Lu Shicheng’s style at all — could it be that Liu Menglin offended him somehow at the banquet?”

“That part’s unclear,” Tan Guiwang said. “I heard Liu Menglin’s been scrambling to find people to apologize to Lu Shicheng on his behalf, but the Lu residence won’t even let him through the door.”

Several people burst out laughing. “What on earth did Liu Menglin do to anger Young Master Lu this badly?”

Huang Yuanshan happened to glance over and notice a knowing smile on Wen Tingli’s face, guessing she knew the reason behind it, and nudged her with an elbow. “Hey, what actually happened last night?”

Wen Tingli composed her expression. Given how much scheming and troublemaking Liu Menglin had done that night, he could never have imagined that Lu Shicheng was neither as easygoing as he appeared on the surface, nor the reckless, dissolute playboy type like Gao Tingxin.

Gao Tingxin, for his part, was utterly indifferent to whether one more or one less scandal attached itself to his name.

Lu Shicheng, however, despised nothing more than being used by others to serve their own ends.

This time, Liu Menglin had well and truly shot himself in the foot.

Seeing Wen Tingli fall silent, Huang Yuanshan assumed she was simply tired, and turned to tell everyone, “Let Tingli rest properly. We’ll come visit again tomorrow.”

That evening, Zhou Sao and Xiao Taozi returned from Suzhou as well, and upon finding Wen Tingli sick in bed, naturally fussed over her with no small amount of worry and commotion.

It wasn’t really anything serious — a couple days’ rest and she’d be fine. That day, Wen Tingli unexpectedly received a letter from an anonymous sender, containing nothing but a key inside.

Wen Tingli suddenly remembered what Head Nurse Liu had told her that morning, and hurried to drive to the Bohai Hotel Head Nurse Liu had mentioned, finding safe deposit box 304 on the first floor — inside was, of all things, a crate of apples.

The moment Wen Tingli got in the car, she took out the apples one by one, then used a dagger to probe the inner lining of the crate bit by bit. Before long, she discovered a hidden compartment.

Prying it open, she found a pistol hidden inside.

Puzzled, she picked it up and examined it again and again, confirming it was indeed a Mauser pistol. Urgently, she found the nearest telephone exchange and called Head Nurse Liu.

Head Nurse Liu was indeed at Cixin Hospital, with no one else nearby, so she spoke more freely than she had that morning.

“Did you get the gun?”

“I got it — but why would you send me another gun out of nowhere? You already had someone deliver one to me before.”

“What?”

Given the gravity of the matter, Wen Tingli felt she needed to lay everything out clearly at once. “A few days ago, someone delivered a small pistol to me. I assumed it was from you — wasn’t it?”

“It wasn’t,” Head Nurse Liu said firmly. “With assassinations running rampant lately, our supply comrade only got back to Shanghai last week.”

By this point, Wen Tingli had already put the pieces together, and laughed. “I understand what happened now. I’ll explain it to you later. Sister Xiangzhi, could we meet in person? There’s something that’s been troubling me for a while that I’d like to discuss with you face to face.”

The moment Wen Tingli got back, she placed the compact pistol in a combination-locked box and drove straight to the Lu residence, asking Steward Xu to pass the item along to Lu Shicheng.

“The combination is my birthday. He knows it.”

That evening, while she was filming at the set, Xiao Tian came to find her. “Boss Wen, a Mr. Lu is on the phone for you.”

The moment Wen Tingli heard this, she hurried to the front office, closed the door, and took a deep breath before answering. “Hello.”

Over the next three days, Wen Tingli threw herself completely into work, because only by staying busy could she keep from thinking constantly about Lu Shicheng and the date three days away.

The first day was spent hosting Miss Ge; the second, hammering out the details of their partnership; the third, holding a press conference to announce Xiufeng’s new collaboration with Miss Ge — for three days straight, Ge Qingyun and Wen Tingli’s names appeared repeatedly in all the major newspapers.

Xiufeng garnered a huge wave of attention. Several established cinemas, seeing Xiufeng’s rising momentum, even came inquiring about the filming progress of Twin Pearls and Spring Wind Blows Again, all but stating outright they hoped Xiufeng would choose their theaters for the first run.

Wen Tingli and Huang Yuanshan seized the opportunity to give their new films a solid round of publicity in front of the public.

Only, these past few days, no matter where she went, Wen Tingli kept feeling as though someone were following her; but every time she turned to check, she found no trace of anyone.

Before long, her birthday had arrived.

Though it was Wen Tingli’s birthday, to make her little sister happy, she’d already promised to take Xiao Taozi to the Great World amusement park for a full day — that way, even if she wasn’t home in the evening to celebrate, her sister wouldn’t feel disappointed.

They set out early in the morning, Xiao Taozi terribly excited the whole way, her round little head constantly poking out the window, asking with an air of anticipation, “How much longer till we get there?”

Wen Tingli laughed from the front seat. “Almost there — the moment we get out, sister will buy you ice cream, how’s that?”

“Xiao Taozi wants the kind Mr. Lu bought.” Xiao Taozi added excitedly.

Wen Tingli was momentarily taken aback — it had already been over a year since Lu Shicheng had accompanied them to the Great World. She hadn’t expected her little sister to still remember it. Then again, a day that wonderful — who could forget it?

Her thoughts drifted unconsciously to the evening’s date ahead. Xiao Taozi, unaware her sister’s mind was full of preoccupations, kept bouncing along. “Has Mr. Lu set off yet? Sister, take Xiao Taozi to ride the bumper cars with Mr. Lu! Beat Mr. Lu! Xiao Taozi will come in first!!”

Zhou Sao, seeing Wen Tingli not responding, quietly sighed and pulled Xiao Taozi into her own arms. “There now, don’t bother your sister while she’s driving. Your braids have come loose — sit still now.”

They played at the Great World until the afternoon, trying everything there was to try. Wen Tingli was determined to leave her little sister with an even better memory than the one from over a year ago — whatever Xiao Taozi wanted to play, she happily indulged her; whatever delicious thing Xiao Taozi wanted to eat, she bought it on the spot.

There was even an exquisite Western music box in a shop window at the amusement park — priced at a hefty four silver dollars, sitting unsold in the window for over a year — but just because Xiao Taozi had lingered at the glass a few extra moments, Wen Tingli walked right in and bought it without a second thought. When Xiao Taozi found the little rabbits along the road novel and exciting, she bought those too.

Xiao Taozi was overjoyed, bouncing and laughing the whole time, and watching her, Wen Tingli forgot all her worries. They played themselves to exhaustion by past two in the afternoon; the two sisters were both worn out. Xiao Taozi sat in Zhou Sao’s lap eating water chestnut cake, her little head nodding lower and lower with drowsiness.

Zhou Sao laughed with a sigh. “Look at her, worn right out. I think we’ve had our fill for today — shall we head back?”

Wen Tingli, retying her headscarf and sunglasses to cover her face, stood up. “Sounds good.”

Just then, a series of rapid footsteps sounded from behind, and alarm bells rang instantly in Wen Tingli’s mind. Her hand instinctively moved toward her bag.

Turning to look, she saw a man in a grey short jacket clutching a small purple handbag, sprinting off toward the entrance.

A woman behind him called out breathlessly, “Stop him! He’s a thief, he stole my bag!”

The crowd surged forward to help.

Wen Tingli let out a quiet breath of relief and discreetly closed her handbag again, saying to Zhou Sao, “Let’s go.”

Fearing something else might happen, she hurried Zhou Sao and Xiao Taozi outward, guarding them closely, and in her haste, didn’t notice a pair of eyes watching her from not far away.

The Lu residence.

Lu Shicheng sat in the sofa, idly gazing at the jewelry box in his hands, when he heard Kuang Zhilin outside say, “Young Master Cheng, Zhou Wei is back.”

Lu Shicheng looked up in surprise. “What happened?”

“Don’t worry, Young Master Cheng.” Zhou Wei entered to report. “I left Li Li watching outside the Wen residence. Today Miss Wen took her sister to the Great World amusement park — just now—”

Lu Shicheng cut him off. “I’ve told you before — these days, you only need to ensure Miss Wen’s safety. Where she goes, who she sees — none of that needs to be reported to me. Don’t interfere with her life either.”

“Yes, sir — but there’s one thing I felt I had to report back on.” Zhou Wei spoke seriously. “Just now, there was a robbery at the amusement park. Miss Wen must have felt it was dangerous, because while no one was looking, she pulled a gun out of her handbag.”

“A gun?” Lu Shicheng froze.

“A gun, absolutely,” Zhou Wei said with certainty. “From the bit of the grip that showed from her bag, it was definitely a Mauser. Afterward, Miss Wen realized it was just a petty thief and quietly put it back — I saw it clearly with my own eyes.”

Lu Shicheng fell silent for a long moment, then waved Zhou Wei off without a word.

That little liar.

She’d deceived him again.

She clearly still had a gun on her, yet had let him believe she had no means of protecting herself at all.

That day on the phone, she’d told him herself: “I don’t want your gun.”

“So what if I don’t have a gun.”

“Lu Shicheng, what are you so worried about? If I die, I die.”

She’d even threatened him: “If you want me to accept the gun you’re giving me, come find me at Wanxiangyu Restaurant. Offer expires soon.”

No — she hadn’t really lied to him, exactly. She simply hadn’t made things entirely clear. It was he who, out of excessive worry for her safety, had lost his composure.

If she’d found a way to get her hands on the first gun, of course she’d manage to get a second one too. How many more times would he let himself be “deceived” by her like this before he finally learned his lesson? He closed his eyes, frustrated with himself.

Just then, Kuang Zhilin returned, saying quietly, “It’s nearly five o’clock. Should I have Xu Chang and the others wait downstairs if Young Master Cheng is heading to Wanxiangyu Restaurant?”

At five o’clock sharp, Wen Tingli arrived punctually at Wanxiangyu Restaurant. She’d reserved the restaurant’s most luxurious private room and had the menu prepared in advance, yet she still had the manager come over to confirm the order several times before she felt satisfied.

She wanted every detail of tonight to be perfect. She wanted Lu Shicheng to feel that, in her heart, nothing mattered more than him.

She’d already worked it all out — the moment he appeared, she would proactively tell him about the second gun.

He needed a proper reason to come find her — so she would use this gun as the pretext. If it made him angry, she would tell him everything: the story behind her first gun, and how Sister Li had helped her time and time again.

Sister Li had already given her life. In the months since, the Japanese had thoroughly investigated Sister Li’s background — her identity was now completely exposed to them, just like the middle school teacher who’d been killed recently. Telling Lu Shicheng this part wouldn’t put Dean Deng and the others at any risk.

This was the greatest concession she could make while still ensuring Head Nurse Liu and the others’ safety.

For this, she’d already secured Liu Xiangzhi’s consent beforehand.

Head Nurse Liu, considering that their side had already thoroughly investigated Lu Shicheng’s background, and that even Wen Tingli’s compact pistol had been sent by Lu Shicheng’s people, ultimately agreed to Wen Tingli’s request.

But she insisted Wen Tingli rehearse with her beforehand several times, to avoid accidentally revealing anything critical.

Just as she was thinking this over, the manager brought someone in to set a Western-style cake on the table. Wen Tingli, barely containing her excitement, kept glancing toward the window. Once the manager left, she hummed a tune, twirling in a circle beside the table, her pearl-colored skirt flaring out around her like a silver wave. Tonight was set to be a romantic evening.

Suddenly, a piercing sound rang out from some indeterminate direction, and the hallway erupted into chaos: “Was that gunfire outside?”

“Not another assassination, is it? Why have there been so many lately?” someone cried out in fright. “Oh heavens, where are the police? Has anyone called the police station?!”

Lu Shicheng drove at breakneck speed.

Fast as he was going, it still wasn’t fast enough for him.

He shouldn’t have been this late, but near the Garden Bridge, he suddenly remembered he’d left the jewelry box in his study drawer, and had to turn back for it.

By his calculations, he was already more than ten minutes late — he wished the car could go even faster.

His feelings, even now, remained conflicted. He’d long since understood that she was involved in some nameless, noble cause, and had resolved to accept all of it — but that phone call the other morning had shown him just how difficult that acceptance would be in practice. He’d never demanded she reveal everything about herself to him; all he wanted was that, the next time danger came, she wouldn’t unhesitatingly push him away from her side. He wasn’t sure how many more times he could bear being pushed away. His resolve wavered — but the moment he remembered today was her twentieth birthday, he couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her waiting alone at Wanxiangyu Restaurant. Some things needed to be said face to face.

He drove faster than usual, and what should have taken an hour took only forty minutes. Turning the next corner would bring him to Wanxiangyu Restaurant.

Just then, several “bang bang” sounds rang out ahead.

Lu Shicheng slammed on the brakes instinctively.

Screams erupted from the crowd ahead, followed by people scattering in every direction. His face darkened as he watched the scene unfold, and suddenly remembering Wen Tingli was nearby, blood rushed to his head. He touched the gun at his side and ran toward the scene without a second thought.

He’d barely taken a few steps when he saw blood on the ground — a large pool of vivid red, horrifying to behold.

His whole body went rigid, his heart pounding out of control. Drawing closer, a pair of black women’s Mary Jane shoes came into view, stained with blood, scattered on either side in the pool.

All around, voices murmured. “It’s a female student, what a shame.”

“Probably one of those underground patriotic organization students, looking at her — such passionate young blood. What a tragedy, so young — her parents must be devastated.”

Someone lowered their voice further: “Could it be the Japanese again?”

Lu Shicheng’s mind had gone utterly blank, his whole body ice-cold, sweat beading and dripping from his forehead. He desperately wanted to push through the crowd to get closer, but his legs felt mired in mud, unable to move another step.

“Move along, move along!” Officers arrived to disperse the crowd, and a gap soon opened up ahead.

Lu Shicheng’s chest tightened violently, and instinctively he wanted to look away — but gritted his teeth and forced himself to look instead, only then discovering that the woman lying on the ground was a stranger. Young as well, but definitely not Wen Tingli.

Even so, the brutally tragic scene still pierced deep into his eyes and heart.

He staggered back two steps, gasping for breath, then spun around to look for her.

Where was Wen Tingli? Where was she?!

Never before had he felt both such terror and such profound relief at once.

His mind held no thoughts now except one — to find her, as quickly as possible.

Her, alive! Her, always laughing! Her, ever lying to him! Her, fierce and unyielding!

Whatever version of her — it didn’t matter!

As long as she was alive!

The moment Wen Tingli heard the chaos outside, she drew her gun, pressing her head to the door to listen warily. Suddenly she thought of Lu Shicheng — perhaps — he hadn’t failed to come after all; perhaps that gunfire just now had something to do with him!

The thought sent a chill through her, and she rushed to open the door and go out.

She hurried down the corridor to the ground floor, where the street was in complete chaos, people shoving and shouting all around.

Growing ever more anxious, Wen Tingli pushed her way forward against the flow of the crowd, only to have someone suddenly grab hold of her.

“Isn’t that the big movie star? What’s-her-name Wen—”

“Miss Wen Tingli!” A hundred pairs of eyes turned toward her face. People kept fleeing while constantly glancing back to study her with fresh curiosity.

Wen Tingli regretted not having covered her face properly before rushing out.

“That’s right, it really is Miss Wen. I’ve seen several of your films! I hear your new film’s almost done shooting — when’s it coming out?”

“Don’t go over there to look — it’s a young girl, no one knows what she did, but she was assassinated just walking down the street, just like that.”

So it wasn’t Lu Shicheng!

Yet Wen Tingli’s heart still hung in her throat. What kind of person would get assassinated? These past days, Head Nurse Liu had been unusually busy — could it be one of Liu Xiangzhi’s people?

Wen Tingli’s heart raced, and seeing more and more people crowding the restaurant entrance, however many questions filled her mind, she had no way to take any next step. She could only ask the manager to persuade the crowd to disperse, then hurry back upstairs to shut the private room door. The knot of doubt in her chest kept growing, and infuriatingly, she had no way to reach either Lu Shicheng or Head Nurse Liu, and could only pace anxiously in the room.

Fortunately, none of the onlookers pursued her up to the corridor, apparently realizing the area wasn’t safe. They dispersed after gathering for a short while.

Seizing the moment, Wen Tingli slipped back out of the private room. She remembered a telephone at the end of the corridor — her most urgent task now was to contact Kuang Zhilin and Head Nurse Liu.

Just then, someone was hurrying toward her private room from outside. The two collided, and seeing how urgently and quickly this person was moving, Wen Tingli’s heart clenched, and she instinctively raised her gun to press it against the person’s chest.

The person, however, reached back and grabbed the gun barrel instead, pulling her — gun and all — back into the private room.

Wen Tingli saw the person’s face clearly and cried out in wild joy: “You—”

She anxiously cupped his face, wanting to look at him more closely, but Lu Shicheng suddenly pulled her into his arms. He held her so tightly it was as though he wished he could merge her into his very body.

Wen Tingli opened her mouth in astonishment, then turned her head to look and found Lu Shicheng’s face startlingly pale, as though he’d just died and come back to life.

“What’s wrong?” She grew more distressed by the second. “What happened?!”

She reached out urgently to touch his face, and the gun in her hand slipped to the floor, landing with a soft clatter.

“You liar!” Lu Shicheng spoke into her ear, his voice hoarse, as though he’d swallowed a mouthful of sand.

Wen Tingli bit her lip, smiling bitterly. “I—”

“Liar…” he repeated the word hoarsely, yet held her even tighter still.

Wen Tingli was at a loss. She could hear his heart pounding uncontrollably in his chest — she’d never seen Lu Shicheng this shaken, this frightened, as though she weren’t a living person but a fragile bubble that might vanish before his eyes at any moment.

That aching tenderness, that fierce protectiveness — it inexplicably brought a sting to her nose.

Suddenly, everything became clear to her. “You thought that person on the street was me?”

At this, a mingled feeling of grief and relief seized her heart, and tears streamed down in large drops. She cupped his face, saying incoherently, “I’m fine! Look at me! I’m perfectly fine, nothing happened to me.”

The Wen residence.

Wen Tingli got out of the car and ran to the front door, fumbling for her keys to unlock it. She knew Lu Shicheng’s gaze had been following her the whole way — it had been like this since earlier, as though he needed to keep confirming, again and again, that she was truly safe in front of him, or he wouldn’t feel at ease.

Wen Tingli noticed this, and the corner of her mouth hadn’t dropped once. Opening the door, she turned and took Lu Shicheng’s hand. “Come in.”

The house was pitch dark inside; it seemed Zhou Sao and Xiao Taozi had already gone to bed. Wen Tingli felt her way to switch on the entryway light, then walked quickly to the living room to turn on the table lamp by the sofa.

Turning around, she found Lu Shicheng still standing where she’d left him, gazing in the direction she’d walked. Even that small distance apart seemed to leave him worried something might happen.

Wen Tingli suddenly quickened her steps and threw herself into his arms.

Lu Shicheng didn’t step back, instead wrapping his arms firmly around her, lowering his head to kiss the crown of her hair.

From the moment they’d met until now, they’d always been surrounded by people.

Not like now. Now, the entire world held only the two of them.

She had a heart full of things to say to him, but now that the moment had come, she couldn’t find a single word — she was too shaken by what had almost happened, wanting only to truly feel his warmth and his heartbeat.

His heart was still racing just as fast — it moved her, and unsettled her, both at once.

“Come here.” Without waiting for a response, she pulled him by the hand into the living room, and solemnly opened her bag, taking out the Mauser pistol to show him.

“You’re probably thinking I’ve lied to you again,” she said seriously. “But whether you believe it or not, before I ever asked you to meet me at Wanxiangyu, I’d already decided to tell you the story behind this gun.

“This is the second Mauser I’ve gotten. The first was given to me by an elder sister figure — and it was this same sister who taught me marksmanship herself, hand by hand. I owe her an immeasurable debt. That night, she was killed—”

Lu Shicheng suddenly covered her mouth.

“That’s enough.”

There was no need anymore.

On the drive here, when he’d faced the terror of possibly losing her, he’d already worked everything out in his mind. He couldn’t let her go — her secrets, her beliefs, all of it was simply part of who she was. In the face of life and death, none of it mattered. He’d let go completely of whatever reservations he’d held. As long as she was alive, nothing else mattered more.

Wen Tingli’s eyes suddenly filled with tears, and she rose on her toes to kiss his chin, his eyes, his cheek.

But just as her lips were about to meet his, he suddenly caught her chin.

“Tell me you love me.”

Her tears spilled over. “I love you, of course I love you — how could you be so foolish.”

Her words cut off abruptly, because Lu Shicheng bent down and kissed her lips — and though she couldn’t stop her tears, they trickled down both their faces together.

They kissed for a long while before parting.

Wen Tingli looked up at his face and couldn’t help laughing — his face was smeared with traces of tears and something else, all wiped there from her own face.

She used her handkerchief to wipe it away, then simply pulled him into the dining room and sat him down in a chair. “It won’t come off like that — I’ll go get some water.”

Before long, she brought out a basin of water from the washroom, wrung out a damp towel, and wiped his face clean.

He dodged her hand, instead taking the towel to wipe her face first. She simply rested her forehead against his shoulder, which forced him to lower his head even further to see the dirty spots on her face clearly. Wen Tingli tilted her head to study his face sideways, the two of them so close now she could nearly count his eyelashes.

As she wiped, somehow, he began kissing her again.

Wen Tingli listened to his breathing, his thundering heartbeat, feeling as though her heart were melting. He no longer bothered concealing his love for her — every gesture, every expression made clear just how deeply he cared for her.

He loved everything about her.

When they parted, his voice was a little hoarse. He glanced around and asked her quietly, “I’m a bit thirsty — is there any water?”

She went to pour him water, and the moment she stepped into the kitchen, she spotted a bowl of noodles on the stove — likely the birthday noodles Zhou Sao had made for her, now gone cold. Without her even noticing, her twentieth birthday had come and gone.

Regret aside, what she felt most was contentment. Last year on her birthday, they’d been apart. This year, on this same day, neither of them could bear to be apart again.

To celebrate, she cheerfully cut up a whole platter of fruit and brought it out along with two glasses of water, setting them in front of Lu Shicheng.

Once he’d finished his water, she speared a piece of cantaloupe with a toothpick and brought it to his lips, but he didn’t want it — instead, cupping the back of her head with his other hand, he kissed her again.

But this time the kiss lasted only briefly before a faint rustling sound came from the corner.

“Look, there’s a mouse by the window,” he said between kisses, though his gaze drifted that way.

“That’s not a mouse — that’s the little rabbit Xiao Taozi bought on the street today.”

Still, he released her.

“It’s too late. I should go.” He pressed his forehead to hers, his voice hoarse.

She hooked her pinky finger around his, refusing to let go. He laughed, lifting his left wrist to show her his watch. “Look, it’s past one.”

She saw him off reluctantly.

Lu Shicheng seemed to have completely forgotten today was her birthday — he hadn’t said a single word of birthday wishes to her, which left her with a small twinge of disappointment. Still, in this moment, her heart was already so full of the happiness of having gotten back what she’d feared lost that this small “regret” couldn’t dampen it.

Who would have guessed — the moment Lu Shicheng got in the car, he immediately got back out again, and in the blink of an eye, a wide, slim jewelry box had appeared in his hand.

He opened the lid right in front of her.

“Happy birthday.”

Inside the box was a pearl necklace, the pearls large and lustrous — more beautiful than any pearl necklace she’d ever seen in her life.

Lu Shicheng watched her without looking away, taking in every bit of her surprise and delight.

He solemnly lifted the necklace from the box.

“Put it on.”

But something about these pearls struck Wen Tingli as familiar — they looked almost exactly like the strand Gao Xiaowen had sold her, only these pearls were larger, their luster brighter.

She recalled the events of that night, and something suddenly clicked in her mind. She glanced at him sidelong. “Hey, you—”

He wouldn’t let her finish, lowering his head to stop her mouth with his own. When they parted, he solemnly fastened the necklace around her neck, then pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“This time, I really am leaving.”

He looked into her eyes as he said it.

Wen Tingli laughed softly, standing there until his car had long since disappeared around the corner of the lane before she finally wandered back inside, dazed. The moment she reached her second-floor bedroom, she quickened her pace and ran to the window to look out, as though Lu Shicheng might still be standing there.

No wonder Sister Huang always said people in love acted a little foolish. She laughed, resting her forehead against the window frame, her gaze lingering for a long while on the spot where he’d stood. The moonlight outside was extraordinarily clear and gentle tonight; everything about tonight felt like a dream.

No — the necklace at her throat told her this wasn’t a dream. His kiss, his love, his reluctance to leave, his tenderness — every bit of it was real, moving her beyond words.

She placed both hands over the pearls at her throat and lay back on the bed, facing the ceiling.

The pose looked almost like prayer, and in truth, her heart was praying too.

She’d never believed in fate — her only faith was in herself. All the way to this point, she’d firmly believed that everyone’s gains and losses were entirely of their own making. But tonight, Lu Shicheng had shown her a happiness so powerful that, for the first time, she felt genuine gratitude toward the heavens. Fate truly was inexplicable — this same rare bond could have belonged to two entirely different people, and yet it was she and Lu Shicheng who shared this deep connection. If even one step had gone differently at the start, she and Lu Shicheng might never have had the chance to meet, to know each other, to understand each other…

She waited quietly for that surge of emotion to settle before finally getting up to call Liu Xiangzhi.

But it wasn’t Liu Xiangzhi who answered — a different, unfamiliar voice claimed not to know any “Head Nurse Liu” and hung up flatly. About an hour later, Liu Xiangzhi finally called her back. It turned out the assassinated girl hadn’t been one of Head Nurse Liu’s people at all, but a Japanese spy — someone who had infiltrated the student body of a Shanghai middle school the year before under the guise of a patriotic student, and had since repeatedly sold information to the Japanese side. The earlier assassination of that middle school teacher had, in fact, been caused entirely by this person’s betrayal.

It wasn’t hard to guess that today’s assassination had been carried out personally by Head Nurse Liu herself — which explained why that contact earlier had been so careful.

Wen Tingli finally felt at ease.

She calmed herself, then rose to go bathe. Catching sight of herself in the mirror, she saw once more the gleaming pearl necklace, and smiled — what a jealous man he was.

The phone rang. This time it was Lu Shicheng.

“I forgot to say something earlier—”

She thought he was about to say something significant.

Instead, just two words: “Good night.”

Such a child.

She couldn’t stop laughing.

That night, she couldn’t bear to take the necklace off, holding it in her hand even as she slept — cradling it as tenderly as if she were holding her own heart.