Turning the corner, Zhou Heng slowed his pace.

“It was hidden under the plate.” Zhou Heng tossed the silver lighter in the air and caught it. Luckily, I got back before the server started clearing the table. Otherwise, if it had been someone a bit careless, they would’ve taken my lighter to the kitchen and thrown it into the sink with the dishes.”

Cheng Wanyue was still leaning against the wall corner, completely shrouded in shadow.

After their hasty separation, Qing Hang had retreated under the streetlight. The damp heat in his palm hadn’t yet dissipated, and his breathing was still irregular. Zhou Heng’s voice was right beside his ear, yet he saw Cheng Wanyue dart her tongue out to lick the blood at the corner of her mouth.

“It’s good that you found it,” Cheng Wanyue brushed away a strand of hair stuck to her cheek.

Her gaze started from Qing Hang’s feet and slowly moved upward along his trouser legs, lingering for two seconds around his waist, then turned with a smile toward Zhou Heng. “You certainly ran fast.”

Zhou Heng said, “When I first started working, I trained in the emergency department for two months. You can’t be slow there.”

Breathing heavily as he approached, he noticed Cheng Wanyue’s bag and the paper bag Qing Hang had been carrying were both on the ground. “Were you two up to something?”

Qing Hang bent down to pick up the items.

The pressure had been too strong earlier, leaving a faint red mark on her collarbone.

“Nothing happened,” Cheng Wanyue pointed to the drainage opening at the roadside. “A rat just ran out from the sewer pipe.”

Rats aren’t aggressive animals. Nothing to be afraid of. We handled plenty of them during experiments in school. Zhou Heng’s attention was quickly diverted. “I thought you’d already gone home. It’s still early. Want to walk around some more?”

“No, I’ve walked a lot today,” she looked down at her high heels. “My feet hurt a bit.”

Zhou Heng didn’t insist. He always maintained gentlemanly manners with women. “All right, go home and rest early. Sleeping early is good for your skin, your health, and prevents hair loss.”

The path home was the same as the route they’d taken from the hot pot restaurant to the corner. Zhou Heng chatted with Cheng Wanyue about this and that, while Qing Hang walked silently on the outside.

With someone between them, Cheng Wanyue would occasionally lag half a step behind, her gaze coming from behind Zhou Heng. Qing Hang knew that the night could hide all physiological reactions, but thinking about the intimate entanglement of breath hidden in the darkness just minutes ago, even a fleeting glance from her made the hot, thin oxygen in the air feel like it would be ignited by Zhou Heng’s lighter that he kept fidgeting with.

He thought she was looking at him, but then again, maybe not.

She might have been looking at cars speeding past on the road, students returning from a late stroll, a homeless person rummaging through garbage bins, or she might have just glanced in this direction after hearing a sound.

He just happened to be standing in that direction, and that brief moment when her gaze seemed to linger might have been only his imagination.

Just like under the streetlight at the corner, when she looked down while talking to Zhou Heng and her eyes met his, but actually she was just looking at her high heels.

When they reached the building entrance, Qing Hang handed both the bag and the paper bag to Cheng Wanyue.

Cheng Wanyue took them and politely thanked him. “Thank you, Dr. Qing.”

Zhou Heng said goodbye to her. Standing on the steps, her smiling gaze passed over Zhou Heng.

“See you next time.”

This was the only sentence tonight that Qing Hang was certain she had directed at him.

…

Cheng Yanqing didn’t return too late. He had been drinking but wasn’t drunk. He came in, grabbed a bottle of cold water, unscrewed it, and took a few sips, then turned to knock on Cheng Wanyue’s door.

“Come in.”

He pushed the door open but didn’t enter, leaning against the doorframe instead.

Cheng Wanyue was doing yoga. The dress had fallen out of the paper bag, and she had casually tossed it onto a chair.

She had worn that dress several times, and most likely didn’t like it anymore.

She had tied her hair into a bun, revealing her clean, oval face. Cheng Yanqing noticed that a spot on her lower lip was noticeably darker than its normal color.

“You seem in a good mood. Did you succeed?”

Cheng Wanyue thought for a moment. “Thirty percent, maybe.”

“Cheng Wanyue, that’s not good enough. You haven’t had enough dating experience. There are guides online about taming men. You should get one. I guarantee you’ll make rapid progress, and by next week you might already be past the honeymoon phase.”

“That’s ridiculous. Do I need those?” She certainly didn’t need extra lessons. “You’re one to talk. After all these years, all you know is how to send flowers.”

Cheng Yanqing took a sip of water. “What flowers?”

“From your girlfriend’s recent Moments post. So they weren’t from you, huh?” Cheng Wanyue feigned surprise. “Wonder who sent them. Not bad taste. Oh my, have you been put in the doghouse again, or directly unfriended?”

Cheng Yanqing immediately closed the door and went to make a call.

His girlfriend was studying abroad for a year and wouldn’t return for another six months, but distance didn’t prevent them from arguing.

He and his girlfriend had very similar temperaments—not complementary at all. When things were good between them, they were extremely good, every minute felt like the honeymoon phase. When they argued, it was also intense, not just over the phone—they would even buy plane tickets to argue face-to-face.

After just two months together, friends and family thought they were close to breaking up, but through all their arguments, they’d been together for three years. The more they argued, the stronger their relationship became.

Both sets of parents had met, and they would likely set a wedding date during the Spring Festival.

Cheng Yuzhou had already registered his marriage and would hold the wedding ceremony in October.

Cheng Wanyue was the only one left.

After taking a shower, Cheng Wanyue took a selfie under the light with her phone and posted it to her Moments along with the Teletubbies swing animation.

There was nothing special about the photo, but when enlarged, one could clearly see the bite mark on her lower lip.

Qing Hang liked the post.

But canceled it the next second.

More than one person asked in the comments if she had been bitten by someone or scratched by a cat. Cheng Wanyue watched the black moon profile picture disappear from the likes and replied to one friend: After having hot pot, I’m feeling hot.

…

In the morning, when Cheng Wanyue got up, Cheng Yanqing had already prepared breakfast. He was humming a tune, in a good mood.

The fact that he was still at home meant that last night’s phone call had only been a relationship adjustment between him and his girlfriend. Otherwise, he would already be abroad.

Cheng Wanyue preferred noodles for breakfast. The two of them slurped noodles while watching TV.

She always had to find a TV drama or variety show to accompany her meal, otherwise she couldn’t enjoy it. She kept changing channels and suddenly saw a familiar face. She pressed the button quickly, having already switched to the next channel, but somehow went back.

The camera zoomed in on the female celebrity’s face just as Cheng Yanqing looked up.

Qin Hua was the only female celebrity to emerge from their small town of Baicheng. Compared to those eighteenth-tier celebrities who were virtually unknown in the entertainment industry, she had been quite successful, appearing in hit dramas and having some opportunities on the big screen.

The TV was broadcasting one of her interview programs.

Qin Hua didn’t follow the idol route. She was already thirty years old, and actresses of her age no longer shied away from certain topics as they might have when first entering the industry. The host easily and naturally steered the conversation to relationships.

Speaking of her first love, her expression showed a moment of sadness.

The host joked, “Do you regret it?”

“I don’t regret it. My dream since childhood was to be an actress, and I feel that any sacrifice for that dream was worth it. I just… suddenly remembered him and felt emotional. Perhaps no one will ever love me the way he did.”

“For you to remember him after so many years, he must have been very good to you, right?”

Qin Hua smiled faintly.

“He was wonderful, truly wonderful. He worked hard to get me into a university in Beijing. How good was he to me? So good that my friends thought I must have saved the galaxy in my past life. Back then, if he had a thousand yuan in his pocket, he’d spend 990 on me and keep just ten for bus fare and instant noodles for himself. No matter how far away I had to go for auditions, he would accompany me, staying up until three or four in the morning without a word of complaint. He only worried about me being cold, hungry, or bullied by others.”

The host sighed, “Even hearing about it makes me feel it’s such a pity.”

Qin Hua said, “When you’re young, you want too many things—roles to play, recognition, fame—and end up losing the most precious person.”

They quickly moved on to other topics. Qin Hua’s purpose for appearing on this show was to promote her new drama that was about to air.

Cheng Yanqing had already finished his bowl of noodles. Cheng Wanyue only started using her chopsticks after switching to a variety show. Cheng Yanqing’s cooking skills had been improving day by day. Since Cheng Wanyue’s lip was chapped, he hadn’t added chili, making the dish very mild. She even drank the soup completely.

“You did all those things for her.”

“Everyone has their blind and deaf moments.”

When you like someone during your student years, no matter what others say or advise, whether that person is good or bad, they’re the best in your heart.

“What’s past is past.” Cheng Yanqing’s expression was normal. “Does your foot still hurt?”

Cheng Wanyue put her foot on the chair and wiggled it. “It stopped hurting long ago.”

“I’ll wash the dishes. The weather isn’t hot today. Get ready, put on some makeup, change your clothes, and I’ll take you shopping.”

“Weren’t you planning to take time off next week to visit your girlfriend? You’ll have jet lag then. Just rest at home this weekend.”

“Your future sister-in-law has been enchanted by some blond, blue-eyed man. I need to spruce myself up so I can make her cry with my handsomeness when we meet.”

“Then don’t waste money on ineffective purchases. Taking your clothes off would be more efficient.”

“Cheng Wanyue!” Cheng Yanqing slammed the cloth heavily on the table. After a moment, he turned around. “I accept your suggestion. I’m naturally good-looking with a great body—don’t need clothes to enhance it. Let’s buy some new outfits for you, the ugly duckling.”

“Wow! This ugly duckling thanks you!”

Her phone vibrated. Cheng Wanyue picked it up to look. It was a WeChat message.

Lune: Made an appointment for you. Come for a follow-up on Monday.

She replied: Not free.

Ten minutes later.

Lune: Busy with what

No punctuation mark at all.

Y: Guess.