After Meiqiu arrived at the house, Cheng Yanqing’s status fell lower and lower.

The cat bed they bought for Meiqiu was soft and comfortable, but she wouldn’t sleep there. It preferred Cheng Yanqing’s bed.

Even though Cheng Wanyue spent more time playing with Meiqiu every day, she was more attached to Cheng Yanqing. Cheng Wanyue suspected that Qing Hang’s purpose in giving her this cat was to help win over Cheng Yanqing on his behalf.

Yan Ci had been busy with work for a consecutive week and only came over for dinner after finalizing a contract.

Cheng Wanyue had originally wanted to showcase her culinary skills, but she failed right at the start and was driven out of the kitchen by the two men in less than five minutes.

She leaned against the doorway, watching them skillfully wash and cut vegetables. They looked charming in their shirts and suits when working seriously, and equally handsome in casual clothes while cooking in the kitchen.

Although Qing Hang wouldn’t wear his white coat home, she had seen him in it at the hospital. During that week, she stayed at Qing Hang’s place, he had done almost all the cooking.

“Oh my, I wonder who will be fortunate enough to marry Yan Ci.”

All these years, Yan Ci had remained single.

“Regretting not making a move earlier?” Cheng Yanqing joked. “People say the one closer to the water captures the moon first. Our parents created so many opportunities for you two, how come neither of you ever took an interest in each other?”

If they continued talking about this, they would inevitably bring up that misdirected love letter from years ago.

Yan Ci changed the subject. “Should we braise the ribs or make soup?”

The weather was hot, and Cheng Wanyue didn’t want soup. “Braise them, with spice.”

“Alright,” Yan Ci looked at Cheng Yanqing beside him. “Hand me the plate.”

Cheng Wanyue couldn’t help in the kitchen and would only be in the way, so she went to the living room. Meiqiu was playing with a delivery box. The bouquet of roses she had brought back from the hotel was in a white vase, with two petals already wilting.

With nothing else to do, she went to change the water and trim the stems.

She had taken photos on her birthday night. They were ordinary roses, nothing special. She had received far too many flowers in her life.

But this was the first bouquet from Qing Hang.

Placing the vase in a spot further away from the air conditioner, the flowers should last another week.

Cheng Wanyue checked the time—it was already 6:30 PM. Thinking that Qing Hang had probably just gotten off work, she asked if he wanted to come over for dinner.

After waiting for a long time, he only replied with two words: “Busy now.”

Cheng Wanyue asked what he was busy with.

Ten minutes later, he sent another message: “Discussing research matters. Will pick you up tonight.”

Cheng Wanyue had quit her job yesterday. The studio that had contacted her earlier offered good conditions. She had made time to chat with the boss and thought it seemed promising. Cheng Yanqing also supported her decision.

Research?

…With that senior sister of his?

Yan Ci and Cheng Yanqing prepared dinner amid laughter and conversation. Before the dishes were served, Cheng Wanyue took some from each plate and packed them into containers.

Qing Hang wasn’t picky about food or fruit.

There were only a few options in the refrigerator. Peeled apples oxidize easily and don’t look appealing. Grapes are troublesome to eat. So she packed a small box of lychees and placed some ice cubes on top.

Cheng Yanqing observed all this. “What’s the idea here?”

“Hehe,” Cheng Wanyue smiled. “Offering borrowed flowers.”

“Going to the hospital?” Yan Ci wasn’t staying overnight. “I’ll drive you there.”

“You’ve only been in Beijing for a few days, and you already bought a car?”

“It’s my colleague’s car. I’ll return it after dropping you off.”

Cheng Wanyue had left her car at home, and Yan Ci, who was only on a business trip, certainly wouldn’t have driven his car here.

Cheng Yanqing still had some work to do, so he didn’t go with them. After thinking for a moment, he sent Qing Hang a message. He didn’t mention that Cheng Wanyue was bringing dinner; he only said she was going to the hospital, telling Qing Hang to wait for her there so she wouldn’t make the trip for nothing.

It was almost 8 o’clock by the time Qing Hang saw the WeChat message after arranging care for a patient who had arrived at the emergency room.

Li Yu was no longer in the office. Qing Hang didn’t have time to see her off anyway. Their discussion about the research project wasn’t finished, so they would need to schedule another meeting.

Qing Hang turned to ask his colleague, “Has anyone come looking for me?”

“Your girlfriend was here; she just left. She seemed angry,” his colleague had seen Cheng Wanyue’s photo in Qing Hang’s phone.

“Did she wait long?”

“Not that long, about five minutes. She just left—you can still catch her if you go downstairs now.”

Qing Hang didn’t even change his clothes. While waiting for the elevator, he called Cheng Wanyue. The call connected, but wasn’t answered.

After the system disconnected it, he called again.

Cheng Wanyue might not like waiting for people, but she wasn’t that impatient.

She had only been at the hospital for about twenty minutes. Yan Ci’s car was still in the parking lot. From a distance, Yan Ci saw her coming from the direction of the inpatient building, assuming she had delivered the dinner and was coming back down. As she got closer, he noticed her expression didn’t look good.

“How did delivering dinner make you angry?”

Cheng Wanyue’s face was cold. “I shouldn’t have come.”

“Qing Hang wasn’t at the hospital?”

“I don’t care whether he’s there or not.”

Her hands were empty, so Yan Ci asked, “What about the dinner?”

“Gave it to someone else.”

Someone approached, the sound of high heels crisp and clear. Before Yan Ci could look up, Cheng Wanyue turned and stood in front of the newcomer.

Li Yu stopped, meeting Cheng Wanyue’s gaze calmly. They had seen each other in Qing Hang’s office earlier but hadn’t greeted each other.

“Do you need something?” Li Yu asked.

“Yes, just a moment of your time,” Cheng Wanyue was equally calm. “Yan Ci, wait for me in the car.”

By saying this, she didn’t want a third person present. Yan Ci returned to the car and closed the door without looking in their direction.

Li Yu was carrying many documents. Her car was parked far away. “Please state your business. I’m in a hurry to get back to the lab.”

Since Cheng Wanyue had initiated the conversation, she wasn’t in the mood to beat around the bush. “I don’t mean anything else. I just want to ask if that jade pendant hanging on the red cord is yours?”

When she had entered the office, Li Yu was sitting at Qing Hang’s desk using the computer, one hand reaching into her bag. The red cord was tangled around a pen cap, pulling the jade pendant out with it.

Cheng Wanyue’s memory wasn’t very good, but she would always recognize her possessions, no matter how much time had passed.

That pendant was given to her by her grandmother.

The Cheng family had only one daughter, and there was only one jade pendant. Her grandmother had given it only to her, saying it would bring safety and protection.

That year, on Cheng Guo’an’s birthday, Qing Hang had gotten drunk and she had made him cry. Half-drunk and half-awake, he had murmured many things, making her seem like a bad person.

It was on that day that she had given the jade pendant to Qing Hang.

It wasn’t that the jade pendant was particularly special, but rather the red cord it hung from. Cheng Wanyue had braided it herself, different from those sold outside.

Li Yu said, “It’s not mine. I found it in the changing room at the lab.”

Found it.

Not given by someone.

Cheng Wanyue’s expression improved slightly. “Then do you know whose it is?”

“It should be Qing Hang’s. That night, only he and I were in the lab.”

“Since you know it’s his, why didn’t you return it to him?”

“First of all, I came to see Qing Hang about the research project. During our meeting, he was called to the wards several times. When I left, he was still busy. This jade pendant looks very valuable. If he carries it with him, it must be important to him. It wouldn’t be appropriate to leave it in the office or give it to someone else. What if it got lost or damaged? Who would be responsible? Secondly, in what capacity are you questioning me?”

“What capacity? If you want to know, ask him. No matter who I am to him, I have the right to ask because I gave him that jade pendant.”

Only then did Li Yu carefully examine the person in front of her. “Are you… Cheng Wanyue?”

“I don’t remember meeting you before,” Cheng Wanyue felt her phone vibrating in her bag, but ignored it.

Li Yu shifted the documents to her other hand. “We haven’t met, but I know about you.”

Qing Hang had a fountain pen he had used for many years, from college until now. The pen had the three characters “Cheng Wanyue” engraved on it, not noticeable unless examined closely.

Once, Li Yu was in a hurry to record data and took a pen from Qing Hang’s desk. While writing, her thumb felt the texture of the engraving and noticed the characters. Normally, engravings wouldn’t be in that position. She had casually asked about it, but Qing Hang didn’t explain. He just put the fountain pen away and gave her another one to use.

She thought it might be a brand she didn’t know, and couldn’t find it online. Then, by chance, she came across a comment saying someone had bought a pen for their boyfriend and engraved the boyfriend’s name on the cap. Only then did she realize it was probably someone’s name.

Cheng Wanyue suddenly smiled. “You like Qing Hang?”

Li Yu admitted it frankly. “Yes, I like him.”

Cheng Wanyue wasn’t surprised. “He is quite likable now. Thank you for your discerning eye, but unfortunately, you’re too late. He knew me first. We’ve known each other for many years.”

Li Yu said, “Just because you met earlier doesn’t mean you’ve been together longer. I’ve known Qing Hang for six years, too, and what I like is not just who he is now.”

She saw the vibrant smile on Cheng Wanyue’s face stiffen slightly, pause for a few seconds, but still didn’t hold back any of her words.

“I know his family background wasn’t good and that he had a hard life. That small county town buried his brilliance. He was looked down upon, belittled, which is why those narrow-minded people believe everything he has now is just luck. Someone like Qing Hang is destined for success because nothing happens just by luck. Those people missed Qing Hang between the ages of 18 and 26. They’ll never know how radiant he was in college.”

Cheng Wanyue didn’t have complicated thoughts, but she wasn’t too obtuse to understand the implications.

The “those people” in Li Yu’s words included her.

She had known Qing Hang for a long time, but they had only actually been together for three years, far less than Li Yu’s six years.

Those eight missed years could never be recovered.

Her phone continued vibrating. Cheng Wanyue saw Qing Hang, dressed in his white coat, running out of the inpatient building. The white coat he wore was the same as the lab coat hanging on Li Yu’s arm.

Before Qing Hang could look in their direction, Cheng Wanyue turned and got into the car.