In this small space, they were together almost twenty-four hours a day.

Qiu Xing had a cold face, but being alone with him wasn’t difficult, even relatively comfortable. Most of the time, Qiu Xing was driving, and when speaking to him, one had to call his name twice, otherwise he might not notice. Conversations with him needed to be direct, skipping unnecessary politeness—he didn’t respond to courteous pleasantries, preferring to speak plainly. Once you got used to these traits, you’d realize he only had a cold face; in reality, he was quite easy to get along with.

Lin Yiran was also someone who didn’t make a fuss, wasn’t particularly delicate, adapted well, and wouldn’t trouble others unless necessary.

This made their time together unexpectedly harmonious.

“Qiu Xing.” Lin Yiran had been curled up in the passenger seat, looking out the window, but now turned to look at Qiu Xing twice, calling his name.

Qiu Xing didn’t react, so Lin Yiran called him again.

Seeing he still didn’t respond, Lin Yiran leaned over and gently touched his arm.

Qiu Xing turned his head: “What is it?”

Lin Yiran asked him: “Are you sleepy?”

Qiu Xing said: “No.”

“Why don’t you rest for a while?” Lin Yiran said, looking at him, “You look sleepy to me.”

“Not sleepy,” Qiu Xing shook his head and said, “Just tired.”

Lin Yiran reached behind her for a bottle of water, twisted it open, and handed it to Qiu Xing: “Let’s rest when we reach the service area.”

Qiu Xing took it, had a sip, and said: “Mm.”

The bottle cap was still in Lin Yiran’s hand, and after Qiu Xing finished drinking, she took the bottle back and capped it.

“How long have we been driving?” Qiu Xing asked.

Lin Yiran glanced at the time on Qiu Xing’s phone and answered: “Over three hours.”

Qiu Xing made another “mm” sound and didn’t speak anymore.

If they pushed on today, Qiu Xing could make it home by evening and wouldn’t need to spend the night on the road, which was why he was driving more urgently today.

Lin Yiran sat beside him, talking to him now and then, afraid he might zone out or become drowsy.

Few people drove long distances as recklessly as Qiu Xing did alone. Drowsy driving was extremely dangerous—falling asleep for a moment on the highway could cost one’s life. Qiu Xing was young, pushing his body to the limit to repay his debts as quickly as possible.

The debt weighed him down. Until it was paid off, he couldn’t stand straight. With his rigid backbone and stubbornness, Qiu Xing could only grit his teeth and work silently.

Initially, everyone thought that when Qiu Xing’s father went down, everything was over—the money owed, the lawsuits—all burned away. No one expected his son would step up.

Back then, whoever came to collect, Qiu Xing would nod and acknowledge: “Whatever he owed, I’ll repay.”

Driving at the risk of his life for three years, Qiu Xing was finally beginning to see the light.

By the time they entered the city that night, it was almost one o’clock.

When Lin Yiran had first left this place in Qiu Xing’s truck, she thought she would never return. She didn’t expect to be back after such a short time.

But with Qiu Xing beside her, she surprisingly didn’t feel very afraid.

Qiu Xing parked his truck at Brother Lin’s repair shop. The night watchman, wearing a tank top and shorts, came out to open the main gate and asked: “Coming back so late?”

Qiu Xing leaned out the window to greet him and handed him a pack of cigarettes.

The old man accepted it and asked: “Not leaving tomorrow, are you?”

“Can’t leave, need to service the truck. Is the motorcycle here?” Qiu Xing said.

“I think so, haven’t seen anyone take it,” the old man said.

Qiu Xing waved his hand and drove in. The old man locked the main gate behind them. He vaguely noticed someone else in Qiu Xing’s truck, craned his neck to look again, but couldn’t see clearly, so he went back to his room to sleep.

The truck had already been unloaded in the neighboring city. During unloading, Qiu Xing and Lin Yiran had both napped in the truck, but from early morning until now, Lin Yiran still felt exhausted after getting out of the vehicle, not to mention Qiu Xing, who had been driving the whole time.

Before unloading, Qiu Xing had climbed onto the back of the truck to fold the tarpaulin and bundle it up, which had left him covered in dirt and grime.

Lin Yiran carried her backpack while Qiu Xing fetched the motorcycle from the other side of the yard. Lin Yiran straddled the seat and asked from behind: “Where are we going?”

Qiu Xing said: “My home.”

Lin Yiran felt a vague worry and asked: “Will they be there?”

Qiu Xing rode the motorcycle out through the small door and said: “Doesn’t matter.”

The motorcycle roared in the deep night. The old district remained run-down and desolate, with two adjacent courtyards similarly dilapidated. Only, the doors and windows at Qiu Xing’s home were still intact, and the house showed no signs of having been vandalized.

Qiu Xing parked the motorcycle in the courtyard. Lin Yiran didn’t dare leave his side, following him closely.

While Lin Yiran was washing up in the courtyard, Qiu Xing sat on the steps with his head lowered, elbows resting on his knees—a very relaxed posture that showed how extremely tired he was.

After Lin Yiran finished washing up, Qiu Xing said: “Go inside and find somewhere to sleep, I’m going to take a shower.”

“Okay,” Lin Yiran answered, then, fearing Qiu Xing might leave, asked, “Where will you shower?”

Qiu Xing pointed to the courtyard and said: “Here.”

Lin Yiran nodded, slightly bewildered.

Fatigue evident in his voice, Qiu Xing maintained his head-down posture and added: “I’ll shower right here, so don’t come out.”

“Alright,” Lin Yiran quickly replied, “I won’t come out.”

Qiu Xing used well water directly to shower. Even in summer, well water was bone-chillingly cold, but Qiu Xing didn’t mind.

The sound of water continued outside. Qiu Xing showered roughly and boldly. Lin Yiran listened to the water sounds without blushing much.

She and Qiu Xing had been together day and night. The extended time spent in limited space made them seem simultaneously strange and intimate.

Or perhaps they simply couldn’t afford to care about many things, and conditions didn’t allow for it.

That thin line of gender boundary seemed fragile and useless in the face of survival and safety. Lin Yiran only knew that beside Qiu Xing, she felt steady and secure.

Qiu Xing came in with a cold dampness clinging to him, wearing large shorts with his upper body bare.

Lin Yiran was already curled up on the sofa.

Qiu Xing lay directly on the bed, pulled a clean T-shirt over his face, and seemingly without transition, fell into a deep sleep.

Such nights of thorough rest were extremely rare for Qiu Xing. Being woken from this kind of sleep would make him angry.

Lin Yiran woke up early. After tidying herself, she returned to Qiu Xing’s room and didn’t go out again. She sat quietly in a corner of the sofa. As the daylight grew brighter, she walked over quietly and drew the curtains, blocking the sunlight streaming in for Qiu Xing. There was a gap in the curtains that couldn’t be closed, and a ray of light broke through, falling on the floor beside the bed.

Qiu Xing was exhausted.

He even snored slightly, something that rarely happened normally.

Qiu Xing’s eyes and eyebrows resembled his mother’s, though with added strength and vigor from his father.

Sleeping so deeply, his expression became more peaceful than usual. He also looked much younger, more like a boy his age.

By the time Qiu Xing was fully awake and opened his eyes, much time had passed.

Lin Yiran was standing by the window, her back against it. Qiu Xing opened his eyes, saw her, then closed them again to gather himself. After becoming a bit more alert, he asked hazily: “Why are you standing there?”

Lin Yiran shifted slightly to the side, and that unstoppable ray of light suddenly pierced through, shining directly into Qiu Xing’s eyes.

Qiu Xing immediately frowned, his eyes squinting from the glare.

Lin Yiran smiled and moved back to block the gap, saying: “You’ve been frowning the whole time.”

Qiu Xing had slept very comfortably. Yesterday he had been exhausted to death, but after a night’s sleep, he was alive again.

He sat up and pulled the T-shirt that had been covering his face and put it on properly, saying as he dressed: “So you just stood there? How conscientious.”

Lin Yiran just smiled. Qiu Xing put on his clothes and went out, but Lin Yiran didn’t follow.

Qiu Xing called back to her: “Have you checked your home yet?”

Lin Yiran opened the curtains, sunlight immediately flooding in. Through the window, she said: “I don’t dare to.”

Qiu Xing glanced toward her house and said: “We’ll go in a bit.”

The house was empty.

Since Qiu Xing had taken Lin Yiran away last time, there probably wasn’t anyone watching anymore. They knew Lin Yiran wouldn’t return.

Lin Yiran packed some more of her clothes and took a few books, along with a set of bedding, a pillow, and a mattress pad.

Qiu Xing leaned at the entrance waiting for her, his face turned outward as he made a phone call.

This time they had plenty of time, no rush or hurry. Lin Yiran packed her luggage leisurely, even taking her shampoo.

Qiu Xing rode the motorcycle with Lin Yiran and her bedroll on the back. On the way to the repair shop, people kept glancing at them.

The motorcycle traveled through the old streets of the old district, but Lin Yiran only looked at Qiu Xing’s back in front of her. His clothes were worn out—the faded T-shirt had whitened spots. With his back slightly bent, the shape of muscles and bones was visible through the thin fabric.

If asked two months ago, Lin Yiran could never have imagined that during this post-college entrance exam break, she would be sitting on a man’s motorcycle, hugging her pillow and bedding.

It seemed absurd and rebellious.

Yet at this moment, everything before her felt so natural that it filled her with gratitude.

*

The repair shop was crowded during the day, with a circle of people sitting on the ground at the entrance chatting idly, all drivers from various trucks. Brother Lin was there, and so was his son, Lin Chang.

Seeing Qiu Xing arrive with a young girl, the drivers deliberately teased him, making jokes.

Qiu Xing didn’t stop, driving the motorcycle directly to his truck. Lin Yiran got off, and only then did Qiu Xing ride back.

“Wow, isn’t that the girl from last time?” Lin Chang jumped up from the ground, straddled Qiu Xing’s motorcycle seat, and said with his hand on Qiu Xing’s shoulder, “Brother Qiu, you’re something! Quietly making big moves.”

Qiu Xing shook off his hand, dismounted, pulled out the keys, and tossed them to him.

“So you’ve lured her away? She’s riding with you?” Lin Chang, still straddling the motorcycle, shouted at Qiu Xing, “I told you I wanted to ride with you, but you didn’t answer me!”

Qiu Xing ignored him. The other drivers made crude jokes, but Qiu Xing didn’t engage, saying unwillingly: “It’s not like that.”

“Then what is it? You’ve already got her in your truck!” Lin Chang followed him, bumping Qiu Xing’s shoulder, “Brother Qiu, didn’t I say she was pretty? Last time when I mentioned it, you pretended not to care, but then you went and got with her.”

Qiu Xing was annoyed with him and showed it plainly, only going over to discuss truck repairs with Brother Lin.

Lin Chang looked over at the truck from a distance. Lin Yiran was arranging her belongings in the truck. She guessed nothing good was being said outside—she had heard those suggestive jokes at the entrance.

But she trusted unconditionally that Qiu Xing wouldn’t participate in those crude jokes.

While Qiu Xing was talking at the entrance, Lin Yiran stayed in the truck. Later, Qiu Xing walked over and stood beside the door.

“I’m going to eat. Do you want to come with me or wait for me to bring food back?” Qiu Xing lifted his head to speak to her.

“I’ll go with you,” Lin Yiran said immediately.

“Then come down,” Qiu Xing said, adding, “Bring your bag.”

“I have it,” Lin Yiran pushed open the door and jumped down, asking Qiu Xing, “You didn’t take the truck keys, should we get them?”

“No need, just leave them.”

Qiu Xing walked in front, and Lin Yiran followed with her bag.

Workers and drivers in the repair shop who knew Qiu Xing would smile at him or teasingly greet him, but Qiu Xing didn’t engage.

“When you’re in my truck, others won’t say nice things. Just pretend you don’t hear them,” Qiu Xing said.

“Okay,” Lin Yiran said.

“No need to talk to them, and you don’t need to respond if they talk to you,” Qiu Xing added.

“I understand,” Lin Yiran obediently replied from behind.

“Going out, Brother Qiu?” Lin Chang asked at the entrance.

Before Qiu Xing could answer, he approached and said: “I’ll come too.”

He deliberately stayed one step behind Qiu Xing, which put him almost next to Lin Yiran, his gaze boldly scanning her face.

Lin Yiran didn’t look at him, pretending he didn’t exist.

Qiu Xing elbowed Lin Chang, telling him not to be disrespectful. At the same time, he reached back to pull Lin Yiran forward by her arm, then rested his hand lightly on her backpack, guiding her to walk in front of him.

“Walk in front of me,” Qiu Xing said.