Qiu Xing said he would sleep, and truly fell asleep immediately while holding Lin Yiran.

Lin Yiran couldn’t fall asleep for quite a while. Qiu Xing’s steady, rhythmic breathing fell on the top of her head, carrying his warmth. Qiu Xing’s palm was warm against her waist.

Whenever Qiu Xing held her like this while sleeping, Lin Yiran always felt exceptionally secure. It was a posture of being enveloped, protected, possessed.

Qiu Xing was a light sleeper, a habit from his previous days of sleeping in vehicles. At night, even slight movements would easily wake him. So Lin Yiran was always careful when sleeping with him, turning over gently.

During the night, Lin Yiran felt cold. She sat up to pull the blanket over them, and Qiu Xing hazily asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I’m just a bit cold.” Lin Yiran pulled open the blanket and covered them both.

Qiu Xing naturally extended his arm, and Lin Yiran directly lay back down. Qiu Xing pulled her closer into his embrace, and Lin Yiran quietly pressed her face against Qiu Xing’s chest.

Qiu Xing’s heartbeat was steady and strong, pulsing from his chest. Lin Yiran’s hair covered Qiu Xing’s arm and hand, and even in his sleep, Qiu Xing unconsciously brushed it a couple of times.

During these past two years, they had become intimate enough that their tacit understanding even surpassed couples who had been together for many years.

But they weren’t a real couple.

When Lin Yiran woke up in the morning, Qiu Xing had already gone out and was making a phone call in the living room. Lin Yiran heard his voice, mixed with the sound of Aunt Fang making soybean milk.

Lin Yiran walked out and saw Qiu Xing still in his pajamas sitting on the sofa. The blanket on the sofa had already been folded and placed to the side.

“Little Boat is up?” Aunt Fang called to her from the kitchen.

“Yes, Aunt Fang.” Lin Yiran walked to the kitchen doorway and chatted with her for a few sentences, then turned to go wash up.

When she came out, Qiu Xing’s call was still ongoing. It sounded like he was negotiating with someone who wanted to lower his price. Qiu Xing kept smiling and parrying, refusing to agree.

The weather hadn’t warmed up yet, and the room was a bit cold in the early morning. Lin Yiran put on an outer coat over her pajamas, wrapped it tightly, and prepared to go to the kitchen to help.

While on the phone, Qiu Xing pointed at her feet.

Lin Yiran didn’t notice and walked straight to the kitchen.

Aunt Fang was stirring batter, planning to make egg pancakes later. Lin Yiran said she also wanted to eat a soft-boiled egg, so Aunt Fang smiled happily and went to the refrigerator to get eggs.

Today, both Lin Yiran and Qiu Xing were home, so Aunt Fang didn’t have the housekeeper come over, giving her a day off. Earlier, Qiu Xing had said he wouldn’t leave today, and Aunt Fang wanted to prepare a nice dinner for him in the evening. Last night he hadn’t given advance notice, so she hadn’t specifically made his favorite dishes.

“During the day, let’s go to the market together. Xiao Yu and I discovered a farmers market recently, it’s really good.” Aunt Fang was in an especially good mood today, looking vibrant since early morning, and told Lin Yiran, “Let’s buy a chicken.”

“Sure,” Lin Yiran smiled and said, “Where else do you want to go? I can accompany you anywhere.”

“How can you be so good? Our Little Boat.” Aunt Fang looked at Lin Yiran as if she were her daughter, with genuine affection.

Lin Yiran rested her head briefly on her shoulder and smiled, “Because I get along well with you.”

Aunt Fang was extremely pleased by her sweet talk and touched Lin Yiran’s face with the back of her hand.

The two of them were chatting so happily that Qiu Xing glanced back at them once, then turned back to continue his phone call.

After breakfast, Aunt Fang was in her room tidying up the clothes she had washed yesterday. Lin Yiran sat sideways on the sofa with her knees drawn up, eating fruit, while Qiu Xing was sending messages to someone nearby.

Lin Yiran speared a piece of Hami melon and was about to pass it to Qiu Xing when she saw him reach over and touch her feet.

Qiu Xing’s other hand was still holding his phone, his message-sending motion uninterrupted as he pressed on her feet for a while. His palm was warm, and only then did Lin Yiran realize her feet were cold.

Qiu Xing pressed on her feet until he finished replying to the message, then turned to grab a cushion and placed it on top of her two feet pressed together.

Throughout this, Qiu Xing didn’t say a word; his attention remained on his phone messages, as if these actions were nothing special, unconscious.

Lin Yiran lowered her eyes to look at the cushion covering her feet, then looked at Qiu Xing.

Qiu Xing didn’t raise his head. Looking at him from the side, his facial profile was very rugged, with a high, straight nose bridge and rather long eyelashes. Lin Yiran looked at him for a long time, secretly comparing in her heart, and privately felt that compared to those so-called “school heartthrobs,” Qiu Xing was still a bit more handsome.

*

It was rare for both Qiu Xing and Lin Yiran to come back and not be in a hurry to leave, accompanying Aunt Fang for two days. These two days also put Lin Yiran’s mind at ease. Although Aunt Fang occasionally spoke confusedly, she was clear-minded most of the time, and her condition wasn’t as serious as Lin Yiran had thought.

It was only when they were both about to leave that Aunt Fang appeared somewhat dejected.

She usually lived alone, and although she had a housekeeper for company, she still inevitably felt lonely. Qiu Xing was out of town, usually staying at the factory, and when he got busy, it was hard to say when he would come back. Lin Yiran was also studying in another province, and outside of class time, she had many things to do, so she couldn’t rest every weekend.

Before Lin Yiran left, Aunt Fang held her hand, appearing very reluctant to part.

Qiu Xing drove Lin Yiran to the station. Lin Yiran was lost in thought the whole time. Halfway through the journey, she hesitantly said to him, “Qiu Xing, what do you think…”

“Think about what?” Qiu Xing tilted his chin slightly and asked.

Thinking about Aunt Fang’s expression earlier, Lin Yiran asked, “What if we found another place for Aunt Fang to live?”

“Where to?” Qiu Xing asked, “Did she say she’s not comfortable living there?”

“No.” Lin Yiran thought for a moment, looking at Qiu Xing. “What if I rented an apartment near my school? Let her live with me there. She’s usually alone anyway. If she wants to come back, she can come back to live, and if she feels bored, she can come to my place.”

Qiu Xing didn’t even consider it and directly said, “No.”

His attitude was firm, and Lin Yiran didn’t understand, so she asked, “Are you worried she won’t adapt?”

Qiu Xing shook his head.

With Qiu Xing’s attitude making it clear there was no room for discussion, Lin Yiran wasn’t determined to persuade him. Most of the time, she didn’t argue with Qiu Xing.

She nodded and said, “Then I’ll try to come back more often to keep her company.”

Qiu Xing responded with a sound of agreement.

After a while, Lin Yiran quietly asked him, “Are you afraid I can’t take good care of Aunt Fang?”

“No,” Qiu Xing turned to look at her and said, “You can take good care of her.”

“Then why?” Lin Yiran asked.

Qiu Xing only said, “It’s not appropriate.”

Lin Yiran didn’t understand what Qiu Xing found inappropriate. In her view, she and Qiu Xing were the same; as long as someone could keep Aunt Fang company, it was better than leaving her alone in that city.

Seeing her confused expression, Qiu Xing smiled and said, “Can’t you be more thoughtful? Don’t always act so clueless.”

Lin Yiran was even more confused.

Qiu Xing said, “That’s not your responsibility. Don’t take it upon yourself.”

“I don’t see her as a responsibility. I just want her to be happier,” Lin Yiran said.

Qiu Xing asked, “What about next year?”

Lin Yiran didn’t understand immediately and asked, “What about next year?”

Qiu Xing smiled again, raised his hand and ruffled Lin Yiran’s hair carelessly, saying, “Get out of the car.”

*

Since Qiu Xing didn’t agree, Lin Yiran didn’t bring it up again. It was only after a phone call with Aunt Fang that Lin Yiran suddenly understood what Qiu Xing meant.

She and Qiu Xing had less than half a year left.

It wouldn’t even last until next year. By autumn this year, her relationship with Qiu Xing would end.

If Aunt Fang were staying with her, then, without the current relationship between her and Qiu Xing, it would inevitably be awkward.

When Qiu Xing mentioned “next year,” he was reminding her of the time.

During the times they didn’t see each other, Qiu Xing reverted to his coldness. He still rarely called, and didn’t message much either.

The fleeting warmth that existed when they met disappeared across the distance. The connection between them fluctuated with distance, sometimes near, sometimes far, sometimes visible, sometimes hidden.

Qiu Xing seemed not to cling to this relationship. He appeared more detached, able to withdraw at any time.

Qiu Xing transferred money to her again, and Lin Yiran messaged him: [Qiu Xing, please stop giving me money, okay?]

Qiu Xing didn’t reply, but simply transferred back the money Lin Yiran had returned to him.

Lin Yiran had been sitting on her bed reading, but now she put down her book, rested her arms on her knees, and buried her face in her arms.

After a long time, her roommates had all gone to sleep, and the lights in the dormitory were out.

Lin Yiran sat alone inside her bed curtains, resting on her arms, and slowly sent Qiu Xing a message: [You’ve already given me so much, I don’t want money.]

Qiu Xing asked her: [What do you want?]

What do I want? Lin Yiran wondered.

Her roommates slept quietly. In the completely dark room, only Lin Yiran’s bed curtain had a tiny bit of light from her phone.

Lin Yiran asked Qiu Xing: [Can I exchange it for something else?]

Qiu Xing: [Say it.]

Lin Yiran: [Anything goes?]

Qiu Xing: [Tell me what you’re thinking.]

Qiu Xing wasn’t so easy to talk to on the phone. Lin Yiran hugged her knees, typed a line, hesitated for a long time, and finally anxiously sent it out. Then she immediately locked her screen and closed her eyes.

—I want to exchange it for more time.