“Boss, where’d this cat come from?”

As soon as Xu Mo arrived and saw Rong Qian, Shen Yi, and Fu Bozhong all gathered around a kitten, his eyes lit up too, and he immediately rushed over to join the cat-cuddling crew.

“Found it in the garden. Find some time to go buy some cat food.” Shen Yi instructed him.

Rong Qian added, “And buy it a cat bed too. From now on, the great task of scooping the litter box is all yours, you two!”

“Us? Miss Rong, you’re leaving?” Xu Mo was good at catching the important parts.

Rong Qian nodded. “Yeah.”

“When are you leaving? Where are you going? Can’t you stay here a bit longer? Why do you have to go?” Xu Mo was quite reluctant to see her go, and the moment he opened his mouth, out came a string of questions.

The moment Xu Mo finished speaking, Shen Yi patted him on the shoulder and said two words: “Thank you.”

Thanking him for putting into words what he himself wanted to say but couldn’t.

Xu Mo was utterly confused. “Boss, what are you thanking me for?”

Shen Yi said nothing, only increased the force of the hand patting his shoulder. Xu Mo, hurting from the blow, felt utterly bewildered.

Rong Qian answered him, “There’s something very important I need to go back and take care of, so I have to go back.”

“Oh, well, once you’re back, don’t forget to call us — let’s keep in touch, alright? If work isn’t too busy, I’ll come visit with the boss. Also, you won’t be gone too long, right?” Xu Mo simply assumed that her going back just meant going to another city — they’d still be able to see each other if they wanted.

Fu Bozhong, who knew exactly where Rong Qian was going back to, glanced at Shen Yi, and seeing him with his head lowered, saying nothing, Fu Bozhong sighed softly.

His young master would have to begin another long wait again…

Rong Qian didn’t answer Xu Mo. She only patted him on the shoulder, her mood visibly low.

Xu Mo looked utterly bewildered. What did it mean that both of them were patting him on the shoulder? Had he said something wrong?

After eating lunch at noon, Rong Qian went to Shen Yi’s room to find him. She’d originally meant to just push the door open and go in, but on second thought, knocked instead.

“Come in.”

Rong Qian pushed the door open and went in. Shen Yi was on the phone, and seeing it was her who’d come in, said a few words to the other end and then hung up directly.

“Am I interrupting?” Rong Qian asked.

Shen Yi shook his head. “No.”

As he spoke, he stood up and walked toward her.

Rong Qian didn’t beat around the bush either, saying to him directly, “Didn’t you have something to say to me? I’m leaving now, so go ahead and say it.”

“If I said I don’t want you to leave, would that seem too selfish?”

Shen Yi asked her very earnestly. If she shook her head and said no, he would grab her hand and not let her leave.

“Yes, it would!”

But Rong Qian gave an answer that was the exact opposite of what he’d expected. It would be a lie for Shen Yi to say he wasn’t hurt — so it turned out he didn’t even have the right to stop her from leaving.

Rong Qian could sense his emotions, but she couldn’t afford to soften her heart.

Shen Yi didn’t know the truth, so it was only natural for him to say such things — Rong Qian didn’t think he was being selfish at all, this was simply human nature.

But to keep him from holding her back, this was the only thing Rong Qian could say.

“A’Qian, to you, am I just a passerby in your journey through time?”

Shen Yi looked into her eyes. In that moment, he suddenly wanted very much to know just how big a place he occupied in her heart.

To be honest, when Rong Qian heard those words, she nearly wanted to cry.

During this whole period, she’d accumulated so much pressure, yet had no one she could tell.

How could Shen Yi possibly be just a passerby to her?

She wasn’t some time traveler at all — everything she was doing now was for his sake. She was fighting for him with everything she had.

He must surely know — every time she came to see him, she came prepared to die…

So how could he possibly be just a passerby? This fool.

Rong Qian’s eyes turned slightly red, but before she could open her mouth, Xu Mo’s loud voice came first.

“Boss!”

Xu Mo came in and saw that Rong Qian was there too. After all this time together, Xu Mo had long since considered her one of their own, so he had no qualms about barging in.

Xu Mo said directly, “Boss, the super famous Director Yan wants to meet you — must be about a movie he wants you for. The meeting’s set at a teahouse, let’s hurry over!”

“I know.” Shen Yi still had things he hadn’t said to her.

But Rong Qian urged him on, “Go on, go on! Don’t keep them waiting too long.”

“Exactly! Boss, the big director’s a busy man.” Xu Mo was getting a bit anxious too.

Shen Yi looked at Rong Qian, his brow furrowing slightly, and finally, looking at her, he said, “Wait for me to come back.”

Rong Qian only smiled, saying nothing. Only once he’d reached the doorway did Rong Qian call out to him, “Shen Yi!”

Shen Yi stopped and turned to look at her. Rong Qian gave a little laugh, and with a bright, beaming smile, said, “Travel safe~”

Shen Yi had already sensed something was wrong. He gave her one long, deep look, clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, hardened his heart, and resolutely turned to walk away.

He feared that if he lingered even one more second, he wouldn’t be able to control himself and wouldn’t be willing to let her go…

Xu Mo sensed the atmosphere was a bit off. Wasn’t it just going out for a meeting? Why did it feel like some kind of tragic farewell?

He wanted to ask Rong Qian what was wrong, but seeing he hadn’t kept up, Shen Yi called out to him, “Xu Mo, let’s go!”

“Coming, coming!” Xu Mo had no time to ask, so he said to Rong Qian, “Miss Rong, see you tonight when we get back!”

Rong Qian waved at him with a smile. By the time they came back, she figured, she’d probably already be gone.

Shen Yi got into the car and left.

Xu Mo drove the car, glancing now and then through the rearview mirror at Shen Yi’s expression along the way. Seeing him with a grim face, not saying a word, the atmosphere felt frozen, and Xu Mo couldn’t help feeling nervous and cautious.

“Boss, you—”

But before he could finish, Shen Yi suddenly cut him off. “Turn around. Go back.”

“Huh?” Xu Mo instinctively slammed on the brakes!

He turned his head and saw a rare look of panic on Shen Yi’s face as he said, “Now! Turn around and go back, right now!”

Xu Mo didn’t dare ask questions, and sped the whole way back. Before the car had even fully stopped, Shen Yi pushed the door open, got out, and ran inside in hurried, rapid strides.

He still had things he hadn’t said to her. A’Qian, please wait for me to finish saying them before you go, alright?

Just five minutes. Just five minutes.

Please, A’Qian, you can’t have left yet — don’t leave me so quickly…