Night had fully fallen. It was the height of the evening rush.

All around, pines and cypresses alternated in the shadows, roads branching out in every direction. Traffic flowed in dense streams, and the sidewalks were thick with people.

Ning Sui looked up at the Flashying building in front of her, and still couldn’t quite believe it—a swirl of complex, tangled feelings washed over her.

She remembered that when Xie Yichen had first said he wanted to help Du Junnian, it had been roughly three or four years ago. Back then, Flashying was still a small startup that could have been toppled by any passing wave—with only a few dozen people on the team.

And yet here it was—in just a few years, it had grown with breathtaking speed. It had swept through the market, become wildly popular, exploded into relevance—and now it even owned its own office building on a prime commercial block.

Before Xie Yichen walked into the office area, Ning Sui felt her nerves tighten. He turned and looked back, reassuring her: “It’s fine—I’ll be out once I’ve spoken to him.”

Ning Sui sat outside in the open reception area and waited.

In the car, Xie Yichen had explained his thinking. To resolve the reputational crisis, the company could probably no longer exist under the name “Tengyun.”

The best option would be to find a company with solid standing to acquire or merge with Tengyun—resolving the liquidity crisis.

Flashying came immediately to mind.

Over the past year, its business had grown at nearly an exponential rate. With its direct tie-ins to live-streaming commerce and other monetization channels, it had become a leading company in the emerging consumer space—a scale that could fully hold its own against Tengyun. If Flashying could absorb and merge with Tengyun, it would also be easy to explain publicly: the two companies had overlapping technical domains. Tengyun’s SaaS technology and big data systems could provide strong synergies for Flashying—it would be a win for both parties.

The only unknown was whether Du Junnian would be willing to help.

Ning Sui didn’t know him well enough. She had no real assurance. She couldn’t stop herself from nervously folding and unfolding the paper cup in her hands.

From the moment he’d gone inside, more than twenty minutes had now passed. He still hadn’t come out. She pressed her lips together and couldn’t help staring blankly at the carpet.

In truth, Ning Sui felt that the longer he was inside, the more hope there probably was.

If he meant to refuse, a few polite words would have been enough—no need to take up so much time.

But she was just one person sitting there thinking herself in circles. She didn’t know how long had passed—the minute hand had turned nearly three-quarters of a full circle. Just as Ning Sui was drifting into a daze again, she heard movement, and then Xie Yichen walked out of the conference room.

Behind him, Du Junnian followed.

The distance was a little far. Ning Sui could see the two of them facing each other talking—the atmosphere between them seemed free of any friction, and their expressions even appeared relatively relaxed.

Could there be some progress?

She couldn’t hold back an uncontrollable, cautious surge of hope. Ning Sui stood up—but still clutched her palms together anxiously, craning her neck.

Vaguely, she caught a few words. Her thoughts spun through them—and then she suddenly understood, and a wave of joy rose up in her chest, catching her completely off guard.

“A’Chen, tell your aunt and uncle not to worry. I’ll push things forward immediately.”

“The board meeting needs to happen before any process can move. It won’t make the timing of your scholarship defense, but we can let the media start getting the word out beforehand—set the narrative. That should keep things manageable.”

Du Junnian was thorough—even so small a detail as this had been considered.

Xie Yichen looked at him: “Thank you, Brother.”

He held in his hand a simply drafted agreement. He knew clearly the scale of this favor. His throat moved, and he spoke with complete and solemn gravity: “This time, I won’t forget what I owe you.”

“What are you being so formal with me for.” Du Junnian’s tone was warm. “It’s not as if I didn’t ask something in return—so in a way, I’m not losing out either.”

He paused: “A’Chen.”

Xie Yichen gave a quiet hum.

“I believe in you.” Du Junnian clapped him on the shoulder, smiled: “Young man—keep at it.”

Xie Yichen was momentarily caught off guard. Then his eyes steadied with a firm, certain light: “I will.”

Du Junnian made a gesture: “Alright—call me anytime.”

“——Sure.”

“How are you getting home? Want me to have the driver give you a lift?”

“No need.”

Ning Sui was standing in place, watching as Xie Yichen looked over in her direction. His gaze lifted—carrying a warmth that was impossible to miss: “My girlfriend is waiting for me.”

—

By the time they’d dealt with everything and made it home, it was nearly eleven at night. Ning Sui was all but completely drained.

Fortunately, things had been resolved—it was like a massive stone finally lifting from her chest. She felt settled and at peace in a way she hadn’t in hours.

They took turns showering. Ning Sui wanted to soak a little longer, so she took her clean towel and fresh clothes and slipped into the bathroom, ran water for the bathtub, and when her whole body finally sank into the warmth, everything unwound and relaxed.

She lost track of time. She was still soaking when the sound of persistent knocking came from outside the door, jolting her back to awareness.

She hurriedly dried off, got dressed, and pulled the door open. Xie Yichen was standing outside, his expression, for once, carrying rare traces of genuine worry: “——Everything okay in there?”

She was perfectly fine.

Ning Sui’s cheeks were flushed pink from the steam, her hair ends still dripping, completely at a loss: “I’m fine.”

Xie Yichen hesitated: “I thought you might be getting a little oxygen-deprived in there.”

He’d called out to her so many times and gotten nothing.

He’d been on the verge of forcing the door open.

Ning Sui blinked slowly, and then it dawned on her.

That would explain it.

She’d soaked too long. The exhaustion had lifted, but her limbs had gone soft and boneless, drained of any strength.

“I’m okay.”

She started to step out—then didn’t notice the threshold below her, caught her foot on it wrong, and stumbled forward with a startled cry.

Xie Yichen, lightning-quick, caught her before she hit the ground.

Both of them clean and fresh. Only the warmth surged up between them. Ning Sui felt her body flush directly against his, and her lips accidentally grazed the area just below his throat. The flush on her cheeks shot all the way to her ears in an instant.

Xie Yichen looked down at her with an expression that was difficult to read: “Ning Coconut.”

“I’m right here, not going anywhere.” He paused a beat, drew out the last syllable with an upward lilt: “No need to throw yourself into my arms like that.”

“……”

How could he be so shameless?

Ning Sui nearly bit her own tongue: “……I just—missed my step.”

“Right,” he said, wearing an expression of “I believe you completely and unconditionally,” still staring at her—but the curve at the corner of his mouth not particularly disguised: “You missed your step.”

Ning Sui: “……”

Xie Yichen looking at her only made him want to smile more. The air seemed to carry a faint sweetness—the peach bath salts Ning Sui had used. He dipped his head again, and the scent of her still-damp hair was easily within reach: “Baby, how are you so good-smelling?”

She’d just come out of the bath. Of course she smelled good.

Ning Sui felt the tip of her heart given a quick, startled pluck. Her cheeks were quietly burning. There was something indistinct beginning to drift in the air between them. Xie Yichen’s lashes dropped halfway, watching her without blinking.

Under his gaze, Ning Sui’s pulse quickened with a flustered rush—as though she’d been enchanted—and she let out something almost like an admission: “Tomorrow morning there’s no class, I think……”

Xie Yichen seemed to raise an eyebrow slightly. A clear, bright amusement lit up in his eyes. Before she could recover herself, he bent down and swept her up into his arms.

Outside, the familiar sounds of campus life drifted in—noisy and quiet all at once. Inside the room, the two of them were locked in a long, heated embrace—surging and overwhelming, as if trying to press themselves entirely into each other.

Ning Sui’s mind was spinning. She thought of the question that had been sitting at the back of her mind: “Brother Du said you agreed to some conditions—what were they?”

Xie Yichen’s face was flushed. He pressed her hand against him, his fingers interlacing with hers, knuckle against knuckle.

“He knows I want to work in artificial intelligence after I graduate, so he’s not forcing me to stay. But during the years I’m in grad school, he wants me to keep helping Flashying with technical support. And if I ever start my own company down the line, I’d give him five percent equity.”

“Five percent—how much is that?”

Ning Sui’s head was already a fog—a simple arithmetic problem, and somehow she couldn’t work it out.

And yet it was only five percent. Xie Zhenlin and Qiu Ruoyun had no deep relationship with Du Junnian—in the past, they had even at times been somewhat condescending. Du Junnian was well within his rights to have demanded something far more excessive and exacting. But he hadn’t.

All of this—for the sake of that moment when Xie Yichen had come through for him without hesitation, when it mattered most.

If he hadn’t stubbornly stepped in to help back then, perhaps there would be no Flashying as it stood today. Du Junnian had always carried the memory of that debt in his heart.

——Sometimes, a single selfless act of goodwill, done with no thought of return, might plant a seed without anyone noticing.

And that ember might catch fire when you least expect it.

Ning Sui looked at his familiar, brilliant expression—that same dazzling young man—and her heart felt warm and full.

He was just so worthy of it—worthy of having the whole world want to be on his side.

Even fate would show him a little extra grace.

She found herself reaching for his eyes without thinking. Those impossibly deep dark eyes looked straight back at her, focused and intent. After a moment, his voice came out low and rough: “Does it feel good?”

Ning Sui’s heart thudded. Her eartips went red. She wanted to say could you please not ask questions like that—but before the words came out, he kissed her, and the corners of her eyes grew wet.

Xie Yichen gave a soft laugh, and said the absolute worst thing: “Baby, why are you so sensitive?”

Ning Sui’s toes curled. She couldn’t catch her breath: “Xie Yichen!”

Even her glare came out soft and weightless—completely devoid of any power to intimidate. Xie Yichen’s whole chest shook with silent laughter, and he leaned down, unable to stop himself from kissing her several more times.

Tonight the moon was excellent. Soft light drifted in through the windowsill in a gentle drift. Ning Sui felt Xie Yichen grip her wrist, his deep, focused features carved precisely into her field of vision. She parted her lips, and the words slipped out unbidden: “A’Chen.”

“Mm.”

“Whatever anyone else says—don’t listen to any of it.”

“……”

“You just need to know that in my eyes, you are the most extraordinary person there is. No matter what difficulties you face, you will never give up or admit defeat—even when there is no road, you will carve one out. That is the person you are, in my heart.”

Ning Sui pressed her face against his firm chest, and murmured with quiet conviction: “You will build a mountain that belongs to you.”

……

When the voices finally stilled, Xie Yichen held her as they rinsed off simply, changed into fresh, comfortable clothes.

The two of them lay curled together on the bed, inseparable as if neither could bear an inch of distance. He spooned her from behind. Ning Sui, exhausted beyond measure, naturally turned over—and of course burrowed into his arms.

Xie Yichen looked down at her, watching carefully.

Ning Sui’s eyelids were too heavy with sleep to stay open. The moment her head touched the pillow, she was asleep, her dark hair spilling soft around her.

Xie Yichen kept his eyes on her for a moment, then poked her cheek: “Ning Coconut.”

Ning Sui seemed to react—her nose gave a drowsy little hum.

Endearing beyond all endurance. Xie Yichen lightened his touch, and, with quiet mischief, kneaded and pressed her soft little face from every angle—squishing and shaping to his heart’s content—until a silent laugh escaped him.

The night was still.

After a good long while—only when Ning Sui’s brow furrowed and she started to scrunch her face—did he finally, with some restraint, let go.

And simply continued watching her.

Ning Sui’s nose was delicate, her lashes long and curled. Asleep, she looked completely at peace.

Xie Yichen kept his gaze on her, and his throat moved quietly, slowly.

His voice, very low: “Ning Sui.”

“……”

The person in his arms slept on sweetly, undisturbed.

He was slightly distant in thought for a moment: “You’re the one who said it—we walk forward hand in hand, neither letting go of the other.”

Everything burning inside him felt as though no amount of water could ever put it out.

After a moment, Xie Yichen lowered his head toward her, breath soft, and placed a tender kiss against her closed eyes: “Then it’s settled.”