Luan Nian drove to pick up the two drunk women.

On the way to Sun Yu’s home, the two women spoke incoherently in the car, yet somehow seemed to understand each other.

It was quite strange.

Getting this drunk on a little cat piss of alcohol—impressive.

With a stern face, he escorted Sun Yu upstairs. Sun Yu had bought a house near the Third Ring Road where she lived alone. Luan Nian used her finger to unlock the fingerprint lock, took her to her bed, fetched her a glass of water, then called Lu Mi: “Your good friend Sun Yu is drunk.”

Lu Mi cursed, and Luan Nian heard the sound of her putting on a down jacket before he hung up.

Lu Mi arrived twenty minutes later. When she arrived, Shang Zhitao had her face pressed against the car window—she was drunk and felt hot.

Lu Mi opened the car door to check on her and clicked her tongue: “What a sight.” She glanced at Luan Nian’s dark face and thought to herself that Shang Zhitao was in for it tonight. Then she turned and ran upstairs.

Luan Nian drove Shang Zhitao home. She sat in the passenger seat, behaving quite poorly. Luan Nian was genuinely angry and extended one hand to press her against the seat: “If you keep acting up, I’ll throw you out!”

Shang Zhitao froze for a moment, then suddenly burst into tears: “You’re too fierce! Why are you so fierce? Can’t you speak nicely?”

…

Fuck.

“Stop crying.” After a while, Luan Nian’s tone softened: “Isn’t it because you’re acting up that I’m being fierce with you?” He tried to reason with a drunk person, but drunk people don’t listen to reason.

“No! You just don’t know how to speak nicely!”

Shang Zhitao cried with snot and tears to Luan Nian’s home.

Luan Nian never imagined that in his lifetime he would have to coax a drunk person out of a car like this. Shang Zhitao sat in the car crying while Luan Nian stood outside the door, bending down to carry her: “No, why are you carrying me? We’re not that close.”

“Can’t I walk by myself? Why do I need you to carry me?”

“You need to apologize to me.”

“Apologize for what?”

“You just cursed at me.”

“I didn’t curse at you.”

Shang Zhitao let out another wail, leaned back in the seat, and cried, tears streaming down both cheeks, snot flowing out as well. Luan Nian wanted to finish her off: “Don’t push it, Shang Zhitao! If you keep pushing, you can sleep in the car by yourself!”

“This is what men are like—they don’t take care of you when you’re drunk, they get impatient… and they curse at you…” Shang Zhitao continued sobbing.

Her crying gave Luan Nian a headache. After a long standoff, he finally knelt: “Fine, I shouldn’t have spoken loudly to you. I apologize.”

“Then compliment me.”

…Luan Nian thought to himself, if I ever let you drink another drop of alcohol, I’ll take your surname: “Compliment you on what?”

“Compliment me on being pretty.”

Luan Nian couldn’t help it and laughed: “Alright, you’re very pretty.”

“And smart,” Shang Zhitao added.

“Yes, and smart.”

“And very talented.”

“Mm, very talented.”

Luan Nian exerted great effort to get Shang Zhitao out of the car. He carried her upstairs, but after just a few steps, she fell asleep. He placed her on the bed, undressed her, wrung out a towel to wipe her face, and fed her water—all this fussing lasted until late at night. Luke, freshly bathed and clean, sat at the head of the bed watching them with a somewhat puzzled expression: “What’s wrong with Mom? Mom doesn’t seem quite right.”

“Your mom went crazy today.”

Luan Nian lay back on the bed and picked up his bedside book, turning to the page he had been reading. He took out the wishlist and looked at it—this list was his bookmark, reminding him which page he had reached in the book, and also reminding him that once there was a girl who harbored such aspirations for life. He gently placed the list on the table and read a few pages. Shang Zhitao turned over, her leg draped over his. Before she could kick him, Luan Nian’s leg locked hers: “Even when drunk, you’re not quiet!”

In the middle of the night, Shang Zhitao turned over, held Luan Nian’s hand, and mumbled vaguely: “We all miss you very much.” Her tone carried a hint of sadness.

Luan Nian squinted at her in the darkness, unable to see clearly. His fingertips traced to the corner of her eye—it was wet. She must have had a sad dream.

Many people like to use the phrase “times have changed,” which is often followed by “things remain but people are gone.”

Luan Nian knew who Shang Zhitao meant by “we” and who she meant by “you.” They had never discussed it since their reunion, but when Luan Nian opened a book on the bookshelf at Shang Zhitao’s home and saw the reading notes inside, he knew who had written them.

After such a tiring night, Luan Nian woke up the next day in a bad mood. When Shang Zhitao came downstairs looking for him and saw him running on the treadmill, she approached the machine and smiled at him.

“Did you sleep well?” she asked.

Luan Nian glanced at her without speaking and continued running.

“Are you in a bad mood?” Shang Zhitao asked again.

He still ignored her. Only after finishing his run did he say to her: “Do you know what your alcohol tolerance is now?”

“My alcohol tolerance is pretty good now.”

“How much did you drink yesterday?”

“I don’t remember.”

Luan Nian took out his phone, opened a video, and handed it to her: “See for yourself.”

Shang Zhitao saw herself completely drunk and disheveled, with tears and snot smeared all over her face, refusing to let Luan Nian touch her. She accused Luan Nian of not being gentle enough and not speaking properly.

Shang Zhitao laughed at herself: “I won’t drink anymore, I won’t.” She explained: “I only drink like this with Sun Yu.”

“You don’t drink with Fu Dong?”

“You don’t drink with Lu Mi?”

“You don’t drink with He Yun and Shang Zhishu?”

Luan Nian fired questions in succession. His displeasure was quite obvious—not just because Shang Zhitao had thrown a drunken tantrum at him, but also because of what she had said in her sleep.

“I drank a bit too much yesterday; I haven’t been like that before,” Shang Zhitao smiled apologetically at him. “Is taking care of a drunk person tiring?”

“No.”

“But you look very tired.”

Luan Nian stopped speaking and went upstairs to shower. Shang Zhitao followed behind him: “Did I snore or kick you when I was drunk so you couldn’t sleep well?”

“No, you talked in your sleep.”

Luan Nian undressed while looking at her: “The most annoying thing about you when you’re drunk is that you talk in your sleep.”

“What did I say?”

“You said…” Luan Nian paused: “You said you love me very much.” He flashed a mischievous smile and closed the door.

He showered while Shang Zhitao listened outside, imagining how he looked while bathing. She simply opened the door a crack and peeked her head in.

Luan Nian stood under the shower head, water flowing from his hair onto his face. A drop of water hung from the tip of his nose for a long time before falling, then flowing down to his shoulders, chest, and abs.

Shang Zhitao was mesmerized, swallowing hard, mentally calling herself a pervert.

Luan Nian expanded under her brazen gaze. Seeing her motionless, he said to her: “Either come in or get lost.”

Shang Zhitao certainly wanted to go in, but she was physically indisposed. She smiled: “Excuse my intrusion.” As she closed the door, she heard Luan Nian curse.

Her mood greatly improved. As she sat on the bed waiting for the “beautiful man to emerge from his bath,” she even thought that among the many handsome men on short video platforms, few had Luan Nian’s demeanor. So if one day she went bankrupt again, could she make money by filming Luan Nian?

After Luan Nian came out, Shang Zhitao asked him: “What are we doing today?”

“Catching up on sleep.”

Luan Nian said softly, lying on the bed. Seeing that Shang Zhitao didn’t move, he pulled her beside him to lie down: “Let’s sleep for a while.”

“And then?”

“Then I have plans with some friends tonight. Want to join?”

“I’m meeting Lu Mi for shopping tonight.”

“Okay.”

Shang Zhitao had plans to go shopping with Lu Mi. It was a rare trip to Beijing for her, and she had made these plans well in advance. That evening, Luan Nian dropped her off where she was meeting Lu Mi, then went to his appointment.

Tan Mian had arranged today’s gathering in the morning. When he heard that Shang Zhitao was in Beijing, he specifically told Luan Nian to bring her along. When Luan Nian arrived, everyone else was already there. Lin Chuner stood up and ran to the door, but seeing no one behind him, asked: “Where is she?”

“She has something to do.”

“If I had known Shang Zhitao wasn’t coming with you, Xiao Mei and I wouldn’t have come either.”

“She’s meeting a friend,” Luan Nian explained.

Lin Chuner and Xiao Mei didn’t like attending men’s gatherings, but Song Qiuhan and the others had said today was different—the much-talked-about Ms. Shang Zhitao was in Beijing for a meeting, and they could meet her—that’s why they came.

Luan Nian didn’t speak.

He barely spoke throughout the meal. It seemed that Shang Zhitao wasn’t like other girlfriends who wanted to share their boyfriends. She was out shopping and hadn’t communicated with Luan Nian at all.

Lin Chuner secretly took a photo of Luan Nian and sent it to Shang Zhitao: “Ms. Shang Zhitao, your boyfriend is gloomy.”

Shang Zhitao was accompanying Lu Mi as she tried on clothes. Seeing this message, she smiled: “What’s wrong with him?”

“Perhaps it’s because everyone else has a girlfriend or wife to chat with, and he’s jealous?”

Lin Chuner was a smart person; she could tell from Luan Nian’s expression why he wasn’t happy. Because he wanted to bring his girlfriend to meet his friends, but his girlfriend didn’t come. Men are sometimes complex, and sometimes simple.

Lu Mi came out of the fitting room and saw Shang Zhitao replying to a message. She asked: “What’s up?”

“Nothing.”

Shang Zhitao explained how Luan Nian had invited her to dinner with his friends. She hadn’t thought much of it.

Lu Mi paid for her purchases and then said to her: “Shang Zhitao, you should have gone today.”

“Why? I haven’t seen you in a long time.”

Lu Mi put her arm around Shang Zhitao’s shoulder: “Are you stupid? The stubborn mule wants to introduce you to his friends—why wouldn’t you go?”

“Shang Zhitao, let me tell you, don’t waver while you’re dating. You’ve never been that kind of person; don’t create trouble for yourself. This is your fault today. You should have stood me up and gone to meet his friends looking beautiful. Why wouldn’t you meet them? Are you not presentable? If you don’t stake your claim, there are plenty who would be willing to! Despite Luke’s character, even at forty-something, many women want to sleep with him. You need to infiltrate, you understand? Infiltrate his life through every pore.”

“And then what?”

“Then make him think of you constantly.”

“Like how?”

“Like building good relationships with his friends so they mention you often; like leaving your things at his home so he thinks of you whether he’s eating or shitting; like giving him underwear so he thinks of you when he takes off his pants…” Lu Mi continued one after another, making Shang Zhitao laugh uproariously.

“Did you take a relationship training class?” Shang Zhitao asked Lu Mi.

“Are you mocking the stubborn mule’s training?” Lu Mi countered, then gave her a push: “Go, Shang Zhitao. Be more determined, like you used to be.”

Lu Mi was also a smart person. She could see the problem between Shang Zhitao and Luan Nian—Shang Zhitao was no longer as determined as before. Or perhaps her determination was no longer as obvious as it had been in her twenties, when it was clear and unmistakable.

Shang Zhitao secretly asked Lin Chuner: “Chuner, where are you?”

Lin Chuner sent her a location.

She took a taxi there.

It was nearly nine o’clock when she arrived. She messaged Luan Nian: “Hello, can I join your gathering now?”

“?”

“Can you come out and meet me?”

Luan Nian felt his mood, which had been gloomy for hours, suddenly brightened by sunlight. He smiled abruptly. The others looked at him: “?”

He stood up and walked out of the restaurant to see Shang Zhitao standing there: “Weren’t you going shopping?”

“I want to shop, but I also want to have dinner with my boyfriend’s friends.”

“It’s just leftovers now.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“What does matter?”

“Being with you matters.”

Shang Zhitao didn’t always speak sweet words, but when she occasionally did, they came from the heart. Luan Nian wasn’t someone who would listen to just anyone’s sweet talk, but he was susceptible to Shang Zhitao’s.

“Let’s go,” he said, walking inside. Just before entering, he suddenly took Shang Zhitao’s hand.

Shang Zhitao’s heart skipped a beat, and her face flushed red.

“Why are you blushing? Can’t I hold your hand?” Luan Nian asked knowingly, gripping her hand tighter as he led her inside.

Lin Chuner, who loved to make a scene, led the teasing with “oohs” and “aahs.”

Everyone in the restaurant looked at them, and Shang Zhitao’s palms began to sweat. Over the years, she had accomplished some small feats—traveling alone, hosting presentations in three languages, managing projects worth hundreds of millions—and she had met all kinds of people, from provincial leaders to street vendors. But she had never been this nervous.

Even her fingertips felt cold.

Luan Nian pulled her to stand by the table. The man who had been silent for half the meal suddenly shone with brilliance: “Let me formally introduce everyone, this is my girlfriend, Shang Zhitao.”

“Hello, everyone.” Shang Zhitao blushed, as if returning to her early twenties—inexperienced, pure, and clean.

Lin Chuner stood up to hug her: “Hello, internet friend.”

“Hello, charity organizer,” Shang Zhitao replied solemnly.

Xiao Mei also hugged her: “Hello, trilingual learning genius.”

“Hello, archaeology expert.”

Tan Mian shook her hand: “I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before.”

“That year, when you and Luan Nian sang ‘I Hate Myself For Loving You’ at our company anniversary, I was maintaining order below the stage. The female colleagues were quite wild.”

Lin Chuner pointed at their clasped hands: “So, can Luan Nian let go of your hand now?”

“No.”

Luan Nian refused, pulled out a chair for Shang Zhitao to sit down, and sat beside her.

For a long time, Luan Nian hadn’t enjoyed attending gatherings where partners could be brought along. Song Qiuhan was always sticky with Lin Chuner, giving her flowers or not allowing her to expose her waist; Chen Kuannian often played around with Xiao Mei. He would often feel lost at such occasions, thinking of the girl who would try to hide whenever he called.

Love needs to infiltrate.

Like sunlight shining through the gap in the curtains, slowly filling the entire room.

Infiltrating each other’s lives this way, sharing each other’s friends, thoughts, and hobbies, traveling through mountains and rivers together, and also making their small daily lives beautiful together.

Luan Nian didn’t understand or care to do this before, but time had taught him these things.

He felt he could do better.

Starting from today.