When Luan Nian refused to take care of Luke, there was no one to take care of Luke. But Luan Nian’s words were always a mix of truth and falsehood; saying he couldn’t probably meant he could.

So Shang Zhitao asked again: “Can I bring Luke over now?”

“No.”

“?”

Luan Nian stopped replying to her and answered Dr. Liang’s call: “What is it?”

“Recently, your father participated in an event and met Professor Gong. During their conversation, he mentioned his daughter is in China, apparently teaching at a university in Beijing. Could you look after her a bit?”

“Gong Yue, right?” Luan Nian asked.

“Eh? How do you know?”

“Happened to meet her today.”

“That’s great! Young people should get together for meals and gatherings when they have time, liven things up a bit. Otherwise, with your personality, you’ll suffocate yourself, won’t you?”

“Fine.”

Dr. Liang thought he had misheard: “You said fine?”

“Mm.”

It was rare to hear Luan Nian agree so readily. Dr. Liang didn’t dare say more, afraid he might change his mind: “Alright then, that’s settled. Goodbye.”

Luan Nian hung up the phone. The bar staff had already gone home, leaving him alone. He decided to lie on the sofa chair and watch the moon. After the wind, the moon was particularly bright. Luan Nian pondered that once the bar opened, his free time would decrease.

When Shang Zhitao’s call came in, the alcohol had gone slightly to his head, but he answered without speaking.

Shang Zhitao thought she had dialed wrong and moved the phone away to check—it was him: “I’m at your place, but no one’s home. Why aren’t you speaking? Have you been drinking? Should I make you some noodles?”

“No need. I’m not coming back tonight.”

“Oh.”

Shang Zhitao hung up and saw Luan Nian’s little red flag fish swimming in its tank. Fish were easier to care for than dogs; they didn’t need daily walks. The owner could casually spend the night elsewhere. She sat in his living room waiting for a while, but Luan Nian truly didn’t return. It was in the middle of the night when Shang Zhitao heard Luke barking. She went downstairs fully clothed and saw Luke running around Luan Nian. The dog hadn’t seen Luan Nian for some time and seemed a bit excited.

Luan Nian patted Luke, speaking with a slightly nasal tone: “Why are you here?”

Luke sat on the ground and whimpered. Luan Nian crouched down to stroke its head, and Luke immediately rested its head on his knee, knowing how to please people just like its owner.

“The wind has picked up outside.” Shang Zhitao ran to the window to look: “Why didn’t you come up from the underground garage?”

Luan Nian sat down to play with Luke, as if he hadn’t heard Shang Zhitao speaking.

Luan Nian knew he was a difficult person to get along with. By all accounts, having grown up in a happy, harmonious family, pampered since childhood, his personality should have been sunny, but it wasn’t. In Dr. Liang’s words, when Luan Nian was seven or eight, he was like a little adult, always frowning, rarely having things he genuinely liked, and difficult to please. This child’s personality resembled neither Dr. Liang nor Luan’s father—more like he had been adopted.

That wasn’t all. When Luan Nian was in his teens, the things he liked were quite frightening—weapons, fighting, shooting. At that time, Dr. Liang couldn’t sleep every night, worried that he might inadvertently take an anti-human, anti-social path.

Such a person—without a sunny disposition or much empathy—had too few soft parts inside.

Luan Nian knew all this. For so many years, he had been deliberately practicing, yet he would still be particularly sharp when truly unhappy, almost impossible to please.

Seeing Shang Zhitao sitting on the sofa watching him, he became impatient and said to Luke: “Tell your master not to look at me.”

He wouldn’t even speak directly to Shang Zhitao.

Shang Zhitao felt something strange about Luan Nian today, but couldn’t pinpoint what. He seemed to have been drinking and caught in the wind; his face was slightly red. Shang Zhitao reached out her hand, but Luan Nian tilted his head back, frowning at her: “If you have something to say, just say it. Don’t touch me.”

…”You seem to be sick.”

“None of your damn business.”

Luan Nian went upstairs. Shang Zhitao followed behind him, with Luke following Shang Zhitao. Luan Nian walked to the master bedroom and blocked the door, opening his mouth to mock Shang Zhitao: “Sorry, I can’t service you today. Take care of yourself.”

“What do you mean?”

“Isn’t that why you came here—to satisfy your physiological needs? Can’t be satisfied today.”

“Oh. Alright then.”

Shang Zhitao was a bit angry, too. She took Luke back to the guest room, turned off the lights, and lay on the bed. She realized she had never really argued with Luan Nian. She was a young woman with a temper too; when provoked, she would fight back. But she had never truly exploded in front of Luan Nian. Why? She had analyzed it—probably because she didn’t dare. She didn’t have the confidence to lose her temper in front of him; she had to restrain herself. Her ears perked up, listening for Luan Nian’s movements.

Luan Nian was taking a shower. Luan Nian went downstairs. Why hadn’t Luan Nian come looking for her yet? Well, Luan Nian would never back down. Shang Zhitao sat up dejectedly, just sat for a while, sighed, and finally got out of bed.

She saw Luan Nian taking out the medicine box. Shang Zhitao walked up to feel his forehead, but Luan Nian turned his head away again. Suddenly she wasn’t angry anymore—why quarrel with a sick person? She was so good at self-consolation.

With quick eyes and hands, she found fever medication under the medicine box: “Is this what you’re looking for?”

Luan Nian reached out for it, but Shang Zhitao hid it behind her back. He tried to grab it, his cheek brushing against hers. Shang Zhitao quickly stood on tiptoe and kissed his chin, one peck after another, like a little chick pecking at rice. She was coaxing Luan Nian, her eyes bright, timid, and gentle. Her lips were warm, soft, and obedient.

Luan Nian looked down at her humble posture, and his heart felt as if something had pricked it.

“Not sleeping tonight.” Luan Nian finally spoke properly to Shang Zhitao, his breath scorching—he was sick.

“Mm, not sleeping.”

Shang Zhitao ran to pour water for him, watched him take the medicine, then held his hand: “So did you entertain today?”

“Yes, hosted guests at the bar today.”

“Didn’t you say the first drink would be mixed for me?”

Hearing this, Luan Nian snorted but ignored her again, turning to go upstairs. Shang Zhitao followed behind him: “You’re breaking your promise! You said the first drink would be for me, and I haven’t even tasted it yet!”

I did want to offer you the first drink, but weren’t you out strolling with your male roommate? The two of you, walking a dog, looking like a little married couple. Luan Nian admitted he was angry about this—he wouldn’t give her that drink even if it meant feeding it to a dog! But he couldn’t say this out loud. What the hell was there to say? You’re not the only one who can have ambiguous relationships with people of the opposite sex. If I want, if I’m willing, I can have them anytime.

But Shang Zhitao continued to fuss. Seeing Luan Nian not responding, she kept complaining: “Hmph, breaking your promise.”

Luan Nian pulled her into his arms, his tongue prying open her lips and teeth, entangling with hers. After a long while, he fiercely asked: “The first drink, did you taste it?”

Shang Zhitao, face reddened, licked her lips and shook her head: “Not thoroughly.” She stood on tiptoe again and bit his lip. In Dunhuang, his palm against her calf had made her heart flutter despite the fabric between them. She had been thinking about it for days.

So could kisses calm anger?

His mouth tasted of cocktail, somewhat intoxicating. Shang Zhitao fell into his embrace, her arms around his waist, her head against his chest, softly calling: “Luan Nian.”

“Speak.”

“Can I sleep with you? Just sleep, nothing else.”

“Mm.”

And truly, they did nothing else. Shang Zhitao nestled into his arms, pulled out his arm to rest her head, and placed her palm on his chest. Seeing he had no objection, she pushed her luck further by wrapping her arm around his waist, murmuring in his embrace: “Actually, just lying quietly like this, doing nothing, I think it’s nice.”

“What’s nice about it?” Luan Nian asked her.

“Well…” Shang Zhitao didn’t know how to explain: “Just… It’s nice.” This gave Shang Zhitao the illusion that there could be something more between them beyond sex.

Luan Nian’s body was a bit hot. He couldn’t tell if it was because of the fever or the alcohol, but his mind wasn’t clear, and he felt somewhat uncomfortable.

“Go to the guest room.”

“No.” Shang Zhitao leaned into Luan Nian’s embrace. It was rare for him to be sick and so compliant; Shang Zhitao found she liked it a bit. She was truly heartless, actually liking Luan Nian when he was sick. Her arms tightly encircled Luan Nian as she talked to him.

“Let’s not go hiking in Dunhuang again, okay? It’s too exhausting. My legs still don’t feel like my own today.”

“When the activity ended, CEO Jiang suddenly said to me, ‘Flora, I remember you.’ How could she remember me? I’ve only appeared before her a few times…”

“Lu Mi is so funny, and so brave too. I feel like after being with Lu Mi for so long, I’ve become more formidable too…”

“Luke…”

Luan Nian covered Shang Zhitao’s mouth with his hand: “Why are you so talkative today?”

“I have to finish telling you everything for the next half month because we won’t see each other for half a month…”

“Is the phone just decoration?”

“You’re not willing to reply to my messages or talk to me on the phone.” His replies were just a few words, calls just a minute long, very rarely would he speak more.

Shang Zhitao complained softly, like a chattering little disgruntled wife. When she turned over, she bumped her inner knee; the pain from accumulated lactic acid nearly killed her, and she groaned.

In the darkness, Luan Nian turned her toward him, lifted her leg onto his, and pressed his palm against her calf, gently massaging.

“It hurts.” Shang Zhitao didn’t know if it hurt or what, but she almost shed tears.

“That’s why I said you need to exercise.”

Shang Zhitao endured the pain and moved closer to him, making the position somewhat intimate. Luan Nian shifted slightly backward, leaving a gap, and said to her: “Don’t tempt me.”

Shang Zhitao truly didn’t dare tempt him anymore, quietly staying in his arms. Her phone rang. She picked it up—it was Dony asking: “What are you doing?”

Shang Zhitao glanced at Luan Nian and put down the phone. Luan Nian saw Dony’s name flash by and asked: “Has Dony never harassed you?”

“No. Why do you ask that?”

“Because you seem to be the easiest one to manipulate and bully at Feinmei.”

“Is that also why you chose me?”

Shang Zhitao used the word “chose,” as if Luan Nian originally had many, many options and picked the easiest one to handle.

“Mm. You’re right.” Luan Nian released her leg and turned away, giving her a stubborn, cold back. Shang Zhitao didn’t mind, pressing her face against his back and saying: “I secretly checked your schedule. You’re not on a business trip. So please help me take care of Luke, okay? If you could spare the time to bath Luke, that would be even better. He’s like a little mud ball. And he seems to like playing with frisbees lately—throw it out, bring it back, having a great time.”

Luan Nian recalled her and Sun Yuanzhu walking with Luke on the street. The scene seemed quite comical now that he thought about it.

The medicine was taking effect, and he felt a bit dizzy. His phone lit up, and he saw Gong Yue asking: “Can we hold an activity at your place next week?”

“Welcome. You can contact the bar manager directly.” Luan Nian replied, then sent her the bar manager’s phone number, and promptly deleted her as a friend.

Luan Nian was quite lazy. He was too lazy to deal with social niceties and too lazy to change the status quo.

He thought his unwillingness to change the status quo was due to laziness.

At least that’s what he believed at the time.