On the same night, some embraced each other in sleep while others tore at each other.

Thousands of miles away in a certain villa, Yu Jiaze sat in the unlighted living room, having opened a bottle of alcohol and already drunk more than half.

But this amount of liquor seemed to have no effect on him. His face remained pale as snow, like a vampire in the dark night, alone guarding a corner of an empty castle.

Since Wu Man left, the entire house had lost all traces of human warmth.

Her silhouette cooking seemed to linger by the kitchen counter. The left side of the sofa was her favorite spot, as if she had just left her seat and was still silently walking on the carpet.

Therefore, when he heard the sound of keys at the front door, his whole body jolted, immediately turning his head toward the entrance.

The person who entered had a face three-tenths similar to his little bird, but was a cheap counterfeit.

His gaze perfunctorily circled Tang Yingxue’s face once before turning back.

Tang Yingxue said unhappily: “Why didn’t you tell me you moved back here?”

She turned on the lights on her own. The sudden bright light made Yu Jiaze involuntarily squint.

He commanded: “Turn it off.”

“…” Tang Yingxue froze slightly, then said coquettishly: “But Brother Jiaze, I’m afraid of the dark.”

Yu Jiaze raised a smile without warmth, patting the spot next to him: “Then come sit beside me.”

Tang Yingxue froze slightly, then joyfully turned off the light and snuggled next to him.

She leaned against Yu Jiaze’s shoulder. His hand absent-mindedly smoothed her hair, making her heartbeat accelerate, feeling an excessive intimacy.

Yu Jiaze suddenly asked coldly in the darkness: “Why do you want to marry me?”

“Because I love you.”

Tang Yingxue answered without hesitation.

Yu Jiaze laughed lightly: “Even though I won’t love you at all?”

Her profile leaning on his shoulder stiffened slightly. She raised her head to look at Yu Jiaze, gritting her teeth: “Then who do you love? Don’t tell me it’s Wu Man!”

Yu Jiaze laughed dully at this.

“Who told you people must love people?” He pityingly touched her head. “So far, I’ve only loved one bird.”

“…Bird?” Tang Yingxue frowned, suddenly remembering something. “It’s that mynah Uncle Yu mentioned, right? If you like it, I’ll buy you another one.”

“Not every bird can be as interesting as it was.”

Yu Jiaze turned over the stemmed glass, its shape like a birdcage. He tapped the empty rim of the glass, murmuring: “It’s precisely because it was too interesting—even such an expensive crystal glass couldn’t contain it.”

Tang Yingxue rubbed her arms, feeling uneasy, sensing his tone wasn’t really about some bird, but about a person.

She unhappily turned Yu Jiaze’s face, moving his gaze from the glass to her face.

She wanted him to only look at her.

Yu Jiaze looked coldly at her hand. Tang Yingxue hesitated, then withdrew it, instead clinging to his arm coquettishly.

“Brother Jiaze, I’ve been so bored these past few days. Didn’t Uncle Yu say you’re going to America? Take me with you to have fun? Then for our honeymoon after the wedding, we can go somewhere else.”

“Didn’t the old man tell you I’m going on a business trip to handle serious matters?” Yu Jiaze rapidly spun the tail ring on his finger. “You being bored is your problem. I didn’t force you to quit the industry.”

“But I did this for you… Don’t you hope that your wife, the future lady of the Yu family, won’t be showing her face publicly and being criticized by others?”

Yu Jiaze leaned back on the sofa, glancing at her lightly: “I don’t care.”

Tang Yingxue was stunned by this statement.

But she quickly comforted herself. Yu Jiaze was much older than her—things that were important to her might not matter to him. She wanted to devote herself entirely to him, but perhaps he hoped she could have a career too?

Worthy of being the man she chose—mature and thoughtful.

Tang Yingxue smiled brightly: “But I still prefer to stay by your side.”

As soon as the words fell, Yu Jiaze’s expression turned severe, his sinister gaze sharply seizing her.

“Don’t… let me hear that a second time.” He bluntly issued an order to leave. “I’m tired. Go back.”

Tang Yingxue was also annoyed: “Why do you never want me to stay overnight with you?”

“This is your father’s idea—to wait until marriage.”

“But we’re already engaged.” Tang Yingxue looked around suspiciously. “Are you keeping another woman? You were lying to me last time!”

Yu Jiaze calmly raised his chin: “Feel free to search upstairs. If you can find anyone, that’s your skill.”

Tang Yingxue stared into his eyes: “If you’re lying to me, I’ll tell Uncle Yu…”

This time, before she could finish speaking, Yu Jiaze grabbed her throat, cutting off the remaining words.

“My patience has limits. For you, I’ve already used great patience.” Yu Jiaze said slowly and softly. “If you think constantly invoking the old man will work, then go ahead.”

Yu Jiaze’s hand left. Tang Yingxue was still shaken.

In that moment, it was as if he really was a vampire, and her artery would break in his hands.

The ruthlessness in his eyes passed through her, directed at the person behind her words.

*

At four in the morning, Wu Man’s old problem returned. She still woke at this hour.

Zhui Ye behind her slept deeply, holding her very tightly. She didn’t want to wake him, so she was forced to close her eyes again, hypnotizing herself back to sleep.

But this was quite difficult. If she hadn’t taken medicine and woke naturally after falling asleep, it was very hard for her to fall asleep again.

So she pitifully maintained the same position lying stiff for a long time. Finally unable to bear it, she wanted to get up and go to the balcony for a cigarette.

Very carefully, at slow-motion speed, she extracted herself from Zhui Ye’s embrace. But during this slow process, she accidentally pulled a muscle in her calf.

…Heaven.

Wu Man inadvertently cried out in pain, then immediately bit her mouth in realization.

She didn’t know if it was because she was really getting older—her muscles and bones felt somewhat fragile. This wasn’t the first or second time she’d pulled something. Thinking this, Wu Man suddenly felt a ridiculous sadness.

Her body bounced between this late-night surge of sentimentality and the still-twitching pain, but unexpectedly heard the person behind her who had been sleeping soundly murmur vaguely: “What’s wrong, Sister?”

Wu Man couldn’t help but regret waking him. Turning around, she saw this person’s eyes were still closed…

“It’s nothing, go to sleep.”

She softly coaxed him, but he seemed to sense that where her leg touched his was twitching. He propped himself up from the bed, placed her leg against his warm lower abdomen, and massaged it with half-closed eyes.

This series of actions looked like sleepwalking.

He barely half-opened his eyes, saying drowsily: “Is it cramping here?”

Wu Man stared at him blankly, softly acknowledging.

When she was in her twenties, if she could squeeze out a few hours of sleep after finishing filming, forget the house burning down—even if it was the end of the world, she would keep her eyes closed and embrace the bed.

How could someone notice from their sleep that the person beside them had silently cramped up, wake up before fully conscious, and willingly crawl up to massage the other person’s leg?

She simply couldn’t suppress the indescribable emotion surging in her chest, suddenly sitting up straight and hugging his waist.

The two of them toppled to the foot of the bed like roly-poly dolls, swaying unsteadily. Zhui Ye was underneath, she lay on his chest, looking up at him without blinking.

Zhui Ye was finally awakened by this commotion. He raised his hand to embrace her waist, saying hoarsely: “Am I dreaming now?”

“Hm?”

He smiled hazily: “Sister is actively hugging me.”

Wu Man straightened her face, seriously and solemnly calling his name: “Zhui Ye.”

“Ah?”

His body immediately tensed up, not knowing what he’d done to upset her.

“Haven’t I, up until now, actively said to you…” She suddenly stopped, taking a long time to squeeze out three words that landed with weight: “I love you.”

Zhui Ye’s mouth opened slightly. His heart seemed to do an extreme jump in his body. It sank heavily once, then rapidly leaped to his throat. Then swung back, bouncing so violently it couldn’t calm down for a long time.

Sister’s mouth was like a fossilized clam sealed for a thousand years, always so stubborn and hard. Never easily exposing the softness inside.

He wasn’t in a hurry to force her to open, planning to wrestle with her, prying from the edges, bit by bit wiping away the weathered, solidified sand outside.

It’s just that this little fossil surrendered to him so unexpectedly.

Because from beginning to end, the little fossil was just a fragile fortress made of paper. All it took was an embrace pressing her to his chest when her nose stung, and panicked hands reaching over when she cramped, and she would completely crumble.

What she wanted was just this little bit of undivided warmth.

Zhui Ye took a deep breath. In the instant before Wu Man could react, he turned over, pressing her beneath him, reversing positions.

His eyes shone bright as a star in the dark room.

“Sister, I love you too.” He didn’t hesitate for even a moment. “There will never be a second person in this lifetime.”

Wu Man, in the instant she heard this, was undoubtedly moved.

But reason told her not to take it too seriously.

“I love you” said at thirty and “I love you” said at twenty carried completely different weights.

Young people always liked to externalize their abundant emotions at the first opportunity, wanting eternity, wanting forever, wanting this moment to become eternal.

But where in this world did eternity exist?

Once, a media outlet interviewed her. One question asked: What is the word you hate most in this world?

Her answer was: eternity.

“A lifetime isn’t as short as you imagine.” Wu Man reached up to touch his cheek. “Having the present is enough. You don’t need to give me any promises.”

“You don’t believe me?”

He asked somewhat childishly.

Wu Man didn’t answer, only smiled and tilted her head up, kissing his eyes that hid unwillingness.

“Sister, for me, I think a person’s life is really very short.” He held her in return, gathering her into his embrace, chin resting on her head murmuring: “My mom passed away when I was eight. Before she left, she was still so young and energetic—the kind who could chase me around the house ten times with a feather duster.”

“After she left, my dad and I depended on each other. That’s when I learned to cook. Because my mom had spoiled my dad too well—he couldn’t do anything. So when she left, he didn’t even know how to live.”

“When I was twelve, I came home from school to find him collapsed by the table. In front of him was an empty beer can and an empty bottle of paraquat. He’d held on for four more years for my sake. Very remarkable.”

“Then I was taken to live with my grandparents. Grandma died of a brain hemorrhage when I was fifteen. Less than six months after she left, Grandpa followed. From then on, I was alone. Until now.”

In the dim room at four in the morning when the sky was still pitch black and sunrise hadn’t come, his arms holding her involuntarily tightened: “You see, isn’t a person’s life very short? Can’t even get past one addiction before having to die.”

Those sealed difficult past events were lightly sketched out by him in a few words. Wu Man touched her eyes, discovering she had unconsciously shed tears.

Too bitter. Even with her difficult childhood, she couldn’t imagine his suffering.

Never having had something was always better than having it and then losing it.

Especially repeated losses, like a prolonged earthquake accompanied by years of aftershocks, suddenly extracting his beloved from his life.

Like having someone’s heart opened and flesh dug out.

“In Qingling, they all said I was a jinx.” Zhui Ye said carelessly. “Then let it be a jinx. Anyway, there’s nothing left in my life to lose.” His tone paused, suddenly dropping, revealing the vulnerability hidden beneath the carelessness. “…But Sister, actually I’m very afraid inside. Especially when I’m holding you like this.”

Wu Man knew what he wanted to say. She quickly reached out her hand, covering his mouth.

“You don’t need to be afraid.” She sniffled, nuzzling lightly in the hollow of his neck, saying with forced lightness: “I came into this world unwelcome, with a life as hard as they come—a perfect match for you.”

Zhui Ye said nothing for a long time.

After a while, his voice was very soft yet very firm: “If one day you really leave, then I’ll follow you.”

Wu Man’s soul was violently struck.

She said somewhat angrily: “I’m so much older than you. It’s very normal for me to leave before you. Don’t be so willful!”

He laughed once, with a heavy nasal tone.

“I don’t care. I’ve already been left behind by them. I don’t want to be left behind by you too.” He kissed the top of her head. “I love you, so don’t leave me alone. Live well, together with me.”

*

When she woke again, it was nearly noon. This time, without relying on medication, she had fallen back asleep in his embrace near dawn.

The bed beside her had been empty for a while. He’d already started work on set. On WeChat, he’d left her a long string of messages about what he ate for breakfast, how many minutes he slept while getting makeup done, how many NGs the opposing actor had.

She carefully read through everything, as if she were at the set experiencing it with him.

Wu Man simply freshened up and packed her scattered luggage, planning to head to the airport to fly to LA shortly.

Staying too long on the visit would disturb his work and easily expose their relationship. The set was absolutely not an option, and staying in the hotel room was boring, so she didn’t plan to linger.

On the way to the airport, she sent Zhui Ye a message about leaving. She waited until the plane took off without getting his reply—he must be filming a difficult scene.

Wu Man turned off her phone, took out the lumbar pillow and eye mask he’d previously reminded her about, tilted her head, and forced herself to endure the long flight.

When she replied to Zhui Ye’s messages again, it was over ten hours later. As expected, he complained about her heartlessly abandoning him without staying a couple more days.

“I could only stay in the hotel if I remained, couldn’t do anything.”

“[Sad.jpg] Really wish I could turn you into Thumbelina and put you in my pocket to bring to set.”

The two chatted meaninglessly for a while. She arrived at the hotel and dealt with jet lag. When she woke, it was Zhui Ye’s rest time there—the two of them forcibly separated by time zones.

Following her usual habit, she bought roses and headed to the nursing home.

On the way, she couldn’t help thinking humorously whether her mother would have some reaction if she told her about Tang Jiarong this time.

However, facts proved she was overthinking.

Her mother’s reaction to hearing the three words “Tang Jiarong” wasn’t as passionate as hearing “hamburger meat.”

Wu Man didn’t know whether to describe it as pitiful or fortunate.

She pushed her for a walk on the grass, continuing to ramble: “The boy I mentioned to you last time—I’m together with him now.”

“The movie we starred in together was nominated for Cannes. Do you think… I might win an award?”

“If only you weren’t like this now. I really want to take you to walk the Cannes red carpet.”

After a lap around, it was mealtime. Wu Man pushed her mother back to the room, requesting from the Chinese caregiver who specifically looked after her mother: “She seems to want a hamburger tonight. Can you prepare one for her?”

“No problem!”

The caregiver beamed with an enthusiastic smile and set about preparing it. Wu Man usually just gave instructions and left, but she didn’t know why this visit felt slightly different. It seemed that after being with Zhui Ye, she’d become more patient.

So she decided to wait for the caregiver to return and have dinner with her mother before leaving. In the time it took to go to the bathroom, the caregiver had already returned with the hamburger, surprisingly fast.

However, she asked Wu Man with a puzzled expression: “Does she really want to eat the hamburger?”

Wu Man was also stunned.

Because after her mother received the hamburger, she only placed it behind the flower pot, in a very strange position.

But this position wasn’t unfamiliar to Wu Man.

During her obsession with KFC, after her mother confiscated her hamburgers a few times, she’d started guerrilla warfare, finding places everywhere to hide them, finally choosing the flower pot. It worked every time.

…She had thought her mother never discovered it.

Seeing Wu Man remain silent, lost in thought, the caregiver could only turn back and softly inquire of Wu Yulan again.

The half-gray-haired woman slowly extended her finger, gesturing in the air. The caregiver followed, guessing her meaning.

“You’re saying you won’t eat it… someone will come to eat it?”

Who? The caregiver was very confused, turning helplessly to look at Wu Man by the door, only to see her expression dazed, then bit by bit, her eyes reddening.

Her tears seemed to have accumulated for decades, falling more and more fiercely. She staggered out to the corridor, crying like a child.