Fang Jingcheng carried Xia Fu all the way to the car, started the engine to turn on the lights, and rummaged through the glove compartment until he found a packet of wet wipes. Gently, he wiped the back of her hand with the soft, moist tissue.

“Doesn’t your hand hurt? Your body feels so hot; do you want to go to the hospital?”

After managing to get up, Xia Fu had instinctively grabbed a sharp bookmark to defend herself. She clutched it tightly, prepared to jab her brother if he resisted. In her state of heightened alert, she’d barely felt the pain, oblivious to the rough metal digging into her flesh until Fang Jingcheng pointed it out, prompting her to glance at her hand with hesitation.

Her pale fingers were stiff as plaster, and Xia Fu had to exert some effort to open her hand.

“…It’s fine.”

A small injury like this was nothing to her, and she didn’t have the energy to deal with anyone else. Zhang Mei had made a few simple treatments on her scars, just enough to avoid leaving unsightly marks that might lower her “value.” Plus, medical conditions in their small town weren’t as good as in the city. Instead of facing the prying eyes in some small clinic, it was better to patch herself up.

“Just some iodine and some anti-inflammatory meds, and I’ll be good to go.”

To reassure him, Xia Fu tried to make light of it, pulling at the bookmark. But the dried blood had adhered to the metal, and her sudden movement only opened the wound further, making her face contort in pain.

Fang Jingcheng quickly held her wrist, stopping her from making it worse.

“Slow down; let me do it.”

He lowered his head, using the wet wipe to soften the blood crust in careful circles. “Is that better? Let me know if it hurts.” From her angle, Xia Fu could see his silver hair brushing over the wound, his fluffy head reminiscent of a loyal dog licking its owner’s palm.

It had only been three days since she’d last seen him, but looking at Fang Jingcheng’s face now, it felt like years had passed. University brought together kids from all different backgrounds, creating a space where they could chat and dream. But back in the small town, it was clear Fang Jingcheng didn’t belong in a place like this.

How could she even begin to explain her complicated history with Boss Chen, her secret from her family, or what he’d discussed with Teacher Li? The weight of it all overwhelmed Xia Fu, leaving her speechless.

An invisible wall seemed to rise between them, even as her boyfriend gently coaxed, “After buying the medicine, do you want to grab a bite to eat? It’s bad for you to take it on an empty stomach.” Xia Fu couldn’t simply fall back into their usual dynamic and dropped her gaze, replying softly:

“Alright, you decide. I don’t have much of an appetite; I don’t know what to eat.”

“How about the noodle shop behind Fifth High? Your favorite, the Three Fresh Claypot Noodles?”

“Huh?”

The familiar place name rang in her ears, and Xia Fu looked up at him in surprise, taking a few seconds to respond, “How did you know?”

Finally, she didn’t look like she was ready to say goodbye at any moment. Hearing her question, Fang Jingcheng rested his hand on the steering wheel, a proud grin spreading across his face.

“I’m your boyfriend, of course I’d know these little things.”

Xia Fu’s old school, Fifth High, was the top high school in town, surrounded by a bustling little commercial area filled with milk tea shops, bakeries, bookstores, boutiques, KTV, and an arcade, making it popular even in the summer. When they arrived, a couple of tables were already occupied by students — some gaming on their phones, others chatting while snacking. Nearby, two best friends sat together. One, with her high ponytail, took a sip of milk tea through her straw while gossiping about their tutoring teacher. Across from her was a girl with short, bobbed hair, her cheeks puffed with pearls as she chewed, sparkling eyes fixed on her friend with the curiosity of a little animal, asking, “Does your matcha taste good?”

Fang Jingcheng overheard the exchange and let out a small chuckle, squeezing Xia Fu’s fingers and asking, “Any recommendations? I could always swap with you.”

The youthful buzz gradually lightened Xia Fu’s mood. She looked at the red menu on the wall, unchanged from a year ago, yet it all felt a bit surreal.

Back in high school, she’d visit this noodle shop whenever she could. Her family insisted, “Eating out is unsanitary and expensive!” while rarely offering her anything good at home. Xia Fu would sneak here after Saturday tutoring, savoring every bite in secret.

If her family hadn’t been so troubled, and if Fang Jingcheng hadn’t been the wealthy young master he was but just an ordinary neighbor, sitting in the row in front of her, would they have spent time like this, swapping bites after school?

Fang Jingcheng ordered the classic fried rice with beef and eggs, a favorite among the boys, and his food arrived faster than Xia Fu’s. But he insisted on waiting for her claypot noodles so they could exchange the first bite. With his hands cupping his cheeks, he eagerly asked, “How is it? Good?” acting more like a young girl than she was.

How could it not be good?

The claypot noodles were topped with slices of sausage, crispy fried tofu skin, and slivers of pork, laid over fresh greens like kelp and baby bok choy. She twirled the springy, hand-pulled noodles with her chopsticks, and as the spicy broth hit her senses, it brought her dulled taste buds back to life, filling her with warmth.

This was her favorite flavor after school.

Even if she was in pain and utterly worn out, the noodles were irresistibly delicious.

What’s done is done. No matter how she tried to rewrite the past, it couldn’t change. But here and now was real; no matter how bad things had gotten, as long as she survived, Fang Jingcheng was still here, and she could still enjoy her favorite food.

With the tip of her chopsticks clenched between her teeth, Xia Fu inhaled deeply to hold back her tears, mumbling in a muffled voice, “It’s not that great; too much chili for a sick person. Give me a bite of your fried rice.”

“I also want to try the pork rib and kelp soup and that girl’s matcha milk tea — cold, extra pearls.”

Fang Jingcheng tilted his head with a smirk, “Oh, so the ‘sick person’ can handle cold drinks?”

Holding a tissue to her nose, she rolled her eyes and stretched her voice, saying, “Just buy it! At worst, we’ll add a hot drink too.” She mischievously snatched a piece of pork skin from his bowl, sticking it in his mouth to silence him.

“This big piece is all yours.”

His eyes softened, a golden warmth like sunlight scattering on a clear ocean, and he laughed, “Alright, alright. I’ll be right back.”

Xia Fu closed her eyes, pressing the chilled milk tea cup to her puffy eyes.

Without prying into her family’s issues, Fang Jingcheng held her hand as they wandered down the street, browsing quirky gifts like any normal young couple.

Since he didn’t bring it up, Xia Fu didn’t feel like mentioning it either.

“Hey, what do you think of this big white goose? It’d be so soft to cuddle. And this dog! You could squeeze it when you’re down.”

“And this water bottle, shaped like ice cream — it looks sweet, doesn’t it?”

She trailed behind him obediently, giving playful answers, “So soft,” and “Cute,” keeping things lighthearted as usual. But seeing him fill his arms with trinkets, a sense of longing emerged, loosening the tightness in her throat.

No wonder the girls in her dorm always dreamed of bringing their boyfriends to their hometown for summer adventures.

She wanted to take him to the movies, or to an arcade for prizes, or just to sit in a bookstore together for an afternoon.

The past didn’t seem as heavy or frightening as she’d imagined.

Finally, in the glow of the sunset, Xia Fu tugged at Fang Jingcheng’s coat, stopping him in his tracks. She buried her face in his back like a midnight confessor in the chapel, unwilling to face him but soaking up his heartbeat as she quietly confessed, “I didn’t mean to hide things from you. I just… don’t know how to explain my parents…”

He sighed softly, voice full of helplessness.

“I know, and you didn’t even manage to hide it for long. When I got caught sneaking in, I gave your name. Teacher Li’s first question was, ‘So you’re Xia Fu’s new boyfriend? The one who looks like a big, silly dog?’” He imitated Li Aiying’s stern voice with remarkable accuracy.

The thought of her teacher’s skeptical, almost disdainful expression flashed through Xia Fu’s mind, and she felt a twinge of guilt, like a student caught gossiping. She twisted his coat between her fingers, mumbling:

“Really? Even Teacher Li knows… But why a dog?”

“Oh, who knows? Maybe it’s all the dog emoji you send or the flowers you draw in your notes. Being with me for so long, some things must have rubbed off on you.”

Listing her slip-ups, Fang Jingcheng’s teasing tone was impossible to miss. Irritated, Xia Fu pinched his waist.

“Ow! I surrender!” he cried, “All homeroom teachers have a sixth sense for young love, especially with students like you. Don’t pinch too hard; you’ll open your wound.”

Turning to face her, Fang Jingcheng clasped her hands to his chest, bowing down to meet her eyes.

“I was nervous when she was looking at me; my palms were sweaty. So, what do you think? Did I do okay? At least I made a decent impression, right?”

Cornered, Xia Fu couldn’t keep up any pretense. She looked into his steady gaze and chose honesty.

“You did just fine.”

With his forehead against hers, he pressed a kiss to her lips.

“So, don’t leave me again.”

…

The date ended with Fang Jingcheng’s hotel reservation. Only when they reached the front desk did Xia Fu realize her ID was still stashed away by her family. She fumbled through her pockets, only managing to produce her brother Xia Changqing’s random trinkets like keychains and grocery receipts.

“What do I do? They took my ID…”

“No worries, I’ve got this.”

With a shrug, Fang Jingcheng flipped open his jacket, pulling out some bills to handle it.

Men’s jackets are like bottomless storage pits, with pockets everywhere, even hidden ones for documents and valuables. Fang Jingcheng, used to driving and a bit carefree, only remembered these pockets after his recent brushes with pickpockets in town.

Watching him, Xia Fu suddenly had an idea. Mimicking him, she reached into her jacket’s hidden pocket.

She felt the smooth, hard edge of a plastic card.

Eyes wide with disbelief, she gasped in surprise.

The safest place is sometimes the most obvious. To avoid another round of searching, Xia Changqing had stashed her ID right there in the jacket’s inner pocket.

She had initially reclaimed the jacket purely on impulse, unwilling to see something she treasured worn by her brother, yet it ended up coming through.

“I got it back!”

Triumphant, she held up the recovered ID, waving it before Fang Jingcheng, practically bouncing with joy.

Sure, he had plenty of ways to help her get it back, but this was undoubtedly the best possible outcome.

“Perfect; now you can get some rest.”

Even though she was beaming, Xia Fu’s energy was dwindling. With anti-inflammatory meds taking effect, she quickly grew drowsy. After settling in, she nodded off, even letting Fang Jingcheng dry her hair from behind.

“All set, Xia Fu… Xia Fu?”

When she didn’t respond, he walked to the bedside and saw her peacefully asleep, hugging the big white goose plushie, her chin resting on its head.

“Sweet dreams.”

Fang Jingcheng lowered his voice, softly kissed her cheek, and pulled the blanket over her, though he himself did not lie down.

Slowly, his smile faded as he sat beside her, calmly watching his phone, waiting for the inevitable call.