The quilt was warm, and Lu Nian curled up inside it, with only her big eyes peeking out as she stared blankly at the ceiling.

She wasn’t sleepy yet, but when someone can’t sleep, their mind tends to wander.

After all, she was currently in Qin Si’s house, in this suspicious room.

Inevitably, her thoughts turned to Bai Xi, and the more she thought about it, the angrier she became.

The rain outside grew heavier, pounding against the window with a dull sound.

Lu Nian got out of bed and cracked the window open. The cool wind and dampness rushed in, making her shiver.

An idea suddenly popped into her head.

Her phone was on the bedside table. She closed the window and picked up her phone, dialing Qin Si’s number.

She decided that if he didn’t answer, she would go to the next room and knock on his door until he woke up.

Finally, he answered.

His familiar voice came through, calm with a slight nasal tone, but without any hint of sleepiness. “What’s up?”

“It’s cold,” Lu Nian said, sounding justified. “Qin Si, this quilt is too thin. I’m freezing.”

Qin Si, “…”

“Do you have any other quilts? This one is really too thin,” she added.

In truth, it wasn’t cold at all. The quilt was just right in thickness, and the mattress was clean and soft, making it very comfortable to sleep.

She just wanted to bother Qin Si.

The call ended abruptly.

Soon after, there was a knock on the door.

Lu Nian jumped out of bed.

Since she had just opened the window, the room was indeed quite cold now.

She moved quickly, but then paused to wrap herself in an extra coat, pretending to be drowsy, before slowly opening the door.

The boy stood at the door, holding a new quilt.

He was obviously just out of bed himself, wearing only a thin, loose dark T-shirt.

Tall and lean, his figure was well-proportioned, and even in such simple clothes, he looked striking.

The collar revealed part of his beautiful collarbone, making his features appear even more refined and handsome, giving him a somewhat homely vibe.

Lu Nian rarely saw this side of Qin Si and couldn’t help but glance at him a few more times.

“Here’s the quilt.” The boy pressed his lips together, avoiding her gaze.

He handed over a deep blue quilt, simple in design and without any patterns, quite different from the one currently in her room.

Lu Nian didn’t think much of it, took the quilt, and then rolled up her current quilt and set it aside, replacing it with the new one.

The boy froze.

He had thought she would just add another quilt, not replace the one she had.

But Lu Nian did it so naturally.

“Alright, you can go now.” Lu Nian quickly took off her coat and snuggled back into the quilt, leaving only her head exposed. “Thanks.”

“But, I don’t know if I’ll need anything else.” She shamelessly added.

“If I do, I’ll call you. Don’t turn off your phone tonight.”

Her voice was soft and sweet, with a tone of justified assurance.

Her large eyes, peeking out from the quilt, were bright and lively.

Her black hair spread across her fair cheeks, cascading over the pillow like a dark cloud, making her look innocent, pure, and indescribably charming.

The boy lowered his eyes, his finely chiseled jawline tightened slightly. His hand by his side slowly clenched.

In the end, he said nothing and closed the door.

The room was plunged into darkness again.

Lu Nian lay in the new quilt, staring at the ceiling.

She had planned to think about how to continue bothering him.

But unexpectedly, the new quilt had a faint, familiar scent that made her nostalgic.

Tightly wrapped in the quilt, it felt like being held in an embrace.

She felt incredibly cozy and fell asleep within minutes, completely forgetting her plans to bother him.

In the room next door.

Qin Si returned to his own room, lay back on his empty bed, and casually pulled up a thin quilt.

He wasn’t afraid of the cold and didn’t feel cold at all.

But he knew Lu Nian had always been sensitive to the cold, much more delicate than him.

She had been pampered and cherished since childhood.

When he was younger, he thought he would hate her, even immaturely thinking that when he grew up, he would make her experience the same hardships he did.

But now…

Naturally, he felt she deserved to be treated that way.

He even wanted to willingly give her everything he had.

He couldn’t sleep.

Just a wall away, she was sleeping there, and…

The line between dreams and reality seemed to blur.

The boy’s throat felt dry. He closed his eyes, trying to suppress the thoughts that shouldn’t have arisen.

…

Lu Nian slept soundly, without any dreams.

She was awakened by the vibration of her phone placed beside her pillow.

The girl frowned slightly, still half-asleep, and reached out from under the quilt, finally finding her phone.

It was a message from Qin Si.

Sent an hour ago, with just two words: “Wake up.”

She had indeed forgotten to set an alarm.

Lu Nian yawned, reluctant to leave the warmth of the bed. But she had to go home today, so she slowly got up, changed clothes, and quickly washed up.

She didn’t bother to tie her hair, letting it hang loose as she walked out.

Qin Si was already up, sitting in the living room with a book.

When he saw her, he didn’t look up. “There’s some breakfast left. Eat it if you want.”

Lu Nian was pleasantly surprised. “Did you make it?”

“…Bought it from a street vendor.”

“Oh.” Lu Nian responded.

Despite being called leftovers, there was only one serving, and it didn’t seem like anyone had touched it.

She took a bite of the bun and sipped the milk by her hand.

The milk was at the perfect temperature, leaving a milky white ring on her pink lips.

She licked it off with her tongue and continued eating, thoroughly enjoying her breakfast.

Qin Si kept reading, seemingly oblivious to her presence.

Lu Nian was used to such treatment.

After finishing breakfast, it was almost ten in the morning.

She sprawled back on the sofa, feeling relaxed and happy.

Turning over, she could still see Qin Si.

He sat there with his lashes lowered, reading his book.

Lu Nian propped her chin up and smiled at him.

Before she could watch him for a few seconds, he closed his book and stood up.

Lu Nian felt a twinge of sensitivity, sensing something different about him this morning, though she couldn’t pinpoint it. He seemed colder than usual.

He avoided her gaze. “I have things to do this afternoon. You should get ready to leave.”

Was he trying to kick her out again?

How unwelcome could she be!

Lu Nian couldn’t help but snark, “Alright, I get it. I’ll leave right away. I know I’m not welcome and you’re worried I’ll interrupt your important business.”

Qin Si responded coldly, “What business?”

Lu Nian was taken aback. How was she supposed to explain that?

She wasn’t drunk enough to be reckless, so she reluctantly kept quiet, muttering under her breath, “You’re really shameless.”

He clearly heard her.

Lu Nian expected him to start a fight or sneer at her, mocking her like he used to.

But he didn’t.

A faint blush crept up his pale cheeks.

He pressed his lips together and said nothing in return.

When she was about to leave, she checked the address on her phone and showed it to Qin Si. “This is the right address, isn’t it?”

He replied with a simple “Mm.”

Lu Nian quickly put her phone away. “Now I won’t get lost next time I come over.”

Qin Si didn’t respond with a confirmation or denial, just shifted his gaze away.

Lu Nian propped her chin on her hand, gazing at his indifferent profile, thinking to herself, who knew when the next time would be?

The opportunities for her to sneak out like this were few, and soon Qin Si would leave Ancheng for his college entrance exams, taking him away from this place.

When Lu Nian returned to the Lu household, it was still before noon, and no one had noticed her absence.

Lu Yang had been out on a business trip with Lu Zhihong for several days and hadn’t been home.

Lu Nian wished he would never come back.

After seeing her off, Qin Si returned home.

He silently unlocked the door to his quiet apartment.

Despite usually being alone, the apartment felt inexplicably empty now.

Lu Nian had only stayed for one night, yet her absence seemed to hollow out the space.

The door to the guest bedroom was still open.

The faint scent she left behind lingered in the air, a delicate fragrance unique to her, lingering at the tip of his nose and refusing to fade.

He stiffly removed the bedding and replaced it with the original set.

Then, he locked the bedroom door, returning everything to its original state.

Afternoon, at the Bar.

After going over the accounts, Brother Ming asked, “I heard from the staff that you brought your little Nian Nian here yesterday?”

Qin Si didn’t respond and instead asked, “Are those guys here?”

Brother Ming was puzzled. “Huh?”

Qin Si’s voice was cold, “The ones who gave her alcohol yesterday.”

Brother Ming hesitated. “…”

When Lan Yin and Bai Xi were called up, Lan Yin looked apprehensive, while Bai Xi remained composed, arms crossed.

After explaining the situation, Lan Yin said, “…that’s it. She suddenly wanted to drink, and we had no way to stop her.”

Brother Ming pulled Qin Si aside. “Let it go this time. It was my fault for being out and not keeping an eye on things. They didn’t know who Nian Nian was.”

Qin Si remained silent. His features were sharp, and his eyes, particularly beautiful but cold, made Lan Yin nervous under his steady gaze.

Qin Si responded tersely, “Don’t give her alcohol next time.”

Brother Ming visibly relaxed.

Lan Yin hesitated. “But, what if she insists? She’s a customer, and it’s not good to refuse her…”

Qin Si lifted his gaze, asking calmly, “Do you have a problem with that?”

Lan Yin’s voice faltered. “No, no problem.”

Qin Si rarely showed anger; his emotions were too contained, making it hard to read him. Yet, when he did get angry, it was doubly terrifying.

After Qin Si left, Lan Yin exhaled deeply, patting his chest. “Damn, that scared me to death.”

To be honest, he had always felt uneasy dealing with Qin Si.

He couldn’t help but ask, “What’s the relationship between that little fairy and Brother Qin? Is she his girlfriend?”

Brother Ming shook his head, giving Lan Yin a light slap on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. Just do your job. I’ve told you many times, don’t sell alcohol to minors.”

“But she isn’t his girlfriend?” Lan Yin exclaimed, “If not, then what…”

Thinking of the girl from yesterday, delicate and charming, he chuckled, scratching his head. “Does she have a boyfriend?”

Bai Xi chimed in sarcastically, “You should forget about it. She’s out of your league. She’s pretty, rich, and definitely has no shortage of admirers at school. I’ve heard her boyfriends are…”

Brother Ming interrupted, “Don’t say that in front of him.”

Brother Ming, usually jovial and easy-going, was serious this time, and even Bai Xi, who was usually treated well as the bar’s money maker, saw no smile on his face.

Bai Xi protested, “They don’t have a thing going on. Why can’t I talk about it? My cousin goes to their school, and those rumors are everywhere.”

Brother Ming replied sternly, “What good does it do you if he loses his temper?”

He continued, “I’ve told you before, don’t mess with him. If you don’t listen and things go south, you’ll be on your own.”

“If I hear you mention this in front of Qin Si again, you’re out.”

Bai Xi’s face paled.

Brother Ming was a good boss. In other places, bar managers often harassed employees, but here, she was treated respectfully and paid well. She didn’t want to lose that.

She bit her lip. “…I won’t say anything anymore.”

Lan Yin was still trying to process everything, his thoughts in disarray.

The Next Day

It was still the weekend, and Lu Nian was at home making final preparations.

She had two gifts for Qin Si’s birthday.

One was a carefully painted picture she had been working on for a long time, sneaking in bits of time to finish it away from the prying eyes of the Lu family.

The other was a homemade birthday cake.

Lu Nian delicately placed the cake in a box, tying a beautiful bow on it.

It was her first time baking, and after many failed attempts and lots of effort, she finally produced a decent-looking cake. She decorated it with cream and a pretty chocolate “18.”

Seeing Qin Si now was difficult.

She also wasn’t sure if he would accept the gifts if she gave them to him in person.

She would feel too embarrassed if she didn’t want it.

So, she just packed it up and sent it over, using the address where she stayed last time.

By doing this, he shouldn’t need to call her again to tell her to throw it away.

After sending the gift, Lu Nian clapped her hands in satisfaction.

After the holiday, Lu Nian welcomed the first monthly exam of the new semester.

This time, her exam results were a bit worse, falling far short of the goal set by Lu Zhihong for her.

Lu Zhihong talked to her once.

“You said you were going to be sent abroad?” The boy’s voice came from the other end.

Lu Nian weakly replied, “Not necessarily, just that my dad said if things continue like this, he’ll send me abroad.”

Zhao Yayuan gloated, “Then go, there’s nothing wrong with it. My family also wants to send me abroad.”

Lu Nian paused, “…But I don’t want to go.”

Zhao Yayuan said, “I’ll tell you a good way. Since you’ve always wanted to study art, you can first agree with your dad, apply for another major to go abroad, and then once you’re there, you can directly change your major…”

Lu Nian, “…Get lost.”

What a rotten idea.

Wait until Lu Zhihong finds out, he’ll skin her alive.

Zhao Yayuan laughed heartily on the other end.

Hearing this made her so angry that she hung up the phone directly.

“Yayuan, Yayuan…” Zhao Yayuan only heard the voice behind him.

“Brother, when did you come back?” He hung up the phone, stretched lazily, and lazily asked.

Zhao Tingyuan said, “Just came back from Qingyou’s house, went to chat with her to help her relieve stress.”

It’s only a few months away from the college entrance exam. Su Qingyou messed up the last mock exam, and she has always been seen as a good and excellent girl, so she is also anxious about her current performance, feeling a lot of pressure.

Zhao Tingyuan is now in college, right here in Ancheng, so he also has the time and experience to console her.

When he heard that name, Zhao Yayuan looked disgusted, “Brother, do you really like her?”

Zhao Tingyuan said gently, “Yayuan, don’t be so irritable. Qingyou is very nice, don’t have unfounded prejudices against her.”

Zhao Tingyuan said indifferently, “I have no prejudices, it’s just that I’m human, of course I have likes and dislikes.”

“Don’t you only have dislikes?” Zhao Tingyuan smiled, “But, Nian Nian has been coming to our house often recently, right?”

Zhao Yayuan, “I specifically chose the time when you weren’t there. How did you know?”

He looked relaxed, but what he said was quite serious, and for a moment, Zhao Tingyuan couldn’t tell if it was true or false.

Zhao Tingyuan was helpless. “Not being here doesn’t mean not knowing.”

He hesitated for a moment, then said, “Don’t do anything bad to her.”

Who doesn’t know that Zhao Yayuan has been a little devil since childhood, doing things however she pleases, with no bottom line?

“What bad things can I do?” the boy asked, “Kissing or hugging? Or…”

Between his overly handsome features, there was a hint of mischievousness.

Zhao Tingyuan was so shocked that he couldn’t listen anymore. “Zhao Yayuan!”

“…I won’t do any of that,” Zhao Yayuan lazily lay down on the sofa, stretching out her long legs. “Brother, you can relax.”

Zhao Tingyuan was silent.

Zhao Tingyuan said seriously, “Yayuan, Nian Nian is a good girl. If you just want to play around, find someone else.”

Their relationship with the Lu family would be difficult if Zhao Yayuan continued to behave this way.

“I’m not playing around,” Zhao Yayuan said.

Zhao Tingyuan didn’t expect him to say that. “Yayuan, if you really like Nian Nian, you should tone it down and not mess around.”

He added, “Mom and Dad will be back in Haicheng next year, just after you finish the college entrance exam. They’ve been wanting to see Nian Nian and formally meet Uncle Lu.”

Zhao Yayuan didn’t care. “Whatever, just tell Mom to mind her own business.”