“You…” Chen Qing Wu was so shocked that she was momentarily speechless. She quickly opened the door fully, “Come in quickly!”

The rain was torrential. Meng Fu Yuan folded his umbrella, and the accumulated rainwater streamed down its tip, forming a puddle on the concrete floor in an instant.

“Just leave it by the door,” Chen Qing Wu said.

But Meng Fu Yuan only held onto the umbrella handle, his scrutinizing gaze falling on her. “Are you hurt?”

It took Chen Qing Wu a moment to realize that Meng Fu Yuan might have misunderstood her message.

“No, I’m fine. I didn’t express it clearly. ‘Kiln explosion’ doesn’t mean the kiln literally exploded; it means the items inside the kiln were ruined during firing.”

Meng Fu Yuan let out a slow breath, “As long as you’re okay.”

Chen Qing Wu found it hard to describe her feelings at that moment.

The rain outside was so heavy, visibility must have been very low. For safety, most people would stay indoors. Yet Meng Fu Yuan drove through the storm just to check if she was alright.

Meng Fu Yuan lifted the umbrella and raised his other hand, seemingly about to press the button to reopen it.

…Did this mean he was planning to leave immediately after confirming she was safe?

Chen Qing Wu quickly said, “Come inside and sit for a while! Driving in such heavy rain isn’t safe.”

Meng Fu Yuan paused.

Chen Qing Wu immediately grabbed the umbrella from his hand and placed it against the wall by the doorframe.

Only then did Meng Fu Yuan step inside.

Chen Qing Wu pointed to the sofa, “Sit down, I’ll boil some water.”

After Meng Fu Yuan sat down, he glanced towards the area where the electric kiln was set up in the workspace. The door was open, there were some shards on the floor, and a trash can was nearby.

His gaze returned to find Chen Qing Wu.

She filled the kettle with water, placed it on the base, switched it on, and then walked towards the back.

Separated by a white wall, he couldn’t see the layout behind it, but he guessed it was where she rested.

Half a minute later, she returned with a white towel in hand.

Chen Qing Wu walked up to Meng Fu Yuan and handed him the towel.

“Thank you.”

Meng Fu Yuan took it and only symbolically wiped his hands. From the parking spot to the studio entrance, there was some standing water, so his shoes, socks, and pant legs were wet, but it wasn’t convenient to deal with them at the moment.

After handing him the towel, Chen Qing Wu sat down in the single chair opposite him.

She felt very uneasy, not knowing what to say.

The last time, at her grandmother’s birthday banquet, even though Meng Fu Yuan had been sitting right next to her, she hadn’t spoken more than three sentences to him.

Meng Fu Yuan glanced at her, “Are you working on an order?”

“Yes…” Chen Qing Wu came back to her senses, “I’m making a set of tableware for someone.”

Sensing that Meng Fu Yuan was still worried about the kiln explosion, she explained further, “Kiln explosions are actually quite common. It might have been the rapid change in air pressure these past couple of days, causing residual moisture in the kiln. Rapid heating then caused the pieces to explode.”

Meng Fu Yuan nodded.

The uncomfortable atmosphere did not ease with this topic. Instead, it seemed to solidify into something tangible between them.

The water boiled and the kettle automatically shut off.

Chen Qing Wu immediately stood up and walked over quickly.

She took a white, coarse ceramic mug from the cup rack, rinsed it, then filled it two-thirds with boiling water.

Returning to the coffee table, she handed the mug to Meng Fu Yuan.

Meng Fu Yuan thanked her, holding the handle. The thick material of the cup wasn’t too hot to hold, with only a gentle warmth spreading through.

“Did you make this yourself?”

“Yes, it’s a cup for guests. I like using thick cups for hot water; it gives me a sense of security.”

The water was still too hot to drink. As steam rose, Meng Fu Yuan looked at it, then set the cup down.

He also felt the tense atmosphere, like during the birthday banquet when Chen Qing Wu had seemed unwilling but had to force a welcoming demeanor.

She must feel very troubled right now.

As he was about to say goodbye, Meng Fu Yuan noticed a stack of photos on the coffee table.

He glanced at them, “Are these the porcelain bowls by Mrs. Zhuang?”

“Yes.”

Meng Fu Yuan picked up the photos and casually flipped through them.

The printed photos faithfully captured the colors and details.

“What are these for?” Meng Fu Yuan asked.

Chen Qing Wu hesitated.

Meng Fu Yuan noticed her reluctance and looked up at her. He remembered a similar look she had given him at the birthday banquet.

“Qing Wu, you can tell me directly if something’s on your mind.”

“…I’m afraid of troubling you.”

“Just say it.”

After hesitating for a moment, Chen Qing Wu took out a printed document titled “Hidden Gems Project” from under her laptop and handed it to Meng Fu Yuan.

As Meng Fu Yuan read it, she explained, “It’s an exhibition project initiated by Teacher Zhai and several senior ceramic artists from Porcelain City. The first exhibition plans to feature the works of ten ceramic artists. The chief curator is very professional and has organized many high-profile ceramic exhibitions. One of my senior classmates is one of the organizers and has been urging me to submit my application.”

“You didn’t tell me because you need me to contact my friend?” Meng Fu Yuan asked, staring at her.

“…Yes.”

“This is purely business. If it means more people can appreciate Mrs. Zhuang’s work, I’ll gladly help.”

Chen Qing Wu knew it wasn’t just business. At least, not entirely.

He was saying this to alleviate her sense of burden.

“Is there a digital version of the exhibition introduction?”

“Yes.”

“Send it to me. I’ll contact my friend. But I can’t guarantee he’ll agree.”

“That’s okay. Even just contacting him is a big help… I really don’t know how to repay you.”

At her words, Meng Fu Yuan paused briefly.

He looked at her with deep eyes, like a dark river beneath winter ice, “…Do you really need to be so formal with me, Qing Wu?”

Chen Qing Wu was startled, not knowing how to respond. She instinctively said, “…I’m sorry.”

Meng Fu Yuan sighed, “I should be the one apologizing. I said I wouldn’t seek you out again, but I’ve broken that promise.”

With that, he put down the photos and the document.

Through the glass, the wind and rain outside were still very loud, as if the rain would break the window into a thousand pieces.

Chen Qing Wu realized that Meng Fu Yuan was about to leave and quickly said, “…I don’t know how to say this, but I’m really grateful you came all this way to check on me in such terrible weather…”

Meng Fu Yuan paused in his action of standing up.

Chen Qing Wu lowered her gaze, “…At least, wait until the rain lessens before you leave.”

She heard no response from Meng Fu Yuan.

The violent sound of the storm emphasized the silence inside.

This moment felt incredibly long.

“Look at me, Qing Wu.”

His voice was low, not a forceful command, but it made Chen Qing Wu look up involuntarily.

“I don’t need extra concern, especially if it comes from feelings of gratitude or guilt,” Meng Fu Yuan said, looking directly at her. His gaze was calm but intensely compelling, “Can you tolerate being in the same room with a man who has feelings for you?”

Chen Qing Wu’s breath caught.

She had always regarded Meng Fu Yuan as an elder due to the six-year age gap. When she was in middle school, he was already in university. Plus, he had always been serious and unsmiling.

So, when she learned that Meng Fu Yuan liked her, it felt extremely jarring and impossible to reconcile.

Until this moment, as he looked at her with the utmost seriousness, revealing his feelings for her so candidly.

This brutally honest approach made her suddenly aware that his presence as a man was the root of her unease tonight.

Meng Fu Yuan continued to look at her, “You can tell me that you’re tired and want to sleep. I’ll leave immediately.”

The air seemed to thicken, making each breath feel heavier.

She couldn’t look away from his gaze, gripping the edge of the sofa tightly.

“If you don’t answer in thirty seconds, I’ll take it as permission… that I can pursue you,” Meng Fu Yuan added, his voice slightly hoarse.

Chen Qing Wu’s eyelashes fluttered.

She saw Meng Fu Yuan glance at his watch, seemingly counting the seconds.

One, two, three…

She unconsciously counted in her mind but lost track at ten, her breathing erratic.

Meng Fu Yuan kept looking at the watch, not lifting his gaze.

The air felt like a taut, transparent membrane on the verge of breaking.

She felt like she couldn’t breathe.

“Chen Qing Wu, why aren’t you asleep yet? It’s so late…” Suddenly, the sound of slippers shuffling came from the bedroom.

It was as if a pin had burst the tense atmosphere, releasing the pressure.

Both Chen Qing Wu and Meng Fu Yuan froze.

Coming out of the bedroom, turning around the wall, and looking towards the living room, Zhao Yingfei also froze.

Then, Zhao Yingfei looked at the wall clock.

The hands were undoubtedly between the “2” and “3”.

“…Entertaining guests this late?” Zhao Yingfei remarked.

“Ah… yes,” Chen Qing Wu felt her ears burning.

“I’m getting some water.” Zhao Yingfei walked towards the island counter.

“…The water just boiled. If you want it cold, get a bottle from the fridge.”

Zhao Yingfei opened the fridge, took out a bottle of water, twisted it open, and said, “Carry on.”

The easygoing doctoral student yawned and returned to the bedroom.

Chen Qing Wu, feeling embarrassed, didn’t dare look at Meng Fu Yuan or even think about the situation.

She quickly got up and walked to the fridge.

Opening the door, the cold air hit her face, and she stepped closer to cool down.

She took a bottle of cold water, unscrewed the cap, and took a few sips.

From the sofa, she heard Meng Fu Yuan say, “Your friend is staying with you?”

His tone was so calm that it made her doubt the tension of the previous moment.

“…No. She’s been under a lot of pressure with her thesis, so she’s staying with me for a while.”

“Pei Shao said she didn’t accept his friend request.”

“Ah… that’s her personality.”

Chen Qing Wu didn’t want the silence to become awkward again, so she continued, “Was Pei Shao in the same class as you in undergrad?”

“Yes, but he’s two years younger. He started university at sixteen.”

“That’s impressive. I couldn’t tell.”

“He’s a real genius. He handled the core parts of the algorithm.”

“Aren’t you a genius too?”

“No, I just work relatively harder.”

Whether it was genius or hard work, his humility was evident.

Chen Qing Wu still didn’t dare to look at Meng Fu Yuan. As soon as the conversation ended, she immediately said, “Can you sit for a moment? I need to clean up the kiln.”

“Do you need help?”

“No, no!”

Chen Qing Wu feared that Meng Fu Yuan might insist on helping, but fortunately, he didn’t. Instead, he asked if he could use her laptop.

“Sure, the password is 1027. The desktop is a bit messy…”

“No problem.”

A moment later, Meng Fu Yuan reported, “I’m using Safari.”

“Go ahead, feel free.”

Chen Qing Wu glanced over and saw Meng Fu Yuan slightly bent, arms resting on his knees, focused on the laptop screen. She felt a bit relieved.

She put on a pair of work gloves and slowly picked out the shards from the kiln, placing them in the trash can.

The meticulous work took quite a while, even without intentionally delaying.

After she finished, she tied the garbage bag and took it to the workbench, cutting off a piece of yellow warning tape and writing “Caution: Ceramics” with a permanent marker.

As she did this, her mind went blank, realizing this was a habit of Meng Fu Yuan’s.

She glanced at the coffee table. Thankfully, Meng Fu Yuan seemed absorbed in his work, not noticing her actions.

She took the garbage bag to the door and placed it with the boxes to be thrown out tomorrow.

Hearing that the rain had lessened, she looked out the window. Indeed, the downpour had subsided.

After washing her hands, she returned to the sofa.

At that moment, Meng Fu Yuan closed the laptop and stood up, saying he was ready to leave, “You should get some rest too.”

“…Okay.”

Chen Qing Wu followed Meng Fu Yuan to the door and handed him the umbrella she had placed by the doorframe.

Opening the door, a wave of humid, cool air hit her.

Meng Fu Yuan stepped outside, pressed the button, and the umbrella opened with a “pop.”

“…Drive safely,” Chen Qing Wu reminded.

Meng Fu Yuan nodded.

He stepped down to the last stair and turned around.

Raising the umbrella slightly, his gaze met hers, his tone seemingly casual:

“Be careful with your work, and… take care of yourself, Qing Wu.”