The awkward atmosphere spread once again. Chu Yi glanced at the girl, noticing that her eyes had reddened, as if she was about to cry.

Chu Yi was a bit puzzled. How had someone with such weak emotional resilience stayed by Qiao Anchen’s side for so many years?

Still, she kindly stepped in to diffuse the situation.

“Um, Xiaowei, would you like to come in and sit for a while?” 

As soon as Chu Yi spoke, the girl looked at her immediately, her gaze seemingly filled with resentment. She seemed to be in a bad mood.

“No, thank you.” 

After speaking, the hem of her white dress drew an arc in the air as she brushed past them, leaving behind the scent of shampoo lingering in the air.

Qiao Anchen was a bit bewildered, watching her retreating figure. 

“What’s wrong with her? She seemed a bit upset.”

“You noticed that, did you?” Chu Yi responded casually, taking the keys from his hand to open the door.

“Come on in, they must be waiting for us to start dinner.”

After changing shoes and entering the house, Qiao Anchen handed the pears he had brought to Tian Wan, briefly explaining where they came from. Tian Wan glanced at Chu Yi but said nothing as she took them to the kitchen.

After dinner, Qiao Anchen was called to the study by his father for a discussion. Chu Yi sat on the sofa watching TV with Tian Wan.

They shared a mutual love for romantic dramas, often recommending good shows to each other.

“Yi Yi, did you see Xiaowei today?” Tian Wan leaned in after just a few minutes of watching TV, her face showing an uncommon curiosity.

“What’s up, Mom?” Chu Yi responded with feigned confusion, not giving anything away.

Tian Wan’s eyes flickered as she lowered her voice. “Let me tell you, that girl always likes to come looking for Qiao Anchen, but fortunately, he’s too dense to notice. Every time she leaves disappointed, looking downcast.”

“Oh…” Chu Yi covered her mouth with her fingers, feigning surprise as she widened her eyes.

“Well, it’s a good thing he’s that dense…”

Tian Wan gave her a knowing look, patting her on the shoulder. Chu Yi nodded silently in response.

As they exchanged this understanding, the study door clicked open, and Qiao Anchen emerged, followed by his father. He sat down beside Tian Wan.

“Watching this again? Did that woman finally get divorced in today’s episode…?” Qiao Anchen’s father asked, putting on his glasses to dutifully accompany Tian Wan in watching the show. Qiao Anchen sat down next to Chu Yi, but after just a few minutes, he asked her:

“When do you plan on going to bed?”

“Why?” Chu Yi looked at him.

“I’m planning to take a shower first.”

“Go ahead then,” Chu Yi replied, not expecting him to stay and watch the drama with her, though she felt a tinge of melancholy.

“I’ll be up soon.”

“Okay, but don’t stay up too late,” Qiao Anchen said, nodding before getting up and leaving without hesitation.

After sitting with the elders for a bit longer and finishing an episode, Chu Yi, realizing she was a bit of a third wheel, decided it was time to go. Qiao Anchen had already showered and was likely reading in bed.

As she went to get her pajamas, she noticed that the bedroom didn’t have an en-suite bathroom, so she had to go to the one outside the kitchen. On her way back, she caught a glimpse of Qiao Anchen’s father peeling an orange and feeding a segment to Tian Wan.

Caught off guard by this display of affection, Chu Yi quickened her pace, quietly closing the bathroom door behind her to minimize her presence.

The stark contrast left Chu Yi feeling a bit down for the rest of the evening. After her bath, she lay in bed silently, playing on her phone for a bit before shutting her eyes to sleep.

Not long after, Qiao Anchen turned off the light and lay down as well.

The room was dim and quiet, with shadows of leaves from outside cast by the streetlight, leaving patches of light on the floor. The old house seemed to have a distinct ambiance.

Lying on the bed that had seen his childhood and adolescence, Qiao Anchen found himself next to someone else.

A strange sensation of excitement welled up within him, as if he realized that this person was now a part of his life, connecting his past and present and accompanying him into the future.

He turned towards Chu Yi, who was curled up under the blanket, her shoulders hunched, making her seem small and delicate.

He shifted closer, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her against him, his chest pressing against her slender back.

Chu Yi didn’t react. Qiao Anchen turned her around, leaning in to kiss her.

Their breaths mingled, their scents blending together. Chu Yi’s lips were soft, and whenever Qiao Anchen kissed her, his mind would go blank, completely focused on the moment.

His hand instinctively slipped under her nightgown, moving up from her waist, but just as he reached a certain soft spot, she stopped him.

Chu Yi turned her head away, her voice barely audible.

“I don’t feel like it today.”

Qiao Anchen froze for a few seconds, then took a deep breath and pulled his hand back from under her clothes.

“Okay, let’s sleep then.” His voice was hoarse, and he lay on his back with his eyes tightly shut, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. It took him a while to calm the restless energy in his body.