“Ah, sorry, sorry, we’ll go downstairs right away.” Chu Yi quickly responded, exchanged a glance with Qiao Anchen, and, feeling a bit less timid, mustered the courage to proceed.

The damage to the downstairs apartment was indeed severe, but it was limited to the ceiling and walls, which were damp with large areas of plaster falling off, making it quite unsightly on the clean floor.

“See? Our house hasn’t been renovated for long, and now it’s like this. What do you suggest we do?”

“I’m sorry, I will cover all the costs for the renovation here. How about we discuss it?” Chu Yi said cautiously. The other party’s expression softened slightly. They exchanged glances, and finally, it was the woman who spoke.

“This will cost at least a few thousand yuan. We also need to move the furniture and clean up, and my husband has to go to work, so I’ll have to handle all this on my own…”

“I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to cause trouble…” Chu Yi apologized profusely, trying to placate them.

“Apologies aren’t enough. How about this: just give us the money directly, and we’ll find someone ourselves to handle it!” they said.

“Ah…” Chu Yi hesitated, glancing unconsciously at Qiao Anchen. He appeared thoughtful and then spoke calmly.

“We also have several areas damaged by the water upstairs. We’ve already contacted someone to repair it. We’ll have the technician come down to check and fix your place together with ours.”

“As for the trouble we’ve caused you, we’re very sorry. If you don’t mind, we can buy you a gift as compensation or provide cash instead. What do you think?”

The other party’s expression changed several times in an instant. They seemed to want to say something but were silenced by Qiao Anchen’s presence. He seemed formidable, with an inherent sense of righteousness that made them reluctant to test him.

The couple, begrudgingly, said, “Fine, no need for a gift. Just decide on the amount of compensation.”

After some negotiation, Chu Yi only spent a few hundred yuan to settle the matter. She didn’t have much cash on hand, so she transferred the money via her phone on the spot.

The property management had contacted a repair technician who came to assess the damage. After checking, Chu Yi found that several areas of the floor needed replacement, and the ceiling downstairs would cost less than a thousand yuan to fix.

She remembered the couple’s initial demand for several thousand yuan and felt a bit speechless.

“Thanks for all your help today. Let me treat you to a meal.”

“No need. I have to go back to the prosecutor’s office.” Qiao Anchen replied in his usual tone.

“Ah… I’m really sorry.” Chu Yi felt a pang of guilt seeing him work so hard, and now he had to go back to work without even having a meal. Her feelings of gratitude and guilt were overwhelming.

In the end, she escorted Qiao Anchen downstairs. Under the sun, he had a hint of sweat on his forehead.

“Go home now.” Qiao Anchen opened the car door, looked at her with a calm expression. His dark eyes carried a bit of warmth, providing Chu Yi with a sense of tranquility amidst the chaos of the morning.

“Be careful, and if you have any problems, find me.”

That day was like the last straw that broke the camel’s back, as Qiao Anchen precisely hit a point in Chu Yi’s heart.

All her fantasies about the future and a partner seemed to be embodied in him.

The initial excitement, the fluttering feelings during their time together, and his unhesitating support when she was helpless.

Safety and security are things women find irresistible.

Many marriages, even without love, are driven by the security the other person provides. Moreover, Chu Yi deeply liked him.

That night, considering whether to marry Qiao Anchen, Chu Yi kept replaying that day in her mind and the first moment she saw him when she pushed open the door of that café.

She felt that every quality in this man was good: he was upright, kind, sincere, and reliable.

Marrying such a person would certainly not be too bad.

…

With the projector set up and the room darkened, Chu Yi returned to bed. They lay side by side under a thin air-conditioned blanket.

The picture quality was very clear, like being in a cinema, but the atmosphere here was warmer and more comfortable.

After the opening song, the title of the film appeared in the center, gradually transitioning to the first scene. The female lead was riding a bicycle through a campus lined with camphor trees, sunlight fragmenting and dancing on her, creating a beautiful and refreshing scene.

Chu Yi contentedly closed her eyes, leaning against Qiao Anchen’s shoulder and nuzzling it.

Qiao Anchen glanced at her, then returned his attention to the movie, watching it intently.

The first half of the film was very youthful and warm, with natural and sweet interactions between the leads. Chu Yi couldn’t help but smile and giggle, occasionally putting her finger to her lips.

“So sweet…” She rolled around in the blanket, seeking resonance, and shook Qiao Anchen’s arm.

“Isn’t it? Isn’t it so sweet?!”

“Mm?” Qiao Anchen pulled his thoughts away from his work, looked at the movie screen again.

“Yes.”

His expression and tone were so serious, more like a student answering a teacher’s question compared to Chu Yi’s casual and relaxed demeanor. Chu Yi pouted slightly in dissatisfaction but didn’t say anything, turning her attention back to the movie.

As the film progressed to the second half, the plot became more dramatic. Chu Yi was completely absorbed, paying no attention to talking with Qiao Anchen.

In the film, the protagonists finally overcame hardships and returned to their hometown years later, meeting again at the place where they first knew each other.

Under the sunset, they looked at each other from a distance on a small path. The sky was like a tapestry, and the entire scene seemed to be painted with watercolor. They wore matching expressions of relief and smiles.

The scene froze at that moment, and the warm ending song started playing as the cast and crew credits slowly slid up from the side.

Chu Yi was overwhelmed with emotion, feeling a deep sense of nostalgia. She was eager to share her feelings with Qiao Anchen.

She sniffed, turned her head to speak.

In the dim, warm light, Qiao Anchen was leaning against the pillow, eyes closed, breathing evenly, and sleeping soundly.

Chu Yi: “…”

Her excitement and fervor evaporated instantly, and she felt like a fool for having tears in her eyes while being moved.

Chu Yi calmly turned her head, wiped away the remaining tears, expressionless, and got out of bed to turn off the projector.

The room instantly became very quiet. Qiao Anchen remained unaware of everything, still sleeping peacefully. Chu Yi, feeling frustrated, turned restlessly on the bed a couple of times, but received no reaction.

She remained silent, then turned off the bedside lamp.

In the dark, Chu Yi was so angry that she couldn’t fall asleep. She thought that before marrying someone, having only integrity, kindness, sincerity, and reliability was absolutely not enough.

If she had known from the start that Qiao Anchen had such traits, she wouldn’t have married him even if she had to die.

The biggest change in her two months of married life was that Chu Yi’s mindset improved significantly.

From being so angry with Qiao Anchen that she wouldn’t speak for two days at the beginning, she now managed to wake up and act as if nothing had happened.

Chu Yi didn’t want to mention what happened last night at all, but Qiao Anchen, as if determined to bring it up, never missed an opportunity.

When he came home from work and was washing his hands before dinner, he suddenly remembered something.

“Oh, by the way, when did the movie finish last night? I fell asleep and didn’t notice.”

Chu Yi replied, “… Was the movie boring?”

Qiao Anchen instinctively wanted to say yes, but his survival instincts kicked in, and he changed his answer to a more tactful response.

“No, I was just too tired…”

Chu Yi nodded, indicating that she understood, and didn’t say anything more.

While eating, Qiao Anchen kept sneaking glances at her. When Chu Yi suddenly caught his gaze, she glared at him.

“What’s wrong?”

“…Nothing.” He quickly looked down, focusing on his meal.

With Chu Yi’s current demeanor, Qiao Anchen couldn’t quite tell whether she was angry or not. However, since she was still willing to talk to him and didn’t have a stern expression, she probably wasn’t upset!

Qiao Anchen’s tension eased slightly, and he finally felt at ease to enjoy his meal.