Fu Shizhe didn’t say much more, and Yun Li didn’t actively distance herself.

The lights in the lobby were still on, and seeing the brightness ahead, Yun Li, who shunned the light, quickly stepped aside, deliberately maintaining a certain distance from Fu Shizhe in an attempt to cover up.

Yun Li asked, “Is your car parked at the school entrance?”

“Mhm,” Fu Shizhe replied.

“I’ll walk you to your car,” Yun Li offered.

Once outside, Yun Li looked at Fu Shizhe again and thought he looked very cold. His trench coat was unbuttoned, and the chilly wind was blowing in, his long neck unprotected.

“Wait a second,” Yun Li called out to him.

Fu Shizhe stopped in his tracks.

Yun Li took off her scarf, “Here, take this.”

Seeing no reaction from Fu Shizhe, she stepped closer, stood on tiptoe, and wrapped the scarf around his neck.

Fu Shizhe didn’t move and frowned, “No need.”

“It’s because of me that you came out into the cold. I’d feel guilty if you didn’t take it. Besides, I’m wearing much more than you,” Yun Li said earnestly. “If you refuse again, I’ll take off my coat.”

She paused, then added, “And put it on you.”

Fu Shizhe didn’t speak and casually buttoned up two buttons on his coat.

As they walked along the campus path, Yun Li felt the scene was quite surreal and cautiously probed, “How come you’re here?”

Fu Shizhe glanced at her, “You sent me a distress message.”

Yun Li realized he was referring to the elevator accident news she had sent. She said somewhat sheepishly, “That wasn’t a call for help. I was stuck and came to you for comfort, not for you to make a special trip. Besides, the security guard came in the end.”

Fu Shizhe remained silent.

“I found the guard in the main building,” Fu Shizhe finally said.

His words meant that if he hadn’t come, the security wouldn’t have either. She would have been stuck in there, so indeed, Fu Shizhe had come to her rescue.

To continue would sound ungrateful, so Yun Li turned to him, “To show my gratitude, let me treat you to a late-night snack.”

Fu Shizhe glanced at her, “No, it’s cold outside.”

“How about a place with air conditioning?” Yun Li persisted.

“Too stuffy.”

“Then how about we get takeout and bring it back?”

“Too messy.”

Yun Li kept trying, “What if I clean up after?”

Fu Shizhe looked at her and remained silent.

When they reached the car, Fu Shizhe opened the passenger door and asked, “Going back to the dorm or Qilixiang Community?”

Yun Li got into the passenger seat, “Qilixiang Community.”

After Fu Shizhe got in the car, Yun Li leaned over with a smile, “So you’re driving me back?”

Fu Shizhe didn’t respond.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Yun Li settled back into the seat.

“It’s nice.”

…

After dropping Yun Li off at Qilixiang Community and on his way back to Beishan Maple Forest, Fu Shizhe’s phone chimed twice. While waiting for the traffic light, he unlocked it and saw a message from Yun Li.

“Are you home yet?”

He replied without thinking: “Not yet.”

Driving slowly on the road, Fu Shizhe recalled the scene from before—her blushing face as she tied the scarf around his neck, her fingers brushing his face.

He nearly ran a red light.

Restlessly, Fu Shizhe pulled over to the side of the road. The soft scarf hung around his neck, and he touched it, feeling the fuzzy texture and smelling a faint scent of flowers and fruit.

He opened his wallet and took out the paper moon Yun Li had given him back at XiFu.

“Seeing you is like seeing the moon.”

Gently touching it, warmth surged through his chest momentarily, but the lingering heat didn’t last long, leaving behind an emptiness hard to fill.

He opened the E-site, and before he even started typing, the search bar’s history suggested Miss Lazy Cloud.

Rolling down the car window, Fu Shizhe lit a cigarette and scrolled to Yun Li’s earliest post from 2012, when she had just started college. Her youthful, slightly nervous smile, her slow speech, and occasional glances at her lines.

The last few leaves of a withered tree drifted down, the early winter wind whistling.

His family had called several times, but Fu Shizhe brushed them off, simply saying he had returned to Jiangnan Garden.

Three hours passed, and when the last video played, he paused it, his gaze lingering on the face in the video.

Until the screen went dark.

Fu Shizhe put out his cigarette and laughed helplessly.

“You’re crazy.”

…

As the deadline for EAW’s promotional activities approached, Yun Li planned to spend the weekend editing videos in her apartment. Yun Ye called early Saturday morning, whispering, “Yun Li, did you send the gift?”

Remembering this, Yun Li stopped her work, “I want to ask you something first. Is it mutual?”

“Just, just good friends,” Yun Ye sounded unsure.

“Oh, so it seems the gentleman is interested but the lady is not,” Yun Li continued, “Her name also contains ‘Yun.’ If you marry into her family, you could add her surname before your name.”

Yun Ye, “…”

Yun Ye wasn’t in the mood to argue and conceded, speaking softly, “Can it be sent tomorrow? I’ll send you her number and address again.”

“Sure.” Yun Li understood Yun Ye’s budding feelings but, to avoid any trouble with Yun YongChang getting furious later, she made it clear, “Yun Ye, I don’t support dating too early. It affects your studies.”

Yun Ye dissatisfied, “I can do like you, wait until university to date.”

Yun Li felt a sting, “Speak for yourself, don’t drag me into this. Just don’t let it affect your studies.”

Yun Ye was quiet for a while, “Yin Yun does well in school. She should be able to get into XiFu Sci-Tech University.”

Yun Li didn’t take his words to heart, gossiping, “Send a photo.” Expecting Yun Ye to refuse, she threatened, “No photo, no gift.”

Yun Ye, “How can you be so untrustworthy?”

Yun Li’s tone was indifferent, “I’ve always been like this. Is this your first day knowing me?”

Yun Ye, “…”

Having no choice, Yun Ye sent Yun Li a photo, taken from the side in the corridor. The girl was tall, with a high ponytail and an oval face, smiling back at someone behind her. Yun Li didn’t expect Yun Ye to like this type and looked a few more times, “This angle looks like a sneak shot.”

Yun Ye, “…”

Yun Li, “Didn’t expect my brother to be a creep too.”

Yun Ye, annoyed, “As if you’ve never taken a sneak shot.”

Yun Li laughed, not denying, “That’s why I said ‘too.'”

Yun Li, not keen on visiting a stranger’s home or calling them, drafted a text message to Yin Yun, who replied instantly.

Yin Yun told Yun Li she would be near Tianqi Square for a tutoring class tomorrow. She sent several messages, insisting on having her brother drive to Yun Li’s vicinity to save Yun Li the tripa.

Tianqi Square is one of Nanwu’s largest commercial centers, a half-hour drive from Haitian Commerce.

They agreed to meet at 6 PM on Sunday at the coffee shop on the first floor of Haitian Commerce. Yun Li put on light makeup and left with Yun Ye’s gift.