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“Uh-oh.”
“What’s wrong?” Zhu Xi asked as she caught the apple Zhu Fangning absentmindedly tossed at her. Before she could take a bite, a large chunk slipped off and landed on the white bedsheet, leaving a wet stain. “You—”
Zhu Fangning was startled, immediately standing up straight and putting her hands behind her back. “Sorry, sis.”
“Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost? The hospital can be a bit chilly at night, but don’t go running around,” Zhu Xi held her wrist and coaxed her gently.
Zhu Fangning gripped her phone tightly, terrified of making another mistake. Just half an hour ago, she had forgotten to mute it, and the sudden noise had startled her so much that she dropped it. When she picked it up, only a part of her arm was visible—had they seen her or not?
Seeing her shake her head in silence, Zhu Xi checked the time. “Forget it. Are you sleepy? Go home. You don’t have to stay with me.”
“No way. Mom and Dad told me to watch over you. If I go back, they’ll scold me again. How about I call brother-in-law—”
Before she could finish, Zhu Xi cut her off with a sharp, uncontrollable yell. “Don’t call him.”
“You’re still fighting?” Zhu Fangning hesitated, sensing something was on her sister’s mind. She carefully observed Zhu Xi’s expression.
Zhu Xi turned her head, too exhausted to explain. She only said coldly, “Don’t call him that anymore. He’s not your brother-in-law. We don’t have that kind of relationship.”
Zhu Fangning swallowed nervously and hesitantly asked, “Then… you and Pei Yu, will you become that kind of relationship?”
“What kind of relationship?”
A young girl had been pestering Chen Shuyin all night about her relationship with Pei Yu, giving her a headache.
“Nothing,” she said.
“How can it be nothing?” The little girl crossed her arms like an adult and reasoned logically. “The ride at the mall says a dad’s mom is a grandma, and a dad’s dad is a grandpa. That’s family. I’m classmates with Xiao Gu and friends with Frog next door. Even if Daddy used to be Mommy’s husband, now he has a title—ex-husband. That big brother looks at you the way Daddy used to look at Mommy. So, is he your ex-husband?”
Faced with this sharp-witted child, Chen Shuyin felt immense pressure. The girl seemed to understand everything yet lacked experience. Stroking her hair, she patiently explained, “The relationship between a man and a woman isn’t just about being a couple. You start as strangers, then friends, then boyfriend and girlfriend before you become husband and wife.”
“Then what are you two now?” The girl’s interest deepened. She pointed toward the distant figure of Pei Yu, who was bending over to retrieve her prescription from the window. “Are you friends? Mommy says friends help each other.”
A nurse removed the needle from the back of Chen Shuyin’s hand and pressed a cotton swab against the injection site to stop the bleeding. As she turned to look where the girl was pointing, her eyes met Pei Yu’s. In that brief moment, her heart skipped. Flustered, she averted her gaze. “Yes, we’re friends. We’ve known each other for many years—sometimes, friends of friends.”
As they parted, the little girl reluctantly held onto Chen Shuyin’s finger. “My name is Ai Tong. Can we be friends? I want to see you two get married.”
A woman scolded her softly, “Tongtong, don’t be rude.”
Chen Shuyin smiled and hooked her pinky with the girl’s. “It’s okay. Kids say the darndest things. From today on, we’re friends.”
She watched the little girl get into a car. The cold night wind howled as she stood beside Pei Yu in the dimly lit underground parking lot, unsure of where to go.
“You’re going back to your grandma’s? I can drive you.” Pei Yu kept up his gentlemanly act, declining the coat she tried to return. “It’s 11:45 PM. She’s a light sleeper. You wouldn’t want to wake her, would you?”
“Recently, the higher-ups have been inspecting hotels all over Tanzhu City. They’ve shut down over a dozen.” He seemed to predict her next move and kindly warned her, “If you don’t mind the police busting in at midnight or using unclean bedding, you can try staying at one.”
Chen Shuyin didn’t argue but remained firm. “I’ll go back to my rental.”
“Fine.” Pei Yu pulled up the GPS on his phone, handed it to her, and gestured toward the passenger seat. “Help me navigate.”
The latest model he endorsed felt heavy in her palm, still warm from his touch.
She entered the address and started the navigation. Holding back her words, she felt like she was still feverish—stuck in a heat that might flare up at any moment.
Tanzhu City Television Station was located in a prime area. Although not heavily developed, the land was valuable. Sooner or later, skyscrapers would rise there.
When Chen Zhixiao and Fang Zimiao left her to fend for herself, she was almost an adult. Fang Youyou lavished money on her lifestyle. A grandmother with no income shouldn’t have been able to raise her so luxuriously.
Afraid of losing herself in this love from an older generation, Chen Shuyin stashed away the allowance Fang Youyou gave her in a separate account. Overall, her available funds weren’t abundant.
Her rental was about two or three kilometers from the TV station. Convenient for commuting but located in an old residential area without security. The building was aging, with peeling gray and white walls. An ancient camphor tree stretched across the alley—a unique characteristic of the area.
She had never told anyone the address. To cover her tracks, she occasionally stayed with Fang Youyou to keep her suspicions at bay.
If Pei Yu hadn’t pressed her so persistently, she wouldn’t have revealed it.
As his car approached the entrance of the complex, the mismatched atmosphere between them became evident.
The rain had lessened but hadn’t stopped. The wind howled through the camphor leaves, sounding like a drumbeat against the walls. Occasionally, thunder rumbled, flashing eerie symbols onto the walls, making the place look like a haunted, abandoned ruin.
“You sure you live here?” Pei Yu hesitated at the entrance.
Chen Shuyin, unfazed by horror films, was used to such conditions. She grabbed the door handle, ready to leave. But when she tried to open the door, it wouldn’t budge.
Irritated, she turned. “I like adventure. I enjoy the challenge of living in places like this. Satisfied?”
“No.” Pei Yu never argued without reason. “I picked you up from your grandma’s. If something happens to you under my watch, how would I explain it?”
“Don’t use her against me. I’m not going to your place.” Unable to open the door, she reached for the glove compartment to find a tool to pry it open.
Pei Yu smirked. “Do I look like I’m about to pounce on you? Is it necessary to be so scared?”
His words carried an implication—that she was overthinking.
Chen Shuyin stiffened.
“I’ve stayed at your place before. Consider it repaying a favor.” His tone softened, sensing her discomfort.
“You called me your friend in front of that kid, right?”
“As a journalist, you must uphold the truth. Wouldn’t want to lie to a child, would you?”
Caught in his logic, Chen Shuyin deflated. “As a defenseless single woman, I just want to be cautious.”
Hearing this, Pei Yu changed course. “I’m not just anyone.”
She glanced at him. “Exactly. That’s the problem.”
Something in his chest stirred at her words. Just as he was about to respond—
She preemptively doused him with cold reality. “Who knows? Maybe you’ll use your long-held grudge against me and take this perfect opportunity to get rid of me.”
“…”
Pei Yu realized he had voluntarily walked into this ridiculous argument.