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The night was dark. The half-open car window let in a gust of cold wind as the car sped along. The salty aroma of crayfish was instantly overpowered by the scent of incense. A few strands of Chen Shuyin’s hair stood on end from the wind, and she turned to the side, staring at him without blinking.
“I could say it again if you want. Are you really not angry anymore?”
Although the scent had dissipated, Pei Yu still showed no intention of rolling up the window. Chen Shuyin recalled how, just five minutes ago, the moment she had said “I’m sorry,” he had kissed her deeply. She licked the corner of her lips, hesitating for words.
“There’s no need to say sorry more than once.” Pei Yu focused on the road, freeing up one hand to hold hers. Then, in all seriousness, he asked, “Do you still want more?”
She wasn’t sure what he meant, but naturally, her mind wandered to a few hours ago when the two of them had turned the inside of the car into a fragrant mess. He had seemed reluctant to let go of the lingering scent, yet now he showed disdain for the aroma of crayfish.
She rubbed her lower back and feigned ignorance. “The crayfish were really good. Next time, we should buy more.”
Pei Yu let out an unreadable chuckle. “Alright.”
The investigation into the mystery of the painting was progressing smoothly. Pei Yu had just entered his break period, and with the drama of their relationship fading, Chen Shuyin’s work had entered its most intense phase before the upcoming assessment.
Zhu Fangning had been abruptly suspended, and the higher-ups remained silent about the competitive evaluation between the two. For now, the matter was set aside.
She was either gravely ill or under strict control, as she failed to appear at the end of the so-called three-day deadline.
Chen Shuyin made a subtle phone call to Fang Zimiao, who seemed busy and brushed her off with just a few words. The gist was that Zhu Fangning would no longer trouble them in the future. With that, Chen Shuyin let the matter rest, finally enjoying two of the most relaxed days she had had in three years.
By coincidence, today marked exactly three months since she and Pei Yu got married. Pei Yu had casually mentioned it the night before while lying in bed, but Liu Yiran had told her that for their one-month and two-month anniversaries, he had secretly planned something. Knowing Pei Yu’s personality, he would never abandon a tradition midway—so he was bound to have something planned this time as well.
Not wanting to spoil the surprise, Chen Shuyin pretended to be calm and casually said, “I’m off the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow night, let’s take Grandma to meet your mother. How about that?”
Pei Yu turned his head in astonishment. For the first time, his usually cold and sharp face showed a hint of dazed joy. “Are you serious?”
The past was blurry, and the future was unpredictable. But in that moment, she did not want to lie to her heart.
Chen Shuyin wrapped her arms around his neck and rubbed against him, teasing, “If you don’t want to, then forget it.”
He leaned in, pinning her beneath him, his once dark pupils now shimmering. “How could I pass up an opportunity handed to me?”
The room was filled with a burning heat, and they didn’t wake up until the sun was high in the sky.
Thinking about it now, Chen Shuyin felt her ears grow warm. She rubbed her fingers, cold from the air conditioning, against her burning earlobes, slung her bag over her shoulder, and walked out of the TV station with a smile.
Her phone buzzed with a message from Pei Yu, sent ten minutes ago.
Py: [Wife, a musician from the industry just flew back from the U.S. to discuss the final versions of the drama’s theme song with me. I might be a little late. Sit in the café across the street for a bit. Once I pick you up, we’ll go get Grandma together.]
Back in high school, Chen Shuyin had heard Pei Yu sing once. It was just a playful request from their classmates, but his serious rendition of Emotion—his voice still developing yet already clear and pure—had conveyed emotion with stunning delicacy.
Although Zhu Xi had announced his retirement from the industry, this drama was a project that Pei Yu had fully invested himself in. He had never been one to give up on something he loved easily.
Suddenly, she found herself eagerly anticipating the theme song sung by him.
With a smile, she sent him a voice message, then ordered a cappuccino, pouring all the sugar packets into it. She put on her headphones and pulled up an old video she had recorded on New Year’s Eve in their high school classroom.
The grainy pixels blurred Pei Yu’s facial features, but they couldn’t hide his effortless charm.
Holding a piece of paper in his hand, he occasionally glanced at the lyrics. A copper coin on a red string dangled from his slender wrist, rising and falling with his movements.
“Time slows down, making it harder for me to escape my feelings for you…”
“Everything about you is the only thing that matters to me…”
The background was filled with the noisy chatter of classmates, and back then, she had been too distracted to listen closely. The lyrics were in English, and while she had been drawn to the melody, she had never paid much attention to the words.
Yet now, as she listened, her mind automatically translated them. His warm, unembellished voice narrated the meaning in crystal clarity.
This song… Every line sounded like a confession.
Halfway through the video, before she could dwell on it any further, an unexpected phone call interrupted her.
The screen displayed the large letters: PY.
Chen Shuyin answered the call, and his voice came through, clear and gentle. “Wife, come out. I see you.”
Through the floor-to-ceiling window, she looked outside. The café’s high flower hedges blocked part of her view, but through the branches, she could see a black car pulling up.
She replied, “Okay,” but didn’t hang up.
Just as she was about to stand, a woman’s voice, low and laced with an unclear grudge, called her name from behind.
“Chen Shuyin.”
She turned her head, barely catching a glimpse of the person before a handful of powdery white dust was thrown at her. Her vision was immediately clouded. She shut her eyes in time to protect them, but the fine particles still burned her nostrils as they entered her breath.
Instinctively, she reached into her bag for the small knife she always carried and thrust it forward in defense, only to be overcome by a sudden, intense sneezing fit.
“You broke our agreement, so I’m giving you a small punishment.”
She recognized the voice.
Zhu Fangning.