Outside, the sky was already bright, but with the curtains tightly drawn, the living room remained dim and gloomy. As December approached, the temperature in Nanwu dropped once again, with significant differences between morning, noon, and evening.
Wen Yifan had already taken a seat on the sofa next to Sang Yan. She hadn’t been awake for long and was only wearing thin long sleeves and pants. After taking off her jacket, she felt a bit cold and couldn’t help shivering slightly.
The emotions on Sang Yan’s face gradually receded, and he made no unnecessary movements.
Moving closer to him, Wen Yifan slowed her actions, waiting for him to say something to stop her as she inched forward bit by bit. But even when she was only half a meter away from him, he remained silent, merely watching her with amusement.
Wen Yifan had no choice but to pause and wait quietly for a moment.
Like a spectator, Sang Yan still didn’t move.
"......"
Receiving no resistance, Wen Yifan didn’t move any closer either, calmly giving herself an out: "Now you should understand—if you don’t lock the door, something like this might happen."
Sang Yan chuckled. "Something like what?"
With the distance between them so close, his presence was overwhelming and intense. Wen Yifan lost the boldness she’d had earlier to say whatever came to mind. She glanced at the time and changed the subject. "I should go get ready for work."
Sang Yan tilted his head lazily. "Nothing even happened."
"......" Wen Yifan looked at him.
Most of the blanket covering Sang Yan had slipped to the floor, yet he made no move to pick it up. His expression was arrogant and domineering, as if he feared nothing in the world and completely disregarded her words.
Wen Yifan didn’t argue with him. She bent down to pick up the blanket for him. Holding one corner of it, she was about to say something when she suddenly felt a strong tug on the other end.
Before she could let go, she was caught off guard.
Her body was pulled forward, and she half-collapsed onto Sang Yan.
The safe distance between them was broken.
Wen Yifan’s breath hitched, and her hands instinctively braced against the cushion beside him. But before she could steady herself, the tip of her nose brushed against his jaw. She instinctively lifted her head and, in an instant, met Sang Yan’s dark eyes.
His breath—his entire being—was scorching hot.
For a moment, Wen Yifan forgot to react.
Sang Yan’s gaze was heavy, laced with something ambiguous. His Adam’s apple bobbed visibly, then his eyes lowered, lingering on her lips for two seconds before lifting again.
For some inexplicable reason, Wen Yifan felt her mouth go dry.
"What?" Sang Yan suddenly spoke, his voice slightly hoarse. "Daring this time?"
......
His words snapped Wen Yifan back to her senses. She retreated and sat up straight. In her flustered state, she didn’t even understand what he meant and hastily denied it. "No."
Sang Yan raised his brows impassively.
Wen Yifan mumbled an excuse. "Maybe next time."
"......"
Using the excuse that it was getting late, Wen Yifan didn’t stay in the living room any longer and got up to return to her room. Entering the bathroom, she squeezed toothpaste onto her toothbrush, then paused, slowly calming her breathing.
Only now did she feel a sense of relief.
Thankfully, she had held back.
Doing something like that to Sang Yan while sober, without any proper relationship—
That would have been too disrespectful to him.
But why had Sang Yan suddenly tugged on the blanket?The blanket was almost falling to the ground, yet he hadn’t bothered with it. But the moment she reached for it, he immediately reacted… Was he afraid she wouldn’t just take his room but also seize his only blanket?
“…”
Had her image really deteriorated to this point?
Wen Yifan diverted some attention to ponder Sang Yan’s earlier words. As she brushed her teeth, she mulled over their meaning. Soon, she recalled what he had said some time ago.
―“You want to take advantage of me.”
―“Come at me if you dare.”
Wen Yifan’s expression stiffened, Sang Yan’s face—so close it felt within reach—flashing in her mind. She spat out the toothpaste, rinsed her mouth, and then remembered how she had casually brushed off his words with a nonchalant reply.
“…”
Sigh.
But honestly, one more line like that wouldn’t make much difference.
After living with him for so long, Wen Yifan felt as if she’d been somewhat assimilated. After washing her face, she dried it with a towel, and an utterly inappropriate thought popped into her head. Would there even be a chance to “dare” in the future?
…
Wen Yifan suddenly realized that her path to pursuing him had taken a rather crooked turn.
Just engaging in verbal sparring seemed utterly useless.
The current dynamic between her and Sang Yan felt a bit like—he always believed himself to be the most impressive person in the world, but when he saw her do something even more impressive, he refused to back down.
Naturally, he’d rise to challenge her.
Sang Yan was the type who would never let himself be at a disadvantage, nor would he be intimidated by threats.
He lived entirely on his own terms.
If things continued like this, would they really end up as enemies?
Back at the office, Wen Yifan sat at her desk and flipped through some documents. Su Tian, her colleague next to her, habitually came over to gossip and asked about her progress.
Wen Yifan thought for a moment. “I’ve decided to speed things up.”
Having heard nothing but “still working on it” for days, Su Tian felt oddly comforted by this change. “How so?”
“I’m planning to ask him out to dinner, though I’m not sure if he’ll agree…” Mid-sentence, Wen Yifan shifted gears. “But before that, there’s one more thing I need to do.”
“What?”
Wen Yifan said seriously, “Improve myself.” Su Tian didn’t quite catch it. “Huh?”
“If you want to pursue someone, you can’t just focus all your energy on them.” After days of contemplation, Wen Yifan had finally reached a conclusion. “You also have to work on improving yourself, becoming a better person.”
Su Tian fell silent for a moment, finding the logic sound. “So what’s your plan now?”
“I want to take on more news assignments,” Wen Yifan said, her eyes brightening with determination. “I’ll strive to see if I can make it into the station’s Top Ten Journalists within three years.”
“…” Su Tian repeated the timeframe. “Three years?”
“Yeah.”
Su Tian reminded her, “Are you sure he won’t have found someone else by then?”
Wen Yifan turned to her and explained softly, “I’m doing both things simultaneously.”
“Huh?”
“I want him to think,” Wen Yifan pondered before voicing her thoughts, “that I’m a hardworking person.”
Even if she wasn’t good enough now.
She’d work hard to become better, step by step.
After much deliberation, Wen Yifan settled on a date in early December to invite Sang Yan out for dinner. She wanted to be the one with ample time, so she chose her day off.
That day was a Friday.Since it was a weekday, Sang Yan still had to go to work.
Unsure whether he would have overtime, Wen Yifan thought it over and decided to make plans with him in advance. If he said he was busy, she could still adjust the timing accordingly.
Wen Yifan stepped out of her room.
At that moment, Sang Yan had just finished showering and was sitting on the sofa playing with his phone.
Wen Yifan slowly sat down on the opposite side of the sofa, pretending she had come out for water. As she poured herself a glass, she stole a glance in Sang Yan’s direction—
Only to meet his gaze.
Wen Yifan pursed her lips slightly and, noticing the game on his screen, struck up a conversation. “I’ve been playing this game recently too.”
Sang Yan looked at her. “Since when?”
Wen Yifan forced small talk. “Just recently. It’s pretty fun.”
Hearing this, Sang Yan lifted his phone slightly and said lazily, “Want to play a round?”
“...” Thinking of her mediocre skills and Sang Yan’s mercilessly sharp tongue, Wen Yifan shook her head. “Next time. My phone’s in my room.”
Sang Yan didn’t press further.
Wen Yifan took a sip of water and steered the conversation toward her main point. “Are you free this Friday evening?”
Sang Yan tilted his head. “Why?”
“A colleague mentioned there’s a grilled fish place near your company that’s really good.” Wen Yifan said calmly, “If you’re free, we could go together?”
Sang Yan set his phone down and stared at her for several seconds. Then, as if realizing something, he said, “Finally paying back the meal you owe me?”
Wen Yifan paused, then figured this interpretation wasn’t entirely wrong, so she nodded.
Sang Yan looked away. “Oh.”
Wen Yifan asked again, “So, are you free?”
After a few seconds of silence, Sang Yan gave a faint “Mhm.”
“Should I meet you downstairs at your company then?” Unsure if he’d mind, she explained, “I’m off on Friday, so I can go early. Or we could just meet directly at the restaurant.”
Sang Yan went back to his phone. “No need.”
Wen Yifan parted her lips.
Before she could speak, he added, “I’ll come back after work.”
Wen Yifan: “Huh?”
“We’ll leave together then.”
“...” Wen Yifan lowered her head and took another sip of water. “Okay.”
Having said what she needed to, Wen Yifan didn’t linger in the living room. She stood up, took a few steps, then turned back. “Should I remind you again on Friday?”
Sang Yan met her gaze and said leisurely, “Sure.”
With this answer, Wen Yifan felt reassured and returned to her room.
Meanwhile.
In the living room.
Sang Yan continued playing his game. After a while, the corners of his lips inexplicably curved upward.
...
Friday evening.
Wen Yifan took out the few dresses she owned from her closet and chose a khaki-colored maxi dress. She put on a long wool coat and sat at the vanity, spending over half an hour on her makeup.
Staring at her reflection, she tried to soften her features, making them appear less sharp. She picked up an eyeshadow palette to deepen her eye sockets and used eyeliner to slightly downturn the outer corners of her eyes.
After struggling for a while, she felt it didn’t make much difference.
Wen Yifan pressed her lips together and gave up. Before leaving the room, she spotted a bottle of perfume on the table. Picking it up, she hesitated before lightly spritzing some behind her ears.After sitting in the living room for about half an hour, Sang Yan returned. He set down his keys and instinctively glanced toward the living room, his gaze lingering on her for a long moment before shifting away.
Wen Yifan stood up and asked reflexively, "Did you come back for something?"
Sang Yan replied casually, "Just grabbing something."
Wen Yifan gave an "Oh" and didn’t inquire further.
Sang Yan went into his room and emerged shortly after. Whatever he’d retrieved must have been small, as he wasn’t carrying anything, looking no different than when he’d entered. He headed toward the entryway and said to her in passing, "Let’s go."
Following behind him, Wen Yifan nodded. "Okay."
They got into the car.
Wen Yifan fastened her seatbelt and told him the name of the grilled fish restaurant.
Having likely heard of the place before, Sang Yan didn’t even turn on the navigation and started the car directly.
Wen Yifan considered whether she should strike up a conversation but worried it might distract him from driving. She looked out the window, recalling the car accident reports she’d covered, and quickly dismissed the idea.
She figured there’d be plenty of time to talk once they got to the restaurant.
The drive was short, taking less than twenty minutes.
The restaurant was located near a small commercial area, with a parking zone in front. The spot wasn’t remote—the name of the grilled fish shop was immediately visible as they drove up. The sign and décor were done in red tones, making it particularly eye-catching.
The place was spacious, and since it was peak dining hours, it was packed with customers. At a glance, every table seemed occupied.
Wen Yifan walked in with Sang Yan and told the hostess they were a party of two. They were led to a table for two, but just as they were about to sit down, a crisp female voice called out, "Manager?"
The voice sounded somewhat familiar.
Wen Yifan instinctively turned toward it.
At the neighboring table—a large one seating eight people—it seemed they’d also just arrived, with only tableware and tea set out. A metal basin sat in the center, holding discarded plastic wrappers and leftover tea.
Zheng Kejia sat among them, wearing a ginger-yellow dress. Her beauty was of the sweet and soft variety, especially when she smiled, revealing a small canine tooth. Amid the noisy crowd, she stood out strikingly.
The next second, her gaze shifted and locked with Wen Yifan’s.
Zheng Kejia’s smile visibly dimmed.
A man nearby spoke up, sounding puzzled. "Yan-ge, didn’t you say you weren’t coming?"
Sang Yan scanned the group. "Your team dinner is here?"
"Yeah!" The man glanced at Wen Yifan beside him and grinned. "Since we’ve run into each other, why not join us? As the boss, skipping our department gathering—how’s that acceptable?"
Hearing this, Wen Yifan realized these were likely Sang Yan’s colleagues. She glanced at Zheng Kejia again, surprised she’d already started working.
But thinking about it, Zheng Kejia should be a senior in college this year?
It made sense.
Sang Yan didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he tilted his head slightly toward Wen Yifan and asked quietly, "Is that okay?"
"..." Wen Yifan snapped out of her thoughts. "Sure."
He studied her expression for a few seconds before looking away and asking the server to add two chairs.
After sitting down, Wen Yifan was adjusting her clothes when she suddenly heard Zheng Kejia call her name. Zheng Kejia sat on the other side of Sang Yan, not far from her. Wen Yifan looked up calmly, offering a polite smile without saying anything.
A man across the table with a Foil Perm asked in surprise, "Do you two know each other?"Zheng Kejia's voice was crisp: "My sister."
"What a coincidence?" Foil Perm asked. "Biological sister?"
Perhaps finding the relationship hard to explain, Zheng Kejia smiled and tacitly agreed.
Hearing this, Sang Yan glanced at Zheng Kejia briefly before looking away. Leaning his elbow on the table, he turned slightly toward Wen Yifan and said casually, "You have a sister?"
Wen Yifan continued unwrapping her disposable utensils, answering honestly, "Stepsister."
Sang Yan looked at her but didn’t press further.
Foil Perm, being naturally sociable, called out, "Sister Zheng—"
Before he could finish, Sang Yan cut him off: "Her surname is Wen."
"..." Foil Perm was confused. "Isn’t she Kejia’s sister? Do you each take a parent’s surname?"
Wen Yifan had just finished unwrapping her utensils and explained gently, "Blended family."
Zheng Kejia added, "Yeah."
Foil Perm: "Ah, I see."
"Introduce us, Yan-ge," the guy next to Zheng Kejia interjected, grinning. "Is this your girlfriend?" Just as Wen Yifan was about to pick up the hot water kettle, she paused at his words and clarified for Sang Yan, "No, I’m his—" She wasn’t sure how to define their relationship, so she settled for a neutral term: "Friend."
The guy kept teasing, "Yan-ge, really just friends?"
Sang Yan shot him a warning look. "Didn’t you hear her?" Then he reached for the hot water kettle and casually pushed his unopened utensils toward Wen Yifan. "Thanks."
"..." Watching him take the set she had just unwrapped, Wen Yifan silently started unwrapping another.
At that moment.
The server brought over a round of drinks, likely pre-ordered. The person sitting at the edge began distributing them, but when they got to the last bottle, they frowned. "Why are there nine? Did someone order an extra?"
"Ah?" Zheng Kejia checked the receipt. "Seems like we accidentally marked one extra."
"This one looks unappetizing."
"Just leave it there. Yan-ge, do you guys want it?"
"Give it to my sister," Zheng Kejia said, reaching past Sang Yan to place the drink in front of Wen Yifan with a smile. "She’s easygoing and doesn’t dislike anything. She’ll drink whatever."
Wen Yifan looked at the drink but said nothing.
Then Zheng Kejia handed the menu to Sang Yan, her face slightly flushed. "Manager, what would you like to drink? We ordered early, so the dishes are already set. See if you’d like to add anything."
At this, Sang Yan’s eyelids flickered slightly as he gave Zheng Kejia an indifferent glance.
The atmosphere at the table seemed to freeze for a second.
A few moments later, Sang Yan took the menu and casually slid it toward Wen Yifan.
Noticing the movement, Wen Yifan looked up.
Sang Yan picked up the drink in front of her and placed it back in front of himself, as if signaling he’d take care of it. Meeting her gaze, his actions were effortless as he said flatly, "What do you want to drink?"
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