The awkwardness passed quickly, and Wen Yifan adjusted her emotions just as fast. She didn’t think there was anything taboo about the topic and became much more composed. She nodded lightly, agreeing as she said, “I’ve heard of it.”
Sang Yan turned his head to look at her.
“I was the one who said it.”
“…”
The hotel was located on a somewhat secluded street with few surrounding shops. However, there happened to be a breakfast place right across the road, already bustling with customers—mostly locals living nearby.
The four of them casually ordered breakfast, ate, and then left.
The car was parked near the hotel, about fifty meters away.
Qian Weihua, being older, had been worn out from the recent travel and late nights. His body couldn’t handle it well, leaving him sore and exhausted, desperately in need of rest.
Mu Chengyun hadn’t gotten his driver’s license yet, so they had agreed the night before that Wen Yifan would drive today.
The trip would take about three hours—not too long. Along the way, the other two mostly rested, while Sang Yan, sitting in the passenger seat, occasionally exchanged a few words with her.
Upon arriving in Nanwu, Wen Yifan first dropped Sang Yan off at the entrance of his neighborhood before driving the car back to the station.
After parking in the lot, Wen Yifan got out. The three of them unloaded the equipment from the car and headed toward the building. Qian Weihua walked ahead alone, seemingly on a call with someone.
As if holding it in the whole time, Mu Chengyun suddenly called out to her not long after.
“Yifan-jie.”
Wen Yifan turned her head. “What’s up?”
Mu Chengyun fell silent for a few seconds, his tone sounding certain yet reluctant to believe it.
“Are you… together with Senior Sang?”
Because she had let Sang Yan hitch a ride, Wen Yifan had previously felt too awkward to outright state their relationship. She didn’t want to give the impression that she was mixing personal matters with work, making it seem more like she was here for romance rather than business.
But upon reflection, aside from bringing Sang Yan along on the return trip, this business trip hadn’t really been delayed by anything.
Feeling there was no reason to hide it anymore, Wen Yifan nodded. “Yeah.”
Mu Chengyun went quiet again before soon forcing a smile. “I see.”
Earlier, based on Su Tian’s words and Mu Chengyun’s behavior, Wen Yifan had already sensed his feelings. But since they didn’t interact much and he had never brought it up directly, she hadn’t paid it much mind.
Wen Yifan let out a quiet sigh of relief.
She figured that bringing it up now was for the best for both of them.
Back in the office.
Wen Yifan greeted her colleagues before diving into reviewing materials and frantically drafting her report. She just wanted to finish the remaining work as quickly as possible, end this two-week stretch of overtime, and finally go home to rest.
Just before leaving work, Wen Yifan received a WeChat message from Sang Yan asking when she’d be off. She checked the time and replied with an estimate: [Around seven.]
Wen Yifan: [Why?]
A moment later.
Sang Yan sent a voice message, his tone unhurried.
“Just wanted to tell you something.”
Three seconds later, another one followed.
“Your boyfriend’s coming to pick you up.”
After wrapping up the remaining tasks, Wen Yifan packed her things and left the office. She spotted Sang Yan’s car parked nearby immediately and walked briskly over, slipping into the passenger seat.
Sang Yan had changed clothes, looking as though he’d gone home to rest in the afternoon—now much more refreshed.
Unsure why he had come, Wen Yifan asked, “Are we going somewhere now?”"Let's go home." Sang Yan turned his head to look at her for a moment.
Wen Yifan met his gaze: "What's wrong?"
Another moment of silence passed.
Without speaking, Sang Yan suddenly unbuckled his own seatbelt and leaned over to fasten hers. His face came abruptly close, mere inches away. After securing it, he didn't immediately retreat but remained at that proximity to finish his words.
"You still owe me a gift, don't you?"
At this distance, they could feel each other's breath.
Wen Yifan instinctively held her breath: "Didn't you say you'd already received it?"
Sang Yan raised an eyebrow.
Wen Yifan blinked: "Then I'll save this gift for you next year."
"I was just being polite to spare your feelings," Sang Yan said with a playful lift of his brow, his tone drawn out and slow. "But who's really the one receiving the gift here? Don't you know?"
"I think," Wen Yifan pondered for a moment, inexplicably wanting to laugh, "it's about half and half for both of us."
"..."
"I mean, after the kiss," Wen Yifan said, feeling somewhat embarrassed as she spoke, but she still earnestly recounted yesterday's events, "you seemed pretty happy too."
Sang Yan glanced at her but didn't continue arguing. His gaze drifted down, settling on her lips. Then he straightened up and started the car: "Fine."
"Hmm?"
Sang Yan was straightforward: "I admit it."
...
At this hour, it would be too late to go home and cook dinner.
Passing by a restaurant near their home, Sang Yan parked the car and went in to buy dinner before the two of them returned home.
After being away for half a month, the house seemed no different from when she'd left—everything was still in its place, neat and tidy. Wen Yifan just wanted to eat and go straight to bed. She had just sat down to eat when Sang Yan pulled her up.
Wen Yifan looked at him blankly.
Sang Yan reminded her: "Did you forget something?"
"..."
Wen Yifan immediately remembered and got up to head to her room: "Wait for me a moment."
Entering the room, she opened the wardrobe and took down a bag she had placed on the top shelf. Peeking inside, she belatedly felt a twinge of worry—would he even like it?
Returning to the dining table, she handed him the bag.
Sang Yan took it and casually glanced inside: "Clothes?"
Wen Yifan nodded: "A coat."
Sang Yan lowered his eyes and pulled it out to examine.
It was a pure camel-colored long coat.
Perhaps unused to this color, Sang Yan stared at it for a while before asking, "Why this color?"
Wen Yifan studied his expression: "I thought it would suit you."
Quickly, she added, "And I've never seen you wear this color before."
Though he seemed to prefer black.
But Wen Yifan occasionally wanted to see him in other colors.
Unsure if her gift was appropriate, Wen Yifan felt a bit anxious: "If you don't like it, I can get you something else?"
Sang Yan chuckled: "When did I say I didn't like it?"
"..."
"Out of all the gifts I've received this year, in terms of satisfaction," Sang Yan deliberately paused for a long moment before feigning seriousness, "this one ranks second."
Wen Yifan made a sound of surprise and followed up: "What's first?"
"First?" Sang Yan didn't answer directly. "The one I got yesterday."
"..."
Yesterday?Yesterday was Sang Yan's birthday, and he must have received quite a few gifts.
She had given him a cake.
It was also the day they officially became a couple.
And, according to Sang Yan's definition, that kiss at the corner of his lips should count as well.
Wen Yifan wasn’t entirely sure if it had anything to do with her, but she wanted to know the answer, so she asked again, "What was it?"
Sang Yan made her guess: "What do you think?"
Wen Yifan had no idea what other gifts he might have received. Considering that others' presents were likely valuable too, she didn’t want to hastily claim the title of "first." She reached out to unwrap the package in front of her. "Then let me guess first."
But her guessing lasted less than half a minute.
Suddenly, the pressure on her head increased. She instinctively looked up to see Sang Yan’s hand resting on her head, ruffling her hair with a firm touch.
Unlike the gentleness of most people.
Soon, Sang Yan stopped, the corner of his lips curling slightly.
"Thanks."
His hand remained on Wen Yifan’s head.
Wen Yifan stayed still, meeting his dark eyes, slightly confused. "Thanks for what?"
Sang Yan smiled. "The gift."
Hearing this, Wen Yifan’s gaze dropped, lingering on the jacket in his hand.
"And, stop guessing," Sang Yan withdrew his hand, saying nonchalantly, "You’re the first."
……
After dinner, Wen Yifan returned to her room.
After completing her bedtime routine, she lay on the bed, replaying Sang Yan’s last words in her mind when her door suddenly knocked. Startled, she sat up.
Unsure what Sang Yan wanted at this hour, she quickly got up and opened the door.
Sang Yan stood outside, looking freshly showered. Dressed in casual clothes, his hair was half-damp, softly framing his ears, slightly tousled. When she opened the door, he tilted his head slightly, as if checking behind her ear.
The next moment, he frowned and abruptly pulled her wrist, drawing her into his embrace.
Following his force, Wen Yifan leaned forward, her forehead bumping against his chest.
Caught off guard, she asked blankly, "What’s wrong?"
Sang Yan’s other hand rested on the back of her neck, making no further moves. Then, he tilted his head slightly, lowering his gaze to examine the spot behind her ear, pausing for a long moment. As if observing something.
Wen Yifan instantly understood.
The proximity was almost intimate, and combined with his freshly showered state, the sandalwood scent on him was particularly strong. She felt his gaze like a physical touch, the places he observed burning slightly.
Wen Yifan wanted to step back but was held firmly in place, unable to move.
Sang Yan spoke coolly, "Did you apply the ointment?"
"No," Wen Yifan licked her lips, explaining, "It’s already scabbed. No need for ointment."
"You got it wet," Sang Yan released her, his tone displeased. "You didn’t even check, did you?"
"……"
Sang Yan walked away, tossing over his shoulder, "Come out and apply it."
Wen Yifan instinctively touched behind her ear, only now noticing a slight sting and swelling. She hadn’t paid much attention to the minor injury but followed Sang Yan anyway.
After retrieving the ointment from the TV cabinet, Sang Yan gestured toward the sofa with his chin. "Sit there."
Wen Yifan didn’t think it was a big deal. "This kind of injury heals on its own."
Ignoring her remark, Sang Yan walked back and sat beside her, expressionlessly leaning closer. He picked up a cotton swab, seemingly intending to wipe the moisture from her wound.
The atmosphere grew somewhat tense.This situation reminded Wen Yifan of the previous time when she had applied medicine for him.
She felt she needed to do something to ease the atmosphere.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sang Yan about to touch her. After a moment's thought, Wen Yifan suddenly dodged backward.
Their eyes met.
Wen Yifan forced out a single word: "It hurts."
"..."
The tension seemed to shatter in that instant.
Sang Yan smirked. "You faking it?"
Wen Yifan wanted to say she had learned these tricks from him, but she decided to save him some face. She leaned back in, casually mentioning, "After it scabbed, I didn’t pay much attention to it. Thought it was pretty much healed."
Hinting that he should stop being so stern.
Sang Yan didn’t respond to that. "Does your job always get you hurt?"
"Huh?" Wen Yifan thought for a moment. "Not really."
"..."
"Occasionally. This time, I don’t even know when I got scratched," Wen Yifan said with a smile. "And I didn’t notice right away—my colleague had to point it out to me. It doesn’t hurt much."
Sang Yan disinfected the wound with iodine, his demeanor like a troublemaker, but his movements were gentle.
"Really doesn’t hurt?"
For some reason, hearing this, Wen Yifan paused, swallowing back her denial. She stared at Sang Yan’s profile and answered truthfully without thinking, "It hurts a little."
Sang Yan’s touch seemed to lighten even more. "Does it hurt now?"
Wen Yifan: "It’s okay."
Once he finished, Sang Yan tossed the cotton swab into the trash. "Don’t let it get wet when you shower tomorrow."
"Okay."
Sang Yan began tidying up, his tone lazy. "Go to sleep."
Wen Yifan gave an "Oh," then stood and headed toward her room. But soon, she turned back, looking at Sang Yan, who was still sitting on the couch, and blurted out, "Will you help me apply the medicine again tomorrow?"
"..."
As if he hadn’t expected her to take the initiative, Sang Yan froze. He studied her for a long moment before finally looking away.
"Come find me yourself after your shower."
OpenNovel