The Best Thing

Brown Sugar

During breakfast, Shen's father casually asked, "Fanfan, that young man who walked with you last time was really handsome. What's his name?"

Shen's mother, who was serving porridge, immediately perked up at the mention of gossip. Shen Xifan inwardly groaned—sure enough, her mother started egging her on. "Fanfan, who is it? Tell your mom!"

Shen Xifan was nibbling on a fried dough stick and mumbled vaguely, trying to dodge the question, "Just a doctor..."

Shen's mother heard her clearly—or rather, she strained every ounce of her focus to decipher the words. She froze slightly. Was Li Jie really that handsome? He had a distinctive look, sure, but by her well-honed aesthetic standards, he wasn’t exactly a heartthrob. She chalked it up to men and women having different perspectives on attractiveness, unaware that her husband was actually referring to someone else.

Shen's mother was about to press further when Shen Xifan abruptly dropped her bowl and chopsticks, grabbed her coat, and blurted, "I'm going to work. Gotta go!" before practically sprinting out the door.

Shen's father burst into laughter. "Our daughter’s not a kid anymore—she’s at the age where she’s thinking about men. Look at her, all shy now!"

Shen's mother smirked triumphantly, crunching on pickled vegetables with gusto. "All thanks to me!"

After the morning meeting, Shen Xifan tucked her notebook under her arm and headed out of the conference room. Just as she was about to step into the elevator, Lin Yishen called out, "Manager Shen, wait up! I need to talk to you!"

Though puzzled, she walked over. Ding Wei and Xu Xiangya also gathered around. Lin Yishen grinned. "So, any plans for New Year’s Day?"

Ding Wei sighed. "I got stuck with the shift—right on the dot. What kind of plans? A costume party in the suite?"

Xu Xiangya chimed in, "The shift ends at ten—we’ve got plenty of time. Let’s just hit a bar. No high-intensity activities, though. Are our old bones even up for that?"

Shen Xifan gasped. "What do you mean by 'high-intensity activities,' Xiangya? What are you thinking?"

Xu Xiangya mused, "High-intensity means high physical exertion, high energy consumption, high difficulty—like clubbing. I’m too old for that. Can’t keep up with the youngsters anymore."

The others all went, "Ohhh," with sudden understanding—especially Ding Wei, who wore an expression of "So it was me who had the dirty mind." "Xu Xiangya, we all misunderstood, but it’s not our fault. Your wording was way too ambiguous!"

Xu Xiangya sighed, looking like she was on the verge of tears. "I’d love some romance under the moon too, but there’s just no one!"

Before she could finish, Lin Yishen and Ding Wei’s faces twisted as they struggled to hold back laughter. "Xu Xiangya, just shut up. If you keep going, it’s gonna get way too suggestive."

It took Shen Xifan a moment to catch on. She leaned in and whispered four words into Xu Xiangya’s ear, making the latter flush with embarrassment and indignation. "Damn it! You two degenerates! Perverts of Chinese culture!"

The four of them were around the same age—the only young executives in the hotel’s upper management—and naturally got along well. Shen Xifan and Lin Yishen had been alumni in college, though in different years and majors. Ding Wei had entered the workforce early due to family circumstances, making him the most experienced and socially adept of the group. Xu Xiangya, meanwhile, had left her hometown behind and was carving out her own path in the city after graduation.Shen Xifan still remembered the first time she saw Lin Yishen during her interview. He sat in the lobby, relaxed and completely at ease, exuding an air of both dignified authority and approachability, with a particularly distinctive demeanor. It wasn't until someone called out "Manager Lin!" that she realized he wasn't there for an interview—he was already part of senior management.

When they met again during her onboarding, he held her resume and chuckled, "Little junior, surely you recognize the former PR director of the university student council?"

Only then did it click—this was the "former campus heartthrob—Lin Yishen" her roommate had constantly gushed about, the one who could strut across campus without anyone daring to stand in his way. Later, as they grew closer in private, he called her "Xiao Fan" or "junior," while she, in good moods, addressed him as "senior," and in bad moods, simply ignored him. Lin Yishen, however, was endlessly good-natured and never held it against her.

The four young professionals worked at a hotel, holding key positions, toiling from dawn to dusk, often pushing themselves to exhaustion for a single project. Sometimes, disagreements would lead to heated arguments, only for them to reconcile without a word.

Lin Yishen often said, "We're passionate youths fighting for life and dreams. These days, the new generation overtakes the old in the blink of an eye—one slip, and the old guard gets washed ashore. So we can't afford to slack off."

Shen Xifan felt fortunate to have met them. Regardless of what each pursued, those with dreams had an inexhaustible drive that breathed life into her days.

And the only thing that had kept her going was her dream—even when she had once lost everything.

At the moment, Shen Xifan was reviewing the guest room accounts. Numbers had never been her strong suit; a long string of digits would leave her dizzy, and the slightest distraction meant starting over. What others could tally in two or three hours took her an entire day.

Never had she loathed her math skills more.

Just then, supervisor Zhang Jie knocked and called, "Manager Shen!" Flustered, she kept her eyes glued to the accounts, not daring to look up. "What is it?"

Zhang Jie replied, "An American guest just checked in and isn't satisfied with his room. He’s asking for you to handle it."

She nodded reluctantly, casting a longing glance at the ledger. She knew she’d have to start over once this was dealt with.

Outside, the winter chill was biting, but she still wore her uniform—a thin jacket and trousers. Her heart shivered with cold, yet her steps remained steady as she descended from the administrative building to the lobby. Her breath caught slightly when the first person she saw was He Suye.

Then came Li Jie and a few middle-aged men, gathered around an American guest. The older man had graying hair, a lively demeanor, and wore a shirt with a travel backpack slung over his shoulder. When someone offered to carry it for him, he waved them off. He Suye stood beside him, explaining something in English.

Zhang Jie stepped forward. "Mr. Yang, Manager Shen is here. Please discuss the issue with her."

At her words, all eyes turned to Shen Xifan—especially He Suye’s, who stared at her for a fleeting moment before smiling silently. Li Jie, however, grinned broadly, raising his hand and curling two fingers in a playful greeting.The middle-aged man called "Mr. Yang" stepped forward to shake hands with her and explained, "Manager Shen, here's the situation. We originally booked the Celebrity Suite, but Mr. Andy wasn't satisfied. Could we change rooms now?"

She nodded, "Of course. What kind of room would you like?"

Unexpectedly, the American understood and cheerfully called out, "Chinese-style!"

Shen Xifan frowned and quietly asked Zhang Jie, "Have all the Chinese-style Suites been fully booked?"

Zhang Jie nodded, "That's exactly the problem! We've already explained it to them, but they're still stuck here, so we had to call you down to handle it."

After a moment's thought, she walked to the front desk. "Please change this gentleman's room to 1203. Thank you!"

The receptionist looked surprised but quickly handed her the key card, though her expression was somewhat complicated. Shen Xifan ignored it and turned to the American with a smile, speaking in English, "Here's your key card. Please keep it safe. We hope you enjoy your stay!"

The American was delighted, and the whole group surged toward the elevator. He Suye and Li Jie walked extremely slowly, clearly intentionally lagging behind. Li Jie turned back, clasped his hands together and repeatedly bowed to Shen Xifan with an exaggerated and adorable expression, his thick black eyebrows dancing up and down like the Maitreya Buddha. She smiled, and He Suye lightly tapped Li Jie's head before waving at her with a grin.

She watched them until they entered the elevator, then called Director Cheng. "Director Cheng, the suite your daughter often stays in has been reassigned today due to a guest's request for a room change. I took the liberty of making the switch. What should we do now?"

Cheng Dongqian thought for a moment. "Did she book that room?"

Shen Xifan hesitated slightly. "No!"

"Then that settles it!" Cheng Dongqian's tone was unexpectedly light. "If she wants to throw a tantrum, she can come to me first. You don't need to take responsibility for this!"

Back in her office, she grabbed the account books in frustration and let out a heavy sigh. She had just read two lines when her phone suddenly rang. She glanced at it mournfully, only to find a message from an unfamiliar number: "It's cold—dress warmly to avoid catching a cold."

Her mood instantly brightened, and she couldn't hide the joy and smile on her face. Though she initially intended to wait before replying, she couldn't resist responding immediately: "Doctor He, can't you escape your professional habits no matter where you go?"

He Suye's reply came shortly after: "Little girl, so sharp-tongued! I was just kindly reminding you to avoid getting sick, but you're telling me you're already ill."

Shen Xifan held her phone and laughed, a warm, happy feeling spreading from her palms. After stepping outside earlier, her face had been flushed from the cold, but now her expression was lively again. Sensing the warmth in her cheeks, she quickly composed herself, stood up to pour some tea, and prepared to continue reviewing the accounts. By chance, she glanced out the window—the sunlight was just right, warm and comforting. She pursed her lips into a soft smile, her eyes shimmering with a gentle glow, radiating happiness.

That evening, it was her turn to be on duty. While eating in the staff cafeteria, Xu Xiangya was animated, using her chopsticks like clappers as she vividly recounted what she had seen in the Chinese restaurant earlier. "So handsome! Not just refined and elegant, but truly extraordinary in demeanor. The worst part is how adorably he smiles—it's insane, absolutely unfair!"

Shen Xifan absentmindedly picked at her food. "Xiangya, can't you eat more calmly?""I'm not hungry. I've absorbed so much spiritual nourishment today that it'll take me a while to digest it all!" Shen Xifan laughed as she reached out with her chopsticks to pick at the meat slices on her plate. "If you're not hungry, then have it all. I'm planning to have a midnight snack later anyway."

After dinner, they spotted Lin Yishen and He Suye standing together in the lobby, chatting and laughing with ease. The two strikingly handsome men together drew a 200% attention rate. Before leaving, Lin Yishen even patted He Suye on the shoulder, who nodded in response before stepping out of the lobby and into a black car.

Xu Xiangya was a hundred percent nervous and excited, her hands flailing about. "Xifan, that's the handsome guy! Isn't he gorgeous?"

Shen Xifan smiled sincerely. "He is, really handsome! Standing next to Lin Yishen, they’re equally matched."

Lin Yishen noticed the two of them fangirling in the corner and blinked before walking over to ask, "Who's more handsome—me or that guy just now?"

Xu Xiangya didn’t hesitate. "Of course, it's him!"

Lin Yishen put on an exaggerated wounded expression, and Shen Xifan seized the chance to tease him. "Seeing you every day has given us aesthetic fatigue. It’s normal to crave something different, but that guy really is special—his aura is unique!"

She was about to ask Lin Yishen how he knew He Suye when his secretary called him away. She sighed. She used to think the world was so vast that brushing past someone in a crowd meant nothing. But now, it seemed that once you met someone, everything around you somehow became connected to them. It was truly strange, almost like fate.

The image of He Suye smiling gently at her before leaving lingered in her mind, making her feel even more like a fangirl.

Ding Wei had been busy lately with the new product launch for "Zhongyu." Rumor had it that the female marketing director of "Zhongyu" was ruthlessly demanding. The proposal was revised over and over, and just when he thought it was finally done, the director insisted on personally inspecting the venue and supervising the setup. He had no choice but to accompany her. After a week of this, he was completely drained.

Shen Xifan secretly felt relieved. She was just glad she didn’t have to deal with Yan Heng. Being able to lounge comfortably in a suite with the heater on, instead of standing outside in the cold for hours, felt like a blessing. Faced with stacks of accounting books, she realized for the first time the wisdom of being content with what one has.

However, Ling Yufan had come to trouble her several times—complaining about the plumbing, then about the cleaning. Fortunately, Shen Xifan had mastered the art of staring right through people. Her big eyes fixed on Ling Yufan without focus, unnerving him enough to leave her alone afterward.

On New Year's Eve, the four of them went for hot pot and then to a bar. At first, everyone was drinking just fine, but Ding Wei, full of grievances, drank fiercely and quickly. Later, Xu Xiangya suggested playing cards, with the loser having to share a story from their past.

If the best gamblers were mathematicians, then the worst were math idiots like Shen Xifan. She played conservatively, often holding onto good cards out of fear, and within a few rounds, she lost miserably.

The others laughed. "Shen Xifan, tell us about your first love!"

Embarrassed, she pretended to plead pitifully. "Come on, let me just drink instead!"Lin Yishen wouldn't let it go. "Little junior sister, did your university professor teach you this trick of acting shamelessly?"

She had no choice but to rest her head in her hands, racking her brains to simplify her love history as much as possible. "In my sophomore year, I fell for a guy. He was outstanding, quite famous at school, majoring in engineering physics—incredibly smart. Then somehow, we ended up together, but later we broke up for some reasons."

The bar was dimly lit, with Sade's "Somebody Already Broke My Heart" flowing from the counter—"I've been torn apart so many times, I've been hurt so many times before. So I'm counting on you now, Somebody already broke my heart, Somebody already broke my heart..."

Xu Xiangya pressed on, unwilling to drop it. "When did it end? Why did you break up?"

Shen Xifan felt the atmosphere suddenly turn cold. The surrounding laughter lingered but felt distant. The hazy lights gave a dreamlike illusion, and the alcohol fumes relaxed her nerves. She let out a soft laugh. "At the start of senior year. The reason? He already had another girl he liked, so he broke up with me."

Pausing, she gently swirled her glass. The amber liquid shimmered under the shifting lights, casting a dazed glow. She continued, "Back then, the heartbreak felt like the sky had collapsed. The pain was so intense that even crying felt like a luxury. For a whole month, I lived like a walking corpse—insomnia every night, nausea at the sight of food. Then I threw myself into internships, job hunting, and graduation projects, keeping so busy that I gradually stopped thinking about him."

Her voice grew distant. "Looking back now, I was so foolish. What was there to miss about a man like that? I lost all my dignity and self-respect, groveling to beg him, swearing I'd change every part of me he didn't like. But what was my fault? Once he stopped loving me, even my strengths became flaws."

She still remembered the first day of senior year when she went to the library to return books and saw Yan Heng. He happened to be leaving the library. Staring at that familiar face, Shen Xifan suddenly felt an unfamiliar illusion. Yan Heng merely smiled at her and walked away. In the past, he would have stopped to wait for her, whining pitifully, "Xiao Fan, hurry up! I've been waiting forever!"

They had argued once during summer break. Shen Xifan had thought it was just their usual bickering and continued joking around with Yan Heng afterward. But gradually, his texts and calls became fewer and fewer. Sometimes, she'd send a message and get no reply all day. She could only stare at her phone, not daring to let it out of her sight.

That summer felt like an eternity.

At the time, she had only vaguely sensed something was off, but she never imagined Yan Heng would break up with her that very night. The next day, he started dating Gu Ningyuan, the department beauty from the chemistry department.

She was nothing more than a worn-out toy, finally tossed into the trash.In the end, she frantically sent him messages and called him repeatedly, all with the same content: "Tell me what's wrong with me, and I'll change it all. I won't make you unhappy anymore." Finally, one day, she received Yan Heng's answer.

He said, "All the qualities that once attracted me to you have now become your flaws. I hate how clingy you are, how you constantly disturb me for no reason. You suffocate me—you give me no freedom. In short, you annoy me now."

Her heart finally shattered. Even breathing felt painful. Her skin, her bones, every part of her screamed in sorrow—I just wanted to be with you because I loved you so much. I didn’t want to be apart from you for even a moment.

To this day, she still couldn’t understand why he was the one who fell in love first and loved deeper, yet in the end, she was the one who lost the most.

Shen Xifan’s eyes betrayed some emotion, but she continued to smile, gulping down water and playing cards as if nothing was wrong. Lin Yishen watched her, feeling an inexplicable sadness.

He had known this junior sister for a long time. Her ex-boyfriends were Dai Heng and Yan Heng, both quite famous at school. He had seen them together a few times, but since he was two years their senior, they probably didn’t recognize him. He usually just smiled at the couples on campus and moved on, but this particular pair left a deep impression on him.

Because whenever they were together, the girl always smiled brilliantly, sweet and genuine—so much so that even an outsider like him could feel their happiness.

The next time he saw her was in an interview hall. Her smile seemed forced, but still comforting. The HR manager at the time asked her how she balanced work and relationships. He remembered her clear reply: "I don’t have a boyfriend, so there’s nothing to balance. I just want to work hard."

That was when he realized why that radiant, happy smile had disappeared.

When Yan Heng arrived, Lin Yishen recognized him immediately. Out of personal bias, he took it upon himself to handle many matters related to Yan Heng—even those beyond his authority. Even this collaboration with "Zhongyu" was something he strongly pushed Ding Wei for.

Because he didn’t want to see Shen Xifan suffer again. She had already endured enough—there was no reason for her to go through it a second time.

Yan Heng didn’t deserve her love.

After that, Shen Xifan played cards much more boldly, winning several rounds in a row. Meanwhile, Ding Wei, affected by the alcohol, grew muddle-headed and lost repeatedly. Xu Xiangya then teased him into sharing his first love story.

Ding Wei downed a glass of liquor fiercely. "My family was poor, and I never went to college. In high school, a rich girl—the kind who lived in a mansion and drove a BMW—fell for me. At first, I just wanted to have fun, but I ended up falling for her too. We were tangled up for years. Of course, her family objected. They locked her up. We planned to elope, but we were caught. Three days later, she married someone else. After that, I left my hometown—couldn’t go back, didn’t want to. For years after leaving, every time I closed my eyes, I saw her tear-streaked face, heard her screaming my name in agony..."

Things quickly spiraled out of control. They stopped playing cards altogether as Xu Xiangya began sharing her own romantic misadventures. Ding Wei kept drinking, one glass after another. Shen Xifan listened intently, sighing repeatedly, while Lin Yishen’s emotions also grew unstable.

On the last night of the year, on the eve of the new year—it was supposed to be a time of celebration. Yet here they were, weighed down by such heaviness.Suddenly, Shen Xifan glanced at her watch and instantly sobered up. "It's already 9:30! Ding Wei, you're supposed to be on duty!"

Lin Yishen then said to her with a bitter smile, "Ding Wei is drunk..."

Xu Xiangya chimed in, "I'll go in his place!" She tried to stand up but her legs gave way and she slumped back down, dizzy. Patting her head, she still tried to push herself up from the table.

Shen Xifan held her back and turned to Lin Yishen, "Senior, could you take those two back? I'll go cover the hotel shift."

Lin Yishen thought for a moment, "Never mind, I'll go instead!"

She gave a bitter smile, "It's not like I can carry Ding Wei anyway. The tough job's yours—I'm heading out first!"

The winter night was cold, with gusts of wind howling. The moment Shen Xifan stepped outside, she was completely sobered up. She faintly felt raindrops landing on her face, and soon, a misty rain enveloped the city sky. Streetlights and neon signs blurred into the darkness, casting an inexplicable melancholy over the scene.

Occasionally, single men and women passed by the bar. Couples kissed unabashedly on the street, while young, beautiful girls clung to older men, coquettishly whining. A charming woman walked past her, leaving behind a lingering fragrance—L'Eau du Feu.

The air was thick with ambiguity, frivolity, and decadence.

She couldn't help but wonder—was there truly such a thing as everlasting love in the city?

The front desk clerk looked puzzled when she returned for the key card. "Manager Shen, isn't Manager Ding on duty today?"

She forced a smile. "Manager Ding isn't feeling well. I'm covering for him."

After retrieving the key card and entering the room, she had just set down her bag when a dull ache in her stomach made her inwardly groan. Sure enough, the bane of every woman's existence had arrived right on schedule.

Once she'd dealt with it, she was torn between laughter and tears, but the pain left her too exhausted to move. She collapsed onto the bed, propping a pillow under her waist, and drifted into a heavy, alcohol-induced sleep.

She dreamed a long, convoluted dream.

In it was Yan Heng, looking just as he had during their third year of university, smiling at her as he said, "Xiao Fan, I need to earn a lot of money to keep you fed, you little pig, so I have to study hard now."

Just as she was about to reply, a girl's voice cut in, "Yan Heng, didn't you say you'd already broken up with her?" She recognized the voice as Gu Ningyuan's and whirled around to shout, "What are you talking about? When did he ever break up with me? Weren't you the one who stole him away? Otherwise, why would he like you?"

Gu Ningyuan, furious, shoved her. Caught off guard, Shen Xifan tumbled down the stairs. Just as she was about to hit the ground, a pair of hands caught her. She looked up—it was He Suye, frowning reproachfully. "Little girl, why aren't you more careful?"

Yan Heng stood at the top of the stairs beside Gu Ningyuan, staring coldly down at her. His voice was devoid of emotion, flat and lifeless. "Shen Xifan, we've already broken up. Stop clinging to me!"

She jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat. Her bangs clung damply to her forehead, and when she brushed them aside, the strands felt like needles against her skin.

Just then, the phone rang. She recognized the caller as someone from the engineering department. The voice on the other end was frantic. "The Zhongyu billboards and ad panels are swaying in the wind—some have already fallen and damaged equipment. Manager Ding, come take a look!" Without giving her a chance to explain, they hung up.

She sighed. She knew nothing about this collaboration, but now she had no choice but to tough it out. Fortunately, Ding Wei's secretary was still there and managed to dig up some documents from the office for her. Without bothering to grab an extra layer, she skimmed through the materials as she walked. By the time she reached the site, she had grasped most of the situation.The rain was still falling, and the wind was howling fiercely. Shen Xifan's face had lost all color from the cold, and her back ached so much she felt it might give way. She could even sense the blood pulsing through her, pounding against her lower abdomen with a dull, persistent pain.

The rain lashed against her body, the chill seeping in unnoticed.

She was in agony, wishing she could just faint and be done with it.

The Engineering Department's Manager Zhang was surprised to see her. She had no choice but to explain that Ding Wei was sick. Truthfully, she didn’t care whether the repairs would be finished before tomorrow’s press conference—what concerned her were the discrepancies in the project’s blueprint.

Sure enough, half an hour later, the marketing director of "Zhongyu" stormed in. A woman in her thirties, she immediately launched into a stern rebuke: "Manager Zhang, I have the utmost doubts about your hotel’s construction standards!"

The director personally oversaw the workers as they rehung the advertising boards, meticulously inspecting each one. Shen Xifan was equally tense, climbing up and down with Manager Zhang, checking and confirming everything repeatedly.

At one point, Yan Heng arrived in person. His tone with Manager Zhang was harsh and unyielding. Throughout the entire process, he only glanced at Shen Xifan briefly before coolly averting his gaze.

She knew that when it came to work, Yan Heng never let personal feelings interfere. If she had been the one at fault today, he would have reprimanded her just as severely, without hesitation.

Yet she still felt miserable, her heart heavy. It wasn’t the scolding that upset her—it was the sudden realization that Yan Heng felt so distant, so far away, even when he was right beside her. He hadn’t noticed her discomfort, her pain—even if it was just physical.

By six o’clock, the venue was finally restored. Several advertising boards had been repositioned, looking much more secure.

She let out a long sigh of relief, touching her face, now numb from the cold. Every step felt like a struggle—not just from the chill, but from the searing pain. She was barely holding on.

But she had to keep holding on.

Back in the office, the Zhongyu director insisted the losses were due to the Engineering Department’s mistakes. Shen Xifan, pale and biting her lip, spoke slowly and deliberately: "Didn’t Manager Zhang previously discuss the construction details with Zhongyu? Such as the height for mounting the ad boards or how the display panels should be secured? Manager Zhang has overseen this hotel’s projects for years—how could he make such a basic error?"

In an instant, everyone understood. Zhongyu, in pursuit of their so-called "effect," had altered the construction blueprint without the hotel’s approval. The tide turned, and murmurs of discussion filled the room.

Still, the matter would have to wait for Ding Wei’s return. She called him, relieved to hear he was already on his way back to the hotel. The weight in her chest eased slightly.

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to the back entrance to hail a cab home. Yan Heng caught up with her, calling out, "Xifan, why are you so pale? Are you sick?"

Outside, a light drizzle fell. Shen Xifan stood in the mist, her green wool coat making her face appear even paler. She frowned slightly. "Mr. Yan, I’m fine. Thank you for your concern. I’ll be going now. Goodbye."

Yan Heng wanted to stop her—something about her seemed off. But before he could reach out, she had already slipped into a taxi and sped away.A few raindrops landed on his hand, icy to the bone. He had a vague sense of foreboding—Shen Xifan was no longer that naive girl from before. Three years had passed, and some things truly could never be reclaimed.

Like love that carved into the bones, or hatred that burned fiercely—in the end, all would turn to dust.

Shen Xifan practically stumbled out of the car. After walking a few steps, cold sweat poured down her back. She leaned against a tree along the path, panting as she steadied herself. She thought about taking out her phone to call home and ask her mother to come get her, but then remembered—they had gone to her grandmother’s last night and wouldn’t be back until tomorrow.

She trudged forward with difficulty, hands on her hips, stopping every couple of steps. Her legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

Suddenly, a light tap landed on her back, followed by He Suye’s familiar voice. “Shen Xifan, what’s wrong?”

He turned her around and saw her face drained of color, her lips bitten pale, her bangs dripping with moisture, and a faint shimmer in her eyes. Seeing her hunched over, curled in on herself, he panicked slightly.

Shen Xifan grabbed hold of He Suye’s sleeve, her eyes silently pleading with him—there was restraint in her gaze, but even more helplessness. To her, He Suye was her lifeline. Her body instinctively leaned toward him as she whispered in a fragile voice, “It hurts… it hurts so much I can’t take it…”

Having treated countless patients, He Suye immediately understood what was wrong. He took her bag with one hand, supported her with the other, and held an umbrella over them as he asked gently, “Can you stand? Are you okay?”

Shen Xifan nodded, forcing a weak smile. “He Suye, is there anything that can make the pain stop? I feel like I’m dying!”

He Suye steadied her, moving at an extremely slow pace as he reassured her, “Let’s go to my place. It’s not far—we’ll be there soon.”

He Suye first helped her lie down on the bed, then retrieved a box from his study. Inside were several needles—some long, others very short, with rounded yet slightly pointed tips. He carefully sterilized them with alcohol before turning to Shen Xifan. The moment she saw them, her face fell. “He Suye, I don’t want needles…”

Ignoring her protest, he instructed, “Lie on your stomach and lift your clothes.”

She had no choice but to comply, asking hesitantly, “All of them?”

He Suye shot her a look. “Of course. Otherwise, it won’t work.” After saying this, Shen Xifan noticed his cheeks flush slightly. He quickly added, “You’re the patient, I’m the doctor…”

He began the treatment. The first needle went into the Chengjiang point, the second was slowly inserted into the Dazhui point, and the third was swiftly pressed into the seventeenth vertebra, twisted, and then lifted. Shen Xifan winced at the pain, letting out a soft whimper. He soothed her, “Bear with it, be good.” Then he took fine needles and inserted them into the Chengshan point, Sanjiaoshu, Shenshu, and Qihaishu.

Though his technique was skilled, his movements hesitated slightly when it came to Shen Xifan. Seeing her furrowed brows, he knew that even the bluntest needles would still cause some pain—and despite that, he worried she might cry out.

After about twenty minutes, Shen Xifan gradually regained sensation in her body. The cold, dragging pain in her lower abdomen faded, and color slowly returned to her face. He gently removed all the needles, helped pull her clothes back down, and asked, “How do you feel now?”

Shen Xifan exhaled in relief. “So much better. Thank you.”He smiled, wiped the needle with an alcohol swab, put it away, and instructed her, "Lie down for a while. I’ll go buy some things and be back soon."

After he left, Shen Xifan hugged a pillow and lay on the bed, curiously surveying He Suye’s home—refreshing and clean, just like the man himself. Unable to stay still, she slipped on her shoes and wandered around. In his study, she saw a laptop, piles of medical books, and specimens of Chinese medicinal herbs.

She walked to the desk and noticed a stack of documents in English. At a glance, she recognized the name "University of Pennsylvania." A closer look made her expression shift slightly—it was clearly a doctoral application form. Was He Suye planning to go abroad?

As He Suye stepped out of the building, he realized he had forgotten his umbrella in his haste. Fortunately, the rain had nearly stopped. Just as he reached the supermarket entrance, his phone rang. Seeing it was Li Jie, he answered immediately.

Li Jie sighed, "Senior Brother, it’s almost noon. Why haven’t you arrived yet?"

He Suye chuckled and explained, "Something came up last minute. I won’t be able to make it. Please apologize to Mr. Andy for me."

Li Jie groaned, "He’s really taken a liking to you. How can you not go? Fine, I know you have your reasons—it must be urgent. You’ll have to explain it to the boss yourself afterward. I can’t cover for you this time!"

After hanging up, He Suye recalled how Andy and his boss had urged him the day before to seriously consider the opportunity for a publicly funded study abroad program. A wave of frustration washed over him. He felt tethered—unable to leave, unable to sever his ties. Maybe it was better not to go at all.

Shen Xifan was still wandering around the house when she suddenly heard the sound of a key turning in the lock. Startled, she dashed back to the bed and lay down obediently. He Suye entered with several bags, flashed her a smile, and disappeared into the kitchen.

Soon, a sweet, slightly pungent yet comforting aroma filled the room. Just as Shen Xifan was wondering about it, He Suye approached with a cup and handed it to her. "Drink this. You might feel better."

Shen Xifan looked at the reddish liquid, its spicy scent wafting into her nose. She took a small sip and exclaimed, "This is delicious! He Suye, what is it?"

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he gazed at her steadily. "It’s brown sugar and ginger water. Brown sugar is warm and sweet, good for the spleen. It replenishes energy, nourishes blood, warms the stomach, soothes pain, and promotes circulation. Since you got caught in the rain earlier, this will help drive out the cold and prevent a cold."

She laughed. "He Suye, you’re full of home remedies. It’s really good!" She drank it eagerly, warmth spreading through her heart, her eyes growing slightly moist.

Since childhood, she had always suffered terribly during these days. She knew it wasn’t a big deal and simply endured it. But she had never imagined He Suye would be so concerned—even his acupuncture technique was unusually gentle. She felt cared for, tenderly looked after. It had been so long since she had experienced such kindness.

Like a thick, warm scarf in winter or a refreshing iced tea in summer, He Suye always appeared just when she needed him most. Seeing his smile, the deep dimple on one side of his cheek, she felt an overwhelming sense of security.

Suddenly, she wanted to know the temperature of his palm—was it exactly like the 24-degree warmth of an afternoon sun?