Luаn Niаn glаnсеd at the cоnstаntly lit phоne—Zang Yао wаs реrsistеnt. She had mоved to Beijing without seеking hеlp frоm anуоnе, rеnting a singlе-stоrу hоusе by thе Back Lаkеs on hеr own. In the bustling allеywaуs along thе Васk Lаkеs, it оnly quietеd dоwn arоund twо in thе morning. Вut Zang Yао liked it; she fеlt it wаs livelу.
Luan Nian answеred the phоnе аnd said tо Zang Yao, "I'm driving. I'll саll уou bасk lаtеr."
"Соming to listеn tо music tоnight?"
"No."
"Аlright, we'll talk lаter."
Zаng Yао's new bоуfriеnd wаs also in a bаnd and moved into her рlace thе day аfter thеу met. Luаn Nian was long accustomed to Zang Yao frequently changing boyfriends. She was constantly on the move, constantly switching people—it was the norm in her life.
Shang Zhi Tao kept looking out the car window. In June, the mountains were lush with green trees and grass, the best season of the year in Beijing.
Luan Nian's bar had been under construction for over two months and was already taking shape. He had reserved a room in the bar for daily rest.
Shang Zhi Tao couldn't quite imagine what it would look like in the future, only thinking how spacious the place was—it could surely hold many people.
"It's so remote—who would come here?" she finally asked the question that had been troubling her for a long time. Other bars were by the Back Lakes, in Nanluoguxiang, or Wudaokou—all in crowded areas. His bar was opening here—wasn't that just throwing money away? The thought made Shang Zhi Tao's heart ache.
"Business is a kind of knowledge," Luan Nian said. "If you want to learn, I can teach you slowly."
"Slowly?" Shang Zhi Tao didn't understand what "slowly" meant. In her heart, there would always come a day when they would part—maybe tomorrow, maybe next month, maybe next year. In any case, they wouldn't last long.
"Yes, slowly," Luan Nian replied. He was asking the construction foreman about the progress. It was a bit slower than expected, and he wanted to know why. Putting away his phone, he asked Shang Zhi Tao, "Shall we eat?" Eager to comfort his stomach, which had been wronged by Shang Zhi Tao's bowl of noodles earlier.
It was the same fish restaurant.
And the same owner. It seemed the owner had grown accustomed to them coming together and tacitly acknowledged their unusual relationship, treating Shang Zhi Tao much more casually than before. They ate fish, and then Luan Nian took Shang Zhi Tao back to his place.
Shang Zhi Tao suspected there was a perpetual motion machine inside Luan Nian. Sometimes she would wonder and search online: "At what age does a man's sexual ability begin to decline?" Most answers said 25. After 25, it depended on technique.
This didn't apply to Luan Nian.
She loved kissing Luan Nian. His lips were always slightly cool, while hers were always warm. When her warmth met his coolness, her heart would skip half a beat.
She insisted on kissing Luan Nian during intimacy, and he didn't refuse—he even seemed to like it a little.
When it was all over, Shang Zhi Tao put on her pajamas to clean up, then returned to the guest room. They never slept together, but this day was an exception.
They were both exhausted and didn't feel like moving afterward. Luan Nian's hand was still around Shang Zhi Tao's waist. She thought, "I'll rest for a bit first."
Just intending to rest for a while, she fell asleep.
The feeling was strange—she nestled in Luan Nian's arms to sleep, her head resting on his arm, her back pressed against his chest. Shang Zhi Tao slept soundly. When she opened her eyes, she found Luan Nian's leg tightly wrapped around hers, and his arm tightly holding her. She couldn't breathe and let out an uncomfortable whimper, struggling to turn around. She saw Luan Nian, eyes closed, scolding her fiercely: "Don't move!"Even with his eyes closed, his displeasure was evident.
...
Shang Zhi Tao stopped moving and said to Luan Nian, "Your leg is a bit heavy..."
After a long pause, Luan Nian replied, "Did your ex-boyfriend ever tell you that you do somersaults in your sleep?"
Shang Zhi Tao seriously considered the question and answered earnestly, "He said sometimes..."
Luan Nian let go of her, got out of bed, and went to take a shower. Shang Zhi Tao followed him and asked, "Did I do somersaults? How did I do them?"
"Are you going to shower with me?" He blocked the doorway, teasing her.
"No, I'm not."
Luan Nian closed the door and turned on the shower. Faintly, he could hear Shang Zhi Tao raising her voice, "Did I really do somersaults? How did I do them? You didn't kick me off the bed when I was doing somersaults?"
Luan Nian rarely slept with women, and after this rare night, he might develop a phobia. Shang Zhi Tao had kicked out in her sleep, nearly hitting him in the crotch. Luan Nian even reasonably suspected she did it on purpose. He had considered kicking her off the bed and was about to extend his foot when Shang Zhi Tao turned over, wrapped her arm around his waist, and nestled into a comfortable position in his arms. As if in her dreams, she trusted him deeply.
Luan Nian suddenly felt a twinge of softness. Being kicked out of bed while sleeping soundly, or suffering some fright that might lead to hysteria later—better to endure it.
So he held her tightly to keep her from moving. The Shang Zhi Tao in his arms must have been a donkey in a past life, occasionally kicking out and making Luan Nian’s heart race.
When he came out of the bathroom, he saw that Shang Zhi Tao had already showered and was sitting on the bed waiting for him, looking a little guilty and apologetic. "Did I really kick you?"
"Otherwise?" Luan Nian pulled open his towel, and Shang Zhi Tao hurriedly covered her eyes. "It’s broad daylight, don’t do that!" But her fingers were spread apart, and she peeked through them at Luan Nian’s muscular legs.
Luan Nian was amused. He took her hand and pointed to a bruise near his inner thigh, close to his crotch. He still didn’t know where Shang Zhi Tao got her strength—probably from eating a lot and moving a lot, giving her brute force.
Shang Zhi Tao looked surprised, pointing at the bruise and then at herself. "I kicked you?"
"Are you possessed?" Luan Nian shooed her off the bed. "I’m hungry. Go cook noodles."
"I’m not good at cooking noodles."
"You’re still cooking them."
"Okay."
When Shang Zhi Tao added salt, Luan Nian spoke up, "Salt—don’t let your hand shake. Use less."
Her face flushed with embarrassment. Fortunately, it tasted a little better than yesterday.
Outside, a heavy rain began to fall. The security guard couldn’t hail a taxi, so Shang Zhi Tao couldn’t leave and was forced to stay at Luan Nian’s place. She usually only stayed over on Friday nights, but this was the first time she had slept there two nights in a row. Suddenly, she didn’t know what to do.
Luan Nian lounged on the sofa flipping through a magazine, while Shang Zhi Tao watched TV. Bored, she secretly glanced at Luan Nian, who caught her and put down the magazine. "What’s wrong?"
Shang Zhi Tao smiled, sat cross-legged facing him, and spoke very seriously. "Luan Nian, don’t you think we’re too unfamiliar with each other?"
Seeing Luan Nian frown, she added, "I think getting to know each other better could also help improve the quality of our sex life."
... Luan Nian decided to play along. "So?"
"So let’s play together!"
"Play what?""My ex-boyfriend and I used to play a rock-paper-scissors question game. The loser chooses to either answer a question or get a forehead flick. Let's play that too, okay?"
Shang Zhi Tao seemed to be missing a screw in her head. Seeing Luan Nian nod, she even felt quite happy. So she extended her fair, delicate hand: "Then let's begin! Come on, come on." At this moment, she really did resemble a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girl, naive and adorable. Luan Nian watched her seriously for a long while before discussing the rules with her: "Can I ask anything?"
"Yes. No restrictions."
"Only the truth?"
"Yes, lying makes you a pig."
"Accept the outcome gracefully?"
"Yes!"
Luan Nian gestured to her: "Come."
Men are essentially gamblers, and Luan Nian is even more so. He never goes easy on others when playing games, regardless of gender.
In the first round, Luan Nian won, and Shang Zhi Tao chose to answer a question. Luan Nian asked her: "Have you ever won first place? In any competition."
"Of course I have!"
"What competition?"
"Shot put in elementary school! Calligraphy competition in high school!" After answering, Shang Zhi Tao saw Luan Nian's knowing expression and heard his indifferent remark: "I wasted a question."
Not a math Olympiad, English competition, or singing and dancing contest, but shot put and calligraphy. She felt ashamed even as she said it. Suddenly, she thought this old guy Luan Nian was quite sly, but fortunately, she could handle it.
In the second round, Shang Zhi Tao lost again, and she still chose to answer a question.
"Is anyone else pursuing you now?" Luan Nian asked this indifferently.
Shang Zhi Tao thought for a moment. If she said no, it would make her seem unattractive, so she prepared to lie, but then she heard Luan Nian say: "Lying makes you a pig."
...
"No." Shang Zhi Tao's social circle was very small. Aside from attending two offline matchmaking events while helping Sun Yu with work, it was just her colleagues and the few people around her.
"It's fine, not embarrassing, it's normal. You know, many people go their whole lives without ever being pursued, right?"
"I have been pursued. My ex-boyfriend loved me very much." Shang Zhi Tao was unconvinced.
"He loved you very much, yet you broke up?"
Luan Nian's mouth was vicious, and he would never change.
In the third round, Shang Zhi Tao lost again. She didn't want to answer any more questions—the next one would surely be even more embarrassing, otherwise it wouldn't be Luan Nian. She chose the forehead flick. Back when she lost and chose the forehead flick, Xin Zhaozhou would lightly tap her forehead with his fingertip. It didn't hurt at all; it was very gentle.
"You sure?"
"I'm sure."
Shang Zhi Tao lifted her bangs for Luan Nian to flick. As soon as she lifted them, she heard a crisp snap. The pain made her head buzz, and she immediately covered her forehead, looking at Luan Nian in disbelief.
She didn't even realize tears had welled up from the pain.
"What's wrong? Didn't you agree to accept the outcome gracefully?" Luan Nian finished playing along with her, got up to pour himself some water, leaving Shang Zhi Tao sitting there rubbing her head. He was in a bad mood.
Sometimes he didn't understand what Shang Zhi Tao was thinking, always bringing up her ex-boyfriend. What does it matter to me what you did when you were together? Why should I play a game you played with him?
Shang Zhi Tao was still a bit dazed. After a long while, she said: "I thought you'd be gentler."
"Why? Can't handle losing?"
"I..."
"Still playing?"
"No."
Shang Zhi Tao was also a little angry. She didn't know what she was thinking, but she casually picked up a sofa cushion and threw it at Luan Nian: "That hurt so much!""Serves you right." Luan Nian caught the cushion and tossed it onto the sofa, then sat back down himself. Seeing that Shang Zhi Tao’s forehead was slightly swollen, he pulled her closer for a careful look, muttering, "Seems like I hit you pretty hard. Did you cry from the pain?"
"I didn’t."
"Then you flick me back."
"I won’t. I didn’t win."
Shang Zhi Tao kept saying she could accept losing, but by now she really couldn’t. Luan Nian had flicked her too hard, and it made her a little upset. Only someone who didn’t care at all would be so rough.
"Alright then, you throw rock, and I’ll throw scissors," Luan Nian said to her.
"Okay."
In a symbolic round, Luan Nian lost. He pointed to his own forehead and said, "Come on, flick me."
Shang Zhi Tao pinched her thumb and middle finger together, blew on them, feeling the thrill of impending revenge. But as she reached her hand toward Luan Nian’s forehead, she changed her mind. She couldn’t bring herself to do it. Instead, she cupped his face and pressed her warm lips to his forehead.
"I couldn’t bear to," she said, hopping off the sofa to look for something to eat in the fridge. That light, fleeting kiss left a faint itch in Luan Nian’s heart.
It was hard to tell when this rain would stop. Shang Zhi Tao felt she probably wouldn’t be able to go back. She sent a message to Sun Yu, asking, "Are you back from Handan yet?"
"On the way. The rain is really heavy today. Are you back?"
"I’m at Luan Nian’s place. Can’t get a taxi."
"Got it. I have his address. If he really murders and dumps your body, at least we can catch the culprit, hahahaha."
Sun Yu laughed with Shang Zhi Tao, but the reality was she had her foot wrapped in bandages, suffering in pain on the train. She hadn’t told Shang Zhi Tao about the trouble she’d faced at work in Handan. The event hadn’t gone well—one female member was actually married, but Sun Yu’s system didn’t have that information. The member’s husband had brought people to disrupt the event, and Sun Yu had fallen, spraining her ankle. She hadn’t told anyone, feeling too embarrassed.
Sun Yu’s laughter had two extra "ha’s" this time—something was off. Shang Zhi Tao called her directly: "Are you okay?"
"I’m fine." Sun Yu looked at her foot, her eyes reddening. But she didn’t want to cry on a crowded train, so she clenched her teeth.
"It’s raining, and the entrance to the building is slippery. Be careful when you go upstairs. There are snacks in the drawer in my room. If you’re hungry, help yourself."
"Okay."
Sun Yu struggled to get to the entrance of her building. With her injured foot, climbing the stairs became a challenge. Standing at the doorway, watching the pouring rain, she finally couldn’t hold back and burst into tears.
Emotional breakdowns come so suddenly—a heart left adrift, feeling like she couldn’t go on any longer. Maybe it was better to just go home and get married.
Sun Yuanzhu appeared without warning. He had come downstairs to take out the trash during the heavy rain, planning to take a walk afterward, when he saw Sun Yu—soaked like a drowned rat, leaning on a crutch and crying her heart out.
"Are you okay?" He held his umbrella over her head, noticing her smudged makeup.
Sun Yu felt like everything was suffocating—the project was struggling, life was a mess of trivialities. She was on the verge of breaking down and choked out, "I’m not okay."
"Then let’s at least go upstairs first?"
Sun Yuanzhu stepped forward and took her suitcase. "Stay here. I’ll take your suitcase up first." He knew Sun Yu well—she’d worry about her luggage getting lost. Without waiting for her reply, he went upstairs alone. After a while, he quickly ran back down.He was breathing slightly heavily as he crouched down in front of Sun Yu. "Come on."
Sun Yuanzhu's back was so warm. Carrying Sun Yu up the stairs, Sun Yu felt as if her heart had been healed by him, gradually quieting her sobs.
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