Yun Li waved her hand, offering a dry explanation: "Since you couldn't get a ride, I thought I'd help you book one..."
When he remained silent, she added awkwardly, "Don't think I have any ulterior motives."
Only after hearing her words did Fu Shize notice it was already 8:30 p.m.
Looking at Yun Li, he saw she wore light makeup and had a tall figure. Her cheeks were flushed red from the cold, softening the sharpness of her features and making her look like an undergraduate student. Recalling how she'd been approached by a man earlier in the building, it seemed perfectly reasonable.
His phone vibrated. Fu Shize glanced down—the app showed a driver had accepted his ride, two kilometers away with an estimated five-minute wait.
He peeked at Yun Li's screen, which still displayed "Searching for driver."
Noticing his gaze, she tilted her phone toward him. "There might not be many cars available right now. Still waiting. Did you get one?"
"..."
Fu Shize stared at his screen and tapped it absently a few times.
He looked up and pocketed his phone. "Couldn't get one."
Yun Li checked the time. "Then... maybe I should drive you? I have my car—it'll only take about ten minutes to get you back."
"It's late, and for both professional and personal reasons, I'd prefer you get home early." Her voice was soft, and she avoided meeting his eyes, afraid of another rejection.
Fu Shize studied her quietly for a moment before relenting. "Alright."
Having braced herself for refusal, his agreement instantly lifted her mood. She walked ahead. "The car's over here."
Yun Li drove—the hotel was a twenty-minute trip from West Science and Technology University. After exiting the highway, it was another three kilometers.
Remembering the purpose of his visit, she asked, "Did you bring the VR Device this time?"
Fu Shize gave a faint hum of acknowledgment.
Yun Li kept her tone professional. "For the promotional video I'm making for EAW, I'd like my brother to appear in it—he's quite popular. Could I borrow the equipment tomorrow?"
She added casually, "You can just hand it to me when I drop you off tonight. I'll bring it back to West Science and Technology University the day after. You don’t need to come tomorrow."
Fu Shize: "I only brought the full-body tracking equipment. You wouldn’t know how to operate it."
They arrived near the hotel, and Yun Li focused on scanning for parking spots, replying hurriedly, "Never mind, then. See you Monday."
"..."
After unlocking the doors, she turned to Fu Shize. He sat quietly against the seat, the shadows from the streetlights falling across his face.
"What time tomorrow?"
"Huh?" Yun Li was momentarily caught off guard before quickly correcting herself. "Is ten okay? At Xinguang Residential Area. I can pick you up, or you can let me know when you arrive."
Fu Shize tilted his head slightly, answering without much thought. "I'll go myself."
...
The moment Yun Li stepped through the door, she heard Dui Dui frantically scratching at Yun Ye's bedroom door. She knocked, but there was no response—the door was locked.
Lying on her bed, she replayed the day's events.
It seemed he wouldn’t agree to meet privately, but if it was work-related, he didn’t seem opposed to seeing her.
And what that bespectacled man had said—Fu Shize had taken a leave of absence from school.
The term felt distant to Yun Li, something she associated with those struggling academically or needing rest due to health issues. Yet Fu Shize had taken a job at EAW.
She wondered what had happened to make him so withdrawn and reticent.Yun Li didn't dwell on the matter for too long. She naturally assumed that as long as he was willing, he could reclaim all his former glory.
Hearing the sound of the TV, Yun Li went to the living room to pour herself some water. Yun Ye was sprawled on the sofa, propping his chin as he stared intently at the screen. "I've been home all day," he said.
Yun Li: "Oh."
Yun Ye didn’t respond.
Yun Li went back to her room without another word. After a while, she came out again, as if suddenly realizing something, and said incredulously, "You’re not saying I didn’t keep you company, are you?"
Yun Ye: "..."
Yun Ye scowled. "No."
"Oh, good then."
"..."
Yun Li walked over and sat down on the sofa. "I borrowed a VR set from a colleague today. He’ll bring it over tomorrow for you to try."
"What kind?" Yun Ye’s expression brightened slightly. "You borrowed it just for me?"
Yun Li couldn’t be bothered to explain. "It’s fun, anyway."
The next day, Yang Fang and Yun Yongchang weren’t home. Yun Li got up at seven to clean the house and bought some fresh strawberries while she was out.
Yun Ye usually slept in on Sundays. Yun Li knocked on his door. "Yun Ye, Yun Ye."
Knock knock knock.
No response.
Knock knock knock.
Yun Li kept knocking. "Yun Ye, Yun Ye."
Only after hearing a muffled reply did she push the door open.
Yun Ye was lying on his side, squinting, the blanket tangled between his legs. His usually smooth hair was tousled from static, and he looked at her blearily. "What do you want?"
Yun Li picked up a broom and started sweeping. "You’re up early. It’s only just past seven."
"..."
Yun Ye frowned. "Who was knocking on my door just now?"
Yun Li answered matter-of-factly, "Me!" She frowned back. "Why are you asking?"
"..."
Yun Ye flopped back down. "I beg you," he groaned. "Next time, just come in and kill me."
Yun Li smirked and tugged at his blanket. "My colleague’s coming soon. Get up and make yourself presentable. And remember to be polite."
Yun Ye covered his head with a pillow, grumbling, "Yun Li, is your colleague a guy or a girl?"
Yun Li paused mid-sweep. "Why does it matter?"
"If it’s a guy, beg him to take you off my hands," Yun Ye snapped, irritable from being woken up. "Honestly, a girl would do too."
After breakfast, Yun Li threw on a thick coat and went downstairs to take out the trash. After tossing the garbage, she washed her hands at the nearby sink and spotted someone sitting in the pavilion in the distance.
She recognized him immediately and shuffled over, hands stuffed in her pockets. "Fu Shize."
Fu Shize looked up at her.
"Why didn’t you go upstairs? It’s freezing out here," Yun Li said. "And didn’t you just recover from a cold?"
Fu Shize: "It’s not ten yet."
"..."
"Still time for a smoke."
"..."
Yun Li: "Come upstairs with me first. It’s fine."
Once inside, Yun Li handed him a pair of slippers and discussed where they’d set up for gaming later.
Hearing the commotion, Yun Ye opened his bedroom door, and Dui Dui immediately dashed toward Fu Shize, wagging his tail and circling him excitedly. Fu Shize, who had been unpacking equipment, paused to pat the dog’s head.
Taking in the sight of the extra person and dog in the living room, Yun Li glanced between Dui Dui and Yun Ye and remarked, "You two reacted pretty much the same."
Yun Ye: "..."Yun Ye was dressed in a casual knitted long-sleeve shirt and sweatpants, looking slightly embarrassed. "Hello, brother. I'm Yun Ye."
Fu Shize stood up to respond, "Hello, I'm Fu Shize."
"Sis—" Yun Ye suddenly froze, standing dumbfounded with his hand raised in mid-air. "Isn't this the guy from the photo you had taped on your wall in high school?"
"How did you chase after him for so—"
At the same time, Yun Li's voice abruptly amplified: "YUN YE!!!"
Yun Ye also realized he had spoken out of turn and scratched his head, walking over to sit on the sofa. Dui Dui also moved from Fu Shize's feet to Yun Ye's side.
The atmosphere grew tense.
"You've mistaken me for someone else," Fu Shize spoke first. "I've only known her for three months."
Noticing Yun Li's sharp glare, Yun Ye hunched his shoulders. To make up for his blunder, he took a deep breath and explained, "Sorry, I think I got the wrong person. On closer look, you’re completely different."
Yun Li's gaze sliced through the air like a blade.
"And my sister has never chased after anyone," Yun Ye declared confidently.
"..."
Seeing Yun Li's persistent displeasure, Yun Ye didn’t dare linger. After sitting on the sofa for a while, he stood up again. "I’ll get you a glass of water."
Deeming Yun Ye useless, Yun Li followed him into the kitchen to shoo him away.
Yun Li: "Give it to me. Just go back to your room. This has nothing to do with you."
Yun Ye lowered his voice and asked, "Is he my future brother-in-law?"
Furious, Yun Li smacked him. "What nonsense are you spouting? Get lost."
Yun Ye had no choice but to retreat, slinking out of the kitchen and back to his room.
Passing through the living room, he waved at Fu Shize. "Brother, I’m going back to study."
Fu Shize nodded.
Only after Yun Ye returned to his room did Fu Shize take out the infrared recorder and set it up, then retrieve the two VR Devices. Just as he was about to ask Yun Li for the Wi-Fi password, the second network that popped up was 'Yun Ye Don’t Connect.'
"..."
"The Wi-Fi password."
Yun Li: "The password is the pinyin of the Wi-Fi name, all lowercase."
Noticing how Fu Shize occasionally placed a hand on his abdomen, Yun Li hesitated. "Have you eaten breakfast?"
Fu Shize responded with a noncommittal "Hmm."
About ten minutes later, Fu Shize finished setting up the equipment and returned to the sofa. Spotting a group photo on the TV stand, he walked over to take a look. It was likely Yun Li from her high school days, smiling shyly with her arm around Yun Ye.
He only snapped out of it when Yun Li called him, returning to sit on the sofa.
A plate of toast and a cup of coffee had appeared on the coffee table. Without ceremony, he took a few slow bites.
Seeing he didn’t refuse, Yun Li secretly sighed in relief. He glanced up at her and asked casually, "What photo?"
"..."
Right now, Yun Li just wanted to grab Yun Ye and beat him up.
"You don’t need to know," Yun Li muttered under her breath before rushing to the fridge to grab strawberries, her mind a chaotic mess.
Frustrated, Yun Li plucked the stems off the strawberries, imagining each one as Yun Ye being tossed into the trash. After washing them, she arranged them on a plate and set it in front of Fu Shize.
"Just washed. Have some."
Fu Shize pushed the plate away. "No, thanks."
"..."
His expression was as unreadable as ever, but his calm eyes held a hint of coldness.
Even though he had been willing to eat the breakfast she prepared earlier.Seeing this, Yun Li took a small stool and sat opposite him, lowering her eyes as she picked up a strawberry to eat. When reaching for the second one, she scanned the plate and found the specific shape she had deliberately chosen from the stall that morning.
She quietly placed this strawberry in front of Fu Shize, cushioned with a piece of paper.
A heart-shaped one.
Yun Li then picked another from the plate and ate it slowly, as if nothing had happened.
"..."
Fu Shize’s gaze lingered on the strawberry—its deep red hue glistened temptingly.
Though the air conditioning wasn’t on, the room felt much stuffier than outside. He leaned back, unbuttoning his coat.
The air seemed to stiffen.
Yun Li could hear her own heartbeat growing faster and faster. After gathering her courage for a long while, she finally murmured in a low voice, "Actually, that was your photo. I saw it when I was in my first year of high school."
"If you hadn’t reappeared, I would’ve forgotten about you."
"But then you had to show up again."
She spoke while looking away, the tips of her ears reddening as if deeply embarrassed.
Fu Shize, who had been in the middle of taking off his coat, paused at her words.
Yun Li wanted to say more, but suddenly, the sound of Yun Ye opening the door startled her. Like a thief caught in the act, she instinctively shot to her feet and said awkwardly, "Yun Ye, you can play now. This… brother has already set up the equipment."
She lowered her head to turn on the recording.
Perhaps out of nervousness, her words came out rapid-fire: "Let’s play together for a bit first, then I’ll play alone later."
Yun Ye blinked in confusion. "Sis, slow down."
Yun Li took a deep breath and repeated herself at a more measured pace.
Fu Shize remained seated on the sofa for a while before standing up. He helped them put on the VR gear and, as previously agreed with Yun Li, launched a horror game—their gameplay would be projected onto Yun Li’s laptop.
Leaning against the wall, he watched as the two tensely entered the game. At first, they stood a meter or two apart, but before long, Yun Ye had sidled up next to Yun Li.
Yun Ye: "Damn, Yun Li, this is kinda scary."
Yun Li: "Yun Ye, you go first."
Yun Ye: "No way. You’re the older sister—you go first."
Yun Li: "Please, Yun Ye."
Yun Ye: "Please, Yun Li."
"..."
Fu Shize returned to the sofa, his gaze once again falling on the heart-shaped strawberry—like a forbidden object calling out to him.
He glanced at Yun Li and Yun Ye, still engrossed in the game.
A strange longing stirred within him, an urge to disrupt the current equilibrium.
He picked up the strawberry and took a slow bite.
The first level took them only ten minutes to complete. Fu Shize removed Yun Ye’s gear first, then verbally guided Yun Li to open the second game. Once she played a short segment, today’s task would be complete.
After Yun Li started the game, Fu Shize motioned for Yun Ye to come over.
"Have some strawberries."
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