Lin Wanyin picked up her shoes and put them on, walking toward Yun Li.
Setting aside previous events, Yun Li silently gave her a thumbs up in her heart.
The emergency call had already connected. Yun Li briefly recounted what had happened. She had seen the man’s back at work, but only recognized him as the one from last night when she saw his face clearly. It seemed he had been loitering nearby all along.
“You’ve run into him twice?” Lin Wanyin asked after hearing her call.
She dusted off her hands and straightened her clothes. Aside from her slightly domineering expression when speaking, she did look like a frail and quiet high school student.
“Yeah, I’ve already called the police,” Yun Li answered honestly. “You’re really brave…”
“There were two of us here,” Lin Wanyin dismissed the praise. “I wouldn’t chase him alone—I’m not stupid.”
After a pause, the two locked eyes. Lin Wanyin scrutinized Yun Li from head to toe, frowning. “Even with two people, you didn’t dare chase him. Aren’t you too much of a pushover?”
“...”
“And you let a minor do the chasing.”
Yun Li didn’t agree. Not knowing if the man might react violently, she would still choose to leave the scene and call the police.
But Lin Wanyin wasn’t wrong—she had indeed driven the creep away. Swallowing her pride, Yun Li conceded, “Got it. Next time, I’ll chase him.”
“I’m leaving. Stay safe.” In low spirits, she didn’t want to linger any longer and turned to head home.
After a few steps, she noticed Lin Wanyin following her.
Yun Li felt like her life had been a complete mess these past two days. She quickened her pace home, locked the door, and sat on the sofa for several minutes.
Getting up, she returned to the door and peeked through the peephole. Lin Wanyin was pacing outside before eventually sitting against the wall in the middle of the hallway.
She must have peeked at which floor Yun Li’s elevator stopped on.
Faced with Fu Shize’s niece, Yun Li now felt her own position was a little strange—somewhat like an elder, yet also somewhat afraid of this source of trouble.
She cracked the door open slightly.
Lin Wanyin sprang up from the floor.
“I’ll tell you one of his secrets. If you guys go out, can I tag along?” Lin Wanyin, probably worried about rejection, lowered her voice. “I’m an influencer. I’ve posted online saying he’s my boyfriend.”
Her tone shifted. “It’s not like I expect him to actually like me. Just help me live out the fantasy online.”
“...”
“Isn’t Xu Qingsong pretty handsome too?”
“A-Ze was the top scorer in the college entrance exam. People would say I have a tall, rich, handsome, genius boyfriend.” Lin Wanyin had already constructed what she deemed the perfect scenario.
Yun Li was speechless.
Lin Wanyin pleaded, “Please, just help me set it up once. You might even be my aunt someday.”
Yun Li: “If I set you up with him, how could I still be your aunt?”
Her refusal was clear. Yun Li felt out of touch with the times, unable to fully grasp what young people were thinking these days.
Lin Wanyin adopted the same tone she used with Fu Shize: “If you refuse, I’ll tell my grandparents. You’ll never set foot in their house.”
Yun Li stared at her calmly and slowly said, “By then, your uncle will be the one stepping into my house.”
“...”
Caught off guard by the counter, Lin Wanyin’s eyes darted before she retorted defiantly, “I’ve known A-Ze for seventeen years. How long have you known him?”"About half a year," Yun Li replied cooperatively. "Too bad it's me, who only knew him for half a year, that became his girlfriend."
"..."
The two of them stood by the door arguing like schoolchildren. Yun Li found herself inexplicably drawn into the quarrel. Exhausted, she sighed and said, "Your uncle isn't here. There's no point in you staying. Go home."
"I know, great-grandmother is sick, and Aze is over there keeping her company," Lin Wanyin continued. "But why aren’t you with him? Aze grew up with his great-grandparents. Now that great-grandfather has passed, he must be really upset. You’re such a lousy girlfriend."
"..."
Having lost the earlier argument, Lin Wanyin felt a smug satisfaction seeing Yun Li's expression and couldn’t help but smirk. "You didn’t even know that, did you? You don’t understand him at all. What kind of relationship are you even in?"
Yun Li remained silent, which only emboldened Lin Wanyin further. "Oh, I get it! You two are just in some short-term fling, aren’t you?"
After a pause, Yun Li finally responded, "I know all that."
Then, with visible displeasure, she shut the door. "Go home already."
Yun Li sent Xu Qingsong a message to inform him of Lin Wanyin’s whereabouts. Sitting back on the sofa, she absentmindedly picked up the origami on the table.
She really didn’t know anything.
A mix of frustration and self-reproach welled up inside her. She hadn’t had the courage to ask, and now she’d given others the chance to criticize her.
After stewing on the couch for a while, Yun Li grabbed her bag, put on her shoes, and headed out.
She remembered Fu Shize mentioning that the elderly woman was at Nan Da First Affiliated Hospital, in the cardiology department. Once she found the inpatient ward, she sat on a bench outside.
Normally, Yun Li wouldn’t do something like this—it felt too abrupt and presumptuous. But she thought that maybe, just maybe, he needed someone right now.
She hated the feeling of distance. She wanted to be the one who understood him and stood by him.
Inside the hospital room, Fu Shize remained seated by the bed. Fu Dongsheng and Chen Jinping hadn’t stopped talking beside him, while the elderly woman on the bed, hard of hearing, watched the scene with gentle eyes.
Fu Dongsheng spoke earnestly, "Son, your dad can take care of things here. Go back and spend time with your girlfriend."
Chen Jinping chimed in, "Your mom and I have nothing going on right now. Go enjoy your relationship."
Ever since they saw Lin Wanyin’s social media post, they had repeatedly tried to confirm with Fu Shize, but he never responded. He never shared anything about his personal life with them.
Over time, they began to doubt whether this girlfriend even existed, and every time they met, they probed incessantly.
Fu Shize ignored them, leaning against the bed and gently holding the elderly woman’s hand, covered in red and black spots.
"If you don’t want to tell us, fine, but don’t leave the girl hanging either," Fu Dongsheng advised. "When we came in, there was a girl sitting outside. Was she waiting for you?"
"..." The conversation was getting more and more absurd.
Fu Shize replied, "Don’t know her."
Not wanting to listen to their nonsense any longer, Fu Shize stood up to step outside for a smoke. As he reached the door, he spotted a slender, familiar figure curled up on the bench, scrolling through her phone. Her hair draped over her ears, framing her fair, soft cheeks. Below her delicate, slightly upturned nose, her pale pink lips glistened faintly.Fu Shize pushed the door open, his gaze softening as he stepped forward to take Yun Li's hand and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'll be out soon."
Fu Dongsheng still had something to say to him and followed behind, witnessing the scene directly.
"......"
Fu Shize returned to put on his coat and said to the two of them, "Take care of things for a while."
"Is that girl your girlfriend? Can Mom and Dad go out and say hello to her?"
Fu Shize remained silent.
"Dad knows this might be overstepping, don’t mind me. Was that girl really waiting for you just now? Girls aren’t so casual about these things."
"......"
"Son, if you kiss someone, you have to take responsibility."
Chen Jinping covered her mouth in shock. "He kissed her?"
Fu Dongsheng declared earnestly, "I saw it with my own eyes." Though it was just on the forehead.
Fu Shize wrapped the gray scarf around his neck, ignoring them, and walked straight out the door.
Yun Li had been waiting for a while and stood up when she saw him.
"I just wanted to keep you company and see if there’s anything I can do to help." Her voice was soft, carrying a soothing tone. Fu Shize took her hand, and only then did Yun Li notice the two people following behind him.
She immediately realized they were Fu Shize’s parents.
Both were dressed neatly and appeared kind and gentle. Chen Jinping spoke politely, "Hello, I’m Shize’s mother, and this is my husband."
Fu Shize glanced at them: "......"
Chen Jinping invited Yun Li to the café downstairs. Fu Dongsheng didn’t join them—the elderly patient had a one-on-one caregiver, so it wasn’t a problem for them to step away briefly.
Yun Li followed nervously beside Fu Shize, who seemed calm, as if he wasn’t surprised by this turn of events.
Though their facial features were similar, their demeanors when speaking were entirely different. Chen Jinping’s voice was gentle as she casually asked Yun Li about her circumstances.
She reminded Yun Li a bit of her own mother, Yang Fang.
They hadn’t been seated long when Fu Dongsheng arrived with a gift bag. He sat beside Chen Jinping, his temples graying but his expression lively.
Fu Dongsheng turned to Yun Li and asked slowly, "Yun Li, do you have a nickname?"
"Others usually call me Lili."
"Lili." Fu Dongsheng switched effortlessly and handed her the gift. "This meeting was rather sudden, so we didn’t prepare a gift in advance. I had to drive out to buy one just now. I hope you don’t mind."
The two didn’t pry too much, only warmly inviting her to their home for a meal next time.
Finally alone, Fu Shize took Yun Li for a walk around the hospital area. He hadn’t slept for two nights and had almost thought he was hallucinating when he saw her.
"Grandma is getting older and often hospitalized, but it’s nothing serious." Fu Shize briefly explained the situation, the corner of his lips lifting. "But I’m really glad you came."
Relieved that her presence hadn’t caused trouble, Yun Li smiled too.
As they wandered aimlessly, Yun Li was mentally preparing herself.
After fidgeting for a while, the person beside her chuckled lightly and touched her earlobe. "You’ve been hesitating long enough. Spit it out."
"I met your parents," Yun Li said slowly. "Our relationship... should be considered a step further now, right?"
"Mn."“Then—” Yun Li tugged at his sleeve. “I feel like I don’t know you well enough yet.” Once she started, the words seemed to flow more easily.
“I’m not the type to ask much on my own. But I don’t like this feeling of not knowing you.”
“I want to be the one who knows you best.”
Fu Shize waited for her to continue.
After saying those words, Yun Li couldn’t help but second-guess herself, hesitating, “Do you think I’m too controlling?”
“No. But—” Fu Shize smiled. “I like being controlled.”
“…”
Even though his tone was perfectly normal, Yun Li inexplicably let her mind wander. She poked him. “Then tell me about your childhood.”
Fu Shize hummed in agreement.
As he leaned in, Yun Li pressed a hand against him, maintaining a safe distance. “Just talk like this.”
“No.” He grabbed her hand, bringing his face close to hers, lowering his voice as he slowly recounted his past—pausing every now and then to kiss the corner of her lips.
It wasn’t as complicated as she imagined. His parents were professors at West Science and Technology University and had only started returning to Nanwu frequently in recent years due to work. He grew up with his grandparents, seeing his parents once a month, so he wasn’t particularly close to them.
After finishing this part, Fu Shize still seemed eager to continue, lowering his gaze as he murmured, “Keep asking.”
Yun Li, thoroughly distracted by his kisses, pushed him away, deciding not to ask further. But at least—it seemed that he was willing to share, and it was only because she hadn’t asked before.
“There’s something else I wanted to tell you. I didn’t want you to worry yesterday.” Yun Li haltingly recounted the incident with the creep. As she spoke, the faint smile in Fu Shize’s eyes visibly faded.
She continued, “I’ve already reported it to the police. I can take care of myself, but… I’m just really scared. I booked a ticket for Yun Ye to come tomorrow, but—” Her voice trembled slightly. “I just… really wanted you to be there.”
She tried her best to keep her tone steady as she spoke, but Fu Shize remained silent for a long time, watching her forced smile.
“Were you hurt?”
Yun Li shook her head. At the time, she had felt disgusted, and after running into Lin Wanyin, the whole incident took on a somewhat comedic tone. But now, her predominant emotion was fear—fear of encountering that man again.
He pulled Yun Li into his arms.
“Lili, move into my place.” He looked at her. “Come over tonight.”
…
Fu Shize returned to the hospital room to grab his keys, leaving the overnight shift to his parents.
He thought about the call Yun Li had made to him.
An indescribable feeling settled in his chest.
She must have been terrified back then.
A wave of guilt crashed over him. Clenching the keys, he silently led Yun Li to the parking lot.
After starting the car, warmth quickly filled the cabin, but Fu Shize couldn’t calm his emotions. He turned the engine off again.
“Lili.”
He turned to her, and after a long pause, whispered, “I’m sorry, Lili.”
I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.
On the way, Yun Li and Fu Shize discussed living arrangements. The apartment in South River Garden had three large bedrooms and was located in the heart of Nanwu’s old city center, right next to the municipal government—making it one of the safest areas in the city.
They would stay in separate rooms.
Throughout the conversation, Fu Shize responded calmly, but Yun Li could tell his mind was elsewhere.
“If anything happens in the future,” Fu Shize suddenly said, “let me know immediately.”
Yun Li hummed in agreement.After picking up a change of clothes and pajamas from the apartment, Fu Shize took Yun Li to South River Garden and cleared out a spare room for her.
Fu Shize didn’t allow her to go onto the balcony, but she was free to explore everywhere else.
The living room was immaculate, showing no signs of daily life—not even a single tissue box on the table.
Yun Li wasn’t interested in the other areas and followed him straight to his room. The bookshelf was filled with books and drone models, while a bed with deep blue bedding sat in the corner.
"After I move in, I’ll pay you rent for Seven Mile Fragrant Capital. I was originally planning to use it for housing anyway," Yun Li said, not wanting to take advantage of him.
Fu Shize glanced at her. "No rent."
Yun Li thought for a moment. "Then consider it your living expenses." She calculated briefly. "With my current income, I should be able to afford supporting a man."
"..."
"Yun Ye is coming tomorrow, so I’ll still go back to stay there. I’ll officially move in after the New Year."
It was a reasonable suggestion. Feeling drowsy, Fu Shize hummed in agreement, his voice nasal.
After speaking, Yun Li returned to her room to tidy up a bit.
Having not slept for two days, the sight of the bed made her exhaustion overwhelming. Fu Shize lay down facing away from the bed, covering his eyes with the back of his hand to block out the light.
A while later, Yun Li returned to his room, leaned over him, and shook him gently. "Since I’m still a guest right now, you should treat me properly."
Too exhausted to move, Fu Shize pulled her into his arms, turned over, and wrapped himself around her. "Will this do as proper treatment?"
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