The lighting in the Japanese restaurant was dim and warm.
Warm light fell on the wooden tabletop, the atmosphere quiet and comfortable.
Bai Xu and Yun Xi sat down at a tatami booth by the window.
The waiter handed over the menu and stood respectfully to the side, waiting.
Yun Xi took the menu and flipped through a few pages. “Their sashimi is very fresh. We could get a mixed sashimi platter.”
Bai Xu nodded, his eyes on the menu, answering absently, ”Sure, and add an order of salmon belly.”
His gaze swept over the grilled items section.
Yakitori skewers, lanterns, chicken hearts, chicken skin, chicken gizzards…
He tapped the menu with his finger. ”Two yakitori platters, three lantern skewers, and two chicken heart skewers.”
The waiter lowered his head to write down the order.
Yun Xi looked up and glanced at the dense checkmarks on the menu, freezing slightly.
She asked softly, a hint of confusion in her eyes, ”That’s a lot of food. Are you sure the two of us can finish it?”
It looked like enough for three people.
Bai Xu’s finger paused on the menu.
“I’ll pack some for Yan—”
He stopped himself.
The rest of the sentence caught hard in his throat.
I’ll pack some to take home for Yanyan.
Chicken hearts and lanterns are her favorites.
He lowered his eyes and crossed out half of the extra items he’d ordered.
“My mistake. I ordered too much.” His voice was soft, as if explaining to Yun Xi, or as if talking to himself.
Yun Xi glanced at him, something flickering in her gaze.
She didn’t press further, just gave a soft “mm” and lowered her head to look at the menu again.
Bai Xu picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip.
The tea was a bit hot, scalding the tip of his tongue.
The slight sting made him a little more clear-headed.
Damn it.
Had he really been Chu Yanyan’s servant for so long that it became habit?
He ordered her favorite foods out of pure reflex.
She was living at his eldest brother’s place now. His eldest brother would take care of her—no need for him to worry.
He set down the teacup, put on a smiling face, and chatted with Yun Xi about recent happenings at school.
His tone was relaxed and natural.
But he himself knew that beneath the smile lay an indescribable trace of irritation.
After dinner, the two parted ways at the entrance of the Japanese restaurant.
Yun Xi waved at him, then turned and walked off into the night.
Bai Xu watched her go, then drove home alone.
The three-story villa was brightly lit.
The moment he pushed open the door, the entryway was so quiet he could hear his own breathing.
He changed his shoes and walked in. The living room was empty, the sofa perfectly neat.
Nothing on the coffee table, the TV turned off.
It hadn’t been like this before.
Chu Yanyan used to curl up there, sprawled all over the place.
Sometimes lying sideways, sometimes lengthwise, sometimes with her head on the armrest and her feet hanging off the sofa—her positions were endlessly creative.
She would either talk to herself, rambling on about this and that.
Or sing and howl, her voice swelling and fading, the tune wandering off to the clouds.
In short, she was very noisy.
Noisy enough to give him headaches.
Now it was quiet.
Too quiet.
Bai Xu sat on the sofa for a while, then got up to take a shower.
Water rushed noisily, steam filling the bathroom.
He stood under the showerhead, eyes closed, letting the hot water pour over him for a long time.
After washing up, he lay down on the bed.
The bedroom was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.
Bai Xu stared at the ceiling, rolled over, and pulled the blanket up to his chin.
So this was freedom, huh.
No one was used to suddenly gaining freedom.
Commonly known as being born with cheap bones—he just didn’t know what was good for him.
With that thought, he closed his eyes with an easy conscience and fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning.
Sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains and fell on Bai Xu’s face.
He didn’t open his eyes. His mind was still adrift in the haze between sleep and waking, but his body reacted before his brain caught up.
He got out of bed, slipped on his slippers, and shuffled groggily out of the bedroom, following the hallway to the door at the very end.
He raised his hand and knocked.
“Yanyan, get up. Time for school. Come down and have breakfast.”
His voice was hoarse and nasal, thick with sleep.
He knocked three times.
No response.
The hallway was silent, except for the echo of his own voice.
He frowned and knocked a few more times.
“Yanyan? Did you hear me? You’ll be late if you don’t get up.”
Still, no one answered.
And then, suddenly—
Bai Xu’s mind finally struggled awake from its slumber.
His hand froze in midair, his gaze slowly going unfocused.
He reached out and grasped the doorknob. With a gentle twist, the door swung open.
The room was empty.
The bed was neatly made.
The nightstand was bare, the closet doors were shut, and the curtains were drawn tight.
The vanity was completely cleared off—all those cluttered bottles and jars were gone.
Everything in the room was perfectly in order.
As if no one had ever lived there.
Bai Xu stood in the doorway, hand still on the doorknob, rooted to the spot like a statue.
Looking at that empty bed, he suddenly felt his throat tighten.
He took a step back and closed the door.
He turned and leaned against the hallway wall, closing his eyes for a moment.
He told himself: You have to forget about this. Right now.
Chu Yanyan went to their eldest brother’s place.
She’s fine.
She doesn’t need him worrying about her.
He took a deep breath and turned into the bathroom.
He twisted the faucet open and splashed cold water on his face. The icy touch jolted him fully awake.