Rong Jiqiao opened her mouth, but no words came out for a long moment.
“I wasn’t thinking about breaking up.”
Duan Yan lowered his head and continued eating, as though trying to hide some emotion.
“Then is someone else pursuing you?”
Rong Jiqiao thought of the text message she’d received a few nights ago and felt a little guilty, but she forced herself to remain calm.
“No. I just wanted to find a job. How did you even come to that conclusion?”
Honestly, it wasn’t unreasonable for Duan Yan to think that way.
The changes in Rong Jiqiao over the past few weeks had simply been too dramatic.
Not only had she taken the initiative to find a job, but she had also sold some of her belongings to cover the rent, stopped wandering around aimlessly, and kept their home spotless and organized.
That alone was enough to make Duan Yan suspicious.
Unless something had happened that she was hiding from him, it was hard to believe a person could change so much in such a short time.
“Then why are you looking for a job?”
Rong Jiqiao grew anxious.
“I just want to help share some of the burden. Look at you right now…”
She pointed at the lunch box in his hand, where only the pickled vegetables remained.
Duan Yan followed her gaze and paused.
“I just haven’t been paid yet.”
“But you clearly don’t have any money, and you still transferred so much to me.”
Duan Yan fell silent.
He lowered his head and ate quickly.
Sitting beside him, Rong Jiqiao didn’t know what else to say.
After a while, Duan Yan set down the lunch box.
“I don’t need your help.”
Rong Jiqiao pressed her lips together.
“I just want to work. I don’t want to stay at home all the time.”
Duan Yan looked up at her.
“Really?”
“Really.” She nodded. “And I can’t keep spending your money forever. I should have some savings of my own too.”
Why had Rong Jiqiao suddenly started wanting to save money?
Why had she suddenly become unwilling to spend his money?
Duan Yan didn’t believe that nothing had happened.
But it was obvious she didn’t want to talk about it.
He stared at her for several seconds before standing up.
He was nearly a head taller than her. Standing there against the afternoon sunlight, his silhouette seemed sharply cut from stone.
The dust from the construction site had coated his dark T-shirt in a thin layer of white, yet his broad shoulders remained perfectly straight.
His features were strikingly defined—strong brows slightly furrowed, a high nose bridge, and a clean, sharp jawline. When he wasn’t speaking, he resembled a cold, unyielding rock that discouraged people from approaching him casually.
“Fine.”
He brushed the dirt from his pants and turned back toward the construction site.
Rong Jiqiao remained seated on the rock, watching his retreating figure.
She felt that something was wrong.
Yet she couldn’t put her finger on what it was.
The attitude Duan Yan had gradually softened because of her recent improvements had suddenly hardened again.
…
Monday arrived.
Rong Jiqiao reported for work at the clinic.
The director’s surname was Lin. She spent half an hour explaining the clinic’s rules and procedures.
The clinic wasn’t large. During her shifts, there were only two doctors and three nurses on duty.
The work wasn’t particularly exhausting, but it required constant communication.
Taking blood pressure readings, registering patients, guiding them to consultation rooms—she spent eight hours on her feet.
When Rong Jiqiao returned home after her first day, her heels hurt so badly that she could barely put her full weight on them while walking.
A few days later, payday arrived for Duan Yan’s security job.
Rong Jiqiao was washing dishes when her phone vibrated on the counter.
She shook the water from her hands and picked it up.
Transfer received from Duan Yan: 7,500 yuan.
She stared at the number, stunned.
At this time of the month, it should have been the salary from his security job. He had received a promotion—his monthly pay had increased from 5,500 yuan to 7,500 yuan.
Had he really kept nothing for himself again?
Lately, Rong Jiqiao had begun to feel that something about Duan Yan was… different.
Something about Duan Yan had felt awkward and off lately.
Rong Jiqiao was completely bewildered.
She was changing for the better too, doing her best to act like a considerate and caring partner.
So why did Duan Yan still seem unhappy?
Since she needed to stay on his good side before he eventually returned to the Duan family, she had to figure out exactly what was bothering him.
After all, once Duan Yan learned the truth, whether she lived comfortably, was thrown out with a little money, or suffered something worse would depend entirely on a single thought from him.
That realization made her nervous.
That evening, Rong Jiqiao put a great deal of effort into preparing dinner.
She bought pork ribs and simmered them for over an hour.
The potatoes were stewed until tender, and the broth had reduced into a rich, thick sauce.
She also stir-fried some green peppers and made a cold cucumber salad.
When Duan Yan returned, warm steam was still drifting from the kitchen.
As he changed his shoes by the door, he glanced inside.
“You cooked?”
“Yeah. Come eat while it’s hot.”
Carrying the clay pot out from the kitchen, Rong Jiqiao carefully set it on a heat pad and lifted the lid.
A cloud of fragrant steam immediately rose into the air.
After washing his hands, Duan Yan sat down.
He picked up a rib, took a bite, and said nothing.
Then he lowered his head and picked up another piece.
Watching him from the corner of her eye, Rong Jiqiao relaxed a little when she saw him continually adding food to his bowl.
After only a few bites, he scraped the remaining rice into the clay pot and mixed it with the leftover sauce at the bottom.
Rong Jiqiao nearly laughed at the sight but managed to hold it in.
“Good?”
“Mm.”
She pushed the cucumber salad toward him.
“Eat some of this too. It’ll cut through the richness.”
Duan Yan picked up a chopstickful, chewed twice, and lowered his head to continue eating.
There wasn’t much conversation at the dinner table.
As she ate, Rong Jiqiao secretly observed his expression.
Judging from his mood, she thought this might be a good time to talk.
Just as she was about to speak, Duan Yan’s phone rang.
After hanging up, he said,
“The place where I’m doing part-time work is short-handed. I’m going to help out.”
Rong Jiqiao swallowed the words she had been preparing to say.
“All right… What time will you be back?”
“Not sure.”
He quickly finished his meal, grabbed his jacket, and headed out.
…
After cleaning up the dishes, Rong Jiqiao waited for a while.
Since Duan Yan still hadn’t returned, she decided to take a shower and go to bed.
Halfway through her shower, the water heater suddenly went silent.
She paused and tested the water temperature.
Sure enough, it was getting cold.
Quickly, she turned the faucet all the way up, thinking it might be a pressure issue.
Instead, the stream became weaker and weaker until the hot water disappeared completely.
At that moment, she heard the front door open.
Duan Yan was back.
Through the bathroom door, she called out softly,
“Duan Yan.”
A sliver of light shone through the gap beneath the door as footsteps approached.
“What is it?”
“The hot water’s gone. Can you check the water heater for me?”
There was a brief pause outside.
“Okay.”
The footsteps moved away.
Standing in the bathroom with her arms wrapped around herself, Rong Jiqiao shivered.
The tiles were cold beneath her feet.
She stepped onto the bath mat and stood on tiptoe.
She hadn’t finished rinsing her hair, and droplets of water ran down the back of her neck.
After standing there for a while, she took a step backward.
Her foot landed on water that had splashed onto the floor earlier.
The edge of the bath mat curled upward.
Her foot slipped.
She fell toward the right side and instinctively reached for the towel rack.
She managed to grab it, but her ankle twisted sharply.
A sharp pain shot through her leg, and she sucked in a breath.
Unable to keep her balance, she slid down the wall into a crouch.
“Jiqiao?”
Hearing the noise, the man outside called out.
Gritting her teeth, she grabbed a bath towel and wrapped it around herself.
“I twisted my ankle. Can you come in and help me?”
Silence followed.
For about two seconds, there was no response.
The door opened.
Duan Yan walked in and immediately lowered his gaze. He saw her crouched in the corner of the bathroom, wet hair sticking to her cheek, one hand gripping the towel rack, and her ankle twisted outward at an unnatural angle.
He took two steps inside and crouched down.
“Where does it hurt?”
“Right foot—”
She hadn’t finished speaking before he was already holding her calf, gently pressing along the edge of her ankle.
Rong Jiqiao let out a soft breath.
It hurt.
Duan Yan set her foot down and stood up.
“I’ll carry you out. We’ll go to the hospital and get it checked.”
“I don’t think it’s broken. It just hurts a bit.”
“Then I’ll bring a chair for you to sit. I’ll go fix the water heater. Clean off the body wash first, and I’ll help you apply medicine after you get out.”
“Okay.”
Duan Yan turned and brought a small stool over.
With his support, Rong Jiqiao clutched the towel and sat down.
The bathroom light was stark and white. She lowered her head, staring at the collar of his shirt, her ears burning red.
Duan Yan said nothing and went to deal with the water heater.
After a while, the water heater sparked back to life.
It was an old unit that often malfunctioned like this—worn out from age.
Duan Yan knocked on the bathroom door.
“Go ahead and shower now.”
“Okay.”
“Do you need help?”
“…?”
It took her a moment to realize what he meant.
Her ears rang, and her face instantly flushed bright red.
“I—I can do it myself.”
“Mm.”
His tone sounded completely sincere—just a simple offer to help.
Rong Jiqiao didn’t detect anything unusual.
Inside the bathroom, she rubbed her burning ears, unaware that outside the door, Duan Yan had silently let out a faint smile.
She turned the shower back on.
The hot water washed over her, and it took a while before she realized she was still clutching the towel.
She hung it back up, closed her eyes, and let the water rinse away the heat from her face.
…
When she came out, Duan Yan was still standing outside the bathroom.
Wrapped in a towel, hair dripping, she leaned slightly on the doorframe, her ankle still unable to bear full weight.
Duan Yan looked at her, then bent down and picked her up again, carrying her to the bed.
Through the towel, the warmth of his palms seeped through, making her body tense.
He had already prepared the medicine.
He set her down on the edge of the bed and began applying it.
Her skin was still warm from the shower, her damp hair scattered over her shoulders, her face bare.
As he worked, Rong Jiqiao felt his movements slow down.
Slow enough that it almost felt deliberate.
But Duan Yan had always been emotionally restrained. No matter what happened, his reactions were never obvious.
Even after living together for so long in her past life, she still couldn’t fully read him.
And after he returned to the Duan family—when their statuses became worlds apart—that feeling only grew stronger.
Because of that, she didn’t notice anything unusual in his behavior at all.
She gripped the edge of the towel.
Finally, she couldn’t help but ask,
“Is it done?”
She heard him respond calmly with a low “Mm,” and he set her foot down.
“Check it again tomorrow. If it’s worse, go to the hospital.”
She let out a small sigh of relief.
Then she heard him ask,
“Do we still have any condoms at home?”