When Fu Cheng Shen entered the house, a dim little lamp was lit in the living room. His heart warmed at the sight. No amount of gold or silver could compare to having a light shining for him among the countless homes.
In just a few short days, the living room had also undergone some changes. On the easel stood a half-finished painting, a palette lay on the floor, and a few plush toys and cushions had appeared on the sofa.
Several unopened packages were piled beside the coffee table, which was casually scattered with black hair ties, claw clips, and even lipstick and eyebrow pencils.
Fu Cheng Shen placed the plastic bag on the coffee table. Then, raising his arm, he used his other hand to remove the golden wristwatch and set it on the table. He undid the buttons of his suit jacket, took it off, and tossed it onto the sofa. Only after letting some of the alcohol scent dissipate from his clothes did he walk toward the study door.
“Yan Er…”
Upon reaching the study doorway, he found that the person who had repeatedly promised in WeChat to wait for his return had fallen asleep. She was curled up in a narrow chair, legs bent, with a book resting on her body, seemingly unconcerned about catching a chill.
Fu Cheng Shen walked softly to her side, removed the book from her, and placed it on the desk. He noticed two printed resumes on the desktop—one in color and one in black and white.
He picked up the resumes. In the top right corner of each was her photo. She wore a blue shirt with her hair tucked neatly behind her ears. Though the photo was of the same person, her appearance there was not even one-tenth as lovely as the woman before him.
“You’re back?” Su Luoyan, heavy with sleep, murmured instinctively with half-closed eyes before drifting off again.
Fu Cheng Shen lifted her into his arms. The girl’s serene profile nestled against his chest as he whispered softly, “I’m back.”
Carrying the girl back to the bedroom, he took each step steadily and carefully. He gently laid her on the bed and adjusted the pillow to make her sleep more comfortably.
“Sleep now.” Fu Cheng Shen sat by the bedside, reached out, and lightly touched the girl’s clean face with his palm before leaning down to kiss her forehead.
In her dream, Su Luoyan smiled, turned over, and seemed to be dreaming of something beautiful.
“Goodnight.”
The next morning, Su Luoyan woke up in a warm embrace, the man’s palm resting warmly on her lower abdomen.
Every time she had her period and experienced menstrual cramps, she liked to use Fu Cheng Shen’s hand as a heating pad, lying in his arms. On such days, she wanted to do nothing at all; simply being together quietly was perfect.
She rarely had moments like this—waking up on a cozy morning and gazing at his face. Usually, by the time she got up, Fu Cheng Shen was already awake.
With his eyes closed, he seemed less imposing. Her gaze fell on his long, delicate eyelashes, and she couldn’t help but reach out and touch them with the back of her finger. They felt a bit prickly.
She touched her own eyelashes too. How could a man’s eyelashes be longer than hers? Her friends often called her an “eyelash fairy,” and she rarely wore false lashes when doing her makeup, yet people frequently asked her what brand of false lashes she used.
“Are my eyelashes fun?” Fu Cheng Shen finally couldn’t hold back and opened his eyes, his voice still slightly hoarse from just waking up.
Su Luoyan reached out and playfully punched his chest, giving him a reproachful glance. “You were already awake. Why were you pretending to sleep?”
“I wanted you to lie with me a little longer.” Fu Cheng Shen pulled her into his arms, bringing them close together.Su Luoyan smiled, reaching out to wrap her arms around his waist, leaning her entire body against him and closing her eyes as well, lying with him for a while longer.
Time grew still in that moment. The room was kept at a constant temperature by the air conditioning, and the two nestled together, untouched by the chaos of the outside world. Outside, a light rain began to fall, and the temperature dropped sharply after the shower. Pedestrians on the street opened their umbrellas, their plans disrupted by the rain, leaving them in a hurry.