The morning light was faint.
He Yan didn’t go inside to eat breakfast. He stood on the corridor, leisurely dipping his fried dough stick in soy milk while keeping an eye on the movements downstairs.
Soon, Wen Xue in her white down jacket emerged from the building and came into his view.
His gaze followed her every move.
He didn’t even immediately notice when Wu Yuejiang opened the door, stretched, and came to stand beside him.
Looking at the fried dough stick in He Yan’s hand, Wu Yuejiang said irritably, “Do you have a conscience? You went out to buy breakfast but didn’t think to get me any?”
“Who said I went out to buy breakfast?” He Yan said lightly. “Wen Xue brought this for me.”
Wu Yuejiang looked surprised. Having been brothers for so many years, he naturally detected the boastful tone in He Yan’s words and teased, “Why didn’t you have her bring some for me too?”
He Yan glanced at him. “Don’t order her around.”
The two of them had often sent He Heng on errands in the past.
Just twenty cents could make elementary school student He Heng happily run to the convenience store to buy soda.
Downstairs. Wen Xue easily spotted He Yan’s car in the mist. The vehicle was tall and large, much like him. Having been parked outside overnight, a layer of condensation had formed on the windshield.
She didn’t open the door to get in. Instead, she fumbled for the car keys and opened the trunk.
A few days earlier when he had gotten her luggage for her, she had seen an absorbent cloth inside, still slightly damp. Without overthinking it, she carefully used the cloth to wipe the side mirrors on both sides of the car. If the young apprentice at the car wash had her level of diligence, customers would surely flock to them.
He Yan chewed on his fried dough stick, initially not understanding why she had opened the trunk. But when he saw her diligently wiping the mirrors, he unconsciously slowed his eating pace, his expression turning serious. He put the lid back on his bowl, about to go down and stop her.
Wu Yuejiang pressed a hand on his left shoulder and said in a low voice, “Don’t be like this.”
It was like going from one extreme to another.
In the past, He Yan had taken a completely hands-off approach with He Heng, just providing enough living expenses each month and rarely calling. Now with Wen Xue, he was being overly cautious. Being careful and being controlling were only a step apart – one misstep could easily turn him into the kind of overbearing older brother that younger sisters find annoying.
He Yan frowned. “I just told her to wait for me in the car.”
“Come on, comparisons are odious. If this were Xinyue,” Wu Yuejiang shrugged, “if she were wiping my car’s mirrors, I’d have to pay her two hundred first.”
“…”
After Wen Xue finished cleaning the glass and mirrors, she looked troubled at the cloth in her hand. Glancing around, she spotted a water faucet not far away and quickly walked over. Completely unaware that when she turned on the faucet and shivered from the icy cold water, a certain tall man at the far end of the second floor also hissed in sympathy.
She rinsed the cloth and washed her hands, then returned to the car.
Not long after, He Yan got into the driver’s seat and calmly glanced at her.
He didn’t say anything, just lightly pressed the accelerator and drove out of the Residential Building. Someone was pushing a cart by the roadside selling breakfast items like tea eggs, hot porridge, and bread. He pulled over, unbuckled his seatbelt, got out, walked around the front of the car to the stall. There was a pot with packaged milk steeping in it, emitting warmth. He scanned the options. “Get me a bag of milk.”
“Sure thing! What flavor would you like, boss?”
He Yan thought for a moment. “Do you have chocolate flavor?””Yes!” The shopkeeper swiftly fished out a bag of chocolate milk, wiped it dry with a towel, and handed it to him—still warm.
After paying, He Yan returned to the car and stuffed the milk into her hands. “Hold this.”
Wen Xue found herself holding a bag of milk, slightly bewildered. Humans instinctively crave warmth, and she had already subconsciously cupped it to warm her hands. The heat from her palms spread through her limbs. The ride was short—so brief she only managed to glance at him twice before they reached the company.
Just as she was about to get out of the car, a low, deep voice came from beside her. “I have to meet a client this afternoon and have a dinner engagement tonight. Not sure when I’ll be back.”
Wen Xue listened, a flicker of confusion crossing her mind.
If not for the fact that they were the only two in the car, she would have thought he was talking to someone else.
“Have dinner on your own,” he said. “Make sure you eat.”
Wen Xue smiled faintly and nodded. “Okay.”
Her condition from the past couple of days must have worried him.
If she had known he would come looking for her, she would have eaten properly those days—at least to make her complexion appear healthier.
…
The weather was still beautiful today, with bright sunshine. Yesterday, He Yan had left her number with the staff, and by noon, she received a delivery call. She hadn’t expected it to arrive so soon. Walking back to the Residential Building, the afternoon sun warmed her skin. The dark gray sofa was placed beside the floor lamp, giving the space a surprisingly homely feel—the more she looked at it, the more pleasing it became.
The message she sent at noon wasn’t seen by He Yan until evening.
He wasn’t accustomed to texting anyone; usually, he preferred calling for efficiency. While the waiter brought dish after dish, he remembered it was dinner time and thought to ask if she had eaten.
Unexpectedly, he saw her message from five hours ago: [The sofa has been delivered.]
He lowered his gaze and typed a reply: [Have you eaten?]
At the same time.
Wen Xue was dragged by Nana to explore the night market. Nana’s reasoning was sound: they were both alone—He Yan had his dinner plans, and Wan Nian was away on a long drive. Lonely people should stick together. Yet, Wen Xue felt something was off, though she couldn’t pinpoint what.
As the New Year approached, the night market wasn’t as bustling as before, but there were still plenty of stalls.
Nana froze in front of a spicy hot pot stall, taking a deep breath. “Wen Xue, let’s have this, okay?”
As He Yan had guessed, Wen Xue currently had no interest in food or drinks. She didn’t care what she ate, as long as it filled her stomach.
She was about to nod in agreement when her phone vibrated in her down jacket pocket. Pulling it out, she saw He Yan’s message. Her eyes slowly lifted from the screen, scanning their surroundings, and she shook her head. “No, I need to eat something else.”
With that, she lowered her head to reply to him: [About to eat. Having dumplings with Nana.]
She had a feeling that if she told him she was eating spicy hot pot, he would frown on the other end of the line.
Nana made a disappointed face but didn’t press her. She packed up a portion of spicy hot pot and accompanied Wen Xue to a dumpling stall. The two sat at a small folding table, each eating their own meal—one chattering away, the other occasionally responding softly—creating a harmonious scene.In the private dining room, He Yan didn’t reply to Wen Xue’s message, putting his phone away in his pocket. Business dinners inevitably involved drinking, and the table was laden with both red and white wine. After several rounds, the atmosphere gradually relaxed, with everyone addressing each other as “big brother” or “little brother.” Casually leaning back in his chair, He Yan asked, “Big brother must know many influential figures in Huacheng, right?”
Manager Zhou chuckled, “What, are you thinking of expanding your business to Huacheng?”
“That’s the idea.”
He Yan poured him another half-glass of wine and mused, “I’ve heard there’s a Zhou family in Huacheng.”
Manager Zhou paused, then waved his hand with a laugh, “You flatter me. If I were related to that Zhou family, would I need to hustle like this?”
Perhaps due to the alcohol, he suddenly changed the subject, “But that Zhou family won’t have many peaceful years left.”
“How so?” He Yan feigned curiosity and pressed.
“Every family has its troubles. Even dogs fight over a kennel, let alone people.” Manager Zhou lowered his voice, his breath reeking of alcohol—a common trait of middle-aged men who become unusually talkative when drunk. “The Zhou family has two sons, not from the same mother. The eldest has been abroad for years, and there’s not much news about him. They say he’s quite mild-tempered. The younger one, though, is arrogant and domineering. Anyone can see the old man favors the younger son.”
He Yan sighed, “I see.”
The topic ended abruptly. When the drinking was nearly over, Manager Zhou’s driver came in to assist him. Soon, only He Yan remained in the private room. He rested his forehead in his hand, sobering up, and sat quietly for a moment before calling the waiter to order several signature dishes and desserts to take away.
Having drunk, he had arranged for a designated driver in advance.
Stepping out of the restaurant, the biting cold wind cut through him like a knife, bringing a sliver of clarity. He walked steadily toward the parking area.
…
“Boss, is this the place?”
The designated driver parked the car, pulled the handbrake, and woke He Yan, who was resting in the back seat.
He Yan opened his eyes and glanced out the window. He grunted in affirmation, tipped the driver extra, and let him leave. He sat in the car for a few more minutes before getting out with the takeaway containers. Out of habit, he looked up at the room at the far end of the third floor—the lights were off.
He checked his watch: 8:30 PM. She probably wouldn’t be asleep this early?
His mind was hazy. After locking the car, he headed toward the stairwell, faintly hearing a familiar, agitated voice speaking in a dialect he couldn’t understand. Recognizing it as Nana’s, he paid no further attention and went straight up to the third floor.
As he reached the landing, lively chatter spilled from one of the rooms—
“Wen Xue, dear, it’s almost dawn! Haven’t you decided which tile to play yet?”
“I think she’s just daydreaming!” Li Jingru puckered her lips and whistled.
A soft, helpless voice replied, “Sister Jing, I’m not daydreaming… I just—I really don’t know how to play mahjong. Give me a moment to think…”
Wen Xue was flustered.
Nana had to take a phone call and insisted she fill in for a while, so Wen Xue found herself pushed into the mahjong seat.
Her fingers brushed over the tiles. Just as she was about to close her eyes and randomly play one, the three people who had been urging and teasing her fell silent. The once lively room became dead quiet. Li Jingru, sitting across from her, glanced guiltily toward the doorway. Wen Xue’s heart skipped a beat, a sense of foreboding washing over her. She turned to look and met a pair of deep, penetrating eyes.He Yan stood at the doorway, his gaze sharp as he stared at her.
She had no idea how long he had been watching.
He walked in under their collective scrutiny.
The three people besides Wen Xue leaned back tactically. A young driver was already contemplating where to hide to avoid being hit by mahjong tiles if Brother Yan flipped the table.
He Yan came to stand behind Wen Xue, leaning slightly forward. He carried the scent of alcohol, but it wasn’t unpleasant. In a low voice, he asked, “Playing cards?”
Wen Xue answered evasively, opting for honesty: “I don’t know how.”
She hoped he understood she wasn’t playing voluntarily.
He Yan paused, thinking she was asking for help, and said gently, “I don’t know how either, so I can’t teach you. Just play any tile.”
The other three: “??”
They were baffled, wondering if they were hallucinating—how could such nonsense come from their Brother Yan?
Wen Xue sensed he wasn’t angry and nodded, randomly discarding a tile. As the mahjong tile hit the table with a dull thud, the other three snapped out of their daze. The young driver looked at Wen Xue, then at He Yan, and asked, “Brother Yan, can I win this round?”
“No.”
“Hahaha, I win!”
Wen Xue’s shoulders slumped.
She had lost again.
In just a short while, she had lost several rounds, all using Nana’s money. She pushed herself up from the table. “I’ll go back to my room to get my wallet.”
He Yan, slowed by the alcohol, eventually grasped the situation and stopped her. He pulled out his wallet, withdrew several hundred-yuan bills, and pressed them onto the table. Just then, Nana rushed in angrily, but upon seeing him standing there like a ghost, she shrieked and immediately turned to flee.
“I brought some food.” He Yan placed a paper bag directly on the table. “It’s probably cold now. Heat it up yourselves and don’t play too late.”
With that, he turned to Wen Xue. “I’ll walk you back.” Wen Xue quickly stood up.
The two walked out of the room one after the other.
Nana patted her chest, returned to the table, and sat down. Her eyes widened at the extra bills on her side. “Did Wen Xue win all this? Is she the Mahjong Goddess?”
“…”
“…”
“Why not?” Li Jingru chuckled.
He Yan escorted Wen Xue to her door and handed her a separate takeout bag. “Dessert. Try to finish it today.”
Wen Xue took it, feeling strange. Amid the crowd earlier, the alcohol scent hadn’t been strong, but now she could clearly smell it on him and see the effort he was making to appear composed. Worried he might miss a step on the stairs, she closed her door and followed him, keeping a few meters behind.
She would return only after seeing him enter his room.
In the dim corridor, the tall man walked ahead, his steps already unsteady, followed by the young woman.
At first, He Yan didn’t notice her trailing him. It wasn’t until he stood outside his door, fumbling for his keys, that his hand trembled and dropped them. As he bent to pick them up, he caught a glimpse of a pair of fluffy rabbit slippers not far away.
She hesitated, unsure whether to approach, her eyes filled with concern.
How peculiar, he thought with a wry smile.
It was the first time someone had worried the path was too dark for him and insisted on seeing him home.