This was Wen Xue’s first time stepping into He Yan’s room, though she had delivered breakfast to him many times before, she had always stopped at the doorway.
The layout of this room was identical to hers.
Less than twenty square meters in area, the furnishings inside were completely visible. His setup was even simpler than hers—just a single bed, a bedside table, a wardrobe, and a desk with chairs. It couldn’t be called particularly tidy, but it was certainly neither dirty nor messy.
Wen Xue sat down awkwardly, no longer looking around.
The last bit of curiosity she had gradually faded after entering.
She began to grow restless, reflecting and blaming herself—had she made too many demands tonight? First smoking, then asking him how he coped with pain… Now, calmed down, she was surprised by her own pushiness. Clearly, she wasn’t that kind of person.
“I…”
The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt, and she instinctively stood up to leave.
He Yan, with his back to her, couldn’t see the changes in her expression. He took a stack of papers from the wooden desk drawer and placed them on the table. Both their gazes fixed on the neatly handwritten characters on the paper. Wen Xue looked dazed; even though she didn’t understand the content, a quick glance told her it was likely scripture.
“That’s all.”
His tone was flat. “Copy scriptures, then take them to the temple to be enshrined.”
In truth, He Heng was already gone. What else could he do for his prematurely departed younger brother? Nothing at all.
So, even though he didn’t believe in any of it deep down, this was the only thing he could do now.
Wen Xue asked blankly, “Does it help?”
He replied indifferently, “Who knows.”
Whether it helped or not, only He Heng beneath the earth would know.
Seeing her staring intently at the scriptures he had copied, he handed them to her to look at and asked, “Want something to drink?”
“Anything is fine.”
Wen Xue wasn’t really listening. She reverently recited the scriptures He Yan had copied in her mind, gently tracing the characters with her fingertips—each stroke a testament to an older brother’s longing and devotion for his younger brother.
Her eyes grew warm, yet her mood unexpectedly settled into tranquility.
He Yan glanced at her a few times before leaving the room.
He found a key in the flowerpot next to the neighboring door, unlocked it, and entered Wu Yuejiang’s room. Easily locating a can of adult calcium-fortified milk powder, he scooped two spoonfuls into a cup, poured hot water over it, and a milky fragrance wafted up. He’d heard that drinking milk before bed helped with sleep.
Thankfully, Wu Yuejiang wasn’t 1.8 meters tall.
Otherwise, Lao Wu—who, at twenty-five, was still fixated on his height—wouldn’t have persisted in drinking milk powder daily.
“Drink it while it’s hot.” He Yan returned to his room and placed the steaming cup beside Wen Xue’s hand. “Finish it quickly, then go back to shower and sleep.”
Wen Xue hummed in acknowledgment, cradling the cup with both hands. As her lips neared the rim, she hesitated for a moment.
“This cup hasn’t been used by anyone. I haven’t used it either.”
“It’s not that…” She shook her head. “Where did it come from?”
“Stole it.”
Joking again.
The corners of Wen Xue’s lips lifted, and she hesitated no longer. Taking a small sip, she found it slightly sweet. He Yan sat across from her. The room was narrow, the night deep. He lowered his head to reply to messages, seemingly busy, yet every sound still reached his ears.
The gulp-gulp of swallowing—her drinking the milk.
The rustling sound—her turning the pages.A cup of warm milk took Wen Xue ten minutes to finish. When she got up to wash the cup, He Yan stopped her. Though he looked impatient, his words were full of concern. He raised his hand and tapped his watch dial, reminding her once again, “Look at the time. It’s late. Go to bed.”
“…Okay.”
Wen Xue returned to the third floor. The water from the water heater wasn’t as hot as before, and the hot water kept cutting in and out. It was the first time she had rushed through a shower like this. She wasn’t afraid of catching a cold, but she was afraid He Yan would worry. She quickly rinsed off the soap, wrapped herself in her pajamas, and hurried back to her room. The hot water bottle in the bed was warm and cozy. She slipped under the covers, resting her head on the soft pillow. Her teeth were clean, with no lingering taste of cigarettes or milk.
But she still remembered.
Afraid she might forget the feeling of all her first experiences, she reached for her phone on the bedside table and posted a status only she could see:
【Smoked for the first time today. It was harsh, a little spicy, a little bitter. Is this how all cigarettes taste, or is it just the brand He Yan smokes?】
This used to be her habit.
He Heng knew all her account passwords. In a relationship, conflicts were inevitable, and she had to experience all the ups and downs. Sometimes, when she was quietly upset but didn’t want to start a full-blown argument, she would secretly post complaints about him in her status updates. It was really meant for him to see, to make him apologize and comfort her quickly.
There were many, many such posts, too many to count.
After ten months, her status was updated again, like a long-neglected garden slowly regaining a bit of life.
Downstairs, He Yan finished his shower in a hurry and returned to his room without even drying his hair. The cup Wen Xue had used was already washed. He definitely wouldn’t use it again, but he couldn’t let others like Wu Yuejiang—those rough men—use it either.
After a moment’s thought, he placed it alone on the windowsill as a decoration. It couldn’t be used, but it was a pity to throw away.
…
Perhaps because she had stayed up too late, Wen Xue slept until eight o’clock—the first time she had slept so soundly since He Heng’s incident. The satisfaction of a good night’s sleep was something she hadn’t felt in a long time. The corridor outside was noisy, and after listening for a while, she guessed it was the company employees returning from an all-nighter. She didn’t linger in bed, threw off the covers, changed her clothes, and got up.
Just as she finished brushing her teeth and washing her face, there came a rapid, irregular knocking at the door. The person outside was impatient.
It wasn’t He Yan.
He Yan knocked lightly, usually three times, and if she didn’t answer after a few minutes, he would knock again.
Sure enough, as soon as the door opened, Nana, wearing a beautiful coat, bounded in cheerfully. Despite staying up all night, she was still energetic and radiant. “I knew you’d be here! I brought you breakfast. They say college students love coffee and sandwiches. This cost me over forty!”
Wen Xue stumbled back a few steps before steadying herself and chuckled, correcting her, “That’s a rumor.”
“Huh?”
“We don’t eat forty-dollar breakfasts.”
At least, she didn’t. It was too expensive.
She had grown fond of soybean milk and fried dough sticks.
Nana laughed heartily, “I don’t care! I bought it, and you’re eating it today!”
Wen Xue thanked her with a smile. Nana was a frequent visitor to her room because the two-person sofa was comfortable and the floor lamp was lovely. They often curled up there together, chatting about random things, and without realizing it, a friendship had blossomed.Amid Nana’s incessant chatter, Wen Xue carefully took the coffee out of the paper bag and placed it on the table. The sandwich looked quite appetizing, but just as she was about to take a bite, she heard footsteps outside the door. Her hand dropped, and she instinctively stood up.
He Yan appeared at the doorway, also carrying breakfast. With one glance inside, he understood everything.
Someone else had brought her breakfast besides him.
“Brother Yan, good morning!” Nana waved at him while hugging her hot water bottle.
“Alright, then I’ll take this portion to Lao Wu,” he said. Though the words were naturally directed at Wen Xue, his gaze lingered for a few seconds as if pondering whether she preferred such fancy things. When he withdrew his gaze, it swept over the drink on the table, and he tilted his chin. “What’s that?”
“Coffee, super expensive!” Nana proudly chimed in.
She would only buy such expensive coffee for very close friends—even Wan Nian would have to take a backseat.
He Yan nodded calmly and beckoned with his hand. “Give it to me.”
Did they think he didn’t know coffee was meant to keep you awake? The question was, did Wen Xue really need to stay alert right now?
All he wanted was for her to eat properly and sleep well.
Nana: “??”
Wen Xue gave Nana an apologetic look but didn’t hesitate in the slightest. She picked up the coffee, stood, and brought it to the doorway. He Yan took it, glanced down at the label on the paper cup—caramel macchiato or some other peculiar name—and said, “Thanks.”
Finally, that remark was meant for Nana.
After speaking, he left.
Once Nana collected herself, she remained stunned. “That wasn’t even bought for him! Oh my god!”
If she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn’t have believed someone so shameless could be their Brother Yan.
Wen Xue smiled gently. “What would you like to drink today? It’s on me.”
“Next time,” Nana replied, flushed with excitement. “Not today. I managed to snag a last-minute deal on a hotel room with a king-sized bed. I’ve never stayed in a five-star hotel before! Wan Nian and I are going out to celebrate our anniversary. He said he’d take me shopping today… Well, we won’t be coming back tonight.”
“Alright, then tomorrow,” Wen Xue said, her eyes crinkling with a smile. “I’ll treat you to something delicious tomorrow.” After a moment’s thought, she added, “Something expensive.”
“Deal!”
After sitting for a while, Nana’s phone vibrated—it was Wan Nian calling to say he was ready to go. Everyone in the building treated Wen Xue kindly, but even Wang Yuan had only visited her room the day she moved in. The other men had been sternly warned by He Yan and wouldn’t dream of approaching her.
Wan Nian knew his girlfriend was in Wen Xue’s room.
Knowing was one thing, but he’d rather spend money on a phone call than come by in person.
After Nana left happily, Wen Xue poured herself a glass of warm water. She ate her sandwich while gazing at her strawberry plant, but nothing had changed—not even a hint of a strawberry in sight.
…
“What nonsense.”
He Yan hadn’t slept well last night, tormented by a dream that sent his blood pressure soaring. In the dream, Wen Xue stood before him in a white dress, a cigarette held between her fingers, blowing gray smoke his way—one after another. He pleaded gently, “Could you please stop smoking?”
She smiled faintly. “But you smoke.”
Helpless, he replied, “I’ll quit from now on.”
She continued exhaling clouds of smoke and asked, “When is ‘from now on’?”He woke from his dream and glanced at his phone—it wasn’t even six in the morning yet. Unable to fall back asleep, he rested his hands behind his head and stared wide-eyed at the ceiling. Though not sleepy, he felt somewhat weary. Sitting in the passenger seat, he took a sip of coffee that was supposedly energizing, but after tasting it, his brow furrowed tightly.
“What’s wrong?” Wu Yuejiang asked, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. The stretch near the train station was unusually congested.
This was a business vehicle registered under Wu Yuejiang’s name.
On the twenty-eighth of the lunar twelfth month, all the drivers were returning to their hometowns for the New Year. He Yan had always been good to the employees who had been with him from the start. Worried they would have to squeeze onto buses with their large bags and small parcels, he simply drove them all together. After dropping off this group, he would then drive Wu Yuejiang to the airport.
“Nothing.”
Seeing they were the only two left in the car, Wu Yuejiang asked again, “Really not going back?”
“No.” He Yan shook his head. “I’m the only one left anyway. What difference does it make where I spend the New Year?”
“What about your sister?”
He Yan paused. “She’s not going back either.”
He had asked her about it, thinking that if she returned to Haicheng, he could buy her a ticket on the same flight as Wu Yuejiang so she would have company on the way. But she said she didn’t want to go back, unwilling to trouble herself for a New Year’s Eve dinner where she would be the only outsider.
Wu Yuejiang sighed softly. “That’s fine. Just remember to take your sister out for good food, watch a New Year film, go shopping, and buy some new clothes or something.”
“I offered her money, but she wouldn’t take it.”
Speaking of this, He Yan felt a bit frustrated. Wen Xue hardly spent any money—she ate little and wasn’t picky. He suspected the biggest expense she had made during this time was still the electric toothbrush she bought for him.
“Why not just take her shopping yourself?”
He Yan shook his head. “Nana dragged her out shopping before, but she didn’t buy anything for herself—only got me that toothbrush.”
Wu Yuejiang analyzed it for him, “Could Nana pay for her? Carry her bags? They’re friends on equal footing, not dutiful attendants.”
He Yan found his words somewhat odd. The first part made sense, but the latter part sounded off. If Nana wasn’t an attendant, did that mean he was? His voice turned cold. “I’m her brother.”
“Bingo.” Wu Yuejiang snapped his fingers while waiting for the green light, looking pleased. “You finally get it. If you have a younger brother, you can be the boss. But if you have a younger sister? Sorry, you can only be her lackey. Understand?”