In He Yan’s code of conduct, he would never enter the room of someone of the opposite sex, especially at night.
But this rule seemed to automatically become void when it came to Wen Xue. He knew it was inappropriate, yet when she cautiously extended the invitation, he couldn’t refuse. Firstly, she appeared fragile and delicate in his eyes now; secondly, he hoped their relationship could become familiar quickly, or at least feel natural when they were together.
After getting out of the car, he took the plastic bag from her hand and followed by her side into the building.
He had never thought the stairwell was particularly dark before—he was long accustomed to it and could navigate it blindfolded without stumbling. But this was Wen Xue’s first time here. The lightbulbs hanging on the walls were coated with thick dust, casting a dim glow. If she wasn’t careful, she might miss a step, fall, break a bone, and end up in the hospital.
He made a mental note to remind Wang Yuan tomorrow to replace every bulb on each floor with high-wattage ones, bright enough to illuminate the corridor as if it were daytime.
When they reached the third floor, some rooms had their lights on, while others remained pitch black.
Arriving at the end of the hallway, Wen Xue stopped, took a key from her down jacket pocket, inserted it into the lock, and opened the door. The light switch was on the wall; she fumbled for it and pressed it on. He Yan stood right behind her, his figure almost enveloping her completely, leaving no gap.
Wen Xue was about to invite him to sit when she realized there wasn’t even a chair in the room.
He Yan: “…”
He was also at a loss. “Make a list of what you need and give it to me.”
After a moment’s thought, based on his limited understanding of her, he guessed she probably wouldn’t make a list. So he added, “After work tomorrow, I’ll take you to a home furnishing store, and we can have dinner out too.”
Wen Xue felt it wasn’t necessary.
Her winter break was only about a month long, but then it occurred to her: this was his rented employee dormitory, and others might move in later. Even if she didn’t need certain items, someone else might find them useful. “Alright.”
He Yan’s furrowed brow relaxed.
Though it might not be appropriate to say, he indeed felt that raising a sister was more comforting than raising a brother.
He Heng hadn’t been particularly mischievous as a child, but he was incredibly stubborn. How stubborn? If He Yan told the boy to get lost, he would obediently roll in the direction pointed and then squat in that spot, refusing to move even after dark, forcing He Yan to personally go and carry him home.
As he grew older and more sensible, he became straightforward and unwavering in his convictions—once he set his mind on something, not even nine oxen could pull him back.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have plunged into the water without hesitation to save that struggling child while others stood by and watched.
When He Yan received the tragic news, he vomited blood in anguish. More than once, he stared at the funeral portrait and silently questioned, “Why? Why? Why did you have to do it when no one else would? Is your life not precious?!”
Perhaps due to his utter confusion and profound grief, He Heng appeared in his dream on the seventh day after his death.
In the dream, He Heng was dressed in a white shirt and black pants, looking clean and refreshed. He smiled and said, “Brother, I lived for twenty years. That child was only eight.”
…
The clattering sound interrupted He Yan’s unpleasant memories.
Wen Xue had found a small electric pot. It heated up quickly but was tiny—only enough to cook a single serving at a time. Well, technically for two people, but… she glanced sideways at He Yan’s build. Having shared two meals with him over the past two days, even if she paid little attention to her surroundings, she could tell he had a hearty appetite.
“Brother, sit here.”
Wen Xue pointed to the suitcase placed on the floor.He Yan glanced down but decided against it—he was afraid the box would collapse if he sat on it.
The room wasn’t large, with only a small sink. The design of the residential building meant that the kitchen, water room, and toilet were all shared spaces. Wen Xue rinsed the pot with clean water, poured in the packed chicken soup, plugged it in, and turned on the power.
Soon, the soup began to boil, filling the narrow room with a rich, savory aroma.
Wen Xue added a handful of noodles. Whether she was hungry or not, she carried out these tasks unhurriedly. After watching her for a while, He Yan found his mood strangely calming down.
When the small pot of chicken noodle soup was ready, Wen Xue once again realized with embarrassment that she only had one bowl.
It was a freebie from a pack of instant noodles, which she often used in her dorm.
He Yan: “…”
He increasingly felt that following her here had been a mistake, but leaving now would be even more awkward. “You use the bowl,” he said.
“Then…?”
Wen Xue was puzzled, then followed his gaze to the pot and asked uncertainly, “You’ll use the pot?”
He Yan gave a light cough and nodded.
Somehow, this amused her. She lowered her head and chuckled softly.
It was a slightly messy dinner. Wen Xue’s chicken noodle soup was piled with the uneaten chicken leg from lunch. He Yan’s appetite was indeed substantial—she cooked a full second pot, and he finished it all. The light, savory meal left his stomach warm and comfortable, without the greasy heaviness that often follows a lavish feast.
Wen Xue was accustomed to cleaning up after meals. Once they finished eating, she reached for the pot to take it to the kitchen and wash it.
He Yan sidestepped her and extended his right hand. “Give me your bowl. I’ll wash it.”
“Huh?”
“The water’s cold.”
With those two words, he took the bowl from her hand without further discussion and turned to leave. He was tall and instinctively ducked his head when entering or exiting. The kitchen on this floor wasn’t used much; the counter was cluttered with various condiments, but a quick scan showed it was relatively clean. He found a hanging rag and dish soap.
Wen Xue, feeling uneasy, hesitated before following him.
She paused at the kitchen doorway. Under the dim yellow light overhead and the pitch-black window outside, the tall man stood at the sink, water gushing noisily from the faucet. His back was to her, and between the fingers of his right hand, resting at his side, was a lit cigarette.
He lifted it for a drag, as if sensing something, and glanced back casually. Thin lips exhaled a cloud of smoke. Seeing it was her, he froze, quickly stubbed out the cigarette, and asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Wen Xue had originally been worried he wouldn’t wash things properly and intended to do it herself, but in that moment, she forgot all about it.
He Yan gave a noncommittal “Hmm.” “If there’s nothing, go back to your room. It’s cold here.”
The kitchen’s range hood was an old-fashioned model, its blades whirring as cold air blew in. The door was left open, making it much chillier than her room with the heater on.
“…Oh.”
Wen Xue turned stiffly and walked back to her room.
…
A few employees, arms slung over each other’s shoulders, returned from outside. With the New Year approaching and the weather cold, few felt like buying groceries, cooking, and washing dishes. The nearby night market offered all kinds of food—a plate of fried noodles with egg, fragrant with wok hei, cost no more than six yuan. After eating, they’d head back to the dorm, playing cards if they were in the mood or simply washing up and lying in bed on their phones.
As they reached the third floor, they heard water running in the kitchen. They exchanged puzzled glances—who was being so diligent?
Someone peeked inside and nearly dropped his jaw. “Brother Yan?!”The company had two bosses, He Yan and Wu Yuejiang, but everyone was more accustomed to calling him Brother Yan, while Wu Yuejiang was addressed more formally as President Wu. Just from the nicknames, it was clear they were indeed closer to He Yan.
He Yan turned his head and saw those unruly guys crowding at the door. Frowning, he said, “There’s a long-distance job tomorrow, shouldn’t you all be resting early?”
They weren’t intimidated at all, shouting loudly, “Bro, you’re washing dishes? Am I seeing this right?!”
He Yan remained silent.
The others just found the scene too novel. After the initial shock, their first reaction was to simultaneously pull out their phones. Even though the camera quality wasn’t great, they kept clicking away, determined to take photos, determined to preserve this memory – who knew if this would be the only time in their lives they’d see Brother Yan washing dishes.
He Yan looked exactly like a celebrity facing a barrage of cameras. He laughed and scolded, “Get lost.”
After taking enough photos, everyone quickly scattered like smoke.
The kitchen became quiet again. He Yan scrubbed the pot and bowls until they were spotlessly clean. It had been a long time since he’d done this, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t familiar with it. When he was young, living with relatives while taking care of his younger brother, there were certain things you had to learn to do when depending on others.
When He Yan arrived at Wen Xue’s room with the clean pots, bowls, and utensils, he didn’t go in again but stood at the doorway, knocking on the door.
Wen Xue, who was filling a hot water bottle, hurried over to greet him.
“Are you going to take a shower later?” he asked.
Wen Xue had the habit of bathing daily. No matter how cold the weather, she would still bathe, let alone after going to so many places today. “Yes.”
“Did Nana tell you where the bathroom is?”
“She did.”
Although the bathroom was shared, it was separated by gender. She had checked it out – the bathroom was very clean, without any strange odors.
“Alright.” He Yan nodded. “I’ll head down first. Call me if you need anything.”
“Okay.”
After watching He Yan leave, Wen Xue gently closed the door. She went inside to get her change of clothes and pajamas from the wardrobe. The hot water bottle was gurgling, waiting to be ready to be tucked into the bedding.
He Yan didn’t actually go downstairs. He knocked on another door, from which emerged a short-haired woman munching on an apple. She immediately said, “Reporting to Yan Sir, we didn’t play cards today!”
“I need a favor.” He Yan tilted his head slightly, signaling her to come out. He gestured with his chin, “The one living at the very end is my sister. She’s here to help, temporarily replacing Sister Cai’s position. During the day, please show her the ropes. Are you free now?”
“Our sister is here, that’s great!” The woman beamed, adding an appropriate complaint, “I’ve been exhausted since Sister Cai went on maternity leave!”
“She’s going to take a shower later.” He Yan weighed his words. “If you’re free, could you please wait outside the bathroom? Don’t leave until she returns to her room.”
“???”
The woman blinked, not understanding. “What do you mean?”
“My sister is timid,” he said. “Those guys are loud, coming and going. I’m afraid she might get scared.”
“Understood.” The woman looked at him up and down in surprise. “Never thought you’d be so considerate.”
She had previously thought to herself that while the boss was good in every way, his temper was terrible and he was stubborn. It was one thing to yell at the guys – they deserved it – but why did he have to scold them so harshly too, completely not understanding how to cherish and protect the delicate. Now she understood – it was because they weren’t his sisters.
Fine, very good.
He Yan neither confirmed nor denied this, and left after giving his instructions.Wen Xue placed her change of clothes in a transparent bag and put it into the basin, along with a small bottle of shower gel, a towel, and a toothbrush. Before she could reach the bathroom door, she saw a short-haired woman wrapped in a sleeping gown, humming to music with earphones on, blocking the entrance.
“You’re the boss’s sister, right?”
She moved aside, her face beaming with a smile. “Hurry in and take a shower. Let me tell you, the timing is perfect now. If you wait another hour, the water won’t be as hot. Don’t worry, I’ll stand guard right here by the door. If anything happens, just call out!”
It took Wen Xue a minute to process her words. She could guess it was He Yan’s doing and softly replied, “Thank you.”