Song Yunfei put on a perfectly serious face and spun a blatant lie.
“He just wanted to experience the life of an ordinary person, so he deliberately came here.”
“Think about it—if he finds out you’ve been spreading his identity everywhere, what do you think he’ll do?”
Wu Wei blinked, half-understanding, and let out an “Oh.”
“I get it. I get it.”
Still uneasy, Song Yunfei added, “So you have to pretend you don’t know anything too. Don’t let anything slip in front of him. Got it?”
Wu Wei nodded like a pecking chicken.
“Got it, got it.”
As if remembering something, he asked, “But didn’t they say he went missing?”
Song Yunfei shot back, “I already told you—he secretly ran off here to avoid the Chu family. How are you still not getting it?”
Only then did Wu Wei have a sudden realization.
“So that’s how it is! I understand now. Don’t worry, Sister Song, I swear I’ll keep my mouth shut and won’t tell a soul.”
She patted his shoulder approvingly.
“That’s more like it. Once he’s done experiencing life and goes back, you won’t miss out on your benefits.”
Wu Wei was instantly overjoyed, so excited he almost jumped.
“Alright, alright! But earlier… I did curse at him…”
“It’s nothing. He won’t take it to heart. Haven’t you already learned your lesson?” she said lightly. “I’ll even put in a good word for you.”
Only then did Wu Wei finally relax—so much so that he barely felt the pain from his injuries anymore.
“Sister Song, if you ever need anything in the future, just tell me. As long as it’s within my ability, I won’t hesitate!”
Song Yunfei’s eyes flickered. She broke into a wide grin.
“Then compensate me a little. Ten thousand yuan will do.”
Wu Wei’s face instantly fell. He stammered, “I—I don’t have money.”
She frowned.
“You’re driving a Bentley and you’re telling me you don’t have money? If you don’t want to lend it, just say so.”
“Oh no, no, I really don’t!” Wu Wei hurried to explain. “That car was rented by a few of us to pick up girls. I’ve only got five hundred yuan on me right now. If you don’t mind, I can give you that.”
Wu Wei was just a small-time thug—where would he get real money?
Whenever he ran out, he’d sneak back to his own convenience store to steal, and had gotten beaten more than once because of it.
“I don’t mind. Hand it over,” Song Yunfei said bluntly, treating it as compensation for his earlier harassment.
When Chu Jinhan returned, he saw the two of them chatting and laughing.
In an instant, both Wu Wei and Song Yunfei felt a chill creep over them.
They looked up together to find Chu Jinhan standing just a step away, silently watching them with a cold expression.
Sensing danger, Wu Wei forced an awkward laugh and jumped to his feet.
“I’m leaving! Bye, bye!”
And with that, he bolted without looking back.
Chu Jinhan withdrew his gaze from the direction Wu Wei disappeared and looked at Song Yunfei instead.
“You’re better already?”
She gave an awkward smile.
“It wasn’t anything serious to begin with. Let’s go home.”
Dragging herself up, she realized that aside from a slight dizziness, weakness, and a dry throat, she didn’t feel too bad.
“What were you two talking about?” Chu Jinhan asked casually.
Her guard immediately went up, though her face stayed cheerful.
“Nothing much. He just came over to apologize.”
“You added each other?”
“Uh… he compensated me with some money.”
Chu Jinhan glanced at her, said nothing more.
After leaving the hospital, they rode the e-bike back again.
It was around two or three in the afternoon, when the sun was at its fiercest. The blazing sunlight made Song Yunfei drowsy.
Leaning against the man’s back, staring at the dazzling light, she drifted into sleep.
Not fully asleep—she could still hear the sounds around her, still feel the warmth coming from Chu Jinhan’s body.
And she could also feel herself being picked up.
In her haze, she heard Chu Jinhan calling her name.
Song Yunfei slowly opened her eyes. The fan was blowing hot air at her, making her feel even warmer.
“Take your medicine before sleeping,” came the low voice above her.
Only then did she realize she was actually leaning in Chu Jinhan’s arms.
He was holding a cup of water in one hand and the medicine in the other, lifting the pills right to her lips. She raised her hand, took the pills from his palm, and put them into her mouth.
Then she took the cup, drank a sip of water, and swallowed them.
Looking up at him, she asked, “Aren’t you going out to deliver food?”
“It’s too hot. Don’t feel like going.”
She gave a small “Oh” and looked away again.
Nestled in his arms, she suddenly found herself reluctant to move.
He smelled of sunshine mixed with jasmine—the same scent that lingered throughout the room.
It was just the smell of discounted laundry detergent from the supermarket, yet right now it felt uniquely comforting.
She had gone a long time without anyone caring about her.
These past years, she’d always been alone—going to the hospital by herself when sick, swallowing her sadness on her own when things hurt.
Now, in a completely unfamiliar world, that loneliness felt even sharper.
Especially at moments like this, when every emotion was magnified.
The loneliness grew louder—and so did Chu Jinhan’s concern, his quiet kindness.
Suddenly, her nose stung.
Chu Jinhan set the water cup down on a small stool beside them and heard the sound of her sniffing.
Lowering his head, he saw the woman in his arms with her lashes lowered, fine beads of sweat covering her forehead.
Her long lashes trembled, and a single tear slipped silently from the corner of her eye, landing on the fabric of his shirt.
His movements froze.
In the past six months, he’d seen Song Yunfei cry plenty of times.
But it had always been unreasonable tantrums—ugly, grating cries that only irritated him.
He’d never seen her cry like this—so fragile, so pitiful.
“Why are you crying?” he asked quietly. “Does it hurt that much?”
Hearing his voice above her, Song Yunfei hurriedly raised a hand to wipe away her tears.
Head lowered, she said in a muffled voice, “No.”
Then she came up with a clumsy excuse.
“The medicine is too bitter.”
Chu Jinhan watched her silently for a few seconds, then reached out, his fingers brushing the corner of her eye, wiping away the tear she hadn’t fully cleaned.
“Sleep for a while. Once the fever goes down, you’ll be fine.”
The touch at her eye made her heart skip a beat.
She murmured a response, slipped out of his arms, and turned over on the bed, her back facing him.
Outside, the sun blazed fiercely. Inside, the fan turned slowly. The sound of cicadas drifted in—not noisy, but strangely serene.
Before she knew it, Song Yunfei fell into a light sleep.
Chu Jinhan stayed by her side, reaching out now and then to check her forehead.
Maybe it was because the weather was too hot—he couldn’t tell whether her temperature had gone down or not.
He moved the fan away.
The room was already hot. Without the fan, it took only a short while for the sleeping Song Yunfei to start sweating heavily.
Her long hair had come loose, clinging messily to her cheeks and neck.
She was still wearing the white shirt from that morning, the top two buttons undone, revealing her delicate collarbones and the hollow of her throat. Fine beads of sweat shimmered on her skin.
Paired with her flushed cheeks, there was an unintentional, seductive softness to her.
The hand resting on her forehead drifted downward unconsciously.
His fingertips brushed her cheek… and came to rest on her lips.