“Baby, say it.”
“Si…nian, go…go gentler.”
“Good girl, say it again.”
“Brother, bro…ther.”
“Baby, say it…” The man’s voice was hoarse beyond recognition.
…
Xia Ran felt like every bone in her body was about to fall apart. Her hands pushed weakly against the man’s chest as she said in a soft voice, “Enough… enough.”
“Not enough,” he said in a husky voice. “Baby, I missed you so much. I’ve been going crazy missing you.”
He gently nibbled on her earlobe. “Baby, did you miss me?”
She bit her lip and gave no response. His gaze darkened, and he let out a chuckle. “That’s fine. Let’s see how long you can keep up that tough act.”
With that, he kissed her, stealing her breath away.
In the brief gap between their tangled breaths, he panted lowly, “Baby, are you going to say it or not?”
Xia Ran was left gasping for air from the kiss, unable to speak.
“Sweetheart, one more time…”
He refused to let it go without getting an answer.
…
“Ring ring ring…” Xia Ran was jolted awake by the phone.
Five years. She still dreamed of Fu Sinian frequently.
Her ex-boyfriend.
It took her a moment to compose herself before she picked up the phone.
“Why did it take you so long to answer? What time is it and you’re still lying in bed?” Liu Xiufang’s voice carried an impatient edge.
“Tomorrow at two in the afternoon, you’re going on a blind date with that young man who works at the bank. No excuses.” Liu Xiufang’s tone was firm. “Last time you gave him the cold shoulder and made him unhappy. Your cousin is about to get engaged, and the family’s finances are tight. It’s time you did your part for the household.”
Xia Ran looked helpless. “Aunt, I just had a blind date not long ago. There’s no need to rush this.”
“Don’t make excuses. I asked your company—you don’t work weekends at all.”
“I have some work that came up.”
“Don’t play games with me,” her aunt’s tone turned cold. “If you don’t go this time, don’t call me your aunt anymore.”
With that, she hung up.
Xia Ran stared at her haggard, puffy face in the dark phone screen, a sour ache rising behind her eyes. She’d stayed up late last night revising the design proposal, and her body and mind were already exhausted. Just then, a WeChat message popped up—it was her good friend Wen Yu.
[Up yet? Come shopping with me today. Lunch is on me. No excuses.]
The corners of Xia Ran’s lips relaxed slightly. She replied: I’m up.
Wen Yu was her college roommate and the only person in this city she could speak her true mind to. After what happened five years ago, she’d deleted everyone’s contact information—except Wen Yu’s. It wasn’t that she hadn’t tried to delete her; it was that Wen Yu had shown up directly at her uncle’s doorstep, blocked her way, scolded her for half an hour, and then held her and cried. From that day on, she’d never once thought about pushing this person away.
She got herself ready to head out when a news headline caught her eye.
“Fu Group Chairman Fu Sinian Returns to the Country, Spotted at Airport with Mysterious Woman.”
Seeing the familiar face in the photo, Xia Ran’s heart jolted violently. For five years, she had deliberately erased every trace of him, thinking she’d long since let go. But seeing his figure again, her emotions were still in turmoil. She steadied herself and headed to the mall.
At the entrance of Xidan Mall, Wen Yu was already waiting, holding two cups of milk tea.
“Why are you so slow? Look at your face—you stayed up working again last night?”
Xia Ran hugged her. “Had to finish a client’s design proposal.”
“Was it that difficult client who keeps making you revise the drafts?”
“Exactly.”
Wen Yu cursed under her breath and shoved the milk tea into her hands. “Drink. Today you’re shopping with me, and I’m paying for everything.”
The two walked through the mall as Wen Yu vented nonstop about a recent client. “This big-time influencer—pretty face, sure—but after I took her photos, she asked me to Photoshop her twenty pounds thinner. Twenty pounds! I said, miss, maybe try going to the gym first? She said no, she needs to post tomorrow. I said then go find another photographer, and she wouldn’t—you know why? Because I’m the only one in the whole city who can make her double chin disappear.”
Xia Ran laughed at her. “So you still did it?”
“Did it. Charged her triple.” Wen Yu said with complete confidence. “My camera captures beauty, not lies. Lying costs extra.”
Xia Ran bought nothing. Not because she didn’t like anything, but because she’d gotten used to putting things she liked back on the shelf.
Wen Yu knew this and didn’t push her. She just waited by the fitting room and sent a message to her brother: “Bro, we’re having dinner next week. Come pick me up.”
After sending the message, she tucked her phone back into her pocket and flashed a bright smile at Xia Ran, who was coming out of the fitting room. “Come on, let’s go eat.”
They found a grilled fish restaurant and took a seat by the window. After ordering, while waiting for the food, Wen Yu took a sip of her plum drink and casually asked, “Ran Ran, what do you think of my brother?”
Xia Ran was caught between laughter and tears. “Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?”
“I’m genuinely thinking about you. It’s better than dealing with some random blind date your family arranges. Come meet him at our dinner next week.”
“Just asking casually. Look, my brother—he’s decent-looking, right? Good-tempered, right? Most importantly, you know everything about him. He was raised by our parents with solid values—definitely not a player.” Wen Yu counted off on her fingers. “And he’s listened to me since we were kids. If you marry into the family, I guarantee you can walk all over this household.”
Xia Ran set down the kettle, caught between exasperation and amusement. “Wen Yu, are you setting your brother up on a blind date?”
“Why not?” Wen Yu said with complete confidence. “Look at your situation now—your aunt’s forcing you to meet this one and that one, and who are these people anyway? Rather than being pawned off on some random cats and dogs, you should consider my brother. At least he’s a real person.”
Before Xia Ran could respond, her gaze drifted to the television in the shop. The screen was showing footage of Fu Sinian’s return to the country. Watching him courteously yield to his female companion, the smile on Xia Ran’s face vanished in an instant.
“He’s back,” she murmured softly.
But Wen Yu had known her for ten years. She knew that when Xia Ran was truly hurting, she wouldn’t cry. She would tuck all her emotions into those eyes, stow them away so neatly that no one could tell.
“Ran Ran—”
“The grilled fish should be coming out soon.” Xia Ran withdrew her gaze, picked up her chopsticks, aligned the tips, and placed them beside her bowl. “I’m hungry. Let’s eat first.”
Wen Yu opened her mouth, then swallowed the words that were about to come out.
Seeing this, Wen Yu said no more and quietly changed the subject.
When they parted after the meal, Wen Yu couldn’t stop worrying.
“I’ll go with you to tomorrow’s blind date and help you screen him.”
Warmth filled Xia Ran’s heart, and she softly thanked her.
On the subway ride back, Xia Ran looked at the news photos again and again, then finally closed the page with composure. The past was already over. There was no possibility left between them.
Back at her place, looking at the blind date address her aunt had sent, Xia Ran thought for a long time before replying with her agreement to attend.
Staring at the cracks on the ceiling, she silently resolved to live a steady, peaceful life from now on.