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墨書 Inktalez
Zhou Xuanyu flipped through the documents in his hands, the pages rustling as he spoke in a somewhat indifferent tone.
He mentioned wanting to go to Italy again?
Wasn't she feeling the same way?
If she had known that three days could be such a luxury, she would have cherished them even more. She wanted to see more sights with him, to create more memories… rich…
Junxi's gaze softened as she looked at Zhou Xuanyu, but he didn’t return her gaze. He continued to sift through the documents, as if the words that had stirred her heart were merely casual remarks.
“Please organize these for me this afternoon,” Zhou Xuanyu said, pushing a folder toward Junxi.
“Can you give it to me tomorrow? I need to take leave this afternoon,” Junxi replied, feeling a bit awkward.
Zhou Xuanyu paused his movements and lifted his eyes to look at her.
“Is something wrong?”
“It’s Zhou Ziyan’s last check-up before surgery. I promised to accompany him,” she explained, thinking that this reason should be acceptable to Zhou Xuanyu.
He nodded, and as expected, he didn’t press her further. “Then give it to me tomorrow.”
Junxi smiled slightly, but before she could respond affirmatively, Zhou Xuanyu added, “Wait for me after dinner; I’ll go with you to the hospital.”
"What are you doing?" Junxi asked in surprise. "Aren't you supposed to have a board meeting this afternoon?"
"How do you know?"
"Uh..."
Junxi was at a loss for words. Of course, she wouldn't tell Zhou Xuanyu that she had secretly checked his schedule with Xiaolin.
She hadn't meant to invade his privacy; she just wanted to know how busy he would be after the trip to Italy. But seeing his schedule only made her worry about him more.
"I saw it by chance."
Zhou Xuanyu seemed to have no further doubts. He nodded and said, "No meeting is more important than Zhou Ziyan."
Junxi found herself unable to argue against that.
She knew Zhou Xuanyu cared deeply for Zhou Ziyan, but the final check-up before surgery wasn't the same as actually undergoing surgery. It shouldn't be important enough for him to skip the board meeting, right?
She felt a bit anxious, wondering if Zhou Xuanyu's actions might give others the impression that he was neglecting his responsibilities.
This worry lingered until noon, leaving her somewhat distracted throughout the morning. Xue Waiwai often said she was overly cautious, which made her seem like a worrywart; indeed, Xue Waiwai understood her better than anyone else.
After lunch, Junxi waited in the office instead of joining Xiaolin and the others in the break room for a nap. The office was quiet, with not a sound to be heard.
Zhou Xuanyu had asked her to wait, but she had no idea where he had gone. The lights in the President's Office were dimmed.
After waiting for nearly half an hour, she finally saw Zhou Xuanyu emerge from the elevator, holding his laptop. He walked briskly, and when his gaze landed on Junxi, he seemed to let out a faint sigh of relief.
He went to the office to drop off his computer, then took out his coat and car keys.
"Let's go."
"Are you heading to a meeting?"
"Yeah. I moved the board meeting to noon."
He walked ahead of Junxi, his strides brisk and confident.
Junxi stood there, pouting slightly, feeling a bit foolish for thinking too much this morning. Zhou Xuanyu was such a thorough person; if she could think of it, surely he could as well.
The elevator opened in the distance, and the people inside spotted Zhou Xuanyu standing in the hallway, calling out eagerly, "Mr. Zhou, are you coming up?"
"No," he replied curtly.
Junxi could only watch as the elevator doors closed, the red numbers descending.
"Why aren't you going up?"
Junxi asked while checking her watch.
The building had dozens of floors, and there was quite a wait for the elevators. She had already missed her scheduled time with Zhou Ziyan; being late was one thing, but Zhou Ziyan's inspection couldn't be delayed.
"Are you in such a hurry?" Zhou Xuanyu asked lightly.
"Zhou Ziyan..."
"I called him."
"Then check..."
"I've already asked Jason to move it back."
Zhou Xuanyu responded fluently, while Junxi felt a mix of frustration and amusement. He had arranged everything but told her nothing, leaving her to fidget like an ant on a hot pan for half the time. It had to be intentional. It certainly was.
The next elevator took its sweet time, and when the doors finally opened, Zhou Xuanyu glanced inside. Satisfied that no one was there, he stepped in.
In the spacious cabin, they stood like two immovable mountains, one on each side. The fact that there were only two of them made the atmosphere feel awkward.
"You haven't eaten yet, have you?" Junxi spoke first.
"No."
Due to the last-minute change in meeting time, he had been busy familiarizing himself with the meeting materials and had no time to eat. However, when he decided to adjust the meeting, he had asked Galen to remind the board members, so everyone else had already eaten.
Galen said he was a good leader.
He chuckled and replied, "Which good leader would change the meeting time on a whim for personal matters?"
To his surprise, the usually businesslike Galen showed understanding. "Mr. Zhou, you're not acting on a whim; you're just worried about Zhou Ziyan. Such personal matters are entirely understandable."
He smiled but said nothing.
Worried about Zhou Ziyan?
Worry.
But his worries extended beyond just Zhou Ziyan. What troubled him more was her, the one who was with Zhou Ziyan.
The thought of their natural intimacy made his heart feel as if it were being swarmed by ants, an unbearable sensation. Instead of sitting restlessly and daydreaming, he might as well just watch them.
No, perhaps it was just him he wanted to watch.
“There's a Japanese restaurant nearby that’s really delicious,” Junxi suddenly said.
Her face reflected in the silver wall of the elevator, and when she mentioned “really delicious,” her eyes sparkled. He hadn’t realized that food could make her shine like that.
“Didn’t you eat lunch?” Zhou Xuanyu asked.
Junxi bit her lip and replied softly, “I did eat…”
She had eaten, but this little pig was still hungry.
Zhou Xuanyu glanced at her flat stomach and smirked.
Just then, the elevator doors opened. Junxi stood frozen in place, unable to move, as he stepped out.
“Are you going to lead the way or not?” he said.
Junxi took Zhou Xuanyu to a Japanese restaurant called Azure Grain. Azure Grain was a particularly traditional Japanese eatery. The owner was Chinese and had studied in Japan for five years. He had a deep passion for Japanese cuisine and was determined to bring the flavors of Japan back to his homeland. So, after returning, he immediately gathered funds to open this uniquely styled Japanese restaurant.
Although it primarily served Japanese cuisine, the decor of Azure Grain was heavily infused with a distinct Chinese style. Bamboo groves, rockeries, and flowing streams adorned the space, while bright red lanterns and Chinese knots were scattered throughout.
Zhou Xuanyu had reserved a small private room, and once seated, he left everything to Junxi, naturally passing the responsibility of ordering to her.
When the waiter brought the menu, she didn’t even glance at it before confidently rattling off a list of dishes. The waiter struggled to keep up.
“Do you come here often?” Zhou Xuanyu asked as he poured her some tea.
“Yeah.” Junxi lifted her teacup and lightly sniffed it. “I used to come here often with Zhou Ziyan.”
Zhou Xuanyu’s hand wobbled slightly as he held the teapot; a stream of water from the spout veered off course, nearly spilling tea outside his cup.
“Zhou Ziyan likes Japanese food too?”
“Not really. I love the Udon Noodles here, but he likes almost everything.” As Junxi spoke of Zhou Ziyan, her eyes sparkled with warmth. “But his favorite is definitely the Fish Cake, so I ordered an extra portion just now to pack for him later.”
Zhou Xuanyu nodded, the aroma of tea wafting through the air as he appeared somewhat distracted.
“I wonder if one portion will be enough; last time he came, he devoured two servings in one go.”
Junxi recalled that Zhou Ziyan was indeed a true glutton. Every time they dined together, his appetite never failed to astonish her. What left her most speechless was how he could easily finish dessert no matter how full he was from the main course.
She would tease him about it, but he would leisurely turn it around on her: “They say beauty is a feast for the eyes; since your looks are filling, I guess I’ll just have to eat more.”
That remark could leave her speechless.
“At this hour, he should have already eaten,” Zhou Xuanyu casually chimed in.
"He can't get used to the food in the hospital."
Zhou Xuanyu watched her worry so much that he felt a pang of discomfort in his heart. It was supposed to be him who came to eat, yet somehow, Zhou Ziyan, lying in the hospital, had taken center stage.
"Get ten orders of Fish Cake," he turned and instructed the waiter sullenly.
"Ten orders?"
"Ten orders?" Junxi and the waiter echoed in surprise.
"What do you need so much for?" Junxi waved her hand at the waiter and said, "Wait, we need to discuss this further."
"No need to discuss. Aren't you worried about Zhou Ziyan getting hungry?"
"But no one can eat that much."
"If they can't eat it all, they can share. There are plenty of nurses in the hospital." He was starting to feel impatient.
Junxi clicked her tongue, a knowing look settling on him.
"So your heart is already drifting over to those pretty nurses in the hospital," she said with a hint of sarcasm.
Zhou Xuanyu frowned, unable to detect the sarcasm but feeling a surge of frustration instead.
Who exactly was letting their heart drift to the hospital?
This woman certainly had a knack for turning the tables.
A table full of Japanese cuisine lay before Zhou Xuanyu, yet he hardly touched any of it. Seeing her slurping noodles enticingly, he ordered a bowl of Udon Noodles as well. After a few bites, he set it down.
"Is it not good?" she asked, a hint of anxiety in her voice, as if afraid that he wouldn’t like what she had recommended.
He looked at her for a moment before nodding. "It's good, but I'm just too hungry to have much of an appetite."
Junxi dropped her chopsticks, taking in the fatigue etched on his features.
"You'll end up with a stomachache like this."
She chided him lightly, pushing a plate of sushi closer to him. With deft fingers, she picked up a piece and held it to his mouth. "Have a little more."
The gesture was smooth and intimate, causing Zhou Xuanyu to pause as he stared at her ivory-white nails.
Noticing the surprise in his eyes, Junxi suddenly seemed to snap back to reality and quickly withdrew her hand.
Zhou Xuanyu was quick to catch her wrist.
Junxi's face turned bright red as she dared not meet his gaze.
He gently pulled her hand toward his mouth and bit off the piece of sushi she was holding.
"The food is right at the tip of my tongue; there's no reason to let it fly away," he said, chewing as he released her hand.
"Then have a few more," she suggested.
"Are you still going to feed me?" he asked, a hint of anticipation in his voice.
Her face turned even redder. "You're not a child anymore."
Zhou Xuanyu took a sip of tea to wash away the lingering taste. Calmly, he replied, "Then I won't eat."
Not going to feed him means he won't eat?
Zhou Xuanyu was not the type to throw a tantrum; that was always her behavior.
Junxi had always struggled with eating. When it was mealtime, the housekeeper would have to chase her around with her small bowl. A tiny bowl of rice would take her hours to finish.
His earlier remark, "Then I won't eat," had quite a bit of her old charm.
Wait, suddenly it dawned on her—he was imitating her.
"Hey!"
Junxi let out an embarrassed huff. He had already stood up, his smile bright and genuine, not at all sulky.
When the waiter came over to settle the bill, he paid and picked up the extra ten boxes of Fish Cake. Turning to her, he said, "Let's go."
Junxi slung her bag over her shoulder and followed him out. As they exited, she overheard the waiter whispering, "That guy is so handsome."
"He's quite handsome, but it seems he doesn't like our cooking."
"If he doesn't like it, why does he still come?"
"The girl with him seems to enjoy it. Maybe that's enough for him."
...
When Junxi and Zhou Xuanyu arrived at the hospital, Jason was chatting with Zhou Ziyan in the ward.
"Zhou Ziyan seems to be in a good mood," Zhou Xuanyu paused in the hallway.
Junxi followed his gaze and saw Jason say something that made Zhou Ziyan display an exaggerated expression before bursting into laughter.
"No," Junxi shook his head. "He's not happy at all. He only laughs like that when he's really unhappy."
Zhou Xuanyu fell silent, watching the person in the ward who was laughing uncontrollably. Now that she thought about it, it really did seem awkward... She knew him well.
Junxi pushed the door open ahead of Zhou Xuanyu. Both Zhou Ziyan and Jason looked up at them simultaneously, as if they both sighed in relief. It was indeed quite awkward for two grown men to be in a ward, one telling jokes while the other laughed along.
Zhou Ziyan glanced at Junxi before shifting his gaze to Zhou Xuanyu.
"Uncle, you don't have to come if you're busy."
Zhou Ziyan appeared very considerate. Before Zhou Xuanyu could respond, he called out again, "If you're coming, just come! Why bring anything? Wen Junxi, hurry up and open it."
Junxi smiled, knowing that Zhou Ziyan had recognized the bag of Azure Grain.
"Come on, Jason, it's better to arrive early than to arrive late. Try this, the Japanese cuisine tastes pretty good," Junxi enthusiastically handed one of the boxes to Jason.
Jason waved his hand dismissively. "I don't eat Japanese food."
He meant he didn't eat it, not that he didn't like it—he simply didn't eat it.
Both Junxi and Zhou Ziyan paused for a moment, looking at Jason as if he were an oddity. Jason shrugged innocently. "Is it strange not to eat Japanese food? Many people can't get used to it. Ken never…"
"Jason!" Zhou Xuanyu suddenly called out, abruptly cutting off Jason's words.
Jason looked at him as Zhou Xuanyu calmly handed him several boxes.
"I bought a lot; take them to the nurses' station. Thank them for taking care of Zhou Ziyan."
Jason opened his mouth as if to say something more but fell silent under Zhou Xuanyu's piercing gaze. He quieted down and obediently carried the boxes out.
Zhou Ziyan seemed to be starving, devouring the food hungrily while not forgetting to praise Zhou Xuanyu. "Uncle, you really are thoughtful."
Zhou Xuanyu glanced at Junxi, passing the credit to her. "It was Junxi's idea."
"Junxi's idea?" Zhou Ziyan smacked her lips. "That must mean she wanted to eat it herself. Otherwise, how would she think of me?"
Junxi glared at her. "You ungrateful person."
"It's not that I'm ungrateful; it's just that your love for Japanese food is well-known," Zhou Ziyan replied, looking at Zhou Xuanyu. "Uncle, you might not know this, but back in sophomore year, a talented guy from the art department confessed to her by standing downstairs with a bouquet of sushi. That scene... tsk tsk."
Zhou Xuanyu took a light breath, the air filled with the aroma of Fish Cake. Coupled with Zhou Ziyan's somewhat mischievous smile, he suddenly found that the faint fishy smell was not so hard to accept after all.
It turned out that nowadays, young people were quite creative when pursuing girls; sending flowers was indeed outdated.
"What happened next?"
Zhou Xuanyu's seemingly casual tone sent a shiver down Junxi's spine. She thought Zhou Ziyan's interruption wouldn't pique his interest, but to her surprise, he joined in on the gossip.
"Well," Zhou Ziyan scratched the back of his head, "later Wen Junxi dragged me into pretending to be her boyfriend, and my pristine reputation was ruined by her."
"Zhou Ziyan! Have you no shame?"
Junxi lunged at Zhou Ziyan with mock ferocity, and the two began playfully tussling, eliciting a string of laughter.
Zhou Xuanyu leaned against the windowsill, quietly watching them.
Long ago, he had always thought he would remain an observer, watching them grow up amidst their playful bickering. But who would have thought that during those five years of silence, they had suddenly transformed into who they were now while he was unaware? And now, after five years of accumulation crumbling in an instant, he finally realized that he was not satisfied with being just a bystander.
But if he wasn't going to be a bystander, what else could he be?
Zhou Ziyan indeed loved Fish Cake; he devoured two boxes in one go and still looked unsatisfied. Worried that he might overindulge and feel unwell, Junxi decisively took the remaining boxes and distributed them to the families in the neighboring ward, claiming it was for the sake of good neighborly relations.
Zhou Ziyan sulked as he begrudgingly let go of the delicious food, leading to another round of playful banter between them.
Zhou Xuanyu sat on the sofa in the hospital room, lost in thought as he let the two of them joke around without participating or intervening.
Junxi thought to himself that if he were going to be this boring, he might as well be at work; he didn’t understand why he was even here.
About half an hour later, the Head Nurse came in and announced that it was time for the examination.
Junxi responded, but the Head Nurse showed no signs of leaving. She shyly glanced at Zhou Xuanyu and said with a smile, "Mr. Zhou, thank you for bringing the Japanese food. The nurses at the station really enjoyed it."
Zhou Xuanyu nodded and replied with his usual words, "It’s Zhou Ziyan who deserves your attention."
"Taking care of patients is our duty. Besides, Mr. Zhou, you may not know this, but your nephew is quite popular among us nurses. Many want to take care of him but can’t get a chance," the Head Nurse said. Perhaps she was exaggerating, but there was likely some truth to it.
Zhou Ziyan smiled proudly, his handsome face shining even brighter when he grinned. He was usually a cheerful person, but he had been smiling less lately.
Junxi shot him a glare, but Zhou Ziyan remained unfazed and even flashed a "V" sign.
The nurse repeated her thanks before leaving. Shortly after she exited, two nurses wheeled in a wheelchair.
Zhou Ziyan clearly rejected the idea of using the wheelchair; as soon as he saw it, the smile vanished from his face completely. The nurses approached him from either side to assist him, but he refused to cooperate. Without his cooperation, they struggled to move him at all.
"Zhou Ziyan!"
Zhou Xuanyu looked at Zhou Ziyan, his tone slightly firmer but not alarming. He understood that Zhou Ziyan associated the wheelchair with someone else—someone he wouldn’t want to become.
The atmosphere in the room grew heavy instantly; the two young nurses turned red with anxiety while Zhou Ziyan remained motionless.
After waiting for a moment, Zhou Xuanyu stepped forward to help Zhou Ziyan up.
"Uncle."
Zhou Ziyan, seeing Zhou Xuanyu take action personally, naturally did not dare to resist too much, but he still felt reluctant.
"Be good," Zhou Xuanyu said, raising his hand to gently pat Zhou Ziyan's buzz cut.
This gentle gesture caught Zhou Ziyan off guard, and he quickly laughed, "Uncle, come on, I'm not a child anymore."
"Right now, you're just like a child who refuses to get a shot."
Although Zhou Xuanyu was scolding Zhou Ziyan, the hint of indulgence in his tone was clear to Junxi, not to mention Zhou Ziyan himself.
This approach was indeed particularly effective on Zhou Ziyan. He eagerly leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Zhou Xuanyu's neck, allowing Zhou Xuanyu to half-support and half-carry him onto the wheelchair.
"Uncle, how long has it been since you last hugged me?" Zhou Ziyan took the opportunity to act cute.
"Weren't there plenty of times I hugged you when you were little?"
"You didn't hug me that much back then; the one you hugged the most was that young lady." Zhou Ziyan pointed at Junxi and said with a hint of jealousy, "She's not even your niece and I've never heard her call you 'uncle,' yet you spoil her the most."
"Are you getting jealous over old vinegar? How sour!" Junxi laughed and glanced at Zhou Xuanyu.
Zhou Xuanyu did not meet her gaze. He pressed down on the wheelchair's push handle, skillfully controlling its direction as he pushed Zhou Ziyan to a spacious area before letting go for the nurse to take over.
The nurse blushed even more, repeatedly thanking him.
Zhou Xuanyu stepped aside and reminded Zhou Ziyan to cooperate during the examination.
"Uncle, what happened to your mouth?" Zhou Ziyan asked suddenly.
Zhou Xuanyu was caught off guard and instinctively pressed his thumb against the scar on his lip.
"Just mind your own business."
"You got bitten by a woman, didn't you?" Zhou Ziyan blinked, a typical playboy smirk appearing at the corner of his lips.
"I accidentally bit myself," Zhou Xuanyu explained. Although it was a lie, he spoke with surprising confidence.
"You're lying; I know better! Baby Anchor went to your house yesterday, right..."
"Zhou Ziyan!" Junxi rushed over and grabbed Zhou Ziyan's arm. "Are you going to check or not? If not, just cancel it; there are plenty of people waiting behind."
Zhou Ziyan pouted. "Why do you look so guilty? It's not like you did the biting!"
How could it not be her? It really was her!
Junxi clenched his fists, but those two sentences stuck in his throat and wouldn't come out.
"Get him to the examination quickly," Zhou Xuanyu ordered.
"Okay, okay," the two nurses responded in unison.
By the time all of Zhou Ziyan's test results came out, night had already fallen.
Jason said that Zhou Ziyan's test results were good, with all indicators normal, so scheduling the surgery for next week posed no issues.
Upon hearing this news, Junxi and Zhou Xuanyu both breathed a sigh of relief.
Since Zhou Xuanyu had something to attend to and needed to leave first, Junxi decided to catch a ride with him, so she didn’t linger.
While Zhou Xuanyu went to the parking lot to retrieve the car, Junxi stood on the busy street outside the hospital waiting for him. The evening breeze was particularly chilly, and dressed lightly, she soon began to shiver. She wrapped her arms around herself and lowered her head, hopping in place to keep warm.
“Beep!”
A car horn sounded nearby, and Junxi thought it was Zhou Xuanyu arriving. Just as she was about to pull open the door, she realized that the vehicle parked in front of her wasn’t Zhou Xuanyu’s Cayenne but Shen Yunchong’s Hummer.
“Teacher Wen.” Shen Yunchong rolled down the window. In the passenger seat sat a heavily made-up woman who eyed Junxi with suspicion, as if she were an intruder.
“What a coincidence, Mr. Shen.” Junxi nodded at Shen Yunchong, deliberately ignoring the hostile gaze directed at her.
“Where are you headed? Need a ride?” Shen Yunchong gestured toward the back seat of his car.
“No thanks, I’m waiting for someone,” Junxi quickly declined.
She hadn’t even gotten into the car yet, and this unfamiliar woman looked ready to pounce; if she did get in, it would surely be chaos!
“Alright.” Shen Yunchong agreed readily.
“Take care,” Junxi waved goodbye to him.
Shen Yunchong was in no hurry to leave. He casually took the shawl from the woman beside him and said, "You look cold; take this."
Without waiting for a response, he crumpled the shawl into a ball and tossed it toward Junxi.
Junxi heard the woman call out in a melodious tone, "Yun, I'm cold too!" The shawl landed in her hands, and she instinctively caught it.
The tag on the shawl had not been cut, indicating it was newly purchased. She glanced at the logo on the tag and realized it must have been expensive. She intended to return it, but before she could hand it back, she heard Shen Yunchong say goodbye.
A Hummer roared away with a whoosh, its bright taillights blending into the flow of traffic.
Junxi stood there, staring at the shawl in her hands, unsure whether to wear it. In the end, she decided to fold it up and put it in her bag.
Zhou Xuanyu soon arrived, but he had run over instead of driving. It turned out that two cars had collided at the parking lot exit, blocking the way for a while. Worried that she might be waiting too long and unable to reach her by phone, he hurried over.
"What are we going to do? Didn't you have something to attend to?" Junxi asked.
"I just sent Manager Gao to handle it," Zhou Xuanyu replied. After a moment, he looked at her and added, "Do you have something going on? If you do, I can call a cab to take you home."
Junxi thought for a moment and shrugged. "I don't have much going on besides the materials you asked me to submit. Mr. Zhou, could you possibly make an exception..."
"Day after tomorrow, at the latest."
Junxi chuckled lightly, making Zhou Xuanyu feel somewhat uncomfortable.
He had always been a principled person, yet those principles were repeatedly challenged in front of this individual.
Perhaps as that person had said, Wen Junxi held a special significance for him that he himself was unaware of.
"Let's go to Starbucks for a bit," Zhou Xuanyu suggested, saying they could pick up the car once the parking situation was sorted out. Junxi nodded in agreement, but her attention was quickly drawn to a group of people nearby holding river lanterns.
"Where are they going to release those lanterns?" she murmured softly, not realizing that a kind-hearted woman in her fifties had overheard her. The woman paused and informed her that there was a moat behind the hospital where they released lanterns every year at this time to pray for their family and friends.
"Are you interested?" Zhou Xuanyu asked, noticing Junxi's eager expression.
"Yes, I want to go. What about you? Do you want to go?"
Junxi knew that Zhou Xuanyu must be tired after a long day, so she wanted to consult him rather than making the decision on her own.
Zhou Xuanyu nodded.
Although he didn't believe in such things, how could he refuse her when she wanted to go?
The area by the moat was bustling with people, each holding different styles of river lanterns. Besides the traditional lotus lanterns, there were also handmade lanterns with personal messages written on them.
Junxi found herself overwhelmed by the variety of stalls, while Zhou Xuanyu, who had initially seemed uninterested, had already approached a shop selling handmade lanterns and was getting involved.
The young man teaching people how to fold the lanterns was proud as he declared that his shop was the only one on the entire commercial street that made and released lanterns on-site.
Junxi glanced around and noticed that most of the customers in the shop were young people around the same age as the boss, with many couples among them. However, standing together with Zhou Xuanyu didn’t feel out of place at all.
Zhou Xuanyu was smart and practical; while Junxi chatted with the boss, a beautifully crafted river lantern had already taken shape in his hands. She knew he was capable but hadn’t realized just how skilled his hands were.
"What wish are you going to write?" Junxi asked, looking at Zhou Xuanyu with curiosity.
Zhou Xuanyu casually handed her the river lantern he had made.
"You write."
"Me? I can write whatever I want?" Junxi picked a wish and seemed a bit excited.
Zhou Xuanyu nodded and borrowed a pen from Boss, placing it in front of Junxi.
"You two are a couple, right?" Boss asked, looking at Zhou Xuanyu with interest.
Zhou Xuanyu remained silent, neither confirming nor denying it. Seeing him not speak, Junxi didn't offer an explanation either.
"If you're a couple, you usually wish for love. Just look at those couples; they all write about everlasting love and devotion. It's a bit cliché, but who cares? It's not an exam; you don't need to be too poetic. Just write what you feel," Boss suggested enthusiastically.
Junxi thought for a moment and then wrote down Zhou Ziyan's name.
Zhou Xuanyu was taken aback.
"This wish is for Zhou Ziyan. I hope his surgery goes well and that he recovers quickly," Junxi explained softly as she wrote.
This was undoubtedly the most reasonable wish at the moment, one that Zhou Xuanyu also shared. Yet, as he watched Junxi write down Zhou Ziyan's name, he couldn't ignore the fleeting sense of disappointment that washed over him.
He found it ridiculous—what was he feeling disappointed about?
Did he really hope she would wish for their "love"? That fleeting connection that hadn't even lasted three days? If there were truly a chance to make a wish, his only hope would be for time—more time for them.
"Let's go. We're going to release the river lanterns."
Junxi tugged at Zhou Xuanyu's sleeve. Her childlike innocent smile was particularly moving in the soft glow of the lights.
She was a kind girl, almost devoid of impurities. It was he who had recently been plagued by too many troubling thoughts, becoming less and less like himself.
"Watch your step, don't run."
The stone path by the river was a bit slippery, and Zhou Xuanyu reminded her as they walked.
Their relationship often resembled that of a parent with a child; he had to be careful to look after her, to worry for her, to feel anxious about her. He felt helpless about this sensation, yet he also enjoyed it.
Junxi found a spot to stand still, and Zhou Xuanyu struck the matchstick that Boss had given him. With a soft "pop," a faint flame flickered to life, illuminating the gap between them.
The river lanterns, once lit, exuded a hazy beauty.
Under Zhou Xuanyu's watchful gaze, Junxi bent down carefully and gently placed the lantern into the water. The moonlight shone brightly in the night sky, casting shimmering reflections on the river's surface. One was in the sky and the other in the water; Junxi clasped her hands together and sincerely made her wish.
Zhou Xuanyu gazed at her serious profile, feeling a softness bloom within him.
After a while, Junxi stood up. She felt a bit lightheaded from squatting for too long, her steps unsteady.
"Be careful."
Junxi barely heard Zhou Xuanyu's deep voice as it brushed past her ears before she felt his arm wrap around her waist. With his strong hands supporting her, she felt stable and completely safe.
She looked up and met his dark, deep-set eyes.
"Are you going to fall down or what?" He was clearly scolding her, yet his eyes were filled with gentle light.
Junxi's hand rested against his solid chest, and she could feel the firm muscles beneath his clothing, along with the heartbeat pulsing beneath them.
"I won't fall."
"Why not?"
"Aren't you behind me?" Junxi's brows arched playfully, her eyes sparkling with charm. "You won't let me fall."
Zhou Xuanyu didn't know where her certainty and confidence came from, but at that moment, he truly couldn't argue against it. Even if he wanted to tease her with a dismissive "I don't care about you," he found himself unable to do so.
All he wanted was to indulge her certainty, her confidence, her pride... everything about her.
They held each other's gaze for a long time, their eyes meeting perhaps with an undercurrent of unspoken emotions and sparks flying. Yet neither of them took a step further.
"Does it hurt?" Junxi suddenly raised her hand, gently tracing her fingertip over Zhou Xuanyu's lips.
All day long, everyone had been asking about his mouth and the scar; if she, the one responsible, didn't inquire at all, it would seem too heartless.
Zhou Xuanyu remained silent.
"Does it hurt?" she asked again, her breath soft like orchids.
Does it hurt?
It does.
However, if he were to feel that pain again, he would be willing.
Zhou Xuanyu's gaze was fixed on Jun Xiyan's red lips. He lowered his head and kissed her...
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