Wen Xin ultimately couldn’t give an answer.
Moving in together was undoubtedly a highly tempting proposal. It would mean bidding farewell to her loneliness, allowing her to have someone by her side for extended periods.
Especially since that someone was the wonderful Shi Qianyu.
No one could dislike that feeling. Upon honest reflection, every day spent as Shi Qianyu’s lover had been filled with incomparable joy—a joy she hadn’t experienced in over twenty years. She no longer felt uneasy, and nightmares rarely plagued her in the dead of night. Shi Qianyu had given her so much: hugs, kisses, comfort, and a sense of confidence.
Wen Xin quietly mused that if Shi Qianyu had made this offer to someone else, that person would likely have agreed without a second thought.
Unfortunately, the offer was meant for her.
Unbeknownst to herself, Wen Xin began weighing the pros and cons once more. A lover’s relationship was inherently fragile. It would be ideal if they could maintain their peaceful status quo indefinitely, but what if one day Shi Qianyu grew tired of her?
She feared the proposal was just a whim, and that she would be the fool to take it seriously—packing her things with glee only to be shunned and driven out later.
The cold stares from her uncle and aunt still lingered vividly in her memory. She dreaded the day Shi Qianyu might look at her with the same disdain. That would hurt more than death itself. Refusing was the wise choice; if that day ever came, at least it would end cleanly, without too much humiliation.
For so many years, she had lived with excruciating caution. Time had only aged her body; the indelible scars on her heart remained unchanged.
Wen Xin closed her eyes and fell silent, refusing to speak. She had decided not to agree, yet she couldn’t bring herself to reject Shi Qianyu outright, knowing it came from a place of good intentions.
In the end, she said nothing, pretending to have fallen asleep.
The night stretched on in heavy silence, each woman lost in her own thoughts, neither speaking again.
Wen Xin didn’t dare move, forcing her breathing to stay steady. The uncomfortable position made her arm ache terribly, but she endured it.
She held still for a long time until Shi Qianyu slowly turned over behind her, presenting her back.
Wen Xin let out a quiet sigh of relief and finally shifted a little, adjusting into a more comfortable sleeping position.
Her arm felt better, but the ache in her heart persisted unrelieved.
…
The night passed quickly.
It was still the weekend, so there was no need to rise early. Having only drifted off near dawn, Wen Xin woke quite late.
Shi Qianyu was no longer in the room. Wen Xin got up and headed to the bathroom to shower and freshen up.
Anxiety gnawed at her heart. She feared Shi Qianyu had noticed her feigned sleep the night before—that she might overthink it or get angry. Even while washing up, her mind was restless.
Afterward, she stepped out, folded the bedding, and opened the bedroom door.
Shi Qianyu was nowhere to be seen in the living room either. It seemed she had been gone for quite a while; the place was utterly quiet, save for the sound of Wen Xin’s footsteps.
Where had she gone?
Had she left because she didn’t want to see her?
Wen Xin searched fruitlessly and finally sank onto the sofa. There were no messages from Shi Qianyu on WeChat. She stared at the screen, hesitating for a long time, unsure whether to send something.
Should she ask where Shi Qianyu had gone and why she wasn’t home?
Or apologize directly, reflecting on how she’d ignored the proposal last night?
Or perhaps slip away quietly to spare Shi Qianyu the annoyance of seeing her?
The intense unease seemed baseless yet traceable. Wen Xin felt guilty about her actions the previous night, so she had no choice but to swallow the bitter consequences. She had always cared deeply about others’ opinions, especially those of Shi Qianyu, with whom she shared such an intimate bond.
Maybe she should send a message to test the waters. If Shi Qianyu was truly upset, she could apologize sincerely and quickly.
Wen Xin made up her mind, lowered her gaze to her phone, and held her breath as she typed: 【A-Yu, where did you…】
Before she could finish, the sound of the door opening came from behind her.
Wen Xin whipped around reflexively, her eyes meeting the gaze of the person at the entrance. Shi Qianyu stood there in a light coffee-colored dress and black stiletto heels, her demeanor as poised as ever, her beauty undiminished.
In her hands were freshly bought breakfasts from a shop Assistant Wang had recommended earlier. Shi Qianyu had tried it once and thought Wen Xin would like it, so she’d gotten up early to buy some.
She hadn’t expected Wen Xin to be up already, encountering her in the living room instead. “Awake?”
She curved her lips into a gentle smile and greeted her with a soft “good morning.” “Did you sleep well last night?”
Far from being angry, Shi Qianyu spoke to her in such a tender tone.
Wen Xin froze for a few seconds, her heart easing slightly. She hurriedly replied, “Pretty well.”
“Did A-Yu go buy breakfast?” Shi Qianyu was carrying quite a bit, so Wen Xin stood and took some from her hands. Together, they headed to the kitchen to sort things out.
“Yeah.” Shi Qianyu nodded lightly. “Have you been up long?”
“Not really.” Wen Xin responded, though her gaze continued to scan Shi Qianyu’s face anxiously, trying to read her thoughts. “Just woke up a bit ago.”
“Washed up already?”
“Yes.”
Shi Qianyu smiled and set the breakfast on the dining table. “Then let’s eat.”
With that, as usual, she poured soy milk for Wen Xin, peeled an egg for her, and even thoughtfully separated the white from the yolk.
Nothing had changed; the person before her was the same as always.
A moment later, Wen Xin dared to hope that Shi Qianyu hadn’t noticed her pretending to sleep the night before.
“Thank you, A-Yu.” She finally mustered the courage to sit across from Shi Qianyu, conversing with her as if everything were normal. Shi Qianyu responded softly, and the atmosphere felt pleasant.
After breakfast, Shi Qianyu offered to drive her home.
“What about you, A-Yu?” Wen Xin asked casually.
Shi Qianyu sighed helplessly. “There’s still some unfinished business at the company. I don’t know how late it’ll run.”
Wen Xin quickly said, “Then I’ll go with you…”
“No need.” Shi Qianyu leaned in, planting a soft kiss on her cheek, her voice gentle. “It’s a rare weekend. Go home and rest properly.”
Remembering the night before, Wen Xin reminded her, “Then remember to eat on time.”
Shi Qianyu nodded earnestly. “Sure.”
They walked side by side to the garage and got into the car. Ten minutes later, it pulled up smoothly at her place.
Wen Xin said her goodbyes and unfastened her seatbelt, about to get out, when Shi Qianyu suddenly grabbed her wrist.
Wen Xin paused and met her gaze. “…What’s wrong?”
With that, Shi Qianyu continued, “I just remembered something. I actually asked last night, but you were asleep and might not have heard.”
“So I’ll ask again today.” Her tone was earnest, her eyes locking onto Wen Xin’s, leaving her nowhere to hide.
Wen Xin knew what was coming. Her heart pounded wildly, though she struggled to keep her expression calm. In a low voice, she asked, “What?”
Shi Qianyu spoke softly, “Would you move in with me? Wouldn’t it be nice to live together?”
Perhaps fearing another refusal, she didn’t just suggest it this time. She added incentives to tempt her. “Whatever you want to eat, I can make it for you every night.”
“We could commute to work together, come home together—no more cramming onto the subway. I’d drive you, drop you off at the subway station closest to the office like before, so no one finds out if you’re worried.”
“You said you like strolling. There’s a few scenic parks near my place. After dinner, we could walk there together, or go shopping, grab coffee, catch a movie.”
“As long as you want to, we could do anything together.”
She had clearly put a lot of thought into it.
Wen Xin was momentarily speechless. Shi Qianyu’s proposal stirred her heart once more. She never mentioned loneliness outright, yet every word reminded her: move in, and you’ll never feel lonely again.
For an instant, Wen Xin wanted to nod.
But it was only an instant. She was touched by how much Shi Qianyu had considered for her sake, yet worry and fear gripped her. What if the candy Shi Qianyu offered was too sweet? One taste would leave her craving more, addicted before she knew it, unable to let go.
Worse, what if Shi Qianyu withdrew her generosity, turning stingy? Then the sweet trap would backfire, and even after scrounging desperately for the candy jar, she’d find it empty.
She had to refuse the person before her, however unwillingly. “…Let’s not.”
She averted her eyes, unable to look at Shi Qianyu’s face, forcing out a difficult lie to soften the rejection. “I’ve lived here for many years. I’m used to it. Moving suddenly would feel off.”
“Besides, living together comes with more risks. If colleagues spot us, it could affect your work.”
“I think we…”
Before she could finish, Shi Qianyu cut her off. “Those aren’t issues. As long as you agree, I can handle whatever comes up.”
“Will you move in with me?” Her tone carried an almost pleading note as she spoke earnestly to Wen Xin. “We’ll be together from now on.”
“…”
The atmosphere plunged into silence, the chill settling almost to a freezing point. Wen Xin stayed quiet for a long while before shaking her head once more. “…I’m sorry.”
At those words, the hand Shi Qianyu had clasped around her wrist noticeably loosened.
Wen Xin no longer dared to meet her eyes, shrinking like a child who had done something wrong. She could only murmur from her lips, “I’m really sorry… I’m sorry.”
The sight of her tugged at the heartstrings.
Shi Qianyu gazed at her for a long time. After a moment, she let out a soft sigh, leaned down, and wrapped her arms around the woman before her. “I should be the one apologizing.”
“I didn’t think it through enough. I assumed my suggestion would be good for both of us, but I failed to put myself in your shoes and consider your feelings more deeply.”
“If you don’t want to move in, then we won’t. I won’t force you into anything you don’t want to do.” As she spoke, her eyes caught sight of Wen Xin’s tightly bitten lip. Her heart ached fiercely, and she leaned in gently to press a kiss to it. “Don’t bite. It’ll hurt.”
“Stay a little longer. It’s still early.” She reached out to stroke Wen Xin’s back, soothing her like a fretful kitten. “How about I walk you upstairs in a bit?”
“No need.” Wen Xin shook her head. Shi Qianyu’s understanding and compromise made her feel terribly guilty—she didn’t want to impose. “I’ll go up by myself…”
“But I want to spend more time with you.” Shi Qianyu knew she didn’t truly mean it, so she pressed gently. “Can’t I, really?”
Her voice was soft and tender, laced with a hint of coquetry and pleading.
Wen Xin finally raised her eyes to meet hers. She paused for a few seconds before murmuring, “Okay.”
Shi Qianyu smiled and pulled her even closer, whispering a joyful cheer into her ear. “Yay!”
“Sister is so nice.”
