“Oh… Did your furniture get damaged? If it’s a rental, the agency should compensate for the losses.”
“Yeah, I’ll ask about that later.” Yu Wan’s lips curved up the whole time. Fang Nianchen was especially enthusiastic today—who knew what had stimulated her.
Luckily, the Fang Nianchen she met today wasn’t the nervous one from the beginning who sat silently for ages without saying a word.
Feeling she’d shown enough concern, Fang Nianchen timely shut her mouth and sipped her lemon tea from the cup.
“You mentioned earlier you had something this morning. Done with it?” Yu Wan asked. “Anything I can help with?”
Caught off guard by the sudden mention, Fang Nianchen recalled that agonizing lunch, her mood sinking a bit. “It’s nothing really. All sorted now.”
“Let me guess… Someone tried to force you into a blind date?”
Hearing that, Fang Nianchen jerked her head up, eyes full of “How did you know?”
But on second thought, it wasn’t exactly a blind date.
She shook her head lightly. “No.”
Today’s Fang Nianchen seemed very accommodating, so Yu Wan pressed on. “Then what?”
“Well… Do you remember that guy who brought me dumplings last time?” Fang Nianchen reluctantly brought up Guo Zhen. “His mom kept trying to set us up. I got so fed up I lied and said…”
She hit that hard-to-say phrase again, taking a slight breath. “That I have a boyfriend.”
“She seemed to know I was lying, so she asked me to bring my boyfriend to their house for lunch. I had no choice, so I got a friend to pretend to be my boyfriend. Managed to fool them somehow.”
“So that’s what happened.” Hearing the full story, combined with what she’d seen that night in the circle of friends who helped Fang Nianchen find a fake boyfriend, Yu Wan finally understood everything.
That explained why Veterinarian Yao wasn’t at the clinic today, so the morning appointment for Little Briquette’s vaccine was canceled.
“I figured even if you disliked it, you’d maintain surface harmony, avoid breaking it off, and end up forced into a blind date with that guy anyway.” Yu Wan couldn’t help recalling a few weeks ago when Fang Nianchen, sick with a fever, had chatted with him for ten whole minutes over a bag of dumplings because she wasn’t good at refusing “others.”
She’d even felt a twinge of jealousy over it and hinted at it subtly.
“But I really don’t like him…” For a moment, Fang Nianchen inexplicably felt aggrieved.
Forcing someone she didn’t like on her, making her go to such lengths to shake it off, and who knew if the same drama would repeat later.
If it were just that, it wouldn’t make her feel so wronged. What truly felt unfair was that it was someone else’s idea imposed on her, and if she didn’t go along, everyone could stand on moral high ground to blame her.
“I think he’s awful.” The words slipped out of Fang Nianchen’s mouth, but the next second she backpedaled. “Forget it. It’s not good to badmouth others behind their backs.”
She didn’t want to end up wrapped in inexplicable guilt after venting about all of Guo Zhen’s annoying traits today.
She was always like this, gradually burying her true thoughts deep inside, like trash underground that took decades to decompose.
“Everyone’s human; of course you can voice your opinion. Besides…” Sensing Fang Nianchen’s little mood, Yu Wan smiled reassuringly. “It’s just us here. If you trust me, you can tell me anything.”
With that, there was a few seconds of silence.
“Mm?” Yu Wan looked at her encouragingly.
Fang Nianchen took a deep breath. “I just think he’s awful. He’s so old and doesn’t have a proper job—just mooching off his parents under the guise of grad school prep. His EQ is low too. And… he’s not even good-looking.”
People were visual creatures; appearance was the most basic starting point for knowing someone.
Call her shallow or judgmental if you want—that was just the fact.
Spilling out all her pent-up thoughts at once made her body feel suddenly lighter, her heart lifted swiftly, floating with a sense of relief she hadn’t felt in a long time.
She looked at Yu Wan in silence.
This was simply the darkest thought in her heart, belittling someone to worthlessness. Fang Nianchen felt she was utterly rotten, harboring baseless malice to slap labels on others.
Would Yu Wan think she herself was pathetic?
Depressing thoughts enveloped her, and Fang Nianchen silently shifted her gaze away, no longer looking at her.
“Mm.” Unexpectedly, Yu Wan nodded in agreement and said softly, “That’s exactly what I think too. Most of the time, we’re subjective—don’t be afraid to express your thoughts. While we’re alive, the most important thing is to be happy. We can freely choose who we like and who we hate.”
“And our opinions won’t affect them at all, because this is just a conversation between us.”
This was a secret belonging only to them—no second person would know.
She wouldn’t tell anyone, wouldn’t put Fang Nianchen in a dangerous position.
She hoped Fang Nianchen could be completely unrestrained in front of her, showing her truest self.
“See? Saying it out loud makes you feel a lot lighter, right?”
Fang Nianchen was stunned for two seconds, slowly digesting Yu Wan’s words, and only after a moment did she nod dazedly. “Yeah… much better.”
“Then let’s stop thinking about him.”
“Okay.”
—
The two sat quietly for a while longer, and Fang Nianchen picked up a book to read.
With Yu Wan sitting right beside her, she couldn’t help feeling nervous and sat ramrod straight.
But the more she tried to focus, the more tired she got. She should have taken a nap half an hour ago, and now drowsiness kept surging up. Soon, the text on the pages blurred, and she let out yawn after yawn.
Fang Nianchen rubbed her eyes and pinched the webbing between her thumb and index finger, but it was just a drop in the bucket.
She sneaked a glance at Yu Wan over the top of her book. Yu Wan was scrolling on her phone, probably replying to work matters, her brows gradually furrowing.
“How about watching a movie?” Afraid she’d really fall asleep soon, Fang Nianchen suggested.
“Hm?” Yu Wan turned her head. “Oh, sure. What do you want to watch?”
“Anything you’re in the mood for?”
“I rarely watch movies.” Her work was so busy it squeezed out all her personal time, leaving no room for cultural pursuits. Yu Wan smiled awkwardly. “You pick— I trust you.”
“Oh… let me think.” Fang Nianchen had watched a ton of movies, all sorts, and had to rack her brains for a good while to decide.
Horror and romance were out first—the atmosphere felt a bit off. Older films with a vintage feel had plots that dragged and might get boring.
In the end, she remembered she hadn’t gotten around to watching Green Book yet despite being busy, and the online reviews were great, so she suggested that one.
Yu Wan had no objections, of course.
Fang Nianchen hauled out her long-unused projector, earning a sigh from Yu Wan: “How do you have everything?” She smiled shyly on the surface, but inside, triumphant fireworks were exploding.
Curtains drawn, the room plunged into darkness, the movie started playing, and Yu Wan scooted over a bit, beckoning Fang Nianchen. “Come sit here—it’s more comfortable to watch straight on.”
It made perfect sense, so Fang Nianchen didn’t argue at a time like this.
The sofa wasn’t big, and with two people squeezed in, only a fist’s width separated them.
Fang Nianchen drew her legs up onto the sofa and hugged them, as if trying to squeeze herself into a cactus to avoid touching Yu Wan.
Unfortunately, Fang Nianchen’s plans backfired.
Watching a movie didn’t excite her and chase away the sleepiness.
On the contrary, the dim environment multiplied her drowsiness geometrically, and soon her eyelids were fighting a fierce battle.
Fang Nianchen’s head began nodding lower and lower, the sounds in her ears growing fuzzier and fuzzier…
Yu Wan had silenced her phone right after the movie started, just like in a theater.
Before shutting it off, Shi Yumei had been bombarding her with messages asking where she was and why Chen Yuyang had come knocking without finding her.
Of course, she wouldn’t tell Shi Yumei where she was—or even Fang Nianchen, for that matter.
There was no water leak at her place today, nor was anyone fixing pipes. She had fled here to get away from someone she disliked, finding a temporary safe haven.
Only by Fang Nianchen’s side could she escape the unease and unknown fears that wrapped around her.
Shi Yumei’s warning and threat from last night had her on pins and needles, and the fact that she had acted so quickly only heightened her vague anxiety—what other unknown dangers lay in wait?
Yu Wan had heard of Green Book long ago; Quan Cige had strongly recommended it back then, but she hadn’t gotten around to watching it.
Even knowing it was a great movie, her mind was preoccupied, so she couldn’t fully enjoy it. Her thoughts wandered, and she didn’t notice the person beside her gradually leaning closer.
Suddenly, her shoulder sank under a weight, and Yu Wan’s breath hitched.
She swallowed, turning her head slightly—Fang Nianchen was utterly still, only even breathing left.
Had she fallen asleep?
She didn’t know why she was so tired, but the signs had been there: she’d been rubbing her eyes nonstop while sitting there, yawning endlessly. Yu Wan had even wanted to urge her to go sleep.
So the movie was for hypnosis?
Yu Wan pursed her lips in a smile and slowly leaned back, adjusting her posture to make it more comfortable for Fang Nianchen.
The AC was on in the room, and right at hand was the blanket Fang Nianchen had prepared in case she got cold.
The blanket was large; Yu Wan shook it out carefully and, with some effort, draped it over Fang Nianchen, tugging a bit to cover her own legs too.
Fang Nianchen seemed disturbed by the movement and let out a soft hum, nuzzling closer toward her.
The soft strands of hair tickled Yu Wan’s neck slightly; she instinctively tilted her head, pressing against Fang Nianchen’s restless one.
“Alright, go to sleep.” Yu Wan cooed softly, and sure enough, Fang Nianchen went completely still.
With one shoulder occupied by Fang Nianchen, Yu Wan couldn’t do anything else and became her human pillow. She muted the movie and watched only the subtitles.
Soon after—perhaps the silent film was too hypnotic, or maybe the reassuring atmosphere got to her—she too drifted into a deep sleep.
—
In the evening, as the sun was about to set, Fang Nianchen finally woke groggily.
When had she fallen asleep? Had the movie even played for ten minutes?
The movie had long ended, the projector was off, and the curtains were drawn tight, not a speck of light getting in. Calling it sleeping like the dead was no exaggeration.
Oh no…
She’d said they’d watch a movie together, but she’d conked out first.
Watching alone always brought an inexplicable loneliness—she knew that, so she hadn’t wanted Yu Wan to have that unpleasant experience.
Right, what about Yu Wan? Had she left?
The room was deathly quiet, and the sudden loneliness jolted Fang Nianchen fully awake.
No…
Feeling the warmth beside her and the blanket on her, Fang Nianchen tilted her head slightly and looked over.
Yu Wan was leaning against the sofa, eyes closed, sleeping peacefully. Her head was tilted toward Fang Nianchen, her posture looking a bit awkward.
Hot breaths were right there within inches—the first time being this close to Yu Wan. Fang Nianchen’s gaze roamed devoutly and curiously from top to bottom, marveling at how great Yu Wan’s skin condition was.
Her eyes drifted lower, landing on those full red lips.
Unlike the tight line when serious, they were now calmly slightly parted.
Just less than ten centimeters away.
For some reason, Fang Nianchen’s throat tightened, her breathing unconsciously slowing.
