Meanwhile, at He Su Ye’s house, chaos reigned. Qiu Tian had somehow brought an experimental lab mouse, which He Shou Zheng accidentally set loose. The child squealed in excitement, chasing it around, while Fang Ke Xin hid in the bathroom in fright.
Qiu Tian laughed at her. “Little miss, you’re supposed to be in clinical imaging. Where’s your courage?”
Fang Ke Xin yelled back, furious, “Qiu Tian, stay away from me! I hate you—I really hate you!”
Qiu Tian shrugged and muttered to He Su Ye, “Did you hear that, Pointy Corner? For the record, I hate you too.”
He Su Ye ignored Qiu Tian’s quip, his eyes drifting repeatedly toward the clock on the wall, his mind elsewhere. He couldn’t help but wonder why the young woman hadn’t arrived yet. Was she working overtime? Did something come up? Why didn’t she at least call or text?
Unable to sit still, he grabbed his phone and dialed her number. As soon as the call connected, Shen Xi Fan’s breathless voice came through: “I just got back! There’s some kind of accident near the street by the neighborhood entrance. I was stuck there but I’ll be there soon. Save me some food!”
He couldn’t help but laugh, reassuring her, “Don’t worry. I’ll save a portion for you in the kitchen, just for you, alright?”
When Shen Xi Fan finally arrived, He Shou Zheng, who was lounging on the sofa, called out to her in a conspiratorial tone, “Sister, I have something fun to show you.” He held out a small white mouse, which squeaked loudly in Shen Xi Fan’s direction.
Startled, she let out a little scream and jumped back, accidentally bumping into He Su Ye, who was standing behind her. He caught her, steadying her before glaring at He Shou Zheng. “You little rascal! Don’t think your uncle can’t deal with you. I’ll take care of you and Qiu Tian together if I have to!”
Qiu Tian glanced up from a patient file. “Me? I didn’t do anything wrong. Oh, I get it—I should’ve brought a rabbit instead. Harmless and cute!”
He Shou Zheng’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Uncle, you could cook rabbit meat!”
It was then that He Su Ye noticed the package Shen Xi Fan was holding in her hands. On it were rows of English letters that he couldn’t quite make out. However, the red, round shield-shaped logo caught his eye—it seemed familiar.
No one else paid attention to it, but he found himself consumed with curiosity, eager to know where the letter had come from.
Eventually, he got a closer look:
School of Hotel Administration, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A.
As everyone crowded around, fighting over bowls of buckwheat noodles, he caught Shen Xi Fan sneaking a smile at him. She was gesturing something with her hands, clearly knowing that he had set aside a bowl for her in the kitchen for a late-night snack.
For the first time, he found himself unable to smile back naturally. The long-standing ease and understanding between them felt disrupted, as though their unspoken balance was being thrown off.
She stood before him, her smile as radiant and dazzling as ever, but he suddenly realized how little he truly understood her—her thoughts, her intentions. The unease in his chest grew. She, so vibrant and full of life, was about to shatter the delicate equilibrium between them.
That night, he pulled out a map of the United States, searching for the distance between Philadelphia and New York. Then, he found the application form for the University of Pennsylvania that he had once stashed away.
In his heart, a decision was forming.
All that remained was for her to speak first.
0 Comments