It was ten o’clock in the evening.
Lin Ran changed his clothes and came downstairs.
He was dressed entirely in black, with his black hair still damp from the water. He wore a black T-shirt and black sweatpants, paired with a pair of brand-new, expensive white sneakers, and he had a coat draped over his arm.
The two girls were huddled together, whispering about something, unaware of his arrival.
Lin Ran’s gaze was calm and distant as he silently stared at Sheng Qingxi for a long while.
Suddenly, he spoke, “Sheng Qingxi.”
The girl, who had been lowering her head, immediately looked up at him. Her black hair hung obediently over her shoulders, and her clear, bright eyes still held a trace of dependence. The pallor of her face had faded, replaced by a hint of color.
Lin Ran said in a quiet voice, “I’ll take you home now.”
As he spoke, he walked toward the door, his slender fingers holding a new set of motorcycle keys. When he reached the door, he added, “Lin Yanyan, will you be in bed before I return?”
Lin Yanyan nodded, “Yes, I’ll go to sleep right away, brother. Dad said the driver will be here at seven, so as long as I leave before 7:10, I won’t oversleep.”
Lin Ran reminded her, “Lock the door.”
As they spoke, Sheng Qingxi had also reached the door and waved goodbye to Lin Yanyan.
Lin Yanyan, as if remembering something, quickly ran toward the kitchen. A rustling sound came from that direction, and soon she returned with a box of milk candies, excitedly offering them to Sheng Qingxi. “Sister, these candies are really tasty.”
Just as Sheng Qingxi was about to reach out for them, a hand extended in front of her, and Lin Ran took the candies first.
Sheng Qingxi could only reach out and gently pat Lin Yanyan’s soft hair, smiling, “Thank you, Yanyan.”
Lin Yanyan blinked at her and whispered, “Sister, don’t forget our promise.”
Sheng Qingxi softly replied, “I won’t forget.”
Lin Ran had been silent throughout the exchange. Once they finished talking, he unfolded the coat draped over his arm and held it between him and Sheng Qingxi.
Sheng Qingxi was momentarily puzzled and hesitated, “Lin Ran, do you need help putting on your coat?”
Lin Ran: “…?”
How could this girl be so clueless?
He frowned slightly and said, “Turn around and stretch your arms out. This coat is for you to wear.”
Sheng Qingxi wanted to say she could put it on herself, but seeing Lin Ran’s serious expression, she swallowed her words. Obediently, she turned around and let him help her into the coat.
Lin Ran’s coat was huge, almost completely engulfing Sheng Qingxi, with the long black coat reaching down to her calves. His scent subtly surrounded her.
Instinctively, Sheng Qingxi tilted her head and took a light sniff.
Lin Ran knocked on her head, “Let’s go.”
As soon as Lin Ran opened the door, a cool night breeze drifted in through the gap, causing Sheng Qingxi to retreat behind him.
Lin Ran placed the box of candies and some medicine into the pocket of the coat she wore before heading to the garage to get the motorcycle. Sheng Qingxi stayed where she was, waiting for him. The garden before her was different from how she last remembered it.
Now, the place was full of vitality.
The vines were deep green, the lawn beneath them a vibrant green, and a few camellia bushes were blooming in a corner of the garden. The silvery moonlight gently spilled over the quiet garden.
However, Sheng Qingxi could still smell the scent of something burning. She pinched her fingertips to snap herself out of the nightmare from her past life.
She didn’t know how many times she had reminded herself that Lin Ran was still alive, that none of those things had ever happened.
Suddenly, a beam of light pierced through the dark garden, coming from a pair of headlights.
The engine roared as Lin Ran rode out of the garage on his motorcycle. He held a white helmet in his hand, identical to the black one hanging on the front of his bike.
The motorcycle was white. This was the first time Sheng Qingxi had seen him riding this particular one.
Lin Ran stopped the bike, got off, and placed the helmet on Sheng Qingxi’s head.
As he lowered his head, he could clearly see her eyelashes trembling lightly, as if the closeness between them made her nervous.
After securing the helmet on her, Lin Ran leisurely observed her. Last time, she had managed to get on the back seat by herself, but now her hand was injured. He wanted to see if she would ask for his help.
Then, Lin Ran watched as she effortlessly climbed onto the back seat by herself.
Lin Ran: “…”
His face darkened as he gritted his teeth and reached out to wrap his arms around her waist, stopping her.
Through gritted teeth, Lin Ran asked, “Sheng Qingxi, do you have any awareness that you’re an injured person?”
Lin Ran was tall and broad, and from behind, it looked as though he was holding Sheng Qingxi in his arms. Under the gentle moonlight, they appeared just like a couple embracing under the night sky.
Apparently, Lin Yanyan thought the same.
She couldn’t help but take out her phone and snap a photo of the scene, saving it to a private album. It was her little secret, one she wouldn’t even share with Lin Ran.
Sheng Qingxi’s muffled voice came from within the helmet, “Lin Ran, it doesn’t hurt anymore.”
Lin Ran, gripping her waist, easily lifted her onto the motorcycle. Through her helmet, she looked at him with innocent, pure eyes, completely unaware of why he was upset.
Frustrated, Lin Ran put on his own helmet.
But once he was seated on the bike, Sheng Qingxi, who was sitting behind him, obediently wrapped her arms around his waist.
Lin Ran felt a bit better.
Once they left the neighborhood, Lin Ran began to speed up, and the engine roared louder. The sharp night wind blew against Sheng Qingxi, and even though she was wearing Lin Ran’s large coat, she still felt a chill.
Lin Ran, wearing only a short-sleeved shirt, was like a small sun radiating warmth.
Unable to resist, Sheng Qingxi tightened her arms around his waist.
Sensing her movements, Lin Ran’s lips curved slightly, and he subtly increased the speed a little more.
The white motorcycle streaked through the vast darkness like a bolt of lightning.
…
When they neared the bus stop by Shengkai Orphanage, Sheng Qingxi tugged at Lin Ran’s shirt, signaling for him to stop. Lin Ran slowed down and brought the bike to a halt. He dismounted, removed his helmet, and helped Sheng Qingxi down from the back seat.
Since she was unable to use one of her hands, Lin Ran bent down to help her take off her helmet.
As he leaned toward her, Sheng Qingxi couldn’t help but feel the warmth radiating from him. She awkwardly turned her head to the side, but Lin Ran immediately turned it back.
He tapped her helmet as a reminder, “Don’t move.”
Sheng Qingxi could only hold still, enduring the moment.
After Lin Ran removed the helmet, Sheng Qingxi didn’t feel any better. His scent lingered in the air, surrounding her, but Lin Ran didn’t immediately step back.
Unable to resist, Sheng Qingxi took a small step backward.
Seeing this, Lin Ran raised an eyebrow. “What are you avoiding? You weren’t scared the previous times you hugged me.”
Sheng Qingxi looked up at him, pursing her lips before softly saying, “You’re too close, Lin Ran.”
Lin Ran chuckled, his gaze fixed on her, though his tone betrayed none of the tension in his expression. He asked, sounding casual, “Sheng Qingxi, earlier, you asked me if I was in pain. Why did you ask that?”
He suddenly curved his lips into a smile. “Why did you want to know?”
Sheng Qingxi didn’t respond. She didn’t want to lie to Lin Ran, but at the same time, there was no way to tell him the truth.
She lowered her head, nervously pinching her fingertips, staying silent. Lin Ran didn’t seem in any rush and simply waited for her to answer. Eventually, Sheng Qingxi replied vaguely, “I just didn’t want you to be in pain.”
Lin Ran stood in the night breeze for a moment, and the cool air cleared his head.
He and Sheng Qingxi hadn’t known each other in their previous lives, so he shouldn’t be having these ridiculous thoughts.
Shaking off the unbelievable idea, Lin Ran ruffled her black hair, just as he did with Lin Yanyan. In a low voice, he said, “Go inside. It’s almost eleven.”
Sheng Qingxi glanced at him one more time before turning to leave.
Just as she reached the door, Lin Ran’s voice called out behind her, “Sheng Qingxi. Tomorrow, I’ll come to pick you up. Until you recover, I’ll be responsible for taking you home.”
Sheng Qingxi froze.
She turned, wanting to refuse, but Lin Ran had already stepped back onto the motorcycle. He lifted the helmet to put it on.
Sheng Qingxi called out to him, “Lin Ran.”
His gaze darkened as he looked at her. After a brief moment of eye contact, he drove off.
Just as he had arrived, within seconds, he disappeared around the corner.
Sheng Qingxi stood there, staring at the now empty street for a long time before turning to walk back inside. By this hour, the children at the orphanage were already asleep. Sheng Lan had left a light on for her at the door, casting a warm yellow glow over the steps.
As Sheng Qingxi approached the entrance, she slowed her steps, carefully unlocking the door and turning to lock it behind her. She listened quietly for any movement from Sheng Lan, who seemed to be in the dormitory with the younger children.
Taking advantage of the quiet, Sheng Qingxi rushed back to her room and quickly removed Lin Ran’s coat.
She glanced in the mirror. Underneath the coat, she was still wearing her school uniform jacket, which covered up her injured hand, making it unnoticeable.
Satisfied that nothing seemed out of the ordinary, Sheng Qingxi left her room and walked toward the dormitory area. Only a small light was on in the hallway, and the rooms were all dark. She peeked into a couple of rooms before finding Sheng Lan, who was bent over, tucking a blanket around one of the children.
Sheng Qingxi whispered, “Mom Sheng, I’m back.”
Sheng Lan turned quickly at the sound of her voice, lowering her voice to ask, “Yuan Yuan, are you hungry?”
Sheng Qingxi shook her head, making a gesture to indicate she was going to bed. Seeing this, Sheng Lan waved her off and turned back to finish her task.
After turning away, Sheng Qingxi let out a sigh of relief.
By the time she finished her bath, it was close to midnight. She had taken a bit longer than usual while washing up today.
Sheng Qingxi changed into her pajamas and applied some medicine to her injuries. Under the soft glow of the dim bedside lamp sat a box of beautifully packaged, cute candies, decorated with red strawberries and pink bows.
Although the box of milk candies had been given to her by Lin Yanyan, Sheng Qingxi knew that the one who truly liked these candies wasn’t Yanyan, but Lin Ran.
This was something Yanyan had told her in the past life. During those ten years, Yanyan had shared many things about Lin Ran with her.
Sheng Qingxi reached for the small box of candies. After untying the ribbon, she found only six round candies inside, each wrapped in white strawberry-patterned paper.
She took out just one and closed the box.
The candy’s rich milky flavor filled her mouth, but it wasn’t overly sweet. Instead, it was a delicate blend of creamy milk with a hint of sweetness. As her teeth pierced through the soft exterior, a cool strawberry filling seeped out.
The sweet taste instantly flooded Sheng Qingxi’s mouth.
She cupped her cheek.
So sweet.
—
Perhaps because she had gone to the Nancheng Garden last night, Sheng Qingxi once again dreamed of the great fire from her past life. She awoke from the nightmare just before five in the morning.
Breathing heavily, she leaned against the headboard, a light sheen of sweat covering her forehead.
She tightly shut her eyes, and when she reopened them, the familiar sight of her room greeted her. There was no fire here.
This nightmare had haunted Sheng Qingxi for ten years, and she still hadn’t fully escaped the horrors of that night, even though she now knew Lin Ran was alive.
After a while, she calmed herself.
She tried moving her right hand. It didn’t hurt anymore, though it was still a bit swollen. It seemed the person from yesterday hadn’t used full force, especially since Lin Ran had already given him a beating.
Sheng Qingxi changed her clothes and got up for her morning run. The sky was just starting to brighten.
Her usual route was to run around the two streets near the Shengkai Orphanage. Three laps took her about half an hour. At this time, Sheng Lan was likely in the kitchen with the auntie, preparing breakfast.
Sheng Qingxi didn’t bother greeting Sheng Lan.
The run was uneventful, just like any other day. As she passed the bus stop and prepared to head back for a shower, someone suddenly called her name.
It was a crisp, clear voice, tinged with displeasure.
“Sheng Qingxi.” Lin Ran, his face tense, called out to her as she rounded the corner, unsure of how many laps she had already run. He had just arrived and saw her jogging by. “Do you even care about your own health?”
Sheng Qingxi was surprised that Lin Ran had arrived so early—it wasn’t even 5:30 yet.
She stopped and turned around. Lin Ran’s motorcycle was parked by the roadside, and he was leaning against it.
He frowned, his gaze dark and his expression unhappy.
Sheng Qingxi approached him and explained, “Lin Ran, I don’t feel any pain anymore. I’ll change the dressing after I shower. But it’s so early. Why are you here already?”
Lin Ran wasn’t sure of Sheng Qingxi’s usual time for getting to school, and since Shengkai Orphanage was quite far from their school, even driving would take him forty minutes. So, he figured it was best to come early.
But he didn’t bother explaining any of this.
Instead, he pressed his lips together, clearly displeased, and unreasonably demanded, “Until your injury heals, no more running. I’ll be coming over to make sure of it. If I catch you running again, you’re done. Next week, during PE, just sit and watch me play basketball.”
Sheng Qingxi: “…”
This week wasn’t even over yet, and he was already thinking about next week.
Sheng Qingxi sighed quietly, knowing she couldn’t refuse Lin Ran’s demands. She glanced down at her watch and asked, “Lin Ran, would you like to come to my house for breakfast?”
Lin Ran: “…?”
Was he already being taken to meet her family?