The typhoon had passed, leaving a trail of wreckage in its wake. Inside the house, however, there was a rare and tranquil peace.

Ruan Mian’s eyelids fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes. She saw the man half-lying on the sofa opposite her. He had long limbs, and the sofa that could easily hold her entire body was far too small for him; half of his calves dangled off the edge.

Such a sleeping posture must have been quite uncomfortable, yet his features were slightly relaxed. His messy hair hung over his forehead, and compared to his usual indifference, he looked a touch more gentle now.

She sat up, resting her chin on her knees, and watched him quietly.

How wonderful it would be if time could stop at this moment.

But it was only a “what if.” The grandfather clock struck eight times: dang, dang, dang. It was eight in the morning. Her biological clock was usually very precise, but today she had managed to sleep in. Compared to her usual routine, her total sleep time was much shorter, but perhaps because of her good mood, she didn’t feel tired at all.

As the chiming stopped, Ruan Mian noticed a slight furrow in his brow. On a whim, she covered her eyes and tried to lie back down to feign sleep, but he didn’t wake up. Instead, he rolled onto his side to face her.

Fortunately, it was a false alarm.

She didn’t dare sneak any more looks, afraid her heart would beat too loudly. She tiptoed over and covered him with the thin, slightly warm blanket. She had been in such a rush to go downstairs last night that she hadn’t brought a blanket; had he gone upstairs specially to get it later?

She remembered the last time she had a fever, she also woke up to find a blanket over her. Perhaps it was him that time, too?

Back then, they weren’t that close. The man had spent his days with a cold face, and she was somewhat afraid of him, becoming nervous just talking to him. That cautious anxiety seemed to have gradually faded since they returned from the cemetery and she learned he was the person from nine years ago.

However, another hazy feeling was constantly building up, filling her heart. She didn’t dare let him know, fearing that once that thin layer of paper was pierced… he would have too many reasons to reject her. Yet, she secretly anticipated his reaction. It was a contradictory and complex feeling, more confusing than the most profound math problem.

Wait, what is that? Ruan Mian’s gaze was drawn to a stack of papers covered in dense writing on the table. She picked them up in confusion and bit her tongue in shy realization.

He… he had actually marked out the key points for her math exam?!

Such a thick stack felt heavy in her palm. She closed her eyes and could almost imagine him sitting here last night, head lowered, writing stroke by stroke…

Her heart suddenly turned into a soft, messy heap.

Ruan Mian sniffled and went into the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

The nanny had cleared out the fridge before leaving. She searched around and found a cucumber in a corner, which was a pleasant surprise. She thought of making a smashed cucumber salad and some white porridge to make do for a simple meal.

Ruan Mian popped a small piece of cucumber into her mouth to taste it. Wait, does the flavor seem a bit strange? She recalled the process. Did she accidentally add vinegar twice? She sighed in annoyance. Just then, the porridge began to boil, the lid rattling with a gurgle, gurgle. She hurriedly turned the heat down and inadvertently turned around, catching sight of a tall figure leaning against the doorframe.

Ah, when did he wake up? And how long has he been standing there watching?

“Good morning.” She was still chewing the cucumber, so her voice sounded a bit muffled.

Qi Yan smiled. “Morning.”

He had woken up the moment the blanket was placed over him. He could clearly feel the itch where her hair brushed against his neck, but his head began to throb with waves of dizziness. He had a faint premonition that the punishment for wasting his health all these years was likely coming.

“Breakfast will be ready in a moment.” She used a ladle to scoop the porridge into bowls. Two bowls, one large and one small, sat side by side. Just looking at them felt incredibly warm.

Ruan Mian carried the two bowls out to the table and then, remembering something, ran upstairs. When she returned, she held a set of brand new toiletries. “For you. The bathroom is over there.”

It was ten minutes later when Qi Yan returned after washing up. The girl was absentmindedly stirring her porridge with a spoon. He sat down opposite her and took a tissue to dry his hands.

“The temperature is just right.” Ruan Mian pushed the cooled porridge toward him and said with some embarrassment, “There was… only this much left in the house.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

He picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of cucumber. As soon as it entered his mouth, he smelled a strong scent of vinegar. He frowned almost imperceptibly, finished the entire piece with a calm expression, and then lowered his head to take a sip of porridge.

The porridge was cooked well; soft, fragrant, and melting in the mouth.

It seems he doesn’t mind sour food, Ruan Mian thought, letting out a secret sigh of relief.

After breakfast, they had no other plans. Ruan Mian began reviewing math according to the organized exam points, while the man sat beside her, continuing to organize key content for her other subjects.

By evening, the rain began to let up. After dark, even the wind went still. Typhoon “Carp” had passed just like that.

Ruan Mian spent her three day National Day holiday reviewing for the exams. On the first day back at school, she arrived early, clutching her bound and covered exam notes, smiling as she read.

Pan Tingting thought she was reading a novel to de-stress like herself, perhaps even the one she had given her. Just as she was about to peek at what content could make her so radiant and red-cheeked, she turned around and her mouth couldn’t help but twitch.

“Soft Cotton, people like us who are ‘academic crisps’ can’t afford to hug a Buddha’s leg at the last minute.” Pan Tingting pulled out another bag of sunflower seeds, tore it open, and popped one into her mouth. “Everything else is inferior; only the scent of sunflower seeds is supreme.”

Exams were like passing clouds; just close your eyes and they’ll be gone.

Wait!

She looked at the writing on the paper again. The script was bold and powerful, looking very much like a man’s handwriting!

“Soft Cotton, let me ask you a question.”

Ruan Mian gently flipped a page, smoothing the corners flat before continuing. She gave a distracted “mm” in response.

Sigh, when will she be able to write as beautifully as him?

But at the thought of owning so much of his handwriting, and that he had written it specifically for her, she was happier than anything. She mustn’t waste his efforts this time; she had to get an ideal score. Ruan Mian made a silent vow in her heart.

Pan Tingting leaned over. “Who organized these exam points for you?”

Without waiting for Ruan Mian to answer, she asked again, “Could it be… School Grass Liang?”

Ruan Mian shook her head. Why would she think of him?

Pan Tingting felt her guess was quite reasonable. “Think about it. Last time you lent him your English notes, and this time he’s returning the favor by organizing points for you. Besides, there’s no more obstacle from the Little Tyrant between you two…” She chuckled and wiggled her two thumbs together.

It was getting more and more ridiculous.

Ruan Mian smiled and said nothing, continuing to memorize the points.

Pan Tingting scanned the classroom. Everyone was buried in review. She suddenly felt bored, pouted, and turned back to crack her seeds.

In the tense atmosphere, the first midterm of the third year arrived. It wasn’t until the final English exam ended that Ruan Mian truly felt she could breathe a sigh of relief.

She felt she had done quite well; at least she had finished the parts she reviewed. she wanted to share the news with him, but after calming down, she felt it was better to wait until the results came out, lest it be a false joy.

After the exams, Ruan Mian returned home. The house was cold and quiet. She made instant noodles for dinner and went to her room to read, going to bed around eleven.

In the middle of the night, Ruan Mian was woken by a loud crash of something heavy hitting the floor. She climbed out of bed in a daze, but was immediately startled into a cold sweat.

Could there be a thief in the house? She didn’t even put on shoes, quickly running to lock her bedroom door.

Her heart seemed to leap into her throat as she leaned against the door, breathing softly.

Don’t be afraid, the door is locked, isn’t it? That person can’t get in. But the more she comforted herself, the more her mind uncontrollably recalled cases of home invasion and murder she had seen on the legal channel. She wanted to find a place to hide: under the bed, in the closet, anywhere. But her legs were soft and lacked any strength. She bit her lower lip hard.

A loud shout from downstairs pierced the silence, suddenly easing her tense heart. That voice…

Ruan Mian listened intently for a good while before confirming it was indeed her father. Although she had never felt any sense of security from him since childhood, at this moment, she was so grateful for his appearance, even if it was just his voice.

She pressed her ear to the door and heard a woman’s crying. It sounded like the stepmother. She couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in the middle of the night.

The autumn night was quite chilly. Ruan Mian threw on a jacket and went downstairs.

Halfway down the stairs, she heard a crisp slap. Her widened eyes saw Wang Jiaxin being struck onto the sofa by Ying Haodong…

Ruan Mian knew her father’s temper was usually bad, but it was the first time she had seen him hit someone, and it was a woman. Moreover, this woman had given him a son.

She was stunned on the spot.

Ying Haodong didn’t seem satisfied yet. In his rage, he swept a set of teacups off the table. “Do you even deserve to be a mother? Hah! Years ago you took my son back to your hometown, and a single fever turned him into a mute. Now, you’ve gone and lost him entirely…”

Wang Jiaxin’s hair was disheveled, and she could only cry, sobbing incoherently. “I didn’t know. You came to the station to pick us up, and Huihui was so happy. I just happened to run into an old classmate… I thought he had gone home with you first… I really didn’t know… didn’t know he would disappear…”

Ying Haodong kicked over a chair. “In short, if my son isn’t found, I’m going to ruin you!”

The police station said they could only file a report after twenty-four hours, telling them to go home and wait for news. Heh, how could they wait? By the time the case was filed, the child might have been trafficked to who-knows-where. They had no choice but to keep searching outside. After running around for half a day without even a drop of water, they were truly exhausted.

Ruan Mian felt as if her own heart had been struck, and it began to ache fiercely. She wiped her face hard and stumbled back upstairs.

Her mind was a mess, yet she had a clear thought; she knew what she had to do.

Ruan Mian found her phone on the bedside table and dialed the number. The ring, ring, ring went on for a long time without anyone answering. She closed her eyes, her body sinking softly to the floor.

“Hello?” Just as the ringing was about to end, a low, husky male voice filled with sleepiness came from the other end. He seemed to take a moment to see who was calling, and his voice unconsciously softened. “Ruan Mian?”

He only heard her heavy breathing. Qi Yan realized something and sat up in bed while rubbing his brow. “Did something happen?”

“Little Mute, Little Mute,” Ruan Mian’s throat was incredibly bitter, and her voice squeezed out bit by bit. “My brother… is missing.”

NOTES

Academic crisps: A slang term for students who look like “academic gods” on the outside but crumble into a mess like a crisp or cracker when it comes to actual exams.

Hug a Buddha’s leg at the last minute: A common idiom meaning to make a frantic, last-minute effort.

School Grass: The most handsome/popular boy in the school.

Little Mute: Ruan Mian’s nickname for her half-brother, Ying Minghui.

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