He Zichen could feel her eyelashes trembling more fiercely against his palm. Just as he was about to pull away, Yun Shu responded, reaching out to wrap her arms around his neck.

Yun Shu didn’t know when she had fallen asleep. By the time she opened her eyes again, it was already noon the next day.

The room was empty. He Zichen was gone.

She was in a daze for a good while. It wasn’t until her stomach started to GRUMBLE that she suddenly realized she was starving and desperately needed to eat.

She hadn’t cooked in the past few days, so there was no food in the house. Yun Shu got up, washed her face, and got ready to go out to eat.

But just as she opened the door, she saw He Zichen standing there, carrying takeout.

"Where are you going?"

Yun Shu bit her lip. "To eat."

He Zichen said, "I bought food. Let’s eat inside."

Yun Shu had no choice but to follow him back inside.

As she watched He Zichen get bowls and chopsticks from the kitchen, Yun Shu’s eyes flickered with uncertainty.

"Um... You didn’t leave?"

He Zichen glanced at her. "Didn’t you say you didn’t want to be alone?"

Yun Shu stammered, "Th... Then where did you sleep last night?"

"In bed, of course. Where else?"

Yun Shu’s eyes instantly widened. "B... In bed? Which bed?"

He Zichen glanced around the room. "Do you have any other beds in here?"

Yun Shu was rendered completely speechless as a blush crept up her face.

She bit her lip, looking at He Zichen with a conflicted expression.

"Why are you still standing there? Aren’t you hungry? Come on, let’s eat."

Yun Shu dazedly walked over and sat down.

The two of them ate in silence. After a while, He Zichen suddenly said, "Yun Shu, let’s date."

Yun Shu wasn’t surprised. She just lifted her eyes to look at him.

"Is this because of that kiss? Are you trying to take responsibility for me? You really don’t have to. I haven’t given it a second thought."

He Zichen looked at her in astonishment. "You haven’t given it a second thought? Then what exactly *do* you take to heart?"

Yun Shu: "..." ’Wasn’t I just trying to give him an out?’

He Zichen said, "It’s not just because of that. I think I like you quite a bit. Plus, you’ve already met my family, and we seem like a good match, so there’s no need to go through the trouble of finding someone else."

Yun Shu was absolutely furious. ’Is this man seriously confessing to me? Who confesses like this? Saying he doesn’t want the trouble of finding someone else... so am I just a convenient placeholder to him?’

Yun Shu glared at him and lowered her head to eat.

He Zichen glanced at her. "If you don’t say anything, I’ll take that as a yes."

Yun Shu said angrily, "What do you mean, you’ll take that as a yes? I don’t agree."

He Zichen asked in confusion, "Why not? Did I do something wrong? Tell me."

Yun Shu put down her chopsticks, leaned back in her chair, and folded her arms as she looked at him.

"Do you think you made a good case for yourself? You want to date me because you already brought me home and you don’t want the trouble of finding someone else? Are those really your reasons for wanting to be with me? Who would possibly say yes to that?"

He Zichen said, looking bewildered, "But I told you I like you. How did you miss that part?"

Yun Shu scoffed. "I didn’t hear it, and my answer is still no. Eat your food. And when you’re done, get out of my house. I don’t want to see you right now."

He Zichen watched Yun Shu eat in a huff, and then, true to her word, she kicked him out right after the meal.

He stood before her door, feeling rather dejected.

’Why does she ignore the main point and insist on nitpicking?’

The previous night, He Zichen had sat by the bed watching Yun Shu, thinking all night long. He’d realized he didn’t dislike her—in fact, he quite liked her. Seeing her grief stirred a sense of tenderness in him, which was why he had been helping her.

But now, as He Zichen carefully recalled his own words, he had to admit they were easy to misinterpret.

’That wasn’t what I meant at all.’

After He Zichen left, Yun Shu sat in her chair, lost in a daze.

’He Zichen was young, promising, and handsome. His family was the kind I had always dreamed of. After he had helped me so much these past few days, how could I not like him? But I don’t want to accept him so easily. I don’t want to make myself seem cheap.’

Yun Shu didn’t take a few days off to rest as He Zichen had suggested. Instead, she went to work the very next day.

When He Zichen saw her, he said, "Didn’t I tell you to rest at home?"

Yun Shu said coolly, "I have to work to earn money. Otherwise, how will I eat?"

"Are you short on money?"

Yun Shu shook her head, her voice laced with sadness. "No. I just don’t have anything to spend it on anymore."

He Zichen tried to console her. "There are plenty of things to spend money on. A young woman your age can go shopping for clothes, buy your favorite foods, all sorts of things."

’Shopping?’

It had been a long time since Yun Shu had bought new clothes. She had a uniform for work, and on her own time, she wore old outfits. When her father was alive, they weren’t short on money, but things became tight later, so she had stopped buying new clothes.

He Zichen could tell what she was thinking right away. "I’ll take you shopping for clothes this afternoon."

"I’m not going."

Yun Shu was in no mood to buy clothes.

"You have to go. That’s an order."

Yun Shu’s lips tightened. "Can you stop being so bossy? My father just passed away. I’m in no mood to shop for clothes. Besides, this is my business, so stay out of it."

With that, she turned and walked away without a backward glance.

He Zichen stood there, dumbfounded. ’Wasn’t I just trying to do what’s best for her? How did I get chewed out again?’

’Women... I really can’t figure them out.’

In the afternoon, He Zichen received a call from his mother.

"Little Chen, did you go to Yun Shu’s place? What did her parents say?"

"Mom, Yun Shu’s father passed away a couple of days ago."

Gao Cuiyun was stunned on the other end of the line. A few seconds passed before she spoke. "How could it be so sudden? Is Yun Shu all right?"

"She’s fine."

"How could a young woman on her own possibly be fine? You make sure you stay by her side. That poor child. And really, for you two not to tell us about something so serious... Oh, dear."

"I know, Mom. I’ll be there for her."

When it was time to get off work that evening, He Zichen insisted on taking Yun Shu home.

Yun Shu had no way of stopping him, so she just let him.

There was still a bit of a walk from the bus stop to Yun Shu’s house. People passed by occasionally, some casting a few glances their way.

Yun Shu just kept her head down as she walked.

He Zichen reached out and took her hand. "I’ll walk you home from now on."

Yun Shu didn’t say anything, but she didn’t pull her hand away either.

Yun Shu lived alone, so she was always very careful when she went out. During the day, she would wear a pair of large glasses that made it hard for people to get a clear look at her face.

She always carried a small knife in her bag for self-defense, a fact no one else knew.

He Zichen walked her to her front door.

"Go on inside. I’ll be heading back."

Yun Shu said softly, "Since you’re already here, why don’t you stay for dinner?" She wasn’t that heartless.

Of course, He Zichen wasn’t going to refuse. This was a good opportunity for them to spend time together.

Once inside, Yun Shu poured He Zichen a glass of water and then went into the kitchen to start dinner.

He Zichen sat for a moment before the sounds from the kitchen drew him over. He stood in the doorway, watching as Yun Shu skillfully washed and chopped vegetables, then tossed them in the wok to stir-fry. It was obvious she cooked regularly.