What was there to think about?
Gu Nianyi looked puzzled. She lifted her head and stared blankly at Lu Jin’an.
The sunlight outside the window was blinding, casting rippling waves of light. His profile was half in shadow, half illuminated, making it hard to read his expression.
She had no idea what was on his mind.
“I’m going for a run.”
Lu Jin’an dropped the words and strode straight into the gym.
A workout in the afternoon?
South City’s autumn heatwave was in full swing. The temperature at midday hovered near 95 degrees Fahrenheit, well above the heat warning threshold. No one chose this time for exercise.
Gu Nianyi realized she didn’t really know him at all.
His time was precious; he squeezed workouts into every fragmented moment.
She wondered which of her answers had struck a nerve, changing his tone so suddenly.
The peaceful afternoon had vanished, everything back to normal.
Like a mirage—the brief moment of beauty nothing more than a fleeting illusion.
Gu Nianyi headed upstairs to unpack the things she’d brought from home. Nian Gao beat her there, darting around the five-hundred-square-meter house with plenty of room to play.
She set the file bag on the desk in the study, placing her own medical report next to it.
This was the kind of basic privacy spouses should share—no secrets between them.
Lu Jin’an had been open with her, so she would reciprocate in kind.
Gu Nianyi had asked him earlier where to put the suitcase she’d brought back. He’d found a new gray one and repacked it.
It looked like he’d gone through it.
Had Lu Jin’an looked inside?
It didn’t matter. There were no secrets, and she didn’t think he was the type to snoop.
Clutching the suitcase, unsure where to go, she glanced around and headed to the master bedroom—the most familiar spot in the house.
It was also where she’d spent the most time.
Gu Nianyi loved sitting by the floor-to-ceiling windows. Dawn, dusk, stars, and moonlight all seemed within reach.
She opened the suitcase and couldn’t help but smile.
It was full of little trinkets: old photo booth prints, notebooks, K-pop fan stuff, and a jar of lucky stars someone had given her.
Lu Jin’an finished his run and entered the master bedroom to shower, burning off energy and clearing his scattered thoughts.
When he emerged from the bathroom, he saw this scene.
Gu Nianyi sat on the floor. Gentle sunlight filtered through the air’s faint particles, like soft dust motes, landing on her hair. Even her eyelashes sparkled with flecks of light, like tiny glowing diamonds.
Just like the first time he’d seen her, sitting by the window.
Nian Gao bounced around her feet, sometimes acting cute, sometimes rubbing against her legs.
Gu Nianyi would pet the cat’s head now and then, scold her lightly when she got mischievous, or smile at whatever she held in her hands.
Both the girl and the cat were completely different around him.
Was he that scary?
It was such a simple, everyday picture, yet a word suddenly popped into Lu Jin’an’s mind.
Contentment.
Yes, contentment.
As she flipped through the classmate album, she smiled sweetly. Then her brows furrowed slightly at something she saw.
Page by page, Lu Jin’an wondered: Would she come across that line?
“I will love you from afar, across the calm distance.”
He hadn’t memorized it deliberately, but the words stuck with him clearly.
What kind of person was Xu Wenyan? What did he look like?
Did she know about this deep, buried affection?
If he came back and confessed, should he step aside for them?
Countless questions swirled in Lu Jin’an’s head. He had no answers for the first two.
But the third? The answer was obvious.
He would step aside.
It would never happen.
Lost in memories of the past, Gu Nianyi didn’t notice the man at the door.
She didn’t realize he’d left until much later, when she messaged Ming Yue.
【Baby, take a look at our old selves.】
Ming Yue opened the photo and wanted to hurl her phone. 【Ban all black history! Destroy it now.】
Their awkward, youthful past, scribbled with silly, overdramatic lines—not romance, but sisterly love.
Unable to vent about their parents’ favoritism anywhere else, they’d poured it into that notebook.
Even the saddest times had been distilled into those thin pages.
As evening fell, the sky took on a rosy glow, clouds drifting lazily. Gu Nianyi grabbed the space capsule cat carrier, scooped up her keys, and took Nian Gao out.
Lu Jin’an heard the noise and came out. “Where are you going?”
His tone was cool, like a parent grilling a teenager sneaking out at night.
Gu Nianyi let out an “Ah” and explained, “I left you a message. Taking Nian Gao for her shots, then grabbing dinner with Ming Yue. I told the auntie too—no need to cook for me tonight. Just for you.”
She was home but communicated via WeChat.
Was knocking that hard? Did she hate talking to him that much?
Lu Jin’an didn’t get it. He leaned against the sofa armrest, legs crossed casually. “I’ll pick you up after.”
Gu Nianyi shook her head. “No need to bother. I’ll drive—more convenient. We won’t drink.”
She didn’t want to trouble him. Besides, she needed to think about how to repay his efforts.
“Drive safe.”
Even his concern came out sounding like a school principal lecturing a student.
As if the next line would be, “Don’t stay out too late. Be home early.”
Gu Nianyi glanced at the cat hair on his pants. “I’ll clean the fur off the sofa when I get back. Won’t be late.”
All Lu Jin’an had left was the firmly shut front door.
The pet clinic was on another street. Gu Nianyi drove there in under ten minutes.
As a slow-to-warm-up introvert, she was only close to two people there.
“Is Dr. Liang in?” Liang Jun was the only vet Nian Gao trusted.
Shang Jinxuan smiled at the front desk. “Nope, Dr. Liang’s on a date. Shen’s handling Nian Gao’s shots today.”
Shen Yanzhi was a partner and vet at the clinic. From what Gu Nianyi had observed, he liked Ming Yue.
He glanced behind her, frowning. “Ming Yue didn’t come?”
Straight shooter, as expected.
Gu Nianyi chuckled. “She’s tied up.”
Nian Gao spotted the needle and panicked, burrowing into Gu Nianyi’s arms. She soothed her gently. “It’s okay, baby. All done soon.”
The cat gradually calmed. Shen Yanzhi took her, his gentle, humble nature keeping her quiet.
Shang Jinxuan stood by, ready to assist. “Shen giving Nian Gao her shot, and she’s not scared? Yi Yi, you’re magic.”
“Yeah, maybe she’s used to the place now.”
Nian Gao had been abandoned and was super skittish. Her first visit had taken a huge effort.
“Or maybe Shen’s just handsome.” Shang Jinxuan sighed.
Then why ignore Lu Jin’an? He was even better-looking.
The thought startled Gu Nianyi. Must be from seeing him too much lately.
Post-shot Nian Gao was listless, sprawled in Gu Nianyi’s arms, refusing the carrier.
“You were such a good girl today, Nian Gao. Extra cat strip as a treat.”
Even treats didn’t work; she made a disdainful face. Cats grew up and got sassy.
Helpless, Gu Nianyi called Ming Yue to meet her.
The moment Ming Yue arrived, Shen Yanzhi visibly tensed. “Ming Yue.”
He wanted to ask why she hadn’t replied to his messages but swallowed the words.
“Good evening, Dr. Shen.”
Ming Yue gave Shen Yanzhi a polite greeting, then beamed at Gu Nianyi and Shang Jinxuan. “Yi Yi, let’s go. Jin Xuan, weekend shift?”
Shang Jinxuan sighed. “Yep, off soon. Bye!”
“Bye. Say bye to the sister, Nian Gao.”
“Meow meow.”
In the rearview mirror, Shen Yanzhi stood at the door, not entering, gazing longingly after them.
Gu Nianyi eyed the driving Ming Yue. “So, what’s the deal? Steady pet vet or overbearing CEO type—which do you like?”
Ming Yue scoffed. “Neither. One-track mind: make money.”
“What for dinner?” Gu Nianyi changed the subject. “Your pick.”
“Seafood joint. Haven’t been in ages. Drink till we drop.”
“No problem.”
Gu Nianyi had already forgotten about “we won’t drink.”
Twilight deepened, faint light glowing in the east. A gentle evening breeze rustled as streetlights stretched ahead, illuminating the road.
Gourmet Street, tucked in South City Old District, was a hidden gem for locals only.
Vendors’ calls filled the air amid wisps of smoke, selling the world’s most delicious street food vibe.
The two girls claimed a spot under an outdoor tree. Gu Nianyi ordered, knowing Ming Yue’s favorites by heart—easy picks.
They added two bottles of beer.
A girl sang on the roadside, mic in hand, her voice drifting softly.
“At parting, we said it was just habit… Now we’re at opposite ends of the city.”
Gu Nianyi pried open a beer with the table edge, suddenly melancholic. “Ming Yue, will you ever leave me?”
Ming Yue clinked glasses. “Nope.”
Really?
No feast lasts forever.
Ming Yue propped her chin on her hand. “Did you give your parents the money they asked for?”
Gu Nianyi lowered her eyes. “Nah, I’m broke.”
Everyone had their own way. Ming Yue couldn’t push her to cut ties outright—her family was similar, yet different.
Xie Yunting was entertaining clients at the private restaurant next door. When he stepped out for some fresh air, he spotted two girls in the corner from the second-floor balcony.
He sent a message to Lu Jin’an. 【Coming out for dinner? My treat.】
After about fifteen minutes, Lu Jin’an replied: 【No.】
Xie Yunting typed back: 【Fine then. No pressure.】
He snapped a photo of Gu Nianyi and sent it over.
Not even a minute later, Lu Jin’an’s call came through. He cut straight to the chase. “Where is it?”
Xie Yunting drawled leisurely, “Didn’t you say you weren’t coming out?”
Lu Jin’an narrowed his eyes slightly. “The address.”
Before long, Lu Jin’an appeared at Steam Seafood. Xie Yunting had already claimed a table behind them, close enough to hear their conversation without being spotted.
Lu Jin’an’s gaze fell on the four empty beer bottles on their table, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
So this was her idea of not drinking.
Ming Yue had drunk a little less than her friend. “Call that cheap husband of yours to come pick you up.”
Cheap husband.
At the nickname, Xie Yunting raised a brow and shot Lu Jin’an a mocking look, not bothering to hide his amusement.
Gu Nianyi’s expression didn’t change, as if nothing had happened. Her eyes held round patches of light, some deep, some shallow—blurry under the lights, yet sharp.
But the moment she opened her mouth, it was clear she was drunk. Her voice floated uncertainly.
“My cheap husband is probably on night shift. You know how it is—endless night shifts. I swear he’s the reincarnation of an owl.”
Nian Gao meowed cooperatively, “meow meow.”
Gu Nianyi mumbled on, “Or maybe like Nian Gao here—a total night owl, out catching mice at night.”
The girl was drunk, her words tumbling out in a rapid, rambling stream, her thoughts leaping wildly from one idea to the next.
Ming Yue peeled a lobster claw, grinning. “Or maybe he’s got a second family.”
Gu Nianyi shook her head vigorously. “Lu Jin’an isn’t that shameless.”
A flicker of surprise passed through Lu Jin’an’s mind. She trusted him unconditionally, no questions asked.
Ming Yue teased her. “You really trust him, huh? You’ve only known him for a few days.”
Gu Nianyi thought seriously for a moment, counting on her fingers. “Over a month now. Almost two.”
Nearly two months already. Time flew.
“You remember that clearly.”
“And what about that cheap boss of yours? The one who squeezes you dry at work and then off the clock too.”
Tonight’s theme was grilling everyone—no one escaped interrogation.
Of course, no one escaped the “cheap” label either.
Cheap boss.
This time, Lu Jin’an arched a brow and silently mouthed a tease at Xie Yunting.
Ming Yue rubbed her temples. “Headache. Just hearing his name gives me PTSD—serious trauma. I swear, he doesn’t know the meaning of ‘boundaries.’ Late at night, he makes me deliver a contract. Me—a female subordinate—when he’s got all those male assistants.”
Her boss had sent her a ten-thousand-yuan red envelope, or she never would’ve gone.
Gu Nianyi bristled with righteous indignation. “He did that on purpose, didn’t he?”
“Yeah. I get there, and he says there’s an issue with the contract—some clause needs tweaking. Asks me to fix it. Like I’m the legal department.”
Ming Yue skipped the rest of the story. She hadn’t just failed to revise the contract—she hadn’t gone home at all that night. She’d ended up “working” at Xie Yunting’s place.
Damn that male temptation.
It was a long night; heading home would’ve been a waste. Ming Yue nudged Gu Nianyi. “Ask your cheap husband where he is. If he’s on night shift, let’s hit round two.”
Gu Nianyi nodded obediently, pulled out her phone, and texted: 【Lu Jin’an, where are you?】
Before his reply came, she followed up with a GIF—a little cat peeking out, captioned “You there?”
Lu Jin’an: 【At the hospital.】
“He’s at the hospital,” Gu Nianyi repeated, her face lighting up. She turned to Ming Yue with excitement. “Where are we going?”
She looked like a model student finally free to play, unable to contain her joy.
Ming Yue scooped up Nian Gao. “The bar street next door. Let’s go.”
She stood up and caught sight of the familiar figure lurking behind them. Xie Yunting’s ink-black eyes fixed on her with a half-smile.
Ming Yue blinked, thinking the alcohol was playing tricks on her vision. She patted Gu Nianyi. “Hey, hey, is that my cheap boss back there?”
Gu Nianyi whipped around, squinting to make out the blurry shape. It sharpened into focus: Lu Jin’an sat right behind her, his deep eyes watching intently, the corners of his mouth curved slightly upward.
“Isn’t that my cheap husband next to him?”
Ming Yue said, “Looks like it. What do we do?”
Their entire conversation might’ve been overheard.
Gu Nianyi, however, stayed perfectly calm. She tucked Nian Gao into the space capsule and said unhurriedly, “I’ve already paid the bill.”
Ming Yue blinked in confusion. “And?”
“Run.”
Gu Nianyi grabbed Ming Yue’s hand and bolted through the bustling crowd, heading toward the other side of the street.
The two girls’ figures melted into the throng and vanished.
Xie Yunting sat with his legs crossed, hands spread out. “Chase them?”
Lu Jin’an replied darkly, “Chase.”
He picked up his jacket from the back of the chair and strode off at an unhurried pace.