A question bubbled up in Gu Nianyi’s mind: she was married, and then what?
She didn’t need his reminder to know that. She simply didn’t reply.
Their conversation stalled on those three words.
One day blurred into the next, and Lu Jin’an’s week-long training was drawing to a close, with a long holiday to follow.
Gu Nianyi racked her brain for an excuse to avoid living under the same roof as him.
At the crucial moment, a message from Lu Jin’an popped up on her phone.
【Training extended by two days.】
That meant he wouldn’t be back for the holiday.
An extension was perfect—wonderful, even. She wanted to give the organizers a round of applause.
Whether it was true or not, Gu Nianyi had no idea. Maybe he was avoiding her, too.
It didn’t matter. As long as they didn’t have to see each other.
Gu Nianyi clutched her phone and replied with unrestrained glee: 【Got it. Dr. Lu, you’ve worked hard.】
She had originally planned to type 【Great, work comes first, Dr. Lu.】
But her joy shone through anyway. She still had a shred of humanity left.
The one person in the household who missed Lu Jin’an the most was undoubtedly Nian Gao.
Whenever Gu Nianyi got home from work and opened the door, Nian Gao would linger in the entryway for a bit, waiting for the other one to return.
“The guy who sneaks you treats won’t be back anytime soon.”
Her tone matched the upward curve of her brows—like a summer breeze or winter sunshine.
“Meow, meow.”
Nian Gao got it. No more snacks for her.
The cat’s plight went unspoken. Cats couldn’t talk.
A property staffer delivered a large box from the courier service. Recipient: Gu Nianyi. Sender: Esther.
Gu Nianyi frowned. She hadn’t ordered anything lately, but the name on the label was definitely hers. No mistake.
Before opening it, she consulted the other resident of the house.
【Is this an apology gift?】 She attached a photo and hit send.
Lu Jin’an replied almost immediately: 【No.】
A kiss was a kiss.
In other words, he didn’t regret kissing her. He felt no need to apologize.
He followed up right away with a second message: 【Signed up for the subscription. New products will be delivered automatically.】
【Oh, thank you. Dr. Lu, that must have cost you.】
Gu Nianyi was doing it on purpose—being deliberately, overly polite.
North City’s nights were chillier than those in South City. Lu Jin’an turned down the invitation for a group dinner with his colleagues and headed back to his hotel alone.
He stared at Gu Nianyi’s reply, lost in thought.
No follow-up from the girl.
Wasn’t she going to ask how his business trip was going?
No check-in?
His gaze drifted to the wedding ring on his ring finger.
Aside from his watch, Lu Jin’an hated wearing any kind of jewelry.
Ruan Zhixu had picked out the ring after consulting Gu Nianyi’s opinion. In the end, they’d gone with the most minimalist design.
It suited her image perfectly: everything simple, including the wedding itself.
At the ceremony, he’d thought of her feelings. When the groom kissed the bride, he’d made a point of shielding her with his thumb.
What had come over him that morning?
He hadn’t meant to kiss her. But as he closed the door, he glanced back at the sleeping girl. Her face was sweetly serene, her lips softly pursed.
He’d turned around and kissed her.
She tasted just as she’d described—sweet and soft.
No alcohol involved, and yet… he was hooked.
Lu Jin’an had just stepped into the elevator when Ruan Zhixu called. The moment he picked up, the interrogation began. “Why are you still in North City? Is the training really dragging on this long? Lu Jin’an, do my words mean nothing to you?”
That evening, Qin Xingjian had dropped by the house. He’d praised Lu Jin’an for his ambition—staying on in North City after the training to keep learning.
He’d also commended their choice of daughter-in-law, so understanding of a medical professional’s grueling schedule.
That’s when Ruan Zhixu learned her son had been gone for nearly ten days.
What kind of training lasted this long? And he’d proactively requested to stay instead of returning.
Something was definitely off.
Lu Jin’an rubbed his temples. “Heading back tomorrow.”
“You made Yi Yi mad,” Ruan Zhixu said.
She was certain Lu Jin’an was dodging something. Otherwise, he would have returned to the hospital by now—the recent conflict with that patient had long since blown over.
The silence on his end only confirmed her suspicions.
“Lu Jin’an, you’re something else. I don’t even know what to say. Come home tomorrow and apologize to Yi Yi.”
“I can’t do that.”
Lu Jin’an slid his room key into the slot and leaned against the sofa. “We didn’t fight.”
He’d only kissed her. Apologizing would imply he’d done something wrong—and he hadn’t.
Ruan Zhixu was this close to losing it. “Fine. It’s the holiday anyway. I checked with Yi Yi—she’s free. Take her sightseeing in North City.”
Lu Jin’an twisted open a bottle of ice water. “No tickets left.”
He’d just checked the booking app. Not a single business-class seat available.
Both South City and North City were prime tourist spots. High-speed rail and train tickets for the holiday had sold out ages ago.
A private jet? Holiday flight paths were impossible to secure.
Ruan Zhixu gripped the edge of the table. “Hmph. Lu Jin’an, always an excuse. Don’t worry about it—the tickets are handled.”
“Fine. Send me the details.”
Lu Jin’an didn’t care. It was Gu Nianyi who didn’t want to see him.
But she wouldn’t want to disappoint the elders, so she’d probably go along with it.
The ticket showed the train arriving at North City South Station in the afternoon.
He’d finish his morning surgery observation in time to pick her up.
Gu Nianyi hated phone calls and rarely used voice messages. Lu Jin’an had seen her convert them to text instead.
Chatting with her, he’d naturally stuck to text: 【Safe travels. I’ll pick you up.】
His message was no surprise to Gu Nianyi. After some thought, she replied, 【Dr. Lu, tend to your work. I’ll just wander around.】
Days had passed, and she’d processed the kiss. But she still wasn’t ready to face him.
Lu Jin’an: 【What if you get lost?】
Lost? For some reason, the words carried an intimate tenderness.
Gu Nianyi’s cheeks warmed again. 【…I’m an adult, not a child.】
Lu Jin’an: 【As Lady Ruan keeps emphasizing.】
【Okay.】
The exchange ended with a single word and a period.
Their longest conversation in over a week.
Gu Nianyi rarely traveled. Unlike most people, she preferred to pack light.
One small suitcase was enough for all her clothes.
Tomorrow, she’d be off to North City. A flicker of anticipation stirred in her.
Anticipation for the unknown journey.
And for him.
Gu Nianyi stepped out to the entryway, crouched down, and took Nian Gao’s front paw in hers. “Be a good girl at home, Nian Gao. Mom will bring back some specialties for you.”
“Meow.”
Nian Gao shook her paw, as if to say, Don’t worry.
The cat had an auntie looking after her. No need to fret.
At eight in the morning, the Lu Family driver was waiting right on time in the underground garage to take her to the high-speed rail station.
It was Gu Nianyi’s first time in business class. Everything felt fresh and exciting.
VIP lounge. Priority check-in with no lines.
She wore a crossbody bag, pulled a 24-inch lockbox, and had a beige knit cardigan draped over her arm.
The three-hour ride took her through mountain tunnels, across the north-south geographic divide, and past vast open plains.
Gu Nianyi pressed her face to the window the whole way, until clusters of towering residential buildings appeared on both sides.
They were getting closer.
The nearer they drew to North City, the more nervous Gu Nianyi became. Her palms grew slick with sweat, her heart leaping into her throat.
Days had passed since the kiss. She’d forgotten the precise sensation.
But every time she thought of it, that frantic heartbeat and featherlight touch came rushing back, etched into her blood and memory.
The high-speed train glided slowly into North City South Station, pulling into the terminus.
Gu Nianyi flowed with the crowd off the train and rode the escalator downstairs.
She spotted the sign ahead.
【At East Exit 5.】
She’d expected crowds, but not like this—people everywhere, barely room to move.
She was swallowed by the throng, jostled forward.
She looked up and realized she could no longer see the exit sign.
Gu Nianyi’s sense of direction was nonexistent. She wandered for ages but couldn’t find her way back.
People streamed past her, reunited with their waiting loved ones.
She felt like a lost child, waiting to be found.
Lu Jin’an’s call came through. “Where are you?”
His voice was urgent, laced with a hint of breathlessness.
Gu Nianyi glanced around. “I don’t know. There’s a Lawson convenience store across the way.”
She ducked her head, staring at her white sneakers. She felt utterly pathetic.
Twenty-four years old, and she still couldn’t get her bearings.
Lu Jin’an stood in front of a directory map. “Stay right there. Don’t move. I’ll come find you.”
He kept the line open. Gu Nianyi could hear the chaos on his end clearly enough—the station announcements, the murmur of voices.
And the steady, hurried rhythm of his footsteps.
Then, amid the din, a clear voice threaded through, tinged with amusement: “Turn around, Gu Nianyi.”
Gu Nianyi turned obediently—and there he was, Lu Jin’an, standing in the midst of the crowd.
Their eyes met. Neither moved.
Ten meters away stood the tall, lean man, his posture relaxed and indolent.
A long black trench coat accentuated his impressive build. The collar of his black shirt hung open just enough to reveal the elegant line of his neck.
His skin was already fair; the dark clothes made it seem even more so.
After days apart, his features had sharpened, lending him an air of cool detachment.
Yet his expression held a weary softness, his lips curved in a faint smile.
Gu Nianyi didn’t dare move. She couldn’t meet his gaze and dropped her eyes.