Chapter 35

Chapter 35: The Wooden Bed Sways Mother Yu said she wasn't hungry, but watching Yu Jianghai and Yu Qingya eat so heartily, her stomach began to growl. Yu Qingya split half of hers and gave it to her. "Mom, try it. My sister-in-law's cooking is really good." She paused, afraid her mother wouldn't believe her, and added, "Even better than the chefs at the state-run restaurant." Mother Yu was skeptical, but she tried it. From then on, she ate in silence, finishing her meal without saying a word about what she thought. She picked up her bowl with the last bite of cold noodles with shredded chicken and deliberately held it under Father Yu's nose for him to smell. "Lin Meiyan made this. It's pretty good." "You can't eat it while you're unconscious, but I imagine even if you woke up, you'd rather starve to death than eat anything Lin Meiyan made, right?" Father Yu's eyelids twitched violently, as if he were trying to wake up, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't. Mother Yu was a little disappointed. She put away the dishes and waited. Three days passed. During those three days, every time Secretary Shen brought food from Linji, Mother Yu would use the same method—holding it under Father Yu's nose for a moment before saying those infuriating words. Each time, Father Yu was provoked to the brink. After three days, he finally couldn't take it anymore. He opened his eyes and, almost by reflex, waved his hand. "Go away." "I won't eat!" He had just woken up, his face still ashen, an oxygen tube in his nose and a needle in the back of his hand. He looked much older than he had that day at Linji. "Take it away, take it away. I'll take it away right now." Mother Yu sat by the bed, her eyes swollen from crying, having forgotten that she was the one who had been deliberately provoking him. "Old Yu, you're finally awake. You're finally awake." But Father Yu looked at Yu Jianghai. Yu Jianghai stood by the window, not turning around. He hadn't slept much in these three days—his eyes were bloodshot and a hint of stubble had appeared on his chin. Yet he remained cold, like a blade sheathed in its scabbard, ready to wound at any moment. Father Yu's voice was hoarse. "What are you doing here?" He wanted to throw a pillow at him, but his wrist had no strength. It rose halfway before falling heavily back onto the hospital bed. Father Yu was disappointed, but even more so, he was angry. He was old, like an aging lion being devoured by his own children. Yu Jianghai acted as if he hadn't heard. He casually picked up his coat from the back of the chair and said flatly, "Since you're awake, I'll be going." He left decisively, without any hesitation, and the room fell silent. Father Yu's lips trembled. Mother Yu's expression changed. She rushed forward and grabbed Yu Jianghai, who was about to leave the ward. "Jianghai, your father just woke up. He can't take any more shocks." The implication was clear—don't leave now, and don't provoke him either. Yu Jianghai stood at the door. He was extremely tall, his head almost touching the doorframe. He didn't turn around, his voice calm. "If I stay, that's what shocks him." "If I leave, he won't be shocked." The words sounded cold and heartless, but they were the truth. Mother Yu wanted to persuade him further, but Father Yu had already spoken. "Let him go." "Let him go!" He wanted to roar, but the sound that came out was like a firecracker that fizzled out halfway. Yu Jianghai said nothing. He turned and looked at Father Yu. Father and son faced off—at least in that moment. It was the older generation of the Yu family confronting the next. Father Yu told Yu Jianghai to leave, but he didn't move. He stayed where he was, staring at Father Yu. "I know you don't want me to leave." Father Yu had always been like that—saying the opposite of what he meant, doing everything in reverse. Father Yu stiffened. He hadn't expected Yu Jianghai to see through him. Father Yu seemed to take a step back, his voice hoarse. "Divorce Lin Meiyan." "Bring the child back to the Yu family." That was his concession. When Yu Jianghai heard this, he curled his lips with a hint of mockery. "Just woke up from a dream?" Father Yu was enraged. He reached out to pull the needle from the back of his hand. Mother Yu was terrified and quickly pressed his hand down, trembling. "Old Yu, what are you doing?!" Father Yu gasped for breath, but his eyes were fixed on Yu Jianghai. "If you don't leave her, I'll die in front of you." The ward fell silent. Mother Yu cried as she covered Father Yu's hand. "Old Yu, don't do this." But Father Yu didn't look at her. He only looked at Yu Jianghai. He knew his son too well—Yu Jianghai was a man of deep feelings. He appeared cold, but his heart was heavier than anyone's. Back then, he had gone mad searching for Lin Meiyan. Surely he couldn't watch his own father die now. That was what Father Yu was betting on. But he had forgotten one thing. Yu Jianghai had already been pushed to the edge. A person pushed to the edge, when pushed again, no longer thinks only of living. Yu Jianghai looked at Father Yu on the hospital bed and suddenly smiled—a faint, cold smile. "Then die." Mother Yu's head snapped up, and she roared, "Jianghai!" Father Yu was stunned too. Yu Jianghai's voice was not loud, but it carried a calm, deathly stillness. "If you die, I die too." "To make me leave Lin Meiyan—only over my dead body." Mother Yu looked at him as if she didn't recognize him. Even Secretary Shen at the door held his breath. Father Yu's eyes slowly widened, and his chest began to heave again—a violent, ragged rise and fall, like a broken bellows, wheezing in and out, all inhale and no exhale. Mother Yu was terrified. She reached out to soothe Father Yu's chest, frantic. "Old Yu, Old Yu, don't get so worked up." But Yu Jianghai didn't step forward. He stood where he was, looking at Father Yu. "You want to use your life to threaten me." "I can give my life back to you just the same." "You won't win this time." —At worst, it ends in mutual destruction. Father Yu's lips trembled. "You unfilial son..." Yu Jianghai lowered his eyes, a faint, barely-there smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Get some rest early." "If you want to die, tell me. You die first, I die right after." "It's fitting that the Yu family you care so much about ends at our hands." Those words were truly ruthless. Father Yu stood frozen, unable to utter a single word for a long while. Cruel. His son was the crueler one. But Yu Jianghai knew his father couldn't bear it—his father valued the Yu family's reputation above all of them. Father Yu wouldn't die. And by the same token, neither would he. Yu Jianghai said what he needed to say, ignored their reactions, grabbed his coat, and turned to leave the hospital room. Mother Yu panicked and chased after him, asking urgently, "Jianghai, where are you going?" Yu Jianghai didn't stop walking. "Home." Mother Yu called after him through tears, "Isn't this your home?" Yu Jianghai paused at the door. He glanced back at Father Yu on the hospital bed, then looked at Mother Yu. "My wife and daughter are at Linji." "That's where my home is." The hospital room door closed. Mother Yu sat by the bed, tears streaming down her face. Father Yu stared at the door, his chest heaving for a long while. This time, he didn't faint again, but all the color had drained from his face. Secretary Shen followed Yu Jianghai out. He wanted to say something but didn't know what to say. He hesitated for a long time before finally asking cautiously, "Boss, back to Linji?" Yu Jianghai hummed in acknowledgment. "Back to Linji." As those words left his mouth, the tension that had gripped his shoulders and back for three days finally seemed to ease. He was going home. Back to the home that belonged only to the three of them. By the time Yu Jianghai arrived at Linji, it was already dark. A red lantern hung at the entrance, its bulb not particularly bright, casting light on the small wooden sign by the door. Mung bean soup, five cents a bowl. Beneath the sign, a small sun had been added. Yu Jianghai arrived at that moment. As he got out of the car, he saw the sign at the entrance, and he also saw the crooked little sun on the blackboard. He remembered that sign—Qiaoqiao had stood guard there before, but back then, there was no little sun. Now there was. It meant that child was waiting for him to come home. Secretary Shen didn't dare rush him. After parking the car steadily, he tactfully said, "Boss, I'll go buy a pack of cigarettes." Why buy cigarettes at a time like this? He didn't even smoke. But if he didn't leave, was he supposed to stay and disturb the reunion between the boss and Youth Lin's family? Secretary Shen walked away quickly. When Yu Jianghai entered, Linji had already closed for the night. Ye Qiuju was in the kitchen cleaning up the dishes and food waste. Gu Kaihua sat at the entrance shelling edamame. When he saw Yu Jianghai come in, his hands stopped mid-motion. He held back for a long moment before squeezing out three words: "You're back?" Yu Jianghai hummed. "Uncle." Gu Kaihua looked at his exhausted face and ultimately didn't scold him. He tossed the edamame into the bowl and nodded toward the second floor. "Meiyan's upstairs putting Qiaoqiao to sleep." Yu Jianghai moved to go upstairs, but Gu Kaihua suddenly called out, "Jianghai." Yu Jianghai turned around. Gu Kaihua scratched his head, looking a bit awkward. "Your father is your father." "You are you." "Don't take the rotten things your father did and pin them on yourself." Yu Jianghai looked at him, his gaze dark and obscure. Deep in his eyes, turbulent emotions seemed ready to burst forth, but he held them back with iron control. After what felt like an eternity— Yu Jianghai's voice was hoarse with emotion. "Thank you, Uncle." Gu Kaihua waved his hand. "Don't thank me." "I just didn't want you to do something foolish." "If you really did something foolish, what would happen to my Meiyan and Qiaoqiao?" The husband and father they'd finally gotten—he couldn't just die, could he? Wouldn't that make them a widow and a fatherless child? Ptoo, ptoo, ptoo—that was way too inauspicious! Yu Jianghai's Adam's apple bobbed. After a long moment, he said, "I won't." Only then did Gu Kaihua let him go upstairs. He and Ye Qiuju quickly packed up their things and prepared to leave, intending to leave Linji to the family of three. When Yu Jianghai came upstairs, the big light on the second floor wasn't on—only a desk lamp was lit. Lin Meiyan sat by the window in a white cotton dress, her slender, fair neck slightly curved, revealing smooth, pale skin. A ledger sat beside her hand, but it hadn't been turned in a long time. Yu Jianghai stood at the door watching her for a moment. Perhaps his gaze was too intense, because Lin Meiyan looked up, and their eyes met. A flicker of surprise crossed Lin Meiyan's face. "Yu Jianghai, you're back?" It was such an ordinary, domestic remark, yet it instantly loosened the taut string that had been wound tight in Yu Jianghai for three days. He loosened his tie and walked in with easy strides. "I'm back." Like a husband returning from work, he walked toward his wife, speaking the most mundane of words. Lin Meiyan rose to greet him, naturally taking the suit jacket draped over his arm as she asked softly, "Have you eaten?" After shedding his jacket, Yu Jianghai wore only a gray shirt. The fabric clung to him, stretched taut across his chest—tall, lean, and radiating strength. Yu Jianghai shook his head, and Lin Meiyan frowned slightly. "It's already nine-thirty." She was about to go downstairs to make him a bowl of noodles, but she had only taken two steps—passing Yu Jianghai—when her wrist was suddenly caught. Lin Meiyan looked at him, puzzled. The next second, Yu Jianghai pulled her into an embrace. His voice was heavy with exhaustion, hoarse as he said, "Let me hold you." Lin Meiyan paused briefly. Her hand hovered in the air for a moment before she hesitated, then reached up to embrace him in return. Yu Jianghai was truly exhausted. He leaned most of his weight onto Lin Meiyan. Though he was thin, he wasn't exactly light, and before long, Lin Meiyan was struggling to breathe under the pressure. Yu Jianghai noticed, and carried her over to the sofa. He didn't look into her eyes, instead burying his face in her shoulder and saying out of nowhere, "He woke up." This "he"—they both knew who it referred to. Lin Meiyan stiffened. After a long moment, her voice drifted as she asked, "What did the doctor say?" "His life is out of danger. He needs to rest." Lin Meiyan hummed in acknowledgment, then asked, "Did he say anything after he woke up?" Yu Jianghai slowly raised his head, his gaze fixed on her, as if weighing whether to tell her the truth. Lin Meiyan tugged at the corner of her lips. The ever-gentle woman now wore a trace of coldness on her face. "Yu Jianghai, do you think I can't guess even if you don't tell me?" Yu Jianghai was silent for a moment before finally speaking. "He told me to divorce you." Lin Meiyan seemed to have anticipated this. She lowered her head and let out a small laugh—light, yet also cold. "What a coincidence." "He also told me to leave you." Yu Jianghai suddenly gripped her arm, pulling her completely into his embrace. His voice trembled. "What did you say?" He seemed terrified that Lin Meiyan would once again choose to give him up and walk away in front of his father. Lin Meiyan looked up. The light fell on her face, making her eyes shine brightly. "I told him to mind his own son first." Finally, a hint of a smile surfaced in Yu Jianghai's eyes. "Mm." "He can't manage him." At this, he looked at Lin Meiyan with approval. "And you did very well. You deserve praise." Lin Meiyan smiled along with him. When the smile faded, she grew quiet, her delicate features now carrying a hint of heaviness. "Yu Jianghai." "Mm?" "I used to truly believe that leaving was for your own good." Yu Jianghai held her tightly, forcing her to face him directly. He couldn't bear to hear such words. He couldn't bear even the slightest hint of Lin Meiyan wanting to leave him. Lin Meiyan was stubborn. She looked everywhere—at the ceiling, at the floor—anywhere but at Yu Jianghai. Finally, Yu Jianghai conceded. She turned to look out the window, where the lights of Simenkou Hengjie were lit one by one. Downstairs, someone was packing up their stall, and someone else was calling their child home to finish summer homework. That warmth of everyday life was so close—so close that she suddenly felt she had finally returned from a distant island. She murmured, "I've carried that bad reputation for so many years." "I told myself not to look back." "Because if I looked back, I'd be betraying the person who chose to leave back then." Her voice was very low. "But today, I suddenly thought—why should I listen to him?" "He told me to go, so I went." "He told me to leave you, so I left you." "Why should I?" By now, her voice had turned bitter and hoarse, and if one listened closely, there was a hint of tears in it. Yu Jianghai took her hand. Unlike the past few days, she didn't pull away. He called out in a low voice, "Yanyan." Lin Meiyan turned to look at him. "The more he tells me to leave you—" She spoke with a rebellious edge, each word deliberate. "The more I refuse to go." Yu Jianghai's grip tightened suddenly. Lin Meiyan winced at the pressure, but she didn't pull her hand back. She looked at him, as if finally exhaling the breath that had been trapped in her chest for years. "I don't want others making decisions for me anymore." "Yu Jianghai." "This time, I choose for myself." Emotion surged in Yu Jianghai's eyes. He stared at her, his voice rough. "Do you know what you're saying?" Lin Meiyan nodded. "I do." Two simple words, yet she spoke them with immense weight. Yet it was precisely such a light remark that made Yu Jianghai's entire body tense up instantly. He felt as if Lin Meiyan had dragged him out of cold water, only to shove him abruptly toward a fire. That interweaving of cold and heat sent a tingling numbness through his whole being. He stared at Lin Meiyan. She didn't dodge or avoid his gaze, letting him look at her as she repeated, "I said, he told me to leave, but I refuse to go." —I'll just infuriate him! Lin Meiyan had no other talents, but when it came to controlling Yu Jianghai, she had that ability. Inside the room on the second floor of Linji, only that one desk lamp was lit as night fell. The light wasn't bright, falling across her face and making her skin appear even whiter, her eyes even darker. The gentleness that had always dwelt in her brows had faded, replaced by nothing but a faint trace of stubborn resolve. Yet that resolve wasn't directed at Yu Jianghai—it was aimed at Father Yu. Yu Jianghai was too clever not to see that. At that thought, he embraced her, holding her as if she were a treasure he'd lost and regained, his voice low and heavy, "Yanyan, you don't need to gamble with yourself out of spite." Lin Meiyan pressed her lips together and said nothing. "I know you're angry." Yu Jianghai raised his hand, his fingertip gently brushing over the small patch of scalded red on the back of her hand, with tenderness. "You want to provoke him, want him to know that the more he tells you not to do something, the more you'll do it." Lin Meiyan ignored him. Yu Jianghai lowered his head to look at her, stroking her cheek, delicate and gentle. "But this kind of thing, you can't do it just to provoke him." Lin Meiyan suddenly smiled. When she smiled, the corners of her eyes curved slightly, still that gentle look from before, yet there was little real mirth in her gaze. "Then what should I do it for?" Yu Jianghai paused. Lin Meiyan asked him, "For loving you so deeply I can't help myself? For waiting for you all these years? Or should I suddenly stop caring about what happened back then?" She asked each question softly, but every single one struck Yu Jianghai straight in the heart. The warmth in Yu Jianghai's eyes slowly receded a little. His grip on her hand also loosened somewhat. "That's not what I meant." "I know." Lin Meiyan said quietly. "I didn't think that either." She lowered her eyes to look at their intertwined hands. Yu Jianghai's hands were large, with thin calluses on his palms, and when he held her, he could almost envelop her entire hand. Five years ago on the island, he had held her the same way. Back then he had nothing—no Jianghai Dicai, no the crisp shirt he wore now, no respectable standing that others looked up to. He only had a pair of rough hands that would steady her firmly when she nearly slipped on the sandy beach. And when he walked her back to Zhiqingdian at night, he would drape his jacket over her shoulders while still teasing her, "Lin Meiyan, are you made of paper?" Lin Meiyan used to be annoyed by his sharp tongue back then. The old Yu Jianghai really did have a vicious mouth, but now he seemed to have become a different person—humbling himself before her, speaking with caution and restraint. At that thought, Lin Meiyan suddenly turned her hand over and gripped his. This time, she was the one taking the initiative. Yu Jianghai's fingers stiffened for a moment. Lin Meiyan continued, "I'm still angry, still resentful, and there are still many things I haven't figured out." "But there's one thing I have figured out." Her voice slowly lowered. "I don't want your father to be satisfied." "I don't want him to think that if he comes to Linji once, says a few words, faints once, and threatens me again after waking up, I'll be scared and back down, and push you away again." "I'm not backing down anymore." "Even if it's just to provoke him, to wrestle with my past self, I'm not backing down." The emotion Yu Jianghai had been suppressing surged up again in his eyes. He stroked her cheeks with both hands, as if silently releasing the pressure, "Yanyan." Lin Meiyan looked at him. "Are you afraid?" "Afraid." Yu Jianghai answered too quickly—so quickly that Lin Meiyan was momentarily stunned. Yu Jianghai grabbed her hand and pressed it against his chest. "I'm afraid you'll regret this tomorrow morning." His heart was pounding heavily, each beat striking against her palm. "I'm also afraid I won't be able to hold back." The words were too blunt, and Lin Meiyan's cheeks flushed red in an instant. But she didn't pull her hand away. The noise downstairs gradually faded. Ye Qiuju and Gu Kaihua had apparently left at some point, and Qiaoqiao had fallen asleep too. The entire Linji was now eerily quiet. Lin Meiyan glanced at the half-closed door. Yu Jianghai followed her gaze, and his voice immediately grew hoarse. "I'll go to the next room." There had originally been a storage room on the second floor of Linji. After being tidied up, it now held a small bed and two old wooden cabinets. On days when Gu Kaihua and the others worked too late, they would rest there for an afternoon nap. After saying this, Yu Jianghai was about to let go of her, but Lin Meiyan didn't allow it. Her fingertips clutched at his sleeve—a very light, very small amount of force. But Yu Jianghai stopped instantly. Lin Meiyan kept her head lowered, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible. "Come to my room." Qiaoqiao, eager to demonstrate her independence, had already gone to her own room next door, and Lin Meiyan's room was still empty. Yu Jianghai's breathing suddenly grew heavy, and Lin Meiyan's ears flushed deeply. She didn't look at him, only added in a low voice, "Don't wake Qiaoqiao." Yu Jianghai stood still, staring at her for a long moment. That three-second pause seemed to give her a chance to change her mind. But there was none. Lin Meiyan said nothing, and that was silent permission. Yu Jianghai's gaze darkened slightly as he took her hand and led her to the next room. The room next door was dark. Yu Jianghai reached for the pull cord, but Lin Meiyan pressed her hand over his. "Don't turn it on." Yu Jianghai obeyed her without hesitation, letting his hand fall. Moonlight streamed through the window, falling on the old wooden cabinet, on the washed-out bedsheets, and on their intertwined hands. Standing at the doorway, Lin Meiyan suddenly felt a flicker of regret—not for what she had said, but because everything was too quiet. So quiet that she could hear her own heartbeat, and Yu Jianghai's breathing. She had just taken half a step back when Yu Jianghai noticed. He didn't close in on her, only lowered his head to look at her, his voice low. "It's not too late to change your mind." Lin Meiyan looked up. Yu Jianghai stood in the moonlight, his face carrying the exhaustion of three sleepless nights, stubble shadowing his jaw, his shirt collar slightly open. He looked more disheveled than usual. Lin Meiyan suddenly remembered that year on the island. It had been a night just like this. The wind rattled the window paper, and the sound of distant waves crashed in waves after waves. She had been afraid, and shy, but also filled with a courage she couldn't explain. Yu Jianghai had been far more inexperienced back then. He was so nervous he didn't know where to put his hands, yet he still tried to act calm. "Lin Meiyan, if you're scared, I'll go outside and get some air." He had actually meant to leave—she was the one who pulled him back. Now, five years had passed, and they had met again. Lin Meiyan slowly raised her hand and undid his shirt buttons, one by one, revealing a lean, wiry chest. "Mm." "I'm not changing my mind." She murmured against his ear. Yu Jianghai's eyes seemed to redden. The next second, as if losing control, he lowered his head and kissed her. This kiss was nothing like the domineering one in the Jianghai Dicai office. He wasn't fierce—not fierce at all. He was almost careful, as if holding something he had lost and found again, afraid that even the slightest pressure would break it. Lin Meiyan was stiff at first, her fingers clutching his collar, knuckles turning white. But Yu Jianghai didn't rush her. He just kissed her brows, her eyelids, the tip of her nose, then slowly worked his way down to the trembling corner of her lips. The night breeze squeezed through the gap in the window, carrying the lingering aroma of the braised food from downstairs, along with the humid warmth of summer. Lin Meiyan's eyes gradually grew sore. When Yu Jianghai's kiss landed on her eyelids, she finally couldn't help but close her eyes. Tears slid down silently. Yu Jianghai stopped. He cupped her face, his voice hoarse and careful. "Yanyan?" Lin Meiyan raised her hand to cover his mouth, tears still on her cheeks, and said fiercely, "Why are you asking?" "If you ask, I'll change my mind again." A hint of laughter surfaced in Yu Jianghai's eyes. He kissed her palm. "Alright, I won't ask." Lin Meiyan's palm tingled from his kiss, and her whole body trembled. She tried to pull her hand back, but Yu Jianghai held it, slowly pressing it against his cheek, as if placing himself entirely in her hands. "Yanyan, if you're unhappy, just bite me." Lin Meiyan was both embarrassed and annoyed by his words, and lowered her voice. "What nonsense are you talking about?" "Just don't hit my face," Yu Jianghai said in a low voice. "Qiaoqiao will see it tomorrow." Lin Meiyan froze, then couldn't help but laugh. As she laughed, the heavy tension that had been thickening in the room finally loosened. A glimmer of amusement rose in Yu Jianghai's eyes too. He lowered his head to peck her lips, and this time, Lin Meiyan didn't dodge. She grabbed his shoulders, as if holding onto all the things she had failed to grasp in those five years. Outside, the streetlights dimmed one by one, and the area below Linji fell completely silent. Their clothes scattered across the floor, tangled together. Only the wooden bed let out a faint creak with every slight movement. At the final step, Yu Jianghai's remaining sanity made him pause. "Do you... have a condom?" Lin Meiyan hesitated. In the darkness, her expression was unreadable. She didn't answer. After a moment, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a low kiss to his lips. This was—throwing herself into his arms. How could Yu Jianghai withstand that? The next second, they broke through all restraint. Lin Meiyan tensed and shrank back slightly, pushing at his shoulder. "Gently—a little gentler." Yu Jianghai sucked in a sharp breath. He let out a low laugh, the sound muffled against her palm, so warm it made her hand burn. His voice was hoarse. "I know. I'll hold back." But even as he said it, his breathing was heavier than anyone's. He was like a wild beast, driven only by instinct, charging recklessly forward. Lin Meiyan turned her head away, biting the back of her hand to keep herself quiet. Yu Jianghai saw this, and his eyes darkened. He pulled her hand away, replacing it with his own shoulder, and said hoarsely, "Bite me." Lin Meiyan glared at him. Yu Jianghai coaxed her in a low voice. "It doesn't hurt." She didn't bite him. In the end, she just buried her face in the hollow of his shoulder, both hands clutching him tightly. All night, Yu Jianghai called her name over and over—low, hoarse, restrained—as if confirming that she was really here. Lin Meiyan didn't respond at first. She simply didn't want to acknowledge him. Qiaoqiao was still sleeping in the next room. Eventually, annoyed by his persistent calling, she gave his shoulder a light pinch and whispered, "I'm here." "I'm here, Yu Jianghai." Yu Jianghai's whole body stiffened. It was a long moment before he murmured against her ear, "Say it again." Lin Meiyan refused, so he held her even tighter. Unable to bear it, her voice came out thin as a kitten's, as if she wanted to hide herself away entirely. "I'm here." The heat behind Yu Jianghai's eyes was almost impossible to contain. He lowered his head and kissed her, all restraint dissolving into smoke, replaced by a wild and fierce breath. He wished he could devour her whole, bones and all. Rising and falling in waves, Lin Meiyan suddenly felt as if she had returned to the sea around the island. The waves crashed over her, and she thought she would drown—but Yu Jianghai kept holding her up, never letting her sink. Near dawn, Lin Meiyan was so exhausted she couldn't even move a finger, but Yu Jianghai was still awake. He held her in his arms, his arm across her waist, as if afraid that if he let go, she would disappear. He gazed at her with such focus, tracing her eyebrows, her eyes, her nose, her lips with his fingertips. As if every part of her was made exactly to his liking. Lin Meiyan, half-awake, felt too warm and pushed at him, whispering, "Loosen up." Yu Jianghai kept his eyes closed, his voice a little hoarse. "No." "Hot." "I'm cool." Lin Meiyan was so irritated she woke up a bit more and looked up at him. Only then did Yu Jianghai open his eyes. When their gazes met, both of them fell quiet. The room was still dim, but the sky outside was beginning to pale. Through the window came the cries of early-rising vegetable vendors, and from below Linji, the soft swish of a broom sweeping the ground. Simenkou Hengjie was waking up. And with it, Lin Meiyan woke up completely. She sat up abruptly—but the moment she moved, her body ached so badly she nearly toppled over. Her brows knitted slightly, and Yu Jianghai immediately sat up to steady her, his voice rough. "Where does it hurt?" Lin Meiyan's face flushed crimson. She grabbed her clothes and pulled them on, her voice soft and husky from just waking. "You don't know?" A hint of a smile surfaced in Yu Jianghai's eyes. "I know." There was a teasing edge to it, too direct. Lin Meiyan felt utterly exposed under his gaze and turned to glare at him. "Stop looking." Yu Jianghai chuckled low. "Okay." He said okay, but he couldn't bring himself to look away. His expression infuriated her so much she wanted to kick him—but the moment she stretched out her foot, Yu Jianghai caught her ankle. She froze. He lowered his head and picked up the shoe that had fallen by the bed, his voice low. "The floor's cold." She pulled her foot back, hastily put on her shoes, and murmured, "I need to go over." Yu Jianghai glanced toward the next room, saw that Qiaoqiao was still asleep, and asked, "Want me to walk you over?" "No." She refused too quickly. Yu Jianghai raised an eyebrow. Lin Meiyan bit her lip, her face burning even redder. "What would it look like if Qiaoqiao saw us?" Yu Jianghai paused, then considered it seriously. "Like... husband and wife." Lin Meiyan grabbed a pillow and hurled it at him. He didn't dodge, just laughed. That laugh seemed different from the night before. Last night, his eyes had been weighed down with deep pain—restraint, suppression, sorrow, guilt. But now, he seemed like he had finally come back to life. Yu Jianghai had finally reclaimed Lin Meiyan. After five years. He had her again! Lin Meiyan couldn't stand seeing him like this. She said quietly, "Don't laugh." Yu Jianghai stopped smiling and resumed his usual cold, stern expression—but if you looked closely, you could see his eyes never once left Lin Meiyan, gentle and quiet. Lin Meiyan ignored him, gathered her clothes, and slipped furtively out of the next room. She walked as softly as she could, light as a thief. But this was Linji. They were married. They were legally husband and wife. Still, as she made her way from the next room back to her own, she felt an inexplicable guilt, like she was sneaking around. When she pushed open her own door and let out a breath of relief, she met a pair of big, dark, round eyes. Qiaoqiao sat on the bed, hair a messy tangle from sleep, her little face still carrying a dazed, not-quite-awake look. She hugged her little pillow and tilted her head at Lin Meiyan. "Mommy." Lin Meiyan's heart skipped a beat. Before she could figure out how to answer, Qiaoqiao rubbed her eyes and asked again, "Where did you go?" Lin Meiyan hid the clothes behind her back. "I..." She was usually quick with words—when doing business, she could charm people or talk circles around them as needed—but faced with her four-year-old daughter, she was completely stuck. Qiaoqiao blinked and waited quietly. Lin Meiyan cleared her throat. "Mommy went to check on the brine." "The brine?" "Mm." Lin Meiyan tried to keep her voice steady. "I forgot to check the fire before bed last night, so I went downstairs to take a look." Qiaoqiao looked at her suspiciously. "But Mommy, your face is really red." Lin Meiyan froze. Qiaoqiao whispered, "Did you secretly eat some chili?" Lin Meiyan: "..." She suddenly let out a breath, caught between relief and exasperation. "No." Lin Meiyan walked over and reached out to smooth Qiaoqiao's sleep-tousled hair. "It's just that the weather is too hot." Qiaoqiao glanced at the window. It was half open, and the morning breeze was blowing in. It wasn't actually hot at all, but Qiaoqiao was gracious enough not to call her mother out. She just said "Oh" in a soft voice and added, "Then Mommy should drink some mung bean soup—it helps with the spiciness." Lin Meiyan touched her face and said gently, "Okay." Qiaoqiao looked behind her and asked curiously, "Is Daddy back?" Lin Meiyan's hand paused. "He..." Before she could finish, Yu Jianghai's voice came from the doorway. "Daddy's back." Lin Meiyan whipped her head around. Yu Jianghai was standing at the door, who knew for how long. He had already gotten dressed, his shirt buttoned all the way up, his features sharp and handsome, cool and imposing. Of course, aside from his hair still being slightly damp and messy, he looked perfectly composed—as if nothing had happened at all. Qiaoqiao's eyes lit up instantly. She hopped off the bed like a little cannonball and dashed over. "Daddy, you're back!" Her tone was full of joy. Yu Jianghai's eyes softened at once. "Mm, I'm back." "Daddy, when did you get back? Where did you sleep last night?" Lin Meiyan nearly choked on her own saliva, but Yu Jianghai's expression didn't change. He gave her a subtle glance before answering unhurriedly, "I slept next door." Qiaoqiao said, "Oh. Isn't next door Mommy's room?" Yu Jianghai: "..." Lin Meiyan rarely saw Yu Jianghai stumped for words, and she couldn't help but smile, pressing her lips together. Yu Jianghai glanced at her, then took Qiaoqiao's hand and led her out of the room. "Your mother and I are husband and wife. Isn't it normal for me to sleep in her room?" Qiaoqiao let out an "Ah." Lin Meiyan was a bit annoyed that he was instilling this idea in Qiaoqiao so early, but Yu Jianghai didn't agree with her on that point. He crouched down to meet Qiaoqiao's eyes. "Qiaoqiao, do you know? Every mommy and daddy sleep in the same room." Of course Qiaoqiao knew that. Her big eyes darted around. "So from now on, you two will always sleep in the same room?" That question—Lin Meiyan really didn't know how to answer. But Yu Jianghai nodded. "Of course." He smiled, speaking matter-of-factly. "It's normal for mommy and daddy to sleep in the same room. The day we don't sleep in the same room—that's when there's a real problem." "So, can our Qiaoqiao accept that?" Qiaoqiao thought for a moment, then said hesitantly, "I want to sleep with Mommy too." She used to get to sleep with her mother five days a week. Now that Daddy was here, she wouldn't get to anymore. Yu Jianghai paused, then said with a perfectly straight face, "Big kids who still sleep with their mommies get laughed at by their friends." Qiaoqiao rolled her eyes inwardly. Did he really think she was still a little kid? She ignored Yu Jianghai and looked at Lin Meiyan with pleading eyes. Lin Meiyan thought for a moment. "How about we keep it the way it was—I'll sleep with you every weekend, okay?" This time, Qiaoqiao didn't object. But now it was Yu Jianghai's turn to be unhappy. Lin Meiyan reached over and pinched his arm, and only then did he let it go. While Qiaoqiao went to wash up, Lin Meiyan shot Yu Jianghai a fierce glare. Yu Jianghai asked in a low voice, "Still angry?" Lin Meiyan lowered her voice. "You dare ask." Yu Jianghai's gaze fell on her slightly flushed neck, and his eyes darkened a shade. Lin Meiyan noticed where he was looking and immediately pulled her collar up. But summer clothes were thin to begin with—there was no hiding it. She could only hurry off to wash up. A little while later, Gu Kaihua and Ye Qiuju arrived. As soon as Gu Kaihua walked in, he called out, "Yanyan, we need to prepare more braised lotus root today. Grandma Zhang asked about it yesterday—said her daughter-in-law is pregnant and craving it, and she's been thinking about your braised lotus root." He chattered as he headed toward the kitchen, but just as he reached the doorway, he spotted Yu Jianghai—dressed in a suit, face cold and stern—standing by the stove boiling water for Lin Meiyan. Gu Kaihua's voice caught in his throat. "Oho." That "oho" curved through three notes. Yu Jianghai looked up, and under the light, his brow bone was strikingly handsome. Of course, that face of his was too. He called out without changing his expression, "Uncle." He was wearing an impeccably tailored shirt that looked very expensive, yet here he was, bent over in the kitchen helping Lin Meiyan boil water. It just didn't look right, no matter how you looked at it. Gu Kaihua glanced at him, then at Lin Meiyan. Lin Meiyan kept her head down, chopping scallions, pretending she hadn't heard anything. Ye Qiuju came in from behind, carrying a big basket of vegetables. It was heavy, and she was grumbling as she carried it. "What 'oho'? Did your voice get stuck in the door this early in the morning?" Gu Kaihua winked and gestured. Ye Qiuju followed his gaze. She saw Yu Jianghai first, then Lin Meiyan, and finally her gaze landed on the small patch of red marks on Lin Meiyan's neck that couldn't be hidden no matter what. Ye Qiuju paused mid-motion, and Gu Kaihua noticed it too at that moment. His plump, fair face flushed bright red in an instant. His eyes didn't know where to look, and in the end, he simply turned his head toward the mung bean soup sign by the door. "Oh, this sign is crooked. Let me go straighten it." The sign wasn't crooked at all!! Ye Qiuju couldn't help but say, "What a coward." Gu Kaihua muttered as he headed out the door, "What's there to be brave or cowardly about in this? It's not like I'm the one involved." Sure, he'd been through it himself, but was that the same? Was it the same?! Lin Meiyan's ears were so red they looked ready to bleed. The knife she was using to chop scallions nearly sliced her hand, and Yu Jianghai immediately grabbed her wrist. "Careful." His movement was so natural—so natural that even Ye Qiuju's expression shifted slightly. Lin Meiyan quickly pulled her hand back. "I know." Yu Jianghai wasn't bothered. He simply took the knife from her hand. "I'll chop." Lin Meiyan asked, "Do you know how?" Yu Jianghai wasn't actually good at cooking, but he could learn. Ye Qiuju spoke up first, though. "Let him chop." She set the vegetable basket on the table and pulled Lin Meiyan into the small back room. Lin Meiyan knew she couldn't avoid this. She lowered her head and followed. In the small room were the account books brought back last night and a few empty lunch boxes. Ye Qiuju left the door ajar, first looking at Lin Meiyan's face, then at her neck. Lin Meiyan felt even more uncomfortable under her gaze and tugged at her clothes, trying to cover up. "Aunt." Ye Qiuju lowered her voice. "You two have your marriage certificate now. I'm not some old-fashioned stick-in-the-mud who'd stop a married couple from sharing a bed and living their lives." Hearing this, Lin Meiyan's face flushed deeply. She was so embarrassed. Really. Lin Meiyan could swear that even when she'd come back last time, big-bellied and pregnant, she hadn't felt this embarrassed or awkward. Ye Qiuju could see that. She said in a low voice, "But there are some things I have to say as your aunt." "Yanyan, do you want a child right now?" Her tone was very matter-of-fact. Lin Meiyan was taken aback. The question hit her like a bucket of cold water poured over her head. She hadn't thought about it at all last night. No—she should say she'd completely forgotten. Last night's emotions had been too chaotic. Because of Father Yu's arrival, that little spark of rebelliousness burning in her heart had scorched away all her rationality. She and Yu Jianghai had only been swept up in impulse last night. Or rather, she had thought about it, but she had her own considerations. One look at Lin Meiyan's expression and Ye Qiuju knew the answer. She pressed a hand to her forehead. "You didn't prepare?" Lin Meiyan said nothing. Ye Qiuju sighed. "I knew it." She lowered her voice. "If you want a child, then I won't say anything. If you don't, you need to take more care of yourself. Right now, Linji has just opened, Qiaoqiao is still young, the Yu family is in a mess, and Dr. Yue just said your body is severely depleted." Lin Meiyan stayed silent. Ye Qiuju softened her voice. "Aunt isn't trying to scare you." "I just want you to think it through clearly." "Having a child is no small matter for a woman, especially when your constitution is already weak. If you really want one, then take good care of yourself. If you don't, you can't just rely on a man to keep a clear head in the moment." Lin Meiyan nodded. She knew all of this. "Good, as long as you know." Ye Qiuju patted her hand. "I'll go with you to the pharmacy in a bit." Lin Meiyan nodded, but the moment she did, she felt a heaviness in her chest. When a man and a woman did this sort of thing, why did the consequences always end up falling on the woman? When Lin Meiyan came out of the small room, her expression still hadn't recovered. Yu Jianghai was standing by the stove, chopping scallions. A man like him looked good holding a fountain pen, holding contracts, holding blueprints. But holding a kitchen knife? Not so much. It was like forcing a duck onto a perch. The scallions were chopped into uneven pieces, some long and some short. Qiaoqiao had been squatting beside him watching for a while and finally couldn't help but whisper, "Daddy, your scallions look like little worms." Yu Jianghai's hand paused. Gu Kaihua burst out laughing by the door, and Ye Qiuju couldn't help but laugh either. Lin Meiyan's heart had been heavy, but seeing that pile of uneven scallion pieces, she laughed along with them. Yu Jianghai looked at her. Lin Meiyan immediately stopped smiling and lowered her head to shake out the alkaline noodles. But Yu Jianghai noticed something off in her expression. After breakfast, Linji got busy. Lin Meiyan showed no signs of anything unusual—she cooked noodles when she should, collected money when she should, and smiled when chatting with the old neighbors. But Yu Jianghai could still tell: she was easily distracted today. Twice, when customers ordered mung bean soup, she mistakenly said it cost ten cents instead of five. Qiaoqiao immediately corrected her from the side. "Mommy, it's five cents." Only then did Lin Meiyan snap back to attention. "Right, it's five cents." After the busiest part of the morning passed, Lin Meiyan took off her apron. "Aunt, I'm going out for a bit." Ye Qiuju immediately looked at her. The two exchanged a glance, and Ye Qiuju understood. She wiped the water from her hands. "I'll go with you." Lin Meiyan shook her head. "No need, I'll go by myself." She didn't want Ye Qiuju to follow her. Nor did she want anyone else to know. This matter was too private—so private that merely thinking about it made her feel embarrassed. Lin Meiyan grabbed her bag and was about to head out when Yu Jianghai followed her out. "I'll walk you." "No need." Lin Meiyan refused too quickly. Yu Jianghai stopped. Realizing her tone had been a bit harsh, Lin Meiyan softened her voice. "I'm just going to buy something. I'll be back soon." Yu Jianghai looked at her. "Buy what?" Lin Meiyan didn't answer, and Yu Jianghai didn't press her. Instead, he turned his gaze to Ye Qiuju. Ye Qiuju hadn't wanted to get involved, but when she met Yu Jianghai's eyes, she couldn't help but clear her throat and look away. "It's women's business. Don't ask." Yu Jianghai's gaze flickered. Women's business? What had happened yesterday and today? Suddenly, understanding dawned on him. He looked at Lin Meiyan and asked in a low voice, "You're going to buy medicine?" Lin Meiyan's fingers tightened abruptly. Yu Jianghai didn't wait for her answer. He walked up to her and lowered his voice even further. "The morning-after pill?" The kitchen and the front hall both went quiet for a moment. Gu Kaihua, who had been drinking water, nearly spat it out. Ye Qiuju pinched his arm hard. "Drink your water!" Gu Kaihua winced in pain and immediately turned his back, pretending he hadn't heard a thing. Qiaoqiao looked up. "What medicine?" Lin Meiyan grew even more embarrassed. Ye Qiuju quickly scooped Qiaoqiao up. "Don't ask, little one. Come, let Granny-in-law take you to see Uncle Wang's puppy next door." Qiaoqiao let out an "oh" and rested her chin on Ye Qiuju's shoulder, but she still turned back to look at Lin Meiyan and Yu Jianghai. The little girl's eyes darted around, and she grinned inwardly. Did they really think she didn't understand? Wasn't it just the morning-after pill? She might not have eaten pork, but she'd certainly seen a pig run! Once the child was carried away, Lin Meiyan said in a low voice, "Yes." She didn't hide it. Yu Jianghai quietly watched her. Lin Meiyan looked away uncomfortably, feeling a bit awkward. "Yu Jianghai, I don't want a child right now." Having Qiaoqiao was enough for her. Besides, her relationship with Yu Jianghai hadn't reached the point where a second child was warranted. Yu Jianghai stood at the door, his gaze dark and complicated. After a long moment, he said, "I know." Lin Meiyan was taken aback. Yu Jianghai looked at her, his eyes heavier than before, but without a trace of blame. "You don't need to explain yourself to me." "Whether to have a child or not, and when—that's for you to decide. Only if you agree will there be a future." He gripped her hand, his hold firm. "Last night was my fault." He had been too impulsive, too eager, and hadn't thought about what came after. Nor had he thought about the harm it could do to her body. Yu Jianghai admitted his mistake without hesitation. "But Yanyan, you can't just take medicine casually." His voice was deep. "Your body is already weakened." Lin Meiyan looked down at their intertwined hands and let out a soft sigh. "I can't take it casually, that's true. But taking medicine is still better than ending up with an unexpected pregnancy." But Yu Jianghai seemed to have already made up his mind. He took the bag from her hand and placed it back behind the counter. "I'll go to the hospital." Lin Meiyan froze. "What are you going to the hospital for?" Yu Jianghai looked at her. "I'm the one who should be making preparations." Lin Meiyan felt like she hadn't heard him right. What preparations was he going to make? Surely he couldn't take the medicine for her? Or was it— Yu Jianghai had already turned to grab his coat. Lin Meiyan's thoughts were in a jumble, and she hurried after him. "Yu Jianghai, explain yourself clearly." Yu Jianghai stopped. He stood in the shadow of the doorway, backlit, his eyes dark. "Yanyan." "Hm?" "This matter is my responsibility." "And then?" This wasn't something one person could do alone. If Lin Meiyan hadn't agreed, none of it would have happened. At the end of the day, she had been impulsive too. But when Lin Meiyan asked, Yu Jianghai refused to say more. After giving Gu Kaihua and Ye Qiuju their instructions, he took Lin Meiyan's hand and led her out of Linji. Secretary Shen's car was still parked at the street corner. He must have arrived early, worried that he wouldn't be there when Yu Jianghai needed the car. When Yu Jianghai came over, Secretary Shen was dozing in the car. Seeing his boss emerge, he immediately sat up straight. "Boss, are we heading to the company?" But wait—why was Youth Lin with him? Was Youth Lin coming to the company too? Yu Jianghai opened the car door, one hand resting on the roof as he waited for Lin Meiyan to get in. Then he said to Secretary Shen, "To the hospital." Secretary Shen's spirits jolted and his scalp went numb. He quickly asked, "Did something happen to Director Yu again?" "No." Secretary Shen breathed a sigh of relief. Good, good—nothing happened. But before he could fully relax, he asked another question. "Then what are we going to the hospital for?" Yu Jianghai had already gotten into the car. He glanced at Lin Meiyan, noticing the embarrassment on her face, as if she didn't know how to explain. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and said in a low voice, "For a vasectomy."