Chapter 39

Chapter 39: The Sweetness After the Quarrel Lu Qingyuan was momentarily dazed. He couldn't even bring himself to believe those words had come from Yu Jianghai's mouth. "What did you say?" Unfortunately, the thoroughly drunk Yu Jianghai was in no condition to repeat himself. He slumped over the table. "I can't find Yanyan anymore." "I can't find her." Lu Qingyuan looked at him in this state, feeling nothing but frustration at his lack of spine. "She still counts as scheming against you if she loves you? Yu Jianghai, have some self-respect, will you?" "What's so great about Lin Meiyan anyway?" Yu Jianghai naturally couldn't be bothered with him. But the moment he heard those three words—Lin Meiyan—his reflexes sharpened him up a few degrees. He lifted his head to look at Lu Qingyuan. "Have you seen my Yanyan?" "Have you seen my Yanyan?" He seemed unable to distinguish between reality and the past. During those five years when Lin Meiyan had disappeared, this was how he had searched for her, over and over again. Seeing this scene, Lu Qingyuan felt a pang of sorrow himself. "Forget it, Yu Jianghai. I'm your enemy, but seeing you like this now, I can finally let it go." That was his honest feeling. He couldn't understand how someone as lofty and high-and-mighty as Yu Jianghai could have reduced himself to such a state. Was Lin Meiyan the only woman in this world? Was he destined to stumble and fall over Lin Meiyan for the rest of his life? Outside, after Secretary Shen found a phone, he didn't care about the noisy scene around him and immediately made a call to Linji. It was now 11:30 at night. The entire Linji was silent, until a ringing telephone suddenly shattered the quiet. Back when Lin Meiyan had set up Linji, she'd installed the phone on the first floor for convenience and to make it easier for people to call in orders. That ringtone instantly jolted her awake. Almost by reflex, she went downstairs to the first floor and picked up the phone. On the other end came Secretary Shen's voice. "Youth Lin, it's me, Secretary Shen." Lin Meiyan glanced at the receiver to confirm, then lowered her voice to ask, "Why are you calling so late? Has something happened to Yu Jianghai?" Secretary Shen answered without hesitation. "Yes, something's happened to my boss." "Youth Lin, he refuses to go home right now. Please, I'm begging you to come see him." Lin Meiyan wanted to say she didn't care, but then she heard Secretary Shen say, "He's terribly drunk right now. He won't have anyone but you." Hearing that, Lin Meiyan inexplicably felt a pang of sadness. She gripped the receiver tightly and asked, "Where is he?" Secretary Shen gave her the address. Half an hour later, Lin Meiyan appeared at the entrance of Jiangcheng's New Wave Disco. Multicolored neon lights flashed, giving off an air of glitz and glamour. To be honest, although Lin Meiyan had grown up in Jiangcheng, she had never actually been to a disco—or rather, to the New Wave Disco in Jiangcheng. It had only opened in '87, and from day one it had become the most expensive disco in all of Jiangcheng, practically a regular haunt for the wealthy and powerful. Was Yu Jianghai here? While Lin Meiyan was lost in thought, Secretary Shen hurried over in a few quick steps. "Youth Lin." He looked at her as if she were his savior. Lin Meiyan nodded. "Where's Yu Jianghai?" "I'll take you inside." Secretary Shen led the way, and worried she might misunderstand, he added a few words of explanation. "The second phase of Jianghai Dicai is about to break ground. My boss was entertaining the partners here." Lin Meiyan hummed in acknowledgment without saying much, following Secretary Shen inside. The moment she stepped through the door, she was hit by flashing multicolored lights. Accompanied by the pounding music blasting from the disco, Lin Meiyan felt for the first time just how noisy it was. She enjoyed Teresa Teng's songs, sure, but compared to disco music, even Teresa Teng sounded gentle and soft. Fortunately, she didn't have to walk far. In just a few steps, she reached the private room where Yu Jianghai was. To be honest, the place they were in and the dance floor outside were complete opposites. One was extreme chaos; the other was extreme quiet. And there was Yu Jianghai, slumped over the table. His usually cold, stern face was flushed with red, making his handsome features look almost more striking. "Youth Lin, you're finally here." The moment he saw her arrive, Lu Qingyuan looked as if he'd seen a savior. He immediately handed off the hot potato in his hands. "Look at him, just look at him. Drunk out of his mind, won't have anyone but you." "Look what he did to me!" Lu Qingyuan's hands and wrists were covered in red marks, okay? Every time he'd gone over to support Yu Jianghai, he'd gotten hit for his trouble. Lin Meiyan apologized first. "I'm sorry, our Jiang Hai has caused you trouble." Then she walked up to Yu Jianghai and waved at him. Yu Jianghai was too far gone—his gaze was unfocused and wandering—but as Lin Meiyan waved, his eyes gradually sharpened into focus. "Yanyan?" No matter when, Yu Jianghai could always recognize Lin Meiyan at first sight. He was like someone seeing her for the first time, his raised hand slowly lowering. "Yanyan, I've been looking for you for so long." Secretary Shen instinctively pulled Lu Qingyuan out of the room with him upon hearing this—this was not something they should be listening to. Lu Qingyuan was quick on the uptake and soon realized what was happening, leaving the spacious private dining room to just Yu Jianghai and Lin Meiyan. Lin Meiyan froze when she heard those words. She tried to help him up, but Yu Jianghai grabbed her wrist. His other hand moved slowly upward until it came to rest at the corner of her eye. At twenty-nine, Lin Meiyan was still beautiful, but a faint crow's foot had appeared at the corner of her eye, and her gaze no longer held the fiery brightness of years past—only weariness and calm. He stared at her, dazed. "Yanyan, have you not been doing well all these years?" At those words, Lin Meiyan's nose tingled with emotion. "Yu Jianghai." She tried to pull him up, but he was seated in the chair, and she couldn't budge him at all. "Have you not been doing well?" He asked again stubbornly, like a child. Lin Meiyan lowered her eyes and said nothing, but as she bowed her head, one scalding tear after another fell onto the back of Yu Jianghai's hand, so hot that his whole body flinched. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Yu Jianghai cupped Lin Meiyan's face and wiped away her tears one by one. "It's my fault. If only I had found you sooner." "I'm sorry." Lin Meiyan shook her head. "Yu Jianghai, you have nothing to be sorry for." In the relationship between her and Yu Jianghai, he had never wronged her. The five years they had missed each other were simply a matter of fate not being on their side. Yu Jianghai said, "I do." "I lost you. I couldn't find you." "Yanyan, I couldn't find you, and I couldn't find that coconut tree at the entrance of the cave either." He seemed somewhat heartbroken. "That coconut tree was chopped down." That was the spot where he and Lin Meiyan had met countless times at the cave entrance—they always met beneath that coconut tree. But later. Lin Meiyan disappeared. And the coconut tree at the cave entrance disappeared too. Lin Meiyan didn't know how to describe what she was feeling. She looked at the drunken, hazy Yu Jianghai and murmured, "If the coconut tree is gone, then it's gone." "No." Yu Jianghai suddenly lifted his head, his voice obstinate. "That's the place where Yanyan and I made our promises." "The coconut tree is gone," he murmured. "Then I can't find Yanyan anymore." Hearing this, Lin Meiyan's nose stung fiercely, and so did her eyes. She took a deep breath, trying to comfort him. "Look, you've found me now. Let's go home." At those words, it was as if Yu Jianghai was suddenly yanked from the past back to the present. His gaze gradually focused, as if he recognized that the person before him was the twenty-nine-year-old Lin Meiyan. "I'm not going back." He was somewhat upset, turning away to give her the back of his head. "My Yanyan schemed against me and didn't want me anymore." "What would I go back for?" Even as drunk as he was, he still remembered that Lin Meiyan had schemed against him—there was just no knowing what to say about that. Lin Meiyan paused, then bent down and gently pecked Yu Jianghai on the forehead. "I'm sorry, Yu Jianghai. I shouldn't have schemed against you." She had forgotten that the one thing you could never scheme against in a relationship was sincerity. That kiss seemed to have stunned Yu Jianghai. Somewhat surprised, he looked up at her. "Yanyan?" "Why didn't you come find me sooner?" "If you had come sooner, we would have made up long ago." Instead of wasting three days—he hadn't slept for three whole days. Lin Meiyan said nothing, just supported him and took his hand. "I'm sorry, I came too late. Let's go home, okay?" Yu Jianghai staggered to his feet. He had drunk too much and was too drunk, his legs wobbling beneath him, but at least he could still walk. He followed along obediently behind Lin Meiyan. "Yanyan." "Hmm?" "I'm not afraid of you scheming against me. I'm afraid of you not wanting me." Compared to all those schemes, what he feared more was her abandoning him. Hearing this, Lin Meiyan's whole body trembled. She held Yu Jianghai's hand and murmured softly, "Yu Jianghai, Lin Meiyan will never abandon you again." No matter what anyone said. Hearing this, Yu Jianghai was finally satisfied. Like a child who had found his parent, he became exceptionally obedient. So when Lin Meiyan led him out, Secretary Shen and Lu Qingyuan were both shocked. They hadn't expected that Yu Jianghai, who had been causing such a fuss earlier, would now be perfectly calm in Lin Meiyan's hands. The two exchanged a glance, and the only thought in both their minds was that it truly took one to tame another—like brine curdling tofu. It was at this moment that Lin Meiyan walked over and said to Secretary Shen, "Secretary Shen, could you please drive me and Yu Jianghai home?" Note: home. Secretary Shen was taken aback for a moment, then his face lit up with joy. "Of course, of course. I'll take you back right now." It was as if the storm had finally cleared. From the New Wave to Linji, Secretary Shen drove for nearly forty minutes, handling the car with perfect steadiness, his sole priority being to ensure that the sleeping Yu Jianghai wouldn't suffer the slightest jolt. When they finally arrived at Linji, Yu Jianghai was still fast asleep. Secretary Shen parked the car and glanced back at his boss, who was leaning against Youth Lin's shoulder, sleeping deeply. This was probably the only sleep he'd gotten in the past three days. Secretary Shen hesitated for a moment before speaking in a low voice, "Youth Lin, I have something I'm not sure I should say." Lin Meiyan looked up at him. Secretary Shen said quietly, "My boss hasn't been up to anything these past two nights. During the day he's at Jianghai Dicai, and at midnight he comes to wait downstairs at Linji. He stays there all night." Lin Meiyan was taken aback—she truly hadn't known about this. "He came?" "Yes." "Ever since the day he argued with you and left, he's come to Linji every night to wait." When Lin Meiyan heard this, her heart felt as if it had been suddenly squeezed by a large hand. She murmured, "I didn't know." She and Qiaoqiao had both assumed Yu Jianghai was completely furious—he hadn't come to Linji in three days. It turned out that during the times they didn't know about, Yu Jianghai had actually come many times. Lin Meiyan turned her head to look at Yu Jianghai. He was leaning against her shoulder, sleeping deeply, his brows slightly furrowed, his long, fine lashes casting shadows over his eyelids, his nose bridge high and straight, his thin lips pressed into a firm line. To be honest, Yu Jianghai's bone structure and features were exceptionally handsome. Even with age, it only added a few more traces of mature charm and refined dignity. "Why didn't he come upstairs?" Lin Meiyan asked almost reflexively. She wasn't asking Secretary Shen—it was as if she were asking herself, or asking Yu Jianghai. Secretary Shen said in a low voice, "He wanted you to come find him." "Youth Lin." At this point, Secretary Shen's tone grew more serious. "In my boss's eyes, no matter what you do, he can accept it." "Even—you scheming against him." In fact, even before Lin Meiyan had come to find him, Yu Jianghai had already managed to soothe himself. He had talked himself into being okay, hoping only that Lin Meiyan would come see him, would look for him. Even a simple kiss could have pulled Yu Jianghai back. But there was nothing. In these three days, Lin Meiyan hadn't come to find him even once, nor had she made a single phone call. Lin Meiyan's face suddenly turned pale. She reached out to hold Yu Jianghai's hand and said softly, "Why is he so foolish?" She had never met anyone more foolish than Yu Jianghai. Secretary Shen couldn't respond to that—there was no way he could. He thought to himself, his boss wasn't foolish at all. To outsiders, he was the ruthless, hard-handed owner of Jianghai Dicai. It was only in front of Youth Lin that he became like this. Laying his heart wide open for her to see. And yet, that sincere heart was offered to Lin Meiyan, and she seemed not to care—she'd even kicked it aside. Lin Meiyan realized this too. She said nothing, simply looking at Yu Jianghai quietly. After who knows how long, she finally raised her hand and gently patted his shoulder. "Yu Jianghai, let's go home." She hadn't actually wanted to wake him, but Yu Jianghai wasn't sleeping comfortably in the car. He was extremely tall, and sleeping in the seat meant curling up his legs and shrinking his body—it was very uncomfortable. That was why Lin Meiyan called out to him. Drunk Yu Jianghai was very obedient. When Lin Meiyan woke him, he opened his eyes, his gaze clear. "Yanyan." That was the first word out of his mouth. Lin Meiyan nodded. "Let's go home and sleep." "Oh." He had been sitting for too long, and his legs had gone numb. Lin Meiyan helped him out of the car. At half past midnight, Simenkou was eerily quiet, as if someone had pressed pause. Only the moon hanging in the sky shone down on the earth, casting Lin Meiyan and Yu Jianghai's shadows together. From a distance, it looked as if they were embracing each other. And of course, that was exactly the case. Lin Meiyan supported Yu Jianghai as they walked forward. Secretary Shen had initially wanted to help, but on second thought, he decided he shouldn't be a third wheel. He stood at the street corner watching Lin Meiyan help Yu Jianghai all the way into Linji. Only then did he let out a relieved breath, feeling that the stormy weather of these past three days was finally about to clear. Lin Meiyan supported Yu Jianghai as they walked. He looked lean, but he wasn't light at all. Lin Meiyan was exhausted, and Yu Jianghai seemed to have some awareness too—he tried his best to walk on his own strength. Still, going up the stairs, he stumbled a bit, swaying and nearly falling, but Lin Meiyan caught him in time. She helped him, stumbling along the way, into the room. Along the way, Lin Meiyan felt a sense of déjà vu—as if she had returned to those days on the island, when Yu Jianghai had a high fever that wouldn't break and could have drowned on the beach at any moment. She had supported him like this, helped him along, all the way from the beach to the cave. It was a path she seemed to have walked countless times. Only now, she wasn't walking on sand, and she wasn't heading to a cave—she was heading to Linji. Back to the home that belonged to them. At this moment, Lin Meiyan thought this should be the logical loop closing. She turned to look at Yu Jianghai. He was still somewhat drunk, with a faint pink flush at the corners of his eyes—gorgeous and beautiful. "Yanyan." Yu Jianghai reached out to touch her face. "I think I'm dreaming of you again." "If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up." In the one thousand eight hundred and twenty days since Lin Meiyan disappeared, he had dreamed of her countless times, but every time he woke, she was gone. For Yu Jianghai, this was a torment between reality and dreams. He began to enjoy sleeping, to enjoy meeting Lin Meiyan in his dreams. But later, every time he woke, the immense gap and reality were something Yu Jianghai couldn't accept. He began to resist sleep. After that, he started getting headaches, staying up all night, night after night, so he wouldn't have to part again and again. Until now, Yu Jianghai touched Lin Meiyan's face. Her skin still carried a trace of warmth. This dream was very real. Very real. So real that Yu Jianghai would rather not wake up. Lin Meiyan's lips moved slightly. She laid Yu Jianghai down on the bed, lowered her head, and pecked his lips. "Is this still a dream?" Her murmured voice carried a hint of etherealness, as if drifting down from a distant sky, pulling back the soul that Yu Jianghai had lost. Yu Jianghai looked up at her, her reflection filling his gaze entirely. He stared for so long that even Lin Meiyan found it hard to bear. His drunken gaze held a hint of clarity and attachment, even full-hearted affection, laid bare before Lin Meiyan without any concealment. Lin Meiyan paused. She raised her hand and waved it before his eyes. "Yu Jianghai?" She called out tentatively. Yu Jianghai's eyelashes fluttered. Suddenly, he called out in a low voice, "Yanyan." "Mm, I'm here." "You came to get me." The words were spoken softly—no accusation, no grievance. It was just that after drinking, he saw her and couldn't tell whether it was a dream or reality. Lin Meiyan's throat tightened. She remembered what Secretary Shen had said in the car earlier. Over these three days, Yu Jianghai endured his days at Jianghai Dicai, and at night, he came to wait downstairs at Linji. It wasn't that he didn't want to come back—he was waiting for her to come find him, waiting all along for her to come to him. Lin Meiyan looked down at the man on the bed. He was far more disheveled than usual—his shirt collar wrinkled by the reek of alcohol, the corners of his eyes tinged red, his hair slightly mussed. But when he looked at her, he still didn't look away. Lin Meiyan touched his burning face. "I'll go get some water. Wait for me a moment." "Don't go." The moment she moved, Yu Jianghai grabbed her wrist. He looked up at her, his gaze soft and moist, stripped of its usual sharpness—only dependence and reluctance remained. "Yanyan, don't go." Lin Meiyan said gently, "I'm not leaving. You're all dirty. I'll get some water to wash your face." "See, I'll leave the door open. You can watch me go to the bathroom, okay?" Yu Jianghai didn't speak, but he let go of her hand. He watched Lin Meiyan go to the bathroom, watched her fill the basin with water, and watched her come back to him. Yu Jianghai closed his eyes. "This dream is so real this time." He didn't want to wake up. He never wanted to wake up again. Hearing this, Lin Meiyan's heart ached terribly. She washed her hands, dipped the towel into the basin, wrung it out, and picked it up again to wipe his face. "It's not a dream. This is reality." Lin Meiyan spread the towel over his face and said softly, "Don't talk for now." "You reek of alcohol." Yu Jianghai didn't move. He was obedient. When Lin Meiyan wiped down to his chin, Yu Jianghai suddenly tilted his head. Lin Meiyan stopped. "What's wrong?" Yu Jianghai frowned—whether because she was wiping him uncomfortably or because he couldn't bear her hand pulling away, he looked up at her. Two reflections appeared before him. One was Lin Meiyan at eighteen. One was the Lin Meiyan before him. He stared blankly for a long time before asking, "Are you my Yanyan?" Lin Meiyan's fingers stilled, and the room fell quiet. Outside, the night at Simenkou had grown deep. The bustling streets of the day had all gone silent, leaving only the occasional dog bark drifting from far away. Next door, Qiaoqiao slept soundly, her breathing soft and even. Lin Meiyan looked down at Yu Jianghai. His hair was thick and coarse, much like the man himself—rarely so vulnerable. She said softly, "I am." Yu Jianghai didn't speak, just held her wrist. His grip wasn't tight, but he wouldn't let go. Lin Meiyan tried to pull away but couldn't break free. Somewhat helpless, she coaxed him like a child. "If you hold on like this, how am I supposed to take off your jacket?" Hearing this, Yu Jianghai slowly released his grip. Lin Meiyan then helped him out of his jacket, hung it over the back of a nearby chair, and reached to undo the top button of his shirt. The moment she undid the first button, Yu Jianghai opened his eyes to look at her. Lin Meiyan felt her ears grow hot under his gaze. "Close your eyes." Yu Jianghai did close his eyes as expected, and Lin Meiyan let out a sigh of relief. But just as she lowered her head to undo the second button, he opened them again. Lin Meiyan, "..." She looked up. "What are you looking at now?" Yu Jianghai's voice was hoarse. "Afraid you'd disappear." Those four words fell, and all the reproachful words Lin Meiyan had were left unspoken. Her fingers paused at his collar. She was only changing his clothes for him, but at this moment, the distance between them was simply too close—close enough that she could smell the alcohol on him, close enough to see the faintly pulsing veins on his neck. Lin Meiyan looked away. "Didn't I say it? I'm not leaving." "You said that before, too." "But you lied to me. You left. You disappeared. I couldn't find you." Lin Meiyan's heart tightened. She knew Yu Jianghai was talking about the island. Back then, she had sat in that cave, wiping his face and changing his bandages while he burned with fever, coaxing him over and over, telling him she wouldn't leave. But in the end, she did. Even if she had a thousand reasons, even if she'd had no choice back then—for Yu Jianghai, the result was that she had vanished. Lin Meiyan slowly sat down on the edge of the bed. She didn't undo his buttons anymore. She just looked at him. "Yu Jianghai." "Mm." "I won't abandon you this time." Something flickered in Yu Jianghai's eyes. After she said it, Lin Meiyan was the first to lower her head. Her fingers gripped the hem of her own clothes, her voice dropping very low. "What happened that day... that was my fault." Yu Jianghai watched her. Lin Meiyan said quietly, "I shouldn't have kept it from you." She paused, then rephrased it. "I shouldn't have put you on the same side as the people I guard against." Yu Jianghai's Adam's apple bobbed. Lin Meiyan continued, "But Yu Jianghai, it's not that I didn't want you." "I was just scared." "Scared of what?" Lin Meiyan looked up at his eyes, still clouded with drunkenness. If this were daytime, she might not have been able to say it. But now, with only a small lamp lit in the room, and Yu Jianghai drunk, his gaze softer than usual—she actually dared to speak. "Scared you'd regret it." "Scared that one day, you'd think that going this far for me and Qiaoqiao wasn't worth it." "Scared your father would tell you over and over that the Yu family line ended because of me." "Scared that one day, you'd think that way too." By this point, Lin Meiyan's eyes were slowly turning red. "And I'm even more scared that me and Qiaoqiao would be left behind again." Yu Jianghai stared at her, his brows furrowing. He was clearly quite drunk, but when he heard that last line, his gaze sharpened somewhat. "I won't." "I know you won't right now." "And you won't later, either." Lin Meiyan said nothing. Her silence stung Yu Jianghai, and he struggled to sit up. Lin Meiyan quickly pressed him back down. "Don't move." "You don't believe me." "It's not that I don't believe you." Lin Meiyan's voice was a little flustered. "I just..." She didn't know how to explain it. After all these years, she'd gotten used to expecting the worst. Afraid of having no money, afraid of having no home, afraid Qiaoqiao wouldn't have a household registration, afraid Linji wouldn't get off the ground, afraid that when she woke up, she and her child would be back to having nowhere to go. She'd been afraid for too long. So even the sincerity Yu Jianghai placed in her hands, she had to feel it first—to check whether it hid a blade. Lin Meiyan's eyes stung. "I know now." Yu Jianghai looked at her. "You didn't abandon us." "These past few days, you didn't really leave either." She said it very quietly, like she was admitting something she should have known all along. But Yu Jianghai only latched onto one thing. "Then do you still want me?" Lin Meiyan froze. Yu Jianghai looked at her, the corners of his eyes deeply red, asking with utter seriousness, "Yanyan, do you still want me?" Lin Meiyan's hand, clutching her clothes, slowly loosened. She lowered her head and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. "Yes." Yu Jianghai went still. He looked at her, and for a long moment, said nothing. Lin Meiyan grew embarrassed under his gaze and tried to pull back a little, but he caught her waist with one hand. "You said it." "Mm." "You can't take it back." "I won't." Only then did Yu Jianghai reach out and pull her into an embrace. He held her tightly—so tightly it hurt a little—but she didn't push him away. She raised her hand and slowly rubbed his back. "Yu Jianghai." "Mm." "From now on, if you want to come home, just come home." "Don't sit outside downstairs watching and waiting. You look too pitiful like that." Like a stray dog with no home, gazing at the lights of someone else's house. Yu Jianghai shouldn't be like that. When Yu Jianghai heard this, his arms suddenly tightened. Lin Meiyan gasped at the pressure. "Let go. That hurts a little." Yu Jianghai immediately loosened his grip. "I can come back?" "This was always your home." After she said it, Lin Meiyan's face grew warm. "But if you come back, you have to follow the rules. No sitting downstairs in the middle of the night without sleeping, and no coming home drunk and scaring people." Yu Jianghai hummed in acknowledgment. Lin Meiyan wasn't convinced. "Did you hear me?" "I heard you." "And also—no more not coming home just because we had a fight." Yu Jianghai looked up at her. "And you're not allowed to not want me." Lin Meiyan's heart ached at his words. "Didn't I just say it?" "Say it again." "Yu Jianghai, don't push your luck." Yu Jianghai said nothing, just kept looking at her. His drunken gaze was hardly innocent, and somehow it made Lin Meiyan feel a twinge of guilt under his stare. She conceded, lowering her voice. "I won't abandon you." She felt that the drunk Yu Jianghai was like a child, repeating himself over and over again. Only then did Yu Jianghai lower his head and gently kiss her. This kiss was not as urgent as before. He was drunk, but his movements were very careful, as if afraid of hurting her. Lin Meiyan could still sit steadily at first, but later she was gradually drawn in by him, and her fingers had no choice but to grab onto his shirt. Two buttons had already been undone, and now with her grabbing at it, the collar was even more disheveled. She was a bit flustered and whispered, "Yu Jianghai." "Mm." "You're drunk." "I know." "Then why are you still..." Yu Jianghai stopped and looked at her. "You don't want to?" Lin Meiyan's ears were completely red. She was rendered speechless by his question. But Yu Jianghai actually stopped, and his hands slowly loosened. Seeing him like this, Lin Meiyan felt a pang of bitterness in her heart instead. Lin Meiyan bit her lip, gathered her courage, and raised her hand to wrap around his neck again. This time, it was she who leaned in and kissed him first. Yu Jianghai's breath caught. Lin Meiyan pressed against him, her voice incredibly soft, "Yu Jianghai, this time I came to find you." "Not to anger your father." "Not to test you either." "I just came to find you." The redness in Yu Jianghai's eyes deepened, and he lowered his head to kiss her. When Lin Meiyan was carried onto the bed by him, she was still thinking about Qiaoqiao in the next room. As soon as the bedboard made a soft creak, she immediately pressed on his shoulder. "Be gentle." Yu Jianghai stopped, and Lin Meiyan reminded him in a small voice, "Qiaoqiao is in the next room." Yu Jianghai let out a low "Mm." "I know." He had clearly been drinking and still carried the drunkenness, yet he still remembered not to hurt her, and not to wake the child. Sometimes when he was a bit too eager, Lin Meiyan would only furrow her brow, and he would immediately stop and lower his head to kiss her forehead. Lin Meiyan's heart softened immensely. The last time they had been intimate, both of them had been driven by a bit more impulse. But this night was different—this night, there was no one outside the door pressuring her. She just watched Yu Jianghai in front of her, gradually revealing all the grievances and fears he had hidden away in the past. She wanted to hold him, and she also wanted to tell him that he no longer needed to sit alone downstairs waiting. Her Yu Jianghai shouldn't be so humble. She was distracted, and Yu Jianghai noticed. He was somewhat dissatisfied and thrust into her hard. Lin Meiyan let out a muffled groan and was instantly pulled back to reality. Yu Jianghai called her name over and over again by her ear, "Yanyan, focus." Lin Meiyan's face was flushed red. She felt like a balloon filled with water, stretched taut and bulging. She bit her lip to keep herself from making a sound, but later on, her voice went hoarse, and she could only raise her hand to cover his mouth. "Stop calling my name." Yu Jianghai then kissed her palm. Lin Meiyan was at her wit's end with him, the corners of her eyes turning red. "Yu Jianghai, you really are..." Really what—she couldn't finish the rest of her sentence. Yu Jianghai lowered his head and kissed her. The little lamp in the room had gone out at some point, and moonlight fell on the floor outside the window, illuminating a slipper that had fallen beside the bed. It was Lin Meiyan's slipper, which had happened to fall on top of Yu Jianghai's slipper. At first glance, it looked like two people leaning on each other. And on the wooden bed, as the shadows swayed, the bed creaked along with them. Later on, Lin Meiyan was so exhausted she couldn't even move her fingers, but Yu Jianghai still held her, unwilling to let go. She pushed him. "You still have wounds on you." "It's fine." "Not a single word Dr. Yue said went into your ears." Yu Jianghai didn't argue, only pulled her closer into his arms. Lin Meiyan was so annoyed that she bit him on the shoulder. Yu Jianghai let out a muffled grunt but didn't dodge. "You're actually happy about this?" Lin Meiyan glanced at him sideways. Yu Jianghai said in a low voice, "You biting me is better than you ignoring me." Lin Meiyan closed her eyes and scolded him, "Pathetic." Yu Jianghai let out an "Mm." He responded so readily that it seemed like he accepted the label. Lin Meiyan truly had no strength left to scold him further, and in the end, she could only lean drowsily against his chest. This time, Yu Jianghai didn't stay awake all night. He fell asleep quickly. Lin Meiyan listened to his breathing gradually deepen, and she slowly closed her eyes as well. That night, both of them slept very soundly, even forgetting that they needed to get up early. The next morning, Lin Meiyan was gently patted awake by Qiaoqiao. "Mommy." When Lin Meiyan opened her eyes, she was still a bit dazed. She was just about to sit up when she realized there was still a hand resting on her waist. Yu Jianghai was sleeping very deeply. Normally he was extremely alert and would wake at the slightest movement, but now Qiaoqiao was already standing by the bed, and he didn't move at all. Lin Meiyan was startled and quickly reached out to feel his forehead. Not hot. His breathing was steady too. Only then did she let out a sigh of relief. But when she turned her head, she met Qiaoqiao's curious gaze. "Mommy, when did Daddy come back?" She hadn't known at all. Lin Meiyan's face grew hot, and she quickly pulled the blanket up higher, saying shyly, "He came back in the middle of the night. Daddy was drunk, so I was taking care of him over here." Qiaoqiao hugged her little pillow and peeked toward the bed. "No wonder he's still sleeping." Lin Meiyan felt a bit awkward. She said softly, "Your daddy is too tired." "Daddy sleeps in too?" Qiaoqiao's little face was full of shock. In her eyes, Yu Jianghai had always seemed so formidable. He could drive big trucks, make Secretary Shen run errands, save the kindergarten, make money, and scare away bad guys. How could someone like that sleep in? Lin Meiyan almost laughed at her question. "Yes." Qiaoqiao was even more surprised. "Even lazier than me?" Lin Meiyan glanced at Yu Jianghai on the bed. "Today, he should be lazier than you." Qiaoqiao suddenly became happy. "Then I'm not the laziest kid today." Lin Meiyan: "..." She reached out and pinched Qiaoqiao's cheek. "Go wash your face and brush your teeth. Mommy will make you a bowl of Reganmian." Qiaoqiao nodded and asked curiously, "Will Daddy eat some?" "He'll eat after he wakes up." "Then save an egg for Daddy." "Okay." "Save the big one." Lin Meiyan looked at her. "Don't you like the big one best?" Qiaoqiao hesitated for a moment, then said generously, "Daddy slept in, so he must be really exhausted." Lin Meiyan's heart softened. "Alright, we'll save the big one for him." She coaxed Qiaoqiao out of the room, then gently moved Yu Jianghai's hand away from her waist. The moment she moved it, Yu Jianghai frowned. Lin Meiyan immediately stopped. She looked down at him, and after a moment, couldn't help but lightly tap his brow. "Sleep." Yu Jianghai didn't wake up, but his brow slowly relaxed. When Lin Meiyan came downstairs, Ye Qiuju and Gu Kaihua had already arrived. As soon as Gu Kaihua entered, he looked around. "Where's Jiang Hai? When I came by this morning, I saw Secretary Shen's car." Lin Meiyan was tying her apron and paused at his words. "He's upstairs sleeping." Gu Kaihua was stunned. "Sleeping?" Hearing this, Ye Qiuju first looked at Lin Meiyan. Lin Meiyan's hair was pinned lower than usual today, and her collar was buttoned up tightly, but the redness at her ears couldn't be hidden. Ye Qiuju immediately understood—this was a couple who quarreled in bed but made up in bed. She coughed lightly. "If he's sleeping, let him sleep. Keep your voice down." Gu Kaihua lowered his voice. "I'm not that loud." Then he couldn't help asking, "But what time is it? He's still sleeping?" Lin Meiyan poured a bowl of noodle soup and said in a low voice, "He hasn't slept for days." Ye Qiuju instinctively looked at Lin Meiyan. Lin Meiyan nodded. "He argued with me, and he punished himself." It really was self-punishment. Gu Kaihua said offhandedly, "Being able to sleep is good. A man who can eat and sleep means nothing serious is wrong." Ye Qiuju shot him a look. "What do you know?" "How do I not know?" Gu Kaihua refused to concede. "When I was young and came home from night shifts, I could sleep straight until noon the next day. That's just being exhausted." Ye Qiuju couldn't be bothered with him. She turned to Lin Meiyan and asked tentatively, "You've made up?" Lin Meiyan lowered her head to chop scallions and hummed in acknowledgment after a moment. Ye Qiuju's expression finally relaxed. "Good, you've made up." She shook out all the prepared alkaline noodles and divided them one by one. "You two are a married couple. Whatever needs to be said, say it openly. Don't keep things cold, or the hot meal will turn cold, and that's when it gets troublesome." Gu Kaihua immediately chimed in, "See how cultured your aunt is? If you can speak well, say more." Ye Qiuju casually picked up a scallion and whacked him with it. "Go work." Gu Kaihua clutched his arm. "I compliment you and you hit me." "If you don't work, I'll hit you." Watching them, Lin Meiyan felt her heart loosen a little. She thought to herself that all couples under heaven must be like this—not just her and Yu Jianghai quarreling. Even her uncle and aunt did too. At six-thirty, Linji opened quickly. There were quite a few people coming in for Reganmian in the morning. Qiaoqiao sat on a small stool by the door, holding a bowl of Reganmian with an egg, eating very seriously. She took a bite, then looked up at the upstairs. Gu Kaihua noticed and couldn't resist teasing her. "Qiaoqiao, what are you looking at?" Qiaoqiao said quietly, "Checking if Daddy's awake." "What if your daddy never wakes up?" Qiaoqiao thought for a moment. "Then let him sleep." Gu Kaihua laughed. "Aren't you afraid he'll take your mommy away?" Qiaoqiao immediately frowned. "Mommy isn't candy. How could she be taken away?" Gu Kaihua was stumped. Ye Qiuju laughed from the side. "Serves you right, teasing her." Qiaoqiao lowered her head and continued eating her noodles. When she got to the end, she indeed left the biggest piece of egg at the edge of the bowl. Lin Meiyan noticed. "Why aren't you eating it?" "For Daddy." "Mommy will fry him one when he wakes up." Qiaoqiao thought about it, then ate the egg. "Then Mommy has to fry two." Lin Meiyan nodded. "Okay." Yu Jianghai slept deeply this time—from around midnight the night before until past six the next evening, without waking once in between. Around seven in the evening, when things slowed down downstairs, Lin Meiyan took a moment to go upstairs and check on him. He was still asleep. She felt his forehead again—not hot, and his breathing was steady, though the shadows under his eyes were worryingly dark. Lin Meiyan stood by the bed watching him for a moment, her heart caught between tenderness and frustration. This man—usually so formidable, so decisive outside, someone even Gu Kaihua with his loose tongue knew better than to provoke. But when it came to her, he could run himself ragged like this. Lin Meiyan tucked the corner of the blanket around him, replaced the water by the bed with a warm cup, and went downstairs. Ye Qiuju saw her come down. "Still sleeping?" "Mm." "Fever?" "No." "Then let him sleep." Ye Qiuju sighed. "Being able to sleep it off is better than any medicine." Gu Kaihua leaned over. "Should we call Dr. Yue to come take a look?" Lin Meiyan hesitated. Ye Qiuju said, "Call and ask first." The call ended up going to Jianghai Dicai. When Secretary Shen picked up, he nearly jumped out of his chair—he was swamped over here, okay? The second phase of Jianghai Dicai was about to break ground, and with the boss absent, he and President Lu were practically living in the office. When he got Lin Meiyan's call, Secretary Shen was still a bit dazed. "My boss is still sleeping?" Lin Meiyan held the phone. "Mm." Secretary Shen was startled at first, then heard Lin Meiyan say there was no fever, and he sank back into his chair with a huge sigh of relief. "Youth Lin, wait a moment, let me ask Dr. Yue." Dr. Yue happened to be on duty at the hospital. After listening, he said with exasperation, "Let him sleep!" "Days and nights without sleep, then drinking, then getting angry—does he think he's made of iron?" "As long as there's no fever and he can be roused, he's fine." "Don't fuss over him. He'll wake up naturally when he's had enough sleep." Secretary Shen relayed the message to Lin Meiyan, and at the end, couldn't help adding quietly, "Youth Lin, the boss really hasn't slept much these past few days." "He's catching up on sleep now. According to Dr. Yue, he should be fine." Lin Meiyan said softly, "I understand." She hung up, her hand lingering on the receiver for a moment. Ye Qiuju noticed but didn't rush her. Lin Meiyan turned around and explained, "Dr. Yue said he's been running on empty too long, so just let him sleep." Gu Kaihua let out a breath. "Then let him sleep." Then, with a hint of envy, he added, "Sometimes I wish I could sleep that long too." Ye Qiuju snorted coldly. "You wish every day." "Go stay up three days and three nights without sleeping, then come sleep—I definitely won't disturb you." Gu Kaihua chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Wife, wife, if I really stayed up three days and three nights, wouldn't you be worried sick?" When Yu Jianghai woke, the sky outside had already dimmed. Guests were still eating downstairs at Linji, and through the wooden floorboards, he could hear Gu Kaihua's voice greeting customers. "Take your time eating. Mung bean soup is by the door—free today, help yourselves." Yu Jianghai opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was a dim little lamp. For a moment, he couldn't place where he was. He even felt a strange sense of not knowing what day it was. It wasn't until he heard the sound of a pencil scratching across paper beside him that he snapped back to reality. Yu Jianghai turned his head. Qiaoqiao was hunched over a small table writing, pencil in hand, forming each stroke carefully. She hadn't noticed he was awake yet. It was Lin Meiyan who came in from the doorway carrying a bowl of porridge. She was about to tell Qiaoqiao not to do homework under such a dim light, but before she could speak, her eyes met Yu Jianghai's. Her attention shifted instantly. "You're awake?" "Awake." Yu Jianghai's voice was hoarse beyond belief. "Yanyan." Qiaoqiao heard the sound and immediately dropped her pencil, running over. "Daddy, you're finally awake!" He looked at her, his eyes slowly clearing. He braced himself to sit up, and Lin Meiyan quickly set the porridge on the table and went to support him. "Slowly." He leaned on her hand to sit up, his brow furrowing slightly—having slept so long, his body felt achy instead. He asked, "How long did I sleep?" Qiaoqiao answered eagerly, "Daddy, you slept a whole day and night!" She then spread her two small hands wide to demonstrate a very big circle. "So, so long." Lin Meiyan corrected her. "Not a night—almost a day." Qiaoqiao said matter-of-factly, "But Daddy slept from yesterday to today. I ate, slept, sold mung bean paste, and did my homework, and Daddy still didn't wake up." She concluded, "Daddy can sleep even better than me!" The little girl's voice was bright and crisp, like a lark, bringing a lightness to the room. Listening to her string of words, the corner of Yu Jianghai's mouth finally moved. Only he knew how at ease he felt at this moment—waking up to see his wife and daughter. For Yu Jianghai, he felt he could die without regret. Lin Meiyan brought the porridge over, sat down by the bed, and said softly, "Drink some porridge first." Yu Jianghai took the bowl, but his hands were still weak. Lin Meiyan noticed and took the bowl back. "Let me feed you." Yu Jianghai looked up at her. The lamplight fell softly on Lin Meiyan's face—features like a painting, skin fair and smooth, radiant beyond words. Lin Meiyan felt uneasy under his gaze and said, trying to cover it up, "Don't overthink it. I'm just afraid you'll drop the bowl." Yu Jianghai hummed in acknowledgment. Qiaoqiao dragged a small stool over and sat beside them, chin resting on her hands as she watched. Lin Meiyan scooped up a spoonful of porridge, blew on it, and brought it to Yu Jianghai's lips. He drank it. Qiaoqiao watched for a moment, then suddenly said, "Mommy, you're feeding Daddy like he's a little kid." Lin Meiyan's hand trembled, nearly spilling the porridge. But Yu Jianghai looked at Qiaoqiao instead. "Did your mommy feed you like this before too?" Qiaoqiao nodded. "When I was sick, Mommy did it like this." Yu Jianghai said softly, "Then I'm sick today." Qiaoqiao blinked. She actually found that quite reasonable. Lin Meiyan couldn't help but glare at him. "You really have no shame." Yu Jianghai finished half a bowl of porridge, and his complexion finally looked better than when he first woke up. Lin Meiyan set down the bowl and reached out to feel his forehead again. "No fever." Yu Jianghai caught her hand and didn't let her pull it back right away. Lin Meiyan glanced at him, but with Qiaoqiao right there, she didn't struggle free in the end. Qiaoqiao looked at her parents' clasped hands, her eyes darting around for a moment before she lowered her head and pretended to write. But after just a couple of strokes, something suddenly occurred to her. "Mommy." "Hmm?" "I ran into Teacher Li today. She told me that registration for kindergarten has to be done by the thirty-first at the latest." Lin Meiyan paused. She had almost forgotten about that. These past few days, one thing after another had happened with Yu Jianghai and the Yu family, and Linji had been busy too. Although Qiaoqiao's school registration materials had been prepared long ago, the date had crept up on them before she knew it. Lin Meiyan nodded. "Got it." "Today is the thirtieth, so the thirty-first is tomorrow, right?" Qiaoqiao hummed in agreement. Lin Meiyan thought for a moment. "Tomorrow, once I'm done with work, I'll take you to school to register." Qiaoqiao hesitated for a moment. She put down her pencil and looked at Yu Jianghai with sparkling eyes. "Daddy." Yu Jianghai looked down at her. "Hmm?" Qiaoqiao asked hopefully, "Will you take me to school to register?"