Chapter 5

Lin Wan pushed open the heavy armored door, and the slight friction sound was particularly obvious in such a quiet night.

It turned out that there was moonlight outside. Lin Wan was a little surprised.

Chen Yu was originally leaning against a stone pillar, with one hand hanging casually and the other holding a mobile phone, looking at it casually, as if he was replying to a message.

As soon as the door opened a crack, he turned his head as if he had sensed something and put down his hand holding the phone. His eyes were still wet as he looked at Lin Wan.

The moonlight is as gentle as a kiss that is close yet distant, falling lightly on the clothes of those returning home at night.

Lin Wan leaned against the door, looking at the person in front of him and couldn't help but feel like teasing him.

"How did you get so drunk?" she asked with a smile.

The moonlight passed through the corner of the boy's clothes, and Chen Yu walked towards her.

"They said it was just a drink, but I didn't expect it to be so strong." Chen Yu acted nonchalant and looked pitiful.

How pitiful.

Lin Wan sighed in his heart, and suddenly thought of something.

"Are they bullying you?" Lin Wan was a little nervous.

Chen Yu laughed and stared at her motionlessly: "No."

Under the moonlight, Chen Yu's words and actions carried a sense of alienation and indifference. They were clearly very close, yet seemed so far apart.

Fortunately, Lin Wan was not particular about trivial matters. She nodded decisively, "That's good, but minors can't drink alcohol. It's not good for their physical and mental development."

As she spoke, she turned around and planned to make him a bowl of hangover soup. There were only the two of them at home, and if she didn't take care of Chen Yu, he would have to sleep on the street tonight.

The person behind him laughed, and Lin Wan subconsciously turned around.

Chen Yu still stood by the pillar outside the door. The moonlight fell on his still slightly thin back, vaguely revealing the lines of his body. No longer smiling, but his eyes sparkled as if reflected in a summer lake.

"Thank you, Sister Wanwan."

Lin Wan waved his hand casually, it was just a small favor.

Her guess was correct. Chen Yu was indeed the type who could please little girls. No wonder there were so many little girls around him in the coffee shop.

Lin Wan rarely cooks, but she is good at making hangover soup. In the past, when Lin Zhen often came home drunk from social events, she often helped Jiang Yuexing and learned the recipe by watching and osmosis.

During this time, Chen Yu came in and tried to help her, but was dismissed by Lin Wan. Aunt Jiang had already prepared the ingredients, and all they needed to do was cook them. Why would they need help?

Warm light came on in the kitchen. Chen Yu sat at the dining table, his fine hair occasionally covering his eyes. He supported his chin with one hand and tapped the table with the other hand boredly, waiting.

During this time, messages on his phone kept popping up, but he ignored them and just focused on watching Lin Wan.

It's a wonderful feeling, unexpectedly warm.

Lin Wan's kindness was not motivated by any selfish motives, but simply because she was kind enough. This was a completely novel experience for Chen Yu.

His fingertips tapped against the wooden table, making a light "tatta" sound. At this moment, Chen Yu no longer thought about the overwhelming bad things, but just waited quietly.

The sobering soup began to boil in the pot, steam continued to rise, and heat filled the air.

Lin Wan turned off the fire and scooped out a small bowl of the hangover soup.

He looks very mature, but he still seems like a child. Lin Wan thought about it and picked up the bowl.

The white hands holding the porcelain bowl contrasted with the darker wood grain when placed on the table.

"It's a little hot, you can drink it slowly." After Lin Wan put the bowl on the table, he immediately withdrew his hand and touched his earlobe.

It's really hot.

Lin Wan felt like she was being as nagging as the old woman: "There's more in the pot, you can help yourself. And then..."

Then her hand was taken and she was led to the kitchen.

It wasn't until she reached the sink that she barely realized what was happening.

Chen Yu's body temperature was much higher than hers. When he put his arm around her wrist, the heat was conducted along her skin. The slight friction seemed to carry an electric current, making Lin Wan feel a little overwhelmed.

Lin Wan came back to her senses as the cool water flowed through her fingertips. With a couple of flicks of her wrist, she broke free from Chen Yu's seemingly unbreakable grip.

"I'm fine." She looked at her uninjured hands and questioned Chen Yu's actions.

"But you're great at first aid."

Seeing Chen Yu's somewhat ugly expression, Lin Wan felt that her attitude was too sloppy, so she added a sentence.

Chen Yu stopped talking.

Lin Wan began to think of a way to speak.

"It did hurt a little just now, thanks to you." Lin Wan finally figured it out.

After these words were spoken, Chen Yu's expression became much better, and the corners of his lips rose a lot.

Sure enough, he was drunk. Chen Yu is not so childish usually.

"Well, I have something to do, so I'll go up first." Lin Wan was a little amused and hurried back to study. Tomorrow, Brother Xu Su asked her to go to the library to return a book, so she had to arrange her time accordingly.

After the footsteps faded, Chen Yu withdrew his gaze from where he was standing, and slowly walked to the dining table. He slowly placed his hand on the edge of the bowl that Lin Wan brought over, at the same angle and in the same posture.

It can completely cover that palm.

In the empty and silent restaurant, the young man lowered his head, looking at the small white porcelain bowl on the table, as if thinking about something.

Lin Wan supported his head while copying the wrong questions and dozed off. After falling asleep in a daze, he opened his eyes again and a new day began.

After putting the borrowed books into her shoulder bag and combing her long hair, which she usually tied up, to let it fall behind her shoulders, Lin Wan began to wonder whether she should wear a matching hair accessory.

Would Brother Xu Su find it too grand? But he also wanted to appear in front of him in a more perfect manner.

Just to make him realize how much she valued him, Lin Wan successfully convinced herself and put on the butterfly crystal hairpin from her dressing box.

Lin Wan turned around next to the mirror in the corner of the third floor and was very satisfied with her outfit today.

Even when he met Lin Zhen on the second floor when he was going downstairs, he gave him a good look and took the initiative to say hello.

Lin Wan went downstairs humming a song.

It is really rare to see Lin Zhen at home. He always regards the company as his home and going home as work.

It was a rare occasion for Lin Wan to take the initiative to greet Lin Zhen, and Lin Zhen looked a little surprised.

She walked down the stairs with a brisk pace.

Xu Su was already waiting for him in the living room on the first floor.

He is three years older than Lin Wan, is in his third year of university, and plans to study abroad in the future.

Lin Wan smiled and waved as she walked towards Xu Su.

Xu Su studied foreign literature and had the temperament of a typical scholar - gentle and elegant, with relaxed eyebrows and eyes. He was not as delicate as Chen Yu, but very attractive.

Chen Yu was drunk last night and probably still hadn't woken up yet. So, only Lin Wan, Xu Su, and Lin Zhen were at the table.

"It's been a long time since we last met. How are you doing academically?" Lin Zhen still couldn't change his habit of asking others about their studies as soon as he met them.

"It's pretty good. I also translated two books recently with my teacher, so I've gained something." Xu Su has always been humble, and no matter how great the honor is, it seems to be just a small matter to him.

Lin Wan thought so as he stared at the sesame seeds on the Chinese breakfast in front of him.

"Translating a book is not an easy task." Lin Zhen stirred the porridge in the bowl and expressed his admiration for Xu Su without reservation.

Xu Su smiled restrainedly, just slightly curling the corners of his lips, and brought up Lin Wan's matter again.

"I heard Wanwan won first place again. It's really not easy."

Lin Wan looked at Xu Su, feeling somewhat happy. This was the first time anyone had mentioned her grades since the exam. What would Lin Zhen say? He'd probably praise himself—but how should she respond?

In an instant, Lin Wan's mind was in turmoil, as if a river was about to burst its banks.

But Lin Zhen just gently scooped a spoonful of porridge, put it to his lips and blew on it, without even the most basic response.

Lin Wan immediately restrained his expression, pretending that he had just seen the steamed buns in front of him, and hurriedly picked up one and put it in his bowl.

It's the same as always, he doesn't seem to care at all.

"That's already pretty good." Xu Su picked up the vinegar bottle and poured some into the small dish in front of Lin Wan with a warm smile.

Lin Wan smiled and dipped the dumplings in lots of vinegar, but they still tasted bland.

Where no one notices.

On the third floor, Chen Yu supported his face with one hand, casually resting it on the escalator, watching the conversation between the three people.

His fingers tapped on the side of the escalator.

The city library has been established for many years, and its exterior facilities are particularly old.

Ever since Aunt Jiang became the Lin family's housekeeping aunt, they have often come here to study together, for about five or six years.

Lin Wan touched the ornament in her hair, then casually stroked it down her hair. After carefully dressing up, she even paid close attention to the glances of passersby.

"Uncle Lin probably didn't say anything because he was afraid that you would be too proud." At this point, Xu Su was still trying his best to ease the relationship between father and daughter.

It was also because of the mother's absence that the family relationship was transformed from a multilateral one to a unilateral one. And because both of them liked to keep their words to themselves, over time, the word "family" gradually became unrecognizable.

Xu Su kept his mother's words in mind and tried his best to help Lin Wan become happier.

Lin Wan clutched the strap of her schoolbag tightly and didn't reply. She had always kept her distance from the subject of father-daughter relationships. Her father's face was too unfamiliar to her, like a complete stranger.

Xu Su's good point was that if he noticed someone was uncomfortable with the topic being discussed, he would take the initiative to change the subject. He naturally brought up Lin Wan's school life, and Lin Wan finally had room to respond.

After leaving the library, Lin Wan, carrying his newly filled school bag, was still thinking about Lin Zhen's expression. He had no emotions, as if the porridge in front of him was more attractive than his daughter's grades.

To get to the dessert shop they often go to, they have to pass through a long alley with residential areas on both sides. The alley is bustling with people and clothes of various colors are hung on the iron wire in the middle, fluttering proudly in the wind like the flags of various countries in the United Nations.

The weather was originally very good today, but after walking out of the library, the sky gradually darkened and clouds piled up in the sky, as if a rainstorm was brewing.

What a bad weather.

Unexpectedly, Lin Wan met Chen Yu in the alley today.

——It’s group bullying.