Song Wan gripped her phone, her mind blank. She wanted to answer, but hesitated as her finger hovered over the answer button.
A woman's intuition told her that Sophia's relationship with Bai Ruogu must be unusual.
...
Life went on as usual.
Song Wan goes to get off work and leaves work on time every day. Sometimes she brings back a bouquet of flowers from a roadside flower shop. Sometimes she will feel like having a big meal at the snack street after get off work, or she will wander around and buy some trinkets that she likes.
Bai Ruogu was still very busy, so busy that he didn't have time to see her. Even if they could meet, it was only for a fleeting glance and a few words.
Moreover, Song Wan noticed that his phone was ringing more and more frequently when they met recently, as if the caller was deliberately choosing these times to call. And every time he answered the phone, he would avoid her, and when she asked who it was, he would be evasive and unwilling to give a direct answer.
All of this gave Song Wan a hunch that it was all related to Sophia, who appeared on the phone that day.
Lin Zhaojiang would sometimes appear at the kindergarten gate, taking the opportunity of picking up Huo Jiayuan to chat with Song Wan for a few minutes.
He carefully restrained himself, but sometimes, restraint only made things worse.
He kept the photo in his pocket, unsure whether he should show it to her.
He wanted her to be happy, but he didn't know if he was still worthy of giving her happiness.
That day after kindergarten, Song Wan took the initiative to walk up to Lin Zhaojiang and greet him softly.
Lin Zhaojiang let Huo Jiayuan get into the car first, then smiled and asked her, "Did you need something?"
"Mm." Song Wan nodded and pointed to her phone.
Lin Zhaojiang took it out and saw that Song Wan had transferred some money to him.
"This is……"
"This month's rent," Song Wan chuckled. "I've been living here for a month already, and I don't know if this is enough. I've also had my sister stay with me during this time, which has really been a burden on you."
"But my sister has already gone back to her hometown, so I'll be living alone from now on. Don't worry, I haven't touched anything in the house, it's all kept exactly as it is!"
Lin Zhaojiang smiled faintly, and the word "home" sounded particularly pleasant coming from her mouth.
“Since you live in that house, you are the owner. You can change the things in the house however you like, as long as you are happy.” He looked at her. “Why did your sister go back? Has her problem been resolved?”
"Yes." Song Wan was quite grateful to him. "Master Qiao was very helpful, and Wu Qiang didn't dare to cause any more trouble. He signed the divorce agreement very readily, and my sister will be free from now on."
"That's good."
"Mr. Lin, I... I don't know the exact price of this kind of house, but I know it must be expensive. This is all I have right now, so I've only transferred this much... If it's not enough, you absolutely must let me know!"
“I don’t know the rent for this kind of house,” Lin Zhaojiang said in a gentle voice, “but I know how much your salary is.”
"I……"
"If you transfer your entire month's salary to me, how will you make a living?"
Song Wan lowered her head for a long while, then said softly, "I still have some savings."
“The cost of living in the city is high. You’re a girl, so you should keep some money for yourself.” Lin Zhaojiang pressed the “refund” button and returned all the money to her.
"Mr. Lin!"
Lin Zhaojiang turned to look at her, and she seemed somewhat at a loss.
He smiled and said to her, "How about you transfer half to me? I don't need the rent, but you'll definitely feel bad if I don't accept it."
Song Wan said awkwardly, "I'm so sorry..."
"Would you consider me a friend?" Lin Zhaojiang approached her.
He mustered up the courage to ask that question.
Song Wan was taken aback at first, then nodded with a light laugh. In fact, he already held a very special place in her heart.
Her feelings for him seemed to have long since transcended friendship.
That sense of familiarity and dependence felt like it came from a past life.
"Since you consider me a friend, it's only natural for friends to help each other out. Don't be shy," Lin Zhaojiang said softly. "If you really feel bad about it... then treat me to another meal. Wouldn't that make you feel better?"
*
The day Song Wan invited Lin Zhaojiang to dinner happened to be the beginning of winter.
She prepared a hot pot, and went early in the morning to buy fish, shrimp, beef, mutton, and all kinds of fresh vegetables and mushrooms, which filled a whole table.
Lin Zhaojiang brought a bottle of wine, and the two ate and chatted, the atmosphere as warm and comforting as the steam rising from a hot pot in winter.
Lin Zhaojiang asked her how the wedding preparations were going. Song Wan paused for a moment, smiled, and did not answer.
"What's wrong?" he probed. "Do the two of you disagree?"
She whispered, "I always feel like he's hiding something from me."
"What's up?"
Song Wan didn't continue speaking. She wanted to add some water to the hot pot, but she accidentally touched the edge of the pot, and a blister immediately appeared on the back of her fair hand.
In a moment of panic, Lin Zhaojiang grabbed her and rushed into the kitchen to rinse her hands with cold water. He then quickly found ice cubes in the refrigerator, wrapped them in a handkerchief, and applied them to her burns.
"How are you? Does it hurt?" He was sweating profusely with anxiety.
Song Wan's heart skipped a beat. This feeling of being cared for and loved by a man was not coming from her fiancé, but from this person she had only known for a few months.
Sometimes she wondered if they had really only known each other for a few months.
Every time she was by his side, she felt a sense of security and stability, but also a nameless pain that took deep root in her heart.
Could one have such complex feelings after knowing someone for only a few months?
"Song Wan!" Lin Zhaojiang became even more anxious when she didn't speak. "Does it hurt a lot?"
"Oh, no..."
Lin Zhaojiang hurriedly took out his phone to call a doctor he knew.
Song Wan stopped him and said gently, "I'm really fine, don't bother your friend. Applying ice like this is very comfortable, and at most you can apply some burn ointment... but I don't think we have any at home."
"I'll go buy it."
Before Song Wan could say anything, Lin Zhaojiang put on his coat and ran downstairs.
The pharmacy was outside the residential area. After he bought his medicine and returned, he saw a car parked at the entrance. A man and a woman got out of the car, and they naturally hugged. The woman even wrapped her arms around the man's neck and gave him a big kiss on the cheek.
Lin Zhaojiang stood not far away, his eyes frozen in ice.
This wouldn't be abnormal if it were someone else.
But this man is Bai Ruogu!
He clenched his fists, stared intently at that direction, and slowly moved closer.
The two were still talking, completely unaware of Lin Zhaojiang's concealed position.
"When are you finally going to confront your family?" the woman asked.
Bai Ruogu frowned, looked around, and tried to pull the woman's hands away from him, but the woman clung to him even tighter.
"What, afraid she'll see?" The woman smiled seductively. "It's the weekend. Didn't you say she's a typical homebody? Never leaving the house on weekends? Ha, so this is what your parents consider a good girl? To me, she's utterly boring!"
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