Green tea
Chapter 29: Tea
At 11pm, Bai Ke dragged herself back to her old rented apartment complex, exhausted. A week of overtime had left her unable to open her eyes, and she fumbled with the key in the dark.
"cough."
A slight cough came from behind, and Bai Ke dropped her keys in fright. She turned around and saw a person standing in the shadows at the corner of the stairs.
"Who?" Her voice was alert.
Chen Yiyu walked out of the shadows, the moonlight shining on his face through the corridor window. He was wearing a simple black jacket and holding a convenience store plastic bag with some snacks in it.
"Did you get scared?" His voice was deeper than he remembered. "I just finished overtime and was passing by here when I remembered Li Meng said you lived in this building."
Bai Ke picked up the key, his heart still beating fast: "How do you know which floor I live on?"
"I guessed." Chen Yiyu raised the corner of his mouth slightly, "The one on the third floor facing south, there's a pot of sunflowers on the balcony, right?"
She did grow a pot of sunflowers on the balcony, a habit she developed in college.
"You...how..."
"I was here last Friday night and saw you watering the flowers on the balcony." Chen Yiyu's tone was very natural. "It was almost twelve o'clock at that time, and you had just got off work."
Bai Ke didn't know what to say. He was actually paying attention to her life silently.
"Would you like me to come in for a cup of tea?" Chen Yiyu raised the bag in his hand. "I brought you some midnight snacks. Want to catch up?"
Bai Ke hesitated for a moment, but finally opened the door.
The room wasn't big, but it was tidy. The bookshelves were filled with professional books, a few paintings hung on the walls, and a pot of sunflowers on the balcony quietly bloomed in the moonlight.
"Please sit down. I'll go boil some water and make some tea." Bai Ke put down his bag and walked towards the kitchen.
Chen Yiyu sat down on the sofa, his eyes scanning every corner of the room. An open psychology journal lay on the coffee table. The entire room was devoid of any trace of male life.
"You don't look like someone who has a boyfriend at all." Chen Yiyu said suddenly.
Bai Ke paused while taking the tea leaves: "Why do you say that?"
"It's so neat, and..." He pointed to the shoe cabinet at the door, "There are only women's shoes."
The water boiled, steam humming. Bai Ke held the cup with her back to him, feeling a slight heat on her forehead, perhaps from exhaustion.
"Actually, Lu Zihan and I..." She just opened her mouth when she suddenly felt dizzy and had to hold on to the kitchen counter.
"What's wrong?" Chen Yiyu immediately stood up and walked over.
Bai Ke shook his head, but felt dizzy: "Dizzy..."
Chen Yiyu reached out and touched her forehead, frowning: "You have a fever."
Bai Ke then realized that she was feeling cold all over, and that something was wrong. After a week of working overtime, she finally fell ill.
"Go lie down." Chen Yiyu's tone brooked no refusal. "Where's the first aid kit?"
Bai Ke pointed in the direction of the bedroom and was half-supported, half-carried by him to the bed. She dazedly watched Chen Yiyu busying around the room, rummaging through the medicine box, pouring water, and taking his temperature.
"38.5 degrees." Chen Yiyu looked at the thermometer. "Have you not had a good rest these days?"
Bai Ke closed her eyes and didn't answer. She felt Chen Yiyu gently wipe her forehead with a wet towel, his gesture so gentle that it made her want to cry.
"Go to sleep, I'm here with you." His voice seemed to come from far away.
Bai Ke fell into a deep sleep, and in her dream she returned to her college days. Chen Yiyu explained her homework to her in the library, held an umbrella for her in the rain, and watched her from afar at a bonfire party...
When she woke up again, it was just dawn. Bai Ke felt much better, her fever had subsided, but she was still weak. She turned her head and saw Chen Yiyu sleeping on the side of the bed.
The morning light shone through the gaps in the curtains, casting soft shadows on his face. He hadn't slept soundly, his brow furrowed, his eyelashes casting a faint shadow under his eyes. Bai Ke noticed that he was still wearing the same black jacket he had worn two years ago. It was a little faded from washing, but it was very clean.
She gently reached out her hand, wanting to touch his hair, but stopped in mid-air.
Chen Yiyu suddenly opened his eyes and grabbed her wrist. Their eyes met, and something flowed quietly in the air.
"Are you feeling better?" He let go of her hand, his voice hoarse from just waking up.
Bai Ke nodded: "Thank you for taking care of me."
Chen Yiyu stood up and stretched his stiff shoulders: "I cooked porridge, I'll go get you a bowl."
Watching him walk out of the bedroom, Bai Ke's heart trembled slightly. This scene was too familiar, like returning to college.
On the dining table, white porridge was steaming, accompanied by a few light side dishes.
"Is your porridge so delicious?" Bai Ke asked.
"When we were in Germany," Chen Yiyu poured her a bowl of porridge, "When you live alone, you have to learn to take care of yourself."
Bai Ke sipped the porridge, and it tasted unexpectedly good.
"You and Lu Zihan," Chen Yiyu suddenly asked, "are you really together?"
Bai Ke paused, raised her head and looked directly into his eyes: "What would you think if I said no?"
A glimmer of light flashed in Chen Yiyu's eyes, but soon dimmed: "Two years ago, why did you..."
"Because your mother came to see me." Bai Ke interrupted him softly, "She told me that if you don't get engaged to Qiu Luodi, the Qiu family will take back your house."
The spoon in Chen Yiyu's hand fell into the bowl, making a crisp sound.
"I thought... it was a good choice for you." Bai Ke's voice was a little choked. "I don't want to see you lose your last home, and I don't want to see your mother have nowhere to go."
The room was silent, with only the occasional chirping of birds outside the window.
"Silly boy." Chen Yiyu finally spoke in a hoarse voice, "I have already redeemed that house."
His body hadn't fully recovered yet, and emotions were surging in his chest. Bai Ke looked at him with tears in her eyes.
"I chose Corey because he gave me a joining bonus, and I worked so hard to get the project so I could break free from the Qiu family's control as soon as possible and stand before you with dignity." His eyes burned. "Bai Ke, I've thought about you every day these past two years."
The morning light grew brighter, shrouding the entire room in a golden glow. Bai Ke looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar Chen Yiyu in front of him, feeling the frozen crack in his heart slowly melting.
"The porridge is getting cold." She lowered her head and said softly.
Chen Yiyu smiled and didn't ask any further questions. Some things don't need to be said too clearly. Some feelings have already settled clearly enough over time.
The sunlight shone in obliquely, and their shadows intertwined, as if they never wanted to be separated again.
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