Was changing the locks in Chapter 17 as she imagined in her dream?
Lin Yu didn't know how to describe this scene—was it shock, surprise, pain, or the sudden collapse of some secret lurking in her heart?
Lin Yu's heart skipped a beat, and an obvious relationship immediately surfaced in her mind.
From a distance, she could clearly see the girl with her arms wrapped around his neck, her face buried in his chest, her body almost completely pressed against him.
The light from the streetlights fell behind him, creating a hazy halo around him. After looking at it for a while, Lin Yu slowly felt her eyes getting swollen and sore. Even so, she still didn't look away, her feet seemingly nailed to the spot, unable to move.
After watching for an unknown amount of time, the girl suddenly arched her back, covered her mouth as if she was about to vomit, and Zhou Ke, standing beside her, calmly took out his phone from his pocket.
Lin Yu watched this scene with a somber expression, her emotions slowly turning into a stagnant pool in her eyes. The evening breeze ruffled the hair on both sides of her cheeks, and her brows and eyes suddenly became silent under the streetlights.
Seeing that she stood there motionless for a long time, the driver finally couldn't help but lean out of the car window and shout at her, "Little sister, are you coming or not?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Yu finally blinked as if waking from a dream.
"Let's go." Her throat was so dry and hoarse that the word seemed to be squeezed out from the depths of her throat. Lin Yu took a step back, her eyes as if covered by a thin layer of frost. She looked coldly into the distance, her amber pupils reflecting the image of a man and a woman standing close together. She took one last look, then turned around and opened the car door expressionlessly.
The car restarted and slowly drove away from the bar. Lin Yu gripped her phone tightly, her fingertips turning pale from the excessive force.
In the rearview mirror, Zhou Ke's figure grew smaller and smaller, blurrier, until it finally disappeared into the night.
She stared at the rapidly receding street scene outside the window, but the scene from just now kept replaying in her mind's eye.
The car stopped at the entrance of the residential area. Lin Yu mechanically pushed open the car door and got out. The night breeze brushed against her cheeks, carrying the restlessness unique to late summer, but she only felt cold all over.
Just then, she received a message from Zhou Ke: "Are you home?"
Lin Yu stared at the screen for a few seconds, moved her fingers, and finally replied with only one word: "Mm".
Standing at her front door, Lin Yu looked up and saw countless colorful advertisements pasted on the vermilion wooden door. Some of them had faded, while others were still remarkably clear.
Looking around, there were renovation shops, gyms, plumbing repair shops, and gas delivery services. Right in the middle of her room, there was a small card for changing locks. It looked like it had just been put up, as the color hadn't faded with age. It was red with black lettering, a surname, and a number.
She stared intently at the card, and as she looked at it, the image from before resurfaced in her mind.
A grown man plus a woman with a beautiful figure.
At night.
Lin Yu closed her eyes, and in a daze, a scene flashed through her mind.
In the days she couldn't see, had Zhou Ke already brought this woman to their home where they lived together?
In the bathroom, in the living room, in his room...
Unconsciously, my fingertips dug into my palms, and my chest felt like it was being squeezed tightly by something. A sore feeling spread from my heart all the way to my throat, making it difficult to even breathe.
She opened her eyes, a reddish tinge around them.
Having been away from home for so long, I almost forgot about the basics of a mature society, the basics of food and sex.
She tried her best to suppress the surging emotions in her heart and reached into her pocket for her keys, but her pocket was empty.
Lin Yu was taken aback. She then searched the other pocket, but found nothing. She paused for a few seconds, then searched the bag again, but still found no trace of the key. Her mind was in turmoil as she stood there, wondering if she had lost it or left it in the car.
She rubbed her temples, her mind a complete mess.
After calming down, she turned to the side, looked at the lock-changing advertisement on the door, took out her phone and made a call. Less than ten minutes later, Lin Yu saw a man rushing over with tools. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, looked at Lin Yu breathlessly, and asked, "Did you make that call?"
Lin Yu nodded silently.
"Should we change the lock or have it unlocked?"
Lin Yu said coldly, "Unlock."
Upon hearing this, the craftsman unloaded the toolbox slung over his shoulder and placed it at his feet. He then squatted down, raised his flashlight to examine the lock cylinder, and took out a thin metal piece from the toolbox. He fiddled with it for a bit, then, as if he had thought of something, looked up at Lin Yu and said, "Look how old this lock is. The lock cylinder is even a bit rusty. Should we consider replacing it? It will be easier to get in and out in the future. This lock is old, and it's a bit difficult to open the door. It's not an expensive lock, after all."
That's true. The cost of a lock is only a little over a hundred, but they can make a profit of four or five hundred by selling it.
Lin Yu wasn't in the mood to argue with him about this. Hearing her master say that, a thought suddenly popped into her mind: it would be good to change the lock. Thinking of this, she nodded: "Change it."
"Okay." Seeing Lin Yu agree, the man grinned. "Then wait a moment, it will only take a few minutes."
Bar lounge.
Zhou Ke sat expressionless opposite Yan Yadong. Cold, bright light streamed down from above, illuminating Zhou Ke's face and making his features appear even more hard and angular. He slightly raised his chin and glanced at the other man with his dark eyes.
Yan Yadong, embarrassed by the look, awkwardly touched his neck. Looking at the woman lying drunk beside him, he chuckled sheepishly, "Sigh, look at this mess. I didn't know Jiang Zi would mistake you for me when she was drunk. It's my fault, my fault. I shouldn't have argued with her, causing her to drink so much all night. I'll take her home right now." With that, Yan Yadong got up and, using the blanket covering Jiang Zi, scooped her up in his arms.
Jiang Zi and Yan Yadong dated for three years. Just six months into their relationship, they introduced Jiang Zi to Zhou Ke. Just as Yan Yadong treated Lin Yu like a younger sister, Jiang Zi was a year younger than Zhou Ke, and Zhou Ke also treated her like a younger sister.
Jiang Zi may appear outgoing and energetic, but she is actually quite thoughtful and loyal.
Zhou Ke never acts as a peacemaker or gets involved in other people's relationships, but when Jiang Zi was squatting by the roadside vomiting uncontrollably, he couldn't help but call Yan Yadong and ask him to come to the bar immediately.
Jiang Zi had indeed drunk quite a bit, consuming five or six bottles of mixed liquor throughout the night. By the time she saw Zhou Ke, she was completely intoxicated and unable to recognize anyone. Zhou Ke had no choice but to call over a young woman working part-time at the bar and ask her to help her into the lounge. He then sat down to wait for Yan Yadong to arrive.
Just as Yan Yadong picked her up, Jiang Zi woke up. She narrowed her eyes, her heart burning with anger, and everyone she saw looked like Yan Yadong. She raised her hand and slapped him across the face, cursing loudly, "You bastard, now you know to come looking for me."
Yan Yadong was caught off guard and received a loud slap, leaving five clear finger marks on his face. Even Zhou Ke glanced at him. Yan Yadong closed his eyes helplessly, gritted his teeth, and squeezed out a sentence: "Damn it, just shut up for a second."
"Who's 'quiet'?" Jiang Zi raised her hand and pinched his arm without hesitation. "You better explain yourself clearly. Are you sure you want to break up?"
The slap mark from earlier hadn't even faded when he was pinched hard again. Jiang Zi was no pushover when she got going. Yan Yadong cried out in pain, unable to withstand the blow, and with a sudden release, he threw the girl onto the sofa.
Zhou Ke was already used to their bickering. He sighed silently, then got up and left the lounge, leaving the two of them to play around.
As soon as the person walked out, a miserable scream came from behind.
...
Looking at the brand-new lock that stood out starkly against the old door, Lin Yu felt a mix of emotions. Her mind had been a jumbled mess ever since she returned from the bar.
After tidying up his tools, the mechanic wiped the sweat from his brow and handed her the keys: "It's all changed. Here are two keys. Keep them safe."
Lin Yu took it and asked, "How much?"
550.
Lin Yu picked up her phone and deftly scanned the money for the other party.
After taking the money, the craftsman didn't linger and left with his toolbox.
Lin Yu looked up at the open door, then silently went inside, closed the door, and locked it again.
The living room was pitch black, with only the light from the streetlights outside casting blurry checkered shadows on the floor. She didn't turn on the light and groped her way to the sofa in the dark.
In the quiet living room, only the ticking of the pins on the wall could be heard. Lin Yu turned on her phone screen to check the time.
9:21 AM.
It wasn't early, and normally Lin Yu would have just assumed her brother was busy. But today, after witnessing another woman embrace him, she couldn't help but start wondering what they were doing at this hour.
Is it like she has fantasized about countless times in her dreams?
Kissing, sinking in, panting, releasing.
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