Guan Xia knew that wrapping up the Wu Yang case would take a long time, but she hadn't expected it to be this long. It was long enough for Meng Lan to be discharged from the hospital and taken home by her sister, long enough for her newly trashed apartment to be completely cleaned up—of course, with great effort from Director Ren and his team at the Pingjiang District Bureau—and long enough for autumn to pass into winter, with several bouts of chilly, drizzling rain already fallen.
Another light rain was falling. Bundled in a thick coat, Guan Xia was curled up in her study working on the concept for her new comic. Having finally managed to placate her editor, she looked up and noticed the rain had stopped. She stretched, deciding to go downstairs to take out the trash and take a short walk. She'd been cooped up at home for two days, and even with the window open occasionally, it still felt a bit stuffy.
After tossing the trash and finishing her stroll, Guan Xia stopped by the supermarket to pick up some snacks and fruit on her way back. Just as she entered her residential complex, a red sports car pulled up beside her. Pang Le's stunningly beautiful face peeked out from the window, looking at her with a playful raise of an eyebrow. "Well, hello there, beautiful. Taking a walk all alone? Feeling a bit lonely? How about I join you?"
It had only been just over a week since they last met, but Pang Le, infected by Lu Tingfeng's influence, was becoming more and more unserious. Guan Xia shot her an annoyed glance. "Aren't you and Lu Tingfeng all wrapped up in each other? What brings you to my neck of the woods today?"
Guan Xia was deliberately teasing her, but Pang Le showed no sign of embarrassment. Instead, her expression shifted, turning deliberately grave. "Ah, that's a long story. Let's talk about it inside. It's too cold out here. Get in the car."
Seeing they were already inside the complex and not far from her building, Guan Xia felt too lazy to get in the car. But before she could refuse, Pang Le had already hopped out of the car in a flash and snatched the two shopping bags from her hands.
Left with no choice, Guan Xia could only follow her into the car.
Even for such a short distance, Guan Xia dutifully fastened her seatbelt.
A faint smile flickered in Pang Le's eyes as she casually asked, "Haven't seen you in almost ten days. How have you been lately? Not pulling all-nighters, are you? Eating three meals a day? Not holed up at home without stepping outside?"
It was Pang Le's usual set of questions, ones Guan Xia had heard so often her ears were practically calloused. She answered smoothly, "I've been doing great lately. No late nights, in bed by 10 and up by 7 every day. Three square meals, even the occasional midnight snack. I go out every day, and on nice days, I even go for morning runs. It just rained today, so I used the treadmill at home."
As expected, after her answer came Pang Le's praise, tinged with amusement, "Good girl."
Guan Xia rolled her eyes at her again.
Less than two minutes after getting in the car, they arrived. Since it wasn't yet rush hour, parking spots were plentiful throughout the complex. Pang Le didn't bother with the underground garage, simply parking right by Guan Xia's building.
As they picked up their things from the car and were about to head upstairs, Pang Le suddenly seemed to spot something and took two quick steps back. Then, with a note of pleasant surprise, she called to Guan Xia, "Guan Xia, come look! Isn't this Xu Nian's car? Is he back from Jianyang City?"
Surprised, Guan Xia walked over for a closer look. "It does look like his license plate. But I don't know; he didn't call me, and I haven't heard any movement from his place."
Just as they were discussing it, Guan Xia's phone, tucked in her pocket, rang. She pulled it out and, sure enough, it was Xu Nian.
As soon as she answered, she heard Xu Nian's voice on the other end. "Guan Xia, you're not home? I'm back. I brought you some local specialties, but no one answered when I knocked."
So he really was back. Guan Xia mouthed the words to Pang Le, then said into the phone with a smile, "I'm right downstairs. Wait a moment, Pang Le and I are coming up now."
After hanging up, the two quickly entered the elevator. Pang Le pressed the button for their floor, her face beaming. "Speak of the devil! Lu Tingfeng was just mentioning Xu Nian to me the other day, saying it's been over two months and he still wasn't back—wondering if he'd been adopted into some family in Jianyang City. And here he is today. I'm definitely telling Xu Nian about this later."
Something about the way she said it made Guan Xia glance at her. Maybe it was her imagination, but Pang Le's smile seemed bright, yet her tone carried a hint of gritted teeth. Had Lu Tingfeng done something to upset her?
Soon, the elevator stopped on the 9th floor. The moment Guan Xia stepped out, she saw Xu Nian. After such a long time apart, he looked a bit thinner but otherwise unchanged—still energetic and glowing. Who knows how much stuff he brought back from Jianyang City; there were bags on the floor and more in his hands. He pursed his lips into a smile and greeted her, "You're back?"
Guan Xia returned the smile. "I'm back."
Maybe it was just her imagination, but Guan Xia felt Xu Nian seemed a little different from usual. He seemed slightly, unnaturally tense when greeting her. Surely he hadn't been gone so long that she seemed like a stranger to him?
Dismissing the random thought, Guan Xia walked over to take the things from his hands. "You said you brought me some local specialties, is this it? There's so much! You didn't bring the ones for Sister Ji and Zhong Xiaoyu over here too, did you? Though that's fine, I can bring them along for you when I meet them later."
Xu Nian dodged her outstretched hand, stepping aside. "No need, I've got them. You just open the door. And all these are for you. I brought stuff for Sister Ji and the others too; it's at my place. Qi Bai's been clamoring for a get-together since I got back, saying we have to drink until we drop. I'll bring theirs over then."
Once the door was open, Guan Xia intended to help Xu Nian bring the things inside, but he firmly refused, insisting she just go pour some water while he handled it.
Guan Xia didn't press the issue. In the time it took her to pour two glasses of water in the kitchen, Xu Nian had already finished tidying up, stacking everything neatly in a corner by the living room wall. He took the glass from her as she came out, setting it on the coffee table while saying, "These are all things I tried during my time in Jianyang City that I thought were delicious, so I brought them back for you. There are sweet ones, spicy ones, and sweet-and-sour ones. The sweet ones aren't too sweet, and the spicy ones aren't too spicy. The flavors are all quite refreshing and shouldn't upset your stomach. You can eat them without worry. Especially those pastries—if you don't feel like cooking in the morning or even ordering takeout, you can have them for breakfast."
This was the first time Guan Xia had heard Xu Nian talk so much about something unrelated to a case, and with such meticulous detail, as if he was worried she might forget his instructions.
Again, she felt he seemed a bit different from before, but she didn't dwell on it. She nodded in agreement. "Okay. But there's so much. How did you bring it all back? By courier? If you brought it as luggage on the plane, this much would definitely be overweight."
Xu Nian smiled slightly. "I sent it by courier. I timed it so it would arrive in Yongquan City the same day I did, so the production dates are all very fresh. You can eat them without worry."
Guan Xia almost laughed. Was that what she was concerned about? She was worried it had been too much trouble for him. But since the items were already here, she didn't press the issue further.
Guan Xia originally wanted to ask about the case, but as soon as she sat down on the sofa, Pang Le spoke first, "By the way, Xu Nian, you mentioned earlier that Qi Bai has been clamoring for a get-together. Have you all decided on a time yet?"
Xu Nian sat down beside Guan Xia and said, "Qi Bai suggested the 6th or 7th, which is this weekend. Are you both free?"
After asking, Xu Nian instinctively looked at Guan Xia.
Guan Xia said indifferently, "My new comic is still in the preparation stage, so I'm free anytime. Saturday or Sunday works for me."
"I'm free either day too," Pang Le said enthusiastically. "But I checked the weather forecast today. It's supposed to rain on Sunday, and Saturday will be sunny. So, why don't we set it for Saturday? If we plan to drink until we drop, we can sleep in on Sunday without it affecting work on Monday. How does that sound?"
Pang Le obviously thought her idea was brilliant, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled.
Xu Nian agreed immediately, "Alright, then Saturday it is. I'll let Qi Bai and the others know."
"Then I'll notify Sister Ji and Xiaoyu," Pang Le chimed in. "So it's settled then. See you Saturday."
"Okay," Xu Nian nodded, "See you Saturday."
Perhaps because Pang Le was there, Xu Nian felt they had things to discuss, so she didn't stay long before leaving.
After seeing Xu Nian out, Guan Xia first circled the pile of local specialties, then settled back on the sofa. She casually grabbed a cushion to hug and looked at Pang Le with an amused expression. "Alright, Xu Nian's gone, it's just the two of us now. Just say what's on your mind. Weren't you practically attached at the hip with Lu Tingfeng lately? What brings you to my place today? Did you miss me, or did you have a fight with Lu Tingfeng? Be honest."
With no one else around, Pang Le immediately let loose. She kicked off her slippers and sprawled out on the sofa, even resting her head on Guan Xia's lap. Pouting, she said, "Nothing gets past you. I'm here to hide out for some peace and quiet. I only just realized how clingy Lu Tingfeng can be."
Guan Xia stroked Pang Le's smooth, voluminous long curls and retorted seriously, "Which of your boyfriends hasn't been clingy?"
Pang Le hurriedly corrected her, "We're still in the 'will-they-won't-they' stage right now, we're not officially together yet. He doesn't count as my boyfriend."
Guan Xia found this rather odd. "You're not even together yet, and you're already finding him clingy?"
Pang Le fell silent for a moment before reluctantly saying, "It's not that I find him clingy, it's just..."
Pang Le hemmed and hawed without getting to the point, prompting Guan Xia to press, "Just what?"
It was unclear what exactly had happened between them. Pang Le suddenly sighed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling, her tone a mix of helplessness and complexity. "It's that he's too serious."
The statement was so abrupt that Guan Xia thought she was hearing things. After a brief pause, she asked, puzzled, "Too serious? What do you mean?"
Pang Le abruptly sat up, crossing her legs beside Guan Xia. "Here's the thing. Things were actually going pretty smoothly with Lu Tingfeng. He's handsome, fun, and everything he says and does suits my taste. I'd even seriously considered making things official. But after chatting with Zhong Xiaoyu yesterday, I started having second thoughts."
Guan Xia was completely lost. "What? After one chat with Zhong Xiaoyu you want to back out? What does your situation have to do with Zhong Xiaoyu? Don't tell me it's some cheesy drama where two best friends fall for the same guy?"
Countless clichéd plotlines from dramas she'd seen flashed through Guan Xia's mind. Just as her thoughts were running wild, Pang Le gave her a light, exasperated pat. "Rein in your comic-book imagination. Xiaoyu and I get along great, but that doesn't mean we'd fall for the same person."
Guan Xia composed herself a bit and urged, "Then explain it to me properly. What's really going on?"
Pang Le said helplessly, "I just called Zhong Xiaoyu out of habit to chat, and we ended up talking about Lu Tingfeng. Then Xiaoyu told me that she was on the phone with him a couple of days ago, and he mentioned his family's apartment being a bit small, that he's planning to buy a bigger one. He even asked Xiaoyu if she'd ever been to my place, what my home's decor was like. Just listen to that, listen! What does that mean? We're not even together, and he's already thinking about housing. The craziest part is he's even considering my taste in decoration. What does that signify?"
Guan Xia listened intently, but honestly, she couldn't make the connection. She asked instinctively, "What does it signify?"
Pang Le looked at her, utterly dismayed. "It signifies that before we've even taken the first step, he's already included me in his long-term life plans. That clearly means he's serious."
As she spoke, Pang Le grew agitated and smacked her own leg. "Serves you right for getting carried away by his looks! I knew I shouldn't have gotten involved with him so easily. I stayed clear-headed for so long, only to have a momentary lapse."
After smacking herself a few times, Pang Le let out a long sigh, looking utterly dejected.
Guan Xia wanted to understand, but she simply lacked the experience. No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't quite grasp it. She could only offer honest advice. "If you're having regrets, and you're not together yet, couldn't you just end it? Why do you look like the sky is falling?"
Pang Le sighed again. "I wish it were that simple. The problem is Lu Tingfeng has gotten to know me a bit too well. His style of dressing is completely tailored to my preferences. If I cut things off directly now, I'd feel a bit reluctant. But if I don't, I'm afraid once he gets serious and my initial excitement wears off, it'll be hard to break things off. I'm only 25! My life is just beginning. There are so many beautiful people in this world. It's hard for me to give up the entire forest for just this one tree."
Guan Xia listened carefully, but try as she might, she couldn't empathize. She could only offer weak consolation. "Well, since you haven't started anything yet, there's still time. Think it over. Think it over carefully."
Pang Le looked somewhat crestfallen. "You're right. I need to think. I really need to think it over."
Guan Xia imitated how Sister Ji had comforted her before, patting Pang Le's back to soothe her. Her expression remained unchanged, but she couldn't help thinking to herself, So falling in love involves considering this much?
But in all the TV dramas and novels she'd seen, couples either got together naturally or went through many hardships before uniting. In neither scenario did she recall anyone having Pang Le's kind of worries.
After much thought, Guan Xia concluded it was simply because Pang Le was too... broad-minded with her affections. Actually, when she first learned Pang Le and Lu Tingfeng were getting close, she had been a bit worried too. If they ever had a falling out, how would she and Xu Nian continue to work together? After all, even though Xu Nian and Lu Tingfeng seemed to butt heads on the surface, they'd grown up together since childhood. She was quite afraid of that kind of awkward atmosphere.
Guan Xia pondered many things and couldn't help but think that love between a man and a woman was truly complicated.
