At the time, Song Xinya thought that the “heartache” Qin Yuhe referred to was merely an emotional feeling.
In fact, for Qin Yuhe, seeing her hurt caused more than emotional pain. It caused him physical pain as well.
Whenever he saw her injured, his heart would literally ache.
After applying the medicine, the two of them lay down on the bed.
Song Xinya nestled in Qin Yuhe’s arms, resting her head on his arm.
Holding his hand, she gently traced the scars in his palm with her fingers.
“Does it still hurt when you hold a pen for a long time?”
Qin Yuhe was silent for a moment before answering, “Sometimes.”
In reality, it happened often.
The crisscrossing scars had fused together, leaving his skin with little stretch or elasticity.
Even a normal person’s hand would feel uncomfortable after holding a pen for a long time, let alone his, with its palm covered in scars.
And because of his work, he often had to hold a pen and write.
His hands hurt every day.
Every day, he had to endure the pain.
Song Xinya asked, “Do you still go to the hospital for treatment every day?”
Qin Yuhe said, “I do.”
If he didn’t go, the pain in his hands would become even worse.
He had no choice.
Suddenly, Song Xinya rolled over and threw herself into Qin Yuhe’s arms, wrapping both arms tightly around his neck. She buried her head in the crook of his neck, pressing her cheek firmly against his skin.
Qin Yuhe put an arm around her waist and held her close, resting his chin on her shoulder. Sensing the change in her mood, he gently patted her back.
“What’s wrong?”
Her muffled voice brushed against his skin. “I don’t want you to be in pain.”
Qin Yuhe smiled and comforted her. “It’s only a little pain. It’s nothing.”
Song Xinya stubbornly replied, with a hint of childishness in her voice, “I still don’t want you to hurt.”
Qin Yuhe said, “Then I won’t hurt anymore from now on.”
Song Xinya let out a muffled little grunt.
His hands weren’t healed yet. Did he think saying he wouldn’t be in pain would make it so? Was he treating her like a child?
She wasn’t that stupid.
She was very clever, thank you very much. There was no way she could be fooled so easily.
Qin Yuhe asked, “It’s very late. Are you going to sleep?”
Song Xinya muttered, “No.”
Qin Yuhe’s hand slid down her back, across her waist, and landed on her buttocks, giving them a firm squeeze.
“If you don’t sleep, I’m going to start playing with you.”
Song Xinya promptly rolled out of his arms, yanked the quilt over herself, and pulled it over her head. Her voice came from beneath the covers.
“I’m sleeping, I’m sleeping! I’m going to sleep right now. Good night.”
Sleeping with her head covered wasn’t good for her health.
Qin Yuhe pulled the quilt down, revealing her face, and kissed her on the lips.
“Good night.”
The next day, Song Xinya went to the old courtyard house again to look for Shen Chaoyang.
She had timed her visit to coincide with when Shen’s mother usually got off work, but she waited until nightfall—eight o’clock in the evening—and still didn’t see her.
On the third, fourth, and fifth days, she went earlier and earlier and returned later and later, yet she still didn’t see Shen Chaoyang and her mother.
It was as if the mother and daughter had vanished.
Could they have moved away?
On the sixth day, Song Xinya changed her strategy. Instead of going in the afternoon, she went early in the morning, before dawn.
This time, she finally had some luck.
Not only did she see Shen Chaoyang’s mother, she saw Shen Chaoyang as well.
It was just beginning to grow light when the mother and daughter walked in from the entrance of the alley.
It was a sweltering summer, and even in the early morning, the temperature was still high.
Everyone walking through the alley was wearing short sleeves.
Shen Chaoyang, however, wore long sleeves and long pants. She had a mask over her face, a hat on her head, and sunglasses over her eyes.
She even wore gloves.
Every inch of skin on her body was covered, wrapped up tightly from head to toe.
Her head remained bowed deeply as she walked, her eyes fixed on the ground and her feet. She never looked up.
Shen’s mother kept glancing around, her eyes filled with wariness and vigilance. She was like a mother hen guarding her chick, ready to rush forward and protect her child the moment danger appeared.
When Shen’s mother’s gaze swept over Song Xinya, it suddenly tightened, every trace of her expression radiating intense suspicion.
She quickened her pace, grabbed Shen Chaoyang by the hand, and hurried into the courtyard. With a bang, she slammed the door shut.
As Shen Chaoyang ran past Song Xinya, Song Xinya noticed that she was carrying a plastic bag.
The bag was filled with medicine.
What illness was it for?
The labels on the bottles had been deliberately turned inward and concealed, making them impossible to read.
Song Xinya didn’t follow them. She knew that if she chased after them now, she would only be thrown out again.
When she said she wouldn’t harm Shen Chaoyang and her mother, she meant it sincerely—from her own perspective.
But from Shen Chaoyang and her mother’s perspective, a complete stranger had suddenly appeared, seeking them out and even following them to their home. As the old saying went, “If someone shows kindness for no reason, they must have ulterior motives.” Naturally, the mother and daughter would be on their guard.
Song Xinya understood that if she wanted Shen Chaoyang and her mother to trust her, she had to show them sincerity and win them over.
The squeaky door of the courtyard house opened, and a man pushed out a mobile food cart.
Written on it were the words: Crispy Thin Pancakes—Seriously Delicious Meat Roujiamo.
Song Xinya followed the mobile food cart to its usual spot.
“Boss, I’ll take twenty of those seriously delicious meat roujiamo.”
The sleepy look vanished from the vendor’s face. His eyes lit up, and he instantly woke up.
“Sure thing, sure thing! Please wait a moment. I’ve only just started for the day, but I’ll make them for you right now.”
“Take your time,” Song Xinya said. “I heard your roujiamo are especially delicious, so I drove twenty kilometers just to try them.”
The boss was even more delighted. “Are my roujiamo really that good? Good enough for someone to drive twenty kilometers for?”
Song Xinya replied, “Their aroma carries for ten miles. They’re an unparalleled delicacy—once you’ve tasted them, you’ll remember them for the rest of your life.”
The boss was so pleased by her flattery that he threw his head back and laughed. With a bang, the cleaver in his hand split the chunk of meat on the cutting board in two.
“Since you put it that way, I’ll give you two extra.”
Song Xinya said, “Boss, you look like a genuinely good man. And most importantly…”
She glanced at the bald patch on his head, then at the deep creases covering his face, and continued, “Most importantly, you’re so handsome. You look exactly like the superstar Daniel Wu.”
If she had said he looked like one of the young heartthrobs popular nowadays, the older man might not have known whom she meant. But if she mentioned Daniel Wu, he was sure to recognize him.
Sure enough, the moment the boss heard that he looked like Daniel Wu, the smile on his face grew even brighter. His deep wrinkles bunched together like the petals of a chrysanthemum.
“I’ll give you three more!”
Song Xinya had ordered twenty roujiamo and received five extras. She was worried the boss would lose money.
When she scanned the QR code to pay, she paid for twenty-five roujiamo.
The boss said, “Young lady, you’re such an honest person. You don’t take even the slightest advantage of anyone.”
Song Xinya thought to herself, Boss, you’re pretty honest too. You’re practically giving away your business after just a few compliments.
As she ate the roujiamo, Song Xinya continued showering him with praise.
“Delicious, delicious, absolutely delicious! Boss, your skills are even better than those of a five-star hotel chef!”
The owner was in a particularly good mood and took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Song Xinya. “Miss, I saw you standing outside our courtyard residence just now. Who were you looking for?”
Song Xinya smoothly steered the conversation toward the subject she wanted. “I’m looking for Shen Chaoyang.”
The owner lived in the same courtyard as Shen Chaoyang. As a neighbor, he was sure to know a great deal about her situation.
Sure enough, Song Xinya learned something useful.
“Shen Chaoyang? That poor girl has had a particularly rough life.”
“Her father was a border guard who died in the line of duty while carrying out a mission for the country.”
“She and her mother have depended on each other ever since she was little.”
“Thankfully, Shen Chaoyang was an exceptionally promising child. She had always been outstanding in school, ranking first in the entire school in every exam, and she was even admitted to a prestigious university.”
“Four years later, Shen Chaoyang graduated with honors. Everyone thought that this mother and daughter had finally made it through their hardest days and that better times were ahead. But then, all of a sudden, Shen Chaoyang developed a mental illness.”
“For all three hundred and sixty-five days of the year, she would wrap herself up tightly, afraid to meet anyone and terrified of being seen. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, we could hear her screaming as if her heart were being torn apart.”
As he spoke, the owner let out a heavy sigh.
“She was such a good person, and just like that, her life was ruined.”
The owner wondered aloud, “She used to be so cheerful and outgoing. What could she have gone through to end up with a mental illness?”
