The incandescent light in the living room was bright, with emptiness and quiet all around.
Miss Qiao nestled on the sofa, having just drunk the sobering soup brewed by Aunt Mei. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing gradually steadied.
Suddenly, the silence in the living room was broken by the sound of leather shoes stepping on the floor, from far to near, the sound growing louder.
Qiao Yuxian suddenly opened her eyes, her eyes were bloodshot, carrying a sharpness.
Facing Gu Yanjing's stern brows, she was momentarily stunned, then nestled back into the sofa.
Her head was too dizzy, her consciousness already unclear, she was acting entirely on instinct.
She didn't feel any danger, and her body completely relaxed.
Gu Yanjing didn't bother with her momentary vigilant hostility, tossed the medicine onto the coffee table, then fetched a chair, placed it opposite Qiao Yuxian, and pulled her hand over to apply medicine.
He had never done this sort of thing before, already trying to be as careful as possible. Besides, Qiao Yuxian's hand seemed very small in his, the joints soft, he didn't dare to use force.
But Qiao Yuxian still frowned her little face and cried out in pain, "Easy, it hurts."
"Don't move." The voice lacked patience, but the actions lightened slightly.
"After applying, you need to blow on it." Qiao Yuxian said softly.
Gu Yanjing didn't hear.
Qiao Yuxian tapped his shoe with her foot, insisting, "Blow on it."
Gu Yanjing glanced at his kicked shoe, fingers exerting strength, snapping the cotton swab in hand.
While Qiao Yuxian saw he didn't move, she kicked twice more, "Blow on it. My grandparents always blow on the medicine after applying it."
Gu Yanjing threw the cotton swab, frowned, with a cold face, lowered his head, and perfunctorily blew on her hand.
Feeling a light coolness on her hand, Qiao Yuxian giggled.
Gu Yanjing glanced at her. He had no idea what she was laughing about.
Just now she was pouting with anger, yet now, she started giggling like an idiot.
He packed the medicine, stood up, and went to the bathroom to wash his hands.
When he returned, Qiao Yuxian had turned on the TV, holding the remote, changing channels.
Gu Yanjing stood watching for a while, noticing she seemed unsure of what she wanted to find, then called to her, "Qiao Yuxian."
"Present." Qiao Yuxian suddenly raised her hand in response.
Her eyes were drunkenly blurred, yet they carried a clean and clear smile.
Her right arm was bent at the elbow, while her left hand held the remote beneath her right elbow, a very standard elementary school raise hand posture.
Gu Yanjing raised a hand to pinch his nose bridge, a trace of helplessness in his cold voice, "Go upstairs and sleep."
Qiao Yuxian looked at him, didn't move, silently resisted.
"Should I carry you upstairs or will you go yourself," Gu Yanjing said.
Whether scared by his cold tone or remembering how uncomfortable she had felt when carried just now, Qiao Yuxian quickly got up and staggered upstairs.
Gu Yanjing followed her, two steps behind, going upstairs with her.
Qiao Yuxian walked in front, reached the second floor, saw a bedroom, suddenly jogged two steps, pushed the door open and entered.
Perhaps she had followed Gu Yanjing to this bedroom door last time, so her door-pushing motion was skilled and precise.
Gu Yanjing lagged two steps behind her, ran a few more steps, and by the time he wanted to stop her, it was already too late.
Qiao Yuxian shut the door, locked it.
Gu Yanjing: "......"
Aunt Mei came out after tidying the guest room and saw this scene. She glanced at Gu Yanjing's dark face, saying, "Sir, the guest room is cleaned up."
Aunt Mei had been with the Gu Family for many years, in her fifties, a bit chubby, very kind-hearted, fairly understanding of Gu Yanjing.
Gu Yanjing paused, turned towards Aunt Mei, and said calmly, "Thank you."
Then walked towards the guest room.
...
The next day, Qiao Yuxian woke up a little after six.
She opened her eyes, saw the unfamiliar room, and jumped off the bed in fright.
Standing beside the bed, she touched her clothes that were still on her, and after checking she felt no discomfort, she finally exhaled a breath of relief, belatedly feeling the headache.
"Ugh—"
She raised a hand to rub her head randomly, combed her hair back, surveyed the room, trying to recall what happened last night.
The room was decorated in a blue-gray scheme, giving a cool, oppressive feel.
Qiao Yuxian swept her gaze around, her mind racing.
She could only recall meeting Gu Yanjing at the hotel yesterday and getting in the car with him. Everything after that was a complete blank.
Now she could roughly determine that she might be at Fenglin Villa.
Moreover, judging by the size of the room, she guessed... it wasn't a guest room.
With this in mind, Qiao Yuxian pressed her brow and then stepped out of the room.
As she opened the door, Gu Yanjing happened to be walking to the doorway. He heard the sound and looked over.
Today, he was dressed in a light-colored casual outfit, with strands of hair falling over his forehead, giving him a slightly more laid-back demeanor than usual.
He usually seemed like an iceberg frozen for a thousand years, but now he resembled soft, thick winter snow.
Their eyes met, one pair deeply solemn, the other drowsily blank.
"Mr. Gu." Qiao Yuxian first flashed a smile, "Morning."
From what she understood, she was quite restless when drunk and wasn't sure if she'd caused any trouble yesterday, now feeling a bit uneasy.
Gu Yanjing's gaze lingered for a moment on a tuft of hair sticking up behind her ear, then shifted to her left hand.
Aware he was looking at her hand, Qiao Yuxian raised it for a look.
There was a bruise on the back of her left hand. It stood out because of her pale skin.
Seeing the bruise, an image of Gu Yanjing applying ointment for her suddenly flashed in her mind, and he was gently blowing on it.
The back of her hand seemed to feel that cool breeze again.
Qiao Yuxian's pupils trembled; she suddenly covered her left hand.
Seeing her reaction, Gu Yanjing withdrew his gaze and continued walking downstairs: "The medicine is downstairs."
Qiao Yuxian stood at the doorway, not responding as if she hadn't heard him speak.
Her long lashes fluttered several times, and then she lifted a hand to rub her flushed ear before heading downstairs.
When she reached downstairs, Gu Yanjing was no longer in the living room.
Aunt Mei emerged from the kitchen, and upon seeing her, warmly said, "Miss Qiao, you're awake? Do you have a headache?"
"Not at all." Qiao Yuxian looked around.
"Sir has gone for a run." Aunt Mei's smile held a hint of something meaningful, "He exercises every morning."
Qiao Yuxian nodded: "Aunt Mei, where did you put the things I bought last time?"
"Upstairs," Aunt Mei said, "Let me take you there. Decide which one you'd like to wear, and I'll wash and dry it for you."
"Thank you, Aunt Mei."
Qiao Yuxian went to the guest room, unpacked her purchases, and freshened up...
After tidying up, with her clothes dried, she changed and went back downstairs. Gu Yanjing had already changed into a suit and was sitting on the sofa.
Qiao Yuxian quickened her pace towards him, her face beaming with a smile, "Thank you, Mr. Gu."
Gu Yanjing lifted his eyes to look at her.
Qiao Yuxian found it fascinating that even when Gu Yanjing wasn't speaking, his expression unchanged, she could somehow tell what he wanted to ask.
"Thank you for applying the ointment for me last night." Her eyes curved into crescent shapes, "Since Grandma and Grandpa passed, no one has done that for me for a long time."
Gu Yanjing's eyelashes fluttered slightly.
"I was too reckless as a child, always getting bumps and bruises." Qiao Yuxian squatted by the coffee table, touched the red string on her wrist, and opened a small bag of nuts from beneath the table, "My grandparents took turns applying ointment for me. They said with all the ointment they've used on me, they could sustain a pharmaceutical factory."
Gu Yanjing watched the happiness surface in her eyes as she mentioned her grandparents.
"Sir, Miss Qiao, breakfast is ready," Aunt Mei announced, coming out of the kitchen.
"Okay." Qiao Yuxian got up and followed Aunt Mei into the kitchen again, "Aunt Mei, could you pack a portion for me?"
"Is Miss Qiao not having breakfast with Sir?" Aunt Mei asked.
"I would really like to." Qiao Yuxian replied with a hint of regret, "But today is the start of school, and the counselor wants to have a meeting before eight, so I'll have to eat in the car."
Aunt Mei checked the time. The drive to Kyoto University took no more than ten minutes, but given the current time, they were cutting it close: "I'll pack some in a thermos box for you."
"Thank you, Aunt Mei."
With the meal packed, Qiao Yuxian took the thermos box and exited the kitchen, telling Gu Yanjing: "I'm off now."
"Qiao Yuxian." Gu Yanjing called out to her.
"Yes?"
"Take the medicine." Gu Yanjing indicated the medicine on the coffee table.
Qiao Yuxian paused, then smiled, went to the coffee table, and put the medicine in her bag: "I'm leaving."
Gu Yanjing watched her silhouette fade at the entrance, then withdrew his gaze and went to the dining room.