As Duan Yiheng opened the door, he asked Lin Xi, "Can you open the door yourself?"
Sweat beaded on Lin Xi's forehead as she gritted her teeth and said, "Yes."
Duan Yiheng said, "It's most likely from the barbecue. I'll go buy you some medicine. Describe your symptoms to me, and open the door again in ten minutes."
With someone there to support her, Lin Xi felt slightly relieved. She endured the discomfort, agreed, and stood behind the door waiting.
Duan Yiheng was extremely punctual. Ten minutes later, he called Lin Xi to open the door via voice message. Lin Xi slowly lowered the security chain and opened the door. Her legs went weak, and Duan Yiheng caught her with one arm. Lin Xi nestled in his arms, groaning in discomfort.
Duan Yiheng turned and scooped her up in his arms. Lin Xi instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, but she lacked strength. Her arms slipped off his shoulders, her fingertips tracing the side of his neck and collarbone. Duan Yiheng tensed, holding his breath as he placed her on the bed. "Lie down first, I'll get you your medicine."
"Okay," Lin Xi replied weakly. Duan Yiheng sat down beside her bed, took out four pills, and mixed them with warm water from her thermos. "Take your medicine."
Lin Xi took the pills from his palm, put them in her mouth, then took the warm water and drank two sips before swallowing them.
"I'm sorry," Lin Xi said, looking at him. "I'm sorry to have bothered you."
"If you don't bother me, who else would I bother?" Duan Yiheng said. "Eat less of these unhygienic things next time."
"Oh," Lin Xi replied. "You ate too, how come you're okay?"
"Lie down." Duan Yiheng didn't bother arguing with her, pulling the blanket up to her chin. "I'm not leaving tonight, I'll rest on the sofa."
"How can that be?" Lin Xi grabbed his sleeve. "Go back to sleep, I'm fine."
Duan Yiheng leaned over her, hovering above her, blocking out most of the light, and said, "I'm fine. Sometimes I don't sleep for two or three days when I'm busy."
Lin Xi didn't quite hear what he said. A familiar image flashed through her mind.
That time in the Night Realm, it seemed like someone had looked at her like that too. As if bewitched, Lin Xi slowly reached out and hooked her arms around Duan Yiheng's neck. But her eyes didn't hold the same dazed look as that night, only confusion.
Their eyes met, locked in a passionate gaze, and for a fleeting moment, it was as if they were back to that drunken night at the bar.
Duan Yiheng traced her lips with his gaze, suppressing the urge to kiss her, and asked softly, "What's wrong? Is anything else bothering you?"
Lin Xi suddenly sobered up, pushing him away in a panic, speechless. What was she doing?
"I'm sorry, I..." Lin Xi was on the verge of tears, "I didn't mean to, it just felt like what we were doing just now happened somewhere before."
Now it was Duan Yiheng's turn to feel guilty. The similar scene stirred up Lin Xi's deepest memories. A despicable kiss. Only he knew.
Duan Yiheng distanced himself from her, changing the subject: "Rest well, don't overthink it."
"Go back to sleep, I took my medicine, I feel much better," Lin Xi said softly. "I can't sleep yet, I'll get up and lock the door when I feel better."
Duan Yiheng didn't move, saying, "I'm worried, I'll stay a little longer."
Lin Xi: "...But this is so awkward."
"Hmm?" Duan Yiheng was already sitting on the sofa. "Awkward about what?"
"I can't sleep," Lin Xi said. "You're not saying anything either, isn't that awkward?"
Duan Yiheng took out his phone and searched for a moment, then asked, "Shall I read you a story?"
Lin Xi: "..." She wasn't a three-year-old.
"You read it," Lin Xi gave up; reading a story was better than being awkward.
"The Little Duck Who Goes to Bed on Time..."
Lin Xi: "..." Was it because she didn't go to bed on time? It was clearly the barbecue that caused the problem.
Duan Yiheng's tone when reading the story was no different from his monotonous delivery in a meeting. Lin Xi's medication took effect, and she unconsciously closed her eyes. Her breathing gradually stabilized. Duan Yiheng turned off his phone, got up, and came to the bedside, softly saying, "Goodnight."
The next morning, the sky was overcast. Lin Xi changed into black clothes and went out, meeting Duan Yiheng at the restaurant entrance. She was startled to see him; Duan Yiheng was also dressed in black. They greeted each other and quietly ate breakfast.
After getting into the car, Lin Xi asked the driver to go to the flower shop first. Lin Xi had ordered a bouquet of bird-of-paradise flowers, and since Duan Yiheng was coming, he wouldn't come empty-handed, so he had the florist pack a bouquet of lisianthus. Lin Xi smiled at him.
Then, the two got into the car and headed towards the cemetery in the north of the city. On the way, Lin Xi received a call from Duan Mingxuan. It was nothing more than an apology, which Lin Xi accepted without question. Duan Yiheng glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, keenly noticing the cold tone in Lin Xi's voice. This wasn't her usual attitude towards Duan Mingxuan. Hanging up the phone, Lin Xi glanced out the window, feeling the weather mirrored her mood.
Seeing their friendly expressions, the driver thought for a moment and reminded her, "The weather forecast has issued a yellow rainstorm warning. You should hurry up the mountain; it won't be safe if it rains."
Southern China is mountainous, and heavy rain can cause slippery roads and landslides.
"Why didn't I receive a warning at the hotel?" Lin Xi asked, startled.
Duan Yiheng said, "Yes, you did, but you were asleep."
Lin Xi nodded and said to the driver, "Sir, please go as fast as it's safe to do. I don't think it'll rain anytime soon."
Most importantly, they were already halfway there. The driver quickly agreed. Upon reaching the cemetery, the sky darkened further. Lin Xi and Duan Yiheng climbed side by side, stepping over each level, finally stopping at the third tombstone from the left at the very top.
The cemetery was clean, with few fallen leaves or branches. Lin Xi placed the flowers down and knelt. Duan Yiheng, after placing the flowers down, said to Lin Xi, "I'll wait for you over there."
Lin Xi responded, looking at the two young faces on the tombstone, almost indistinguishable from her own, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"Mom and Dad, I've come to see you."
Lin Xi choked back a sob, "I missed you so much." Tears soaked the gray ground, all the words in Lin Xi's heart turning into a single sentence of longing.
"I joined Silver Sail..." Lin Xi recounted her experiences since returning to China, only reporting the good news and omitting the bad. The swirling dark clouds seemed to echo her thoughts.
She even wanted to go back and see the old house, but time wouldn't allow it.
"The weather isn't very good anymore, I'll come see you again next time." Saying this, she took a bookmark carefully placed in her bag and placed it among the bird-of-paradise flowers.
"This was the first boy I ever liked, but we weren't meant to be. Please bless him with a lifetime of peace and health."
Duan Yiheng, noticing the gloomy weather, strode over and gently reminded her, "The weather's not good; we might have to go."
Lin Xi quickly wiped away her tears, "Okay." Duan Yiheng helped her up, and looking up, he saw the fingerprint bookmark.
He suddenly glanced at her, his gaze as heavy as the dark clouds overhead.
Duan Yiheng's heart skipped a beat; he understood Lin Xi's meaning.
He understood why she had brought Duan Mingxuan to Rong County. Unfortunately, Duan Mingxuan still left.
However, the outcome was the same; it was always a farewell from one person. In his foolish self-righteousness, Duan Mingxuan lost someone who loved him.