I feel right at home in the world of the courtyard house.

In the office on the third floor of the steel mill's guesthouse, the radiators were scalding hot, bubbling and steaming. A layer of condensation covered the windowpanes, making the gray sky outside appear even darker.

Wang Caixia sat on the sofa, her hands covering her face, her shoulders heaving, her sobs muffled and suppressed, like a wounded little animal. Tears seeped through her fingers, streaming down her wrists, soaking a small patch of the front of her navy blue work clothes.

Li Jing'an sat next to her, his body slightly turned to the side, one hand around her shoulder, the other gently patting her back in a slow and steady rhythm.

"Caixia, don't cry, okay?" His voice was very soft, with the patience of someone coaxing a child.

Wang Caixia raised her face, her eyes swollen like ripe peaches, red-rimmed, and bloodshot. She looked at Li Jing'an, her lips trembling, her voice hoarse and almost inaudible: "Brother Li, why are you transferring me? I was doing so well at the guesthouse, I was even the squad leader… just like that, you transfer me away? Why?"

As he finished speaking, his voice rose at the end, carrying a sob, as if he was about to cry again.

Li Jing'an sighed, his expression perfectly balanced—regret mixed with helplessness, and helplessness tinged with heartache. He continued patting her back, but the rhythm slowed, as if he were considering how to begin.

"Caixia, I had no choice." He paused. "This transfer order was arranged by the factory. After I heard the news, I immediately went to the personnel department and talked to the department head for almost an hour. I almost cried my eyes out. But I have no power to overturn the factory's decision."

As he spoke, his gaze fell to the enamel mug on the coffee table, filled with tea leaves that had gone cold. When he looked up again, his eyes were heavy, and his voice was even lower: "I guess it's because a relative of one of the leaders is coming, and they need your position. You know how it is, it happens all the time in the factory."

Wang Caixia was stunned, tears still on her face, but she felt as if all her strength had been drained, and she slumped into the sofa.

Taking advantage of the situation, Li Jing'an moved closer to her, tightening his grip on her arm, and spoke in an even gentler tone: "Caixia, you need to think more positively. Actually, this might not be a bad thing for you."

"How could this be a good thing!" Wang Caixia suddenly raised her head, tears welling up again, her voice rising, "I've been at the guesthouse for so long, and I finally became the squad leader. I haven't made any mistakes, so why should I be allowed this?"

She became more and more agitated as she spoke, leaning forward and gripping Li Jing'an's sleeves tightly with both hands until her knuckles turned white.

Li Jing'an let her hold his hand, his face showing no impatience, but rather becoming even gentler. He raised his other hand and gently wiped away her tears, his movements slow, his thumb tracing across her cheekbone to remove the tears.

"Listen to me." He looked into her eyes, his gaze full of sincerity, even tinged with a hint of self-reproach. "Caixia, there are some things I've always wanted to tell you, but I didn't know how to say them."

He lowered his eyes, remained silent for a few seconds, and when he looked up again, his eyes were red.

"Because of our relationship, I sometimes feel so guilty that I can't sleep at night." His voice trembled slightly. "I always feel sorry for your partner, sorry for your children. And yet, we've come to this..."

He stopped, took a deep breath, as if to calm himself down.

"For so long, I've lived with guilt. Really, Caixia, you don't understand that feeling—"

He couldn't continue, turned his face away, and looked out the window. The condensation on the window had thickened, blurring the outside world into a gray blur.

Wang Caixia's crying subsided, and her grip on his sleeve loosened.

Li Jing'an turned his face back, his expression now calm, even with a hint of relief: "With this transfer order, a huge weight has finally been lifted from my heart, and I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Thinking of your loved ones and children, I can't be so selfish. I've decided to let go, to let you leave and return to a normal life."

As he spoke, he took Wang Caixia's hand; her hand was icy cold, and he warmed it in his palm.

"Caixia, we haven't gone too far down the wrong path yet." His voice was soft, like a word of comfort or reassurance. "Now is the perfect time to pull back from the brink. Don't be so stubborn."

Wang Caixia's tears flowed again, but this time silently. She lowered her head, her shoulders trembling, and suppressed sobs escaped her throat, as if she dared not cry out loud.

Li Jing'an waited a while, and seeing that she still wouldn't stop, he tightened his grip on her shoulder slightly. He leaned close to her ear, his lips almost touching her earlobe, his voice extremely low, carrying an undeniable chill:

"Please don't make things difficult for me, okay?"

The sound wasn't loud, but it was like an ice pick, piercing straight into Wang Caixia's heart. Her whole body stiffened, her crying stopped abruptly, only her shoulders continued to heave, and suppressed, broken breaths escaped her throat. She stood there frozen, as if she had been struck by a magic acupuncture point.

Li Jing'an's lips twitched, a fleeting smile quickly disappearing without a trace. He straightened up, reverting to his gentle and considerate self, and continued patting her back, again and again.

"That's right." His tone softened, tinged with approval. "Don't worry, I also got you some benefits. You were transferred to the logistics department, and you were even promoted, meaning you'll get an extra ten or so yuan a month. I owed a huge favor to get this done, so you know how I feel, right?"

Wang Caixia kept her head down, her lips pursed, and remained silent. Tears continued to flow, falling onto the back of her hand with a soft patter, but she stubbornly bit her lip to keep herself from making a sound.

Li Jing'an looked at her for a while, then slowly stood up. He walked to the door, placed his hand on the doorknob, paused, and then locked the door from the inside.

A soft "click" sounded particularly clear in the quiet office.

Wang Caixia trembled and looked up through her tearful eyes. Li Jing'an had just turned around, one hand on his belt, slowly unbuckling it. He looked at her, a playful smile on his lips, his eyes carrying a hint of ambiguity and undeniable dominance.

"Caixia, I know you'll miss me." He said as he walked over, his voice low and tinged with helplessness. "Alright, seeing how reluctant you are, I'll give you one more chance."

He walked to the sofa, looked down at her, and reached out to lift her chin. Wang Caixia's face was streaked with tears, her eyes were red, and her lips trembled slightly.

"I guess I've done right by you," he said.