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

In the hospital at dusk, the corridor lights were dim, the smell of disinfectant had faded, and there was a stronger sense of warmth and life mixed with the evening breeze from the food.

Chen Qing stood at the door of the ward, holding a box of pastries wrapped in red paper. She took a deep breath before gently pushing the door open.

Zhou Yufei followed behind him.

The woman walked very lightly, her brows slightly furrowed, her mind struggling the whole way.

She really didn't want to come.

There was always an inexplicable sense of wariness in her heart, like a thin thorn that didn't hurt, but was always stuck there and couldn't be pulled out.

But this time, Li Jing'an did indeed help Chen Qing.

The blueprints were found, and the factory didn't impose a heavy penalty; they just arranged for the workers to go to the countryside in Huairou, which was the lightest possible outcome.

Reason told her again and again: they are her benefactors, she can no longer be prejudiced against them, and she can no longer be wary of them.

But her emotions wouldn't listen to her. The thought of being alone in a room with Li Jing'an made her feel uneasy, and her heart would inexplicably race.

She kept telling herself: just treat it as a formality, say thank you, and leave soon, don't overthink it, don't look around.

When the ward door opened, Li Jing'an was leaning against the headboard, looking quite well, with the gauze still on his forehead.

Seeing the two enter, he slightly raised his eyes, a gentle smile appearing on his face. He casually reached for the cigarette case on the bedside table, took out a cigarette, and handed it to them.

"Why did you come here? Please have a seat."

Chen Qing quickly took the cigarette with both hands, his fingertips trembling slightly. He subconsciously glanced up at the "No Smoking" sign on the wall, his voice a little soft:

"Director Li, in the hospital... is it allowed to smoke here?"

Li Jing'an chuckled, nonchalantly put the cigarette in his mouth, lit it with a click, took a drag, and slowly exhaled smoke rings.

"It's okay, go ahead and smoke. Let them shout, we'll smoke. It's a small matter, nobody's really going to take it seriously."

Only then did Chen Qing dare to light a cigarette, standing by the bed, his tone sincere yet tinged with lingering fear:

"Director Li, I came here specifically to thank you. If it weren't for you, I would be finished this time. I would definitely lose my job and never be able to hold my head up high again."

He paused, his voice lower and more sincere:

"And the factory's punishment was also thanks to your intervention; in the end, I was only sent to Huairou for a short period of time. This was an immense favor to me, and I will always remember it."

Li Jing'an waved his hand, his tone indifferent:

"Don't say that. It was just a coincidence, and I helped you out casually. As for the disciplinary action, I only mentioned it casually; in the end, it was the factory management who made the decision."

"You mentioned it casually, but it was a lifesaver for me." Chen Qing's eyes were slightly red. "One word from you is worth more than running myself ragged."

Li Jing'an looked at him, his expression becoming more serious:

"Chen Qing, you're still young. Don't let this accident break you. Go to the countryside, work hard, and do your best. Don't just drift through life. You have a long road ahead of you; don't give up on yourself."

Chen Qing nodded vigorously, her voice slightly choked:

"I understand, Director Li. I will do my job well and never let you down."

"Huairou isn't far. If you miss home, you can come back during your vacation," Li Jing'an reassured him. "Given the current situation, you can't stay in the countryside for more than a few months. You'll be back soon."

Chen Qing responded repeatedly, feeling much more at ease.

Knowing that he had to report for duty early the next morning and would be away from Beijing for a long time, he quickly spoke up:

"Director Li, I'm going to Huairou to report for duty tomorrow, so it won't be convenient for me to visit you often. How about... my wife, Yufei, comes and helps take care of you for a few days?"

Zhou Yufei, who had been standing almost transparently to the side, suddenly stiffened.

She tensed up, her heart leaped into her throat, her mind went blank, she wanted to shake her head and refuse, but she didn't want to be impolite in front of her husband.

She really didn't want any close contact with Li Jing'an.

The feeling of being swept by his gaze sent chills down her spine, as if she were being stared at by something.

Just as she was at a loss and about to break down, Li Jing'an spoke up, his tone very natural:

"No need to trouble yourself, I'll be discharged tomorrow. There are people at home to take care of me. Yufei has to go to work, so don't make things difficult for her."

Zhou Yufei secretly breathed a sigh of relief, her shoulders slumped slightly, and her hands, which had been hanging by her sides, quietly loosened, revealing a layer of fine sweat on her palms.

Seeing this, Chen Qing stopped insisting and her gaze fell on the water glass on Li Jing'an's table. Seeing that it was empty, she quickly picked up the thermos.

"Let me get you some water."

After pouring the water, he weighed the thermos in his hand and said softly:

"There's not much water left, I'll go to the water room to get a pot."

After saying that, he picked up the thermos and quickly walked out.

Suddenly, only Li Jing'an and Zhou Yufei remained in the ward.

The air fell into an awkward silence.

Li Jing'an turned his head, looked at her with a smile, and spoke casually:

"Yufei, you just got off work too? You look pretty tired."

Zhou Yufei nodded gently, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible:

"Yeah, just got off work."

She dared not look up, staring only at the ground, but even so, she could clearly feel Li Jing'an's gaze on her face, shoulders, and body. It wasn't fierce, but it carried an unsettling scrutiny.

She lowered her head slightly, hiding her face in the shadows, unsure of what to do with her hands and feet. Her heart was pounding, and she just wanted Chen Qing to come back soon.

Those few dozen seconds felt like an eternity.

Finally, footsteps sounded outside the door, and Chen Qing pushed the door open and came in carrying a thermos.

The tension, oppression, and inescapable discomfort that Zhou Yufei felt vanished completely in an instant.

After exchanging a few more polite words, the two hurriedly took their leave.

As she reached the hospital entrance, Zhou Yufei couldn't help but turn back and look up at the ward building.

The window was drawn with pale blue curtains, and only a blurry figure could be seen standing quietly behind the curtains.

Her heart tightened suddenly, and she became inexplicably certain—that was Li Jing'an.

She even had the illusion that, even through the thick curtains, she could feel his gaze fixed firmly on her back, unmoving.

A chill crept up my back.