The engagement was with the younger brother, but I've fallen for the older brother.

Si Yimian was held tightly from behind by him, so she couldn't see his expression.

She wanted to say something, but her throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and all her words were stuck in her throat.

Her memory started to fade; all she remembered was that he wouldn't stop.

Every time she was about to lose consciousness, he would pull her back.

He Sichen's hand never left hers, either holding her wrist or her waist, as if afraid that if he let go, she would be gone.

Later, she didn't even have the strength to lift her hand anymore. Like a piece of driftwood repeatedly washed ashore by the waves, she could only let him toss her over and over.

Finally, her consciousness ended at some vague point.

He Sichen watched her fall asleep before slowly releasing his arms.

He pulled the blanket up to cover her exposed shoulders.

The teeth marks on that shoulder blade have turned dark red, the teeth marks are intact, and they will turn bluish tomorrow.

But not as deeply as He Nanxian's bite.

He suddenly didn't know what he was gesturing to.

He Sichen brushed the strands of hair stuck to her face with sweat, then placed the back of his fingers on her face for a moment.

She was sleeping soundly.

His breathing was long and even, his lips were slightly parted, and his eyelashes remained still.

She looks completely different when she's asleep compared to when she's awake; she's so well-behaved, unlike the scheming Si Yimian she always was.

He lowered his head and whispered something in her ear.

The sound was so quiet that even the person making the sound wasn't sure if they had made any.

Si Yimian mumbled an "Mmm" in her sleep.

"What did you say?"

"It's nothing."

"sleep."

She turned over, snuggled into his arms, buried her face in his chest, mumbled something indistinctly, and then fell into a deep sleep again.

He knew she hadn't heard him.

Even if she heard it, she wouldn't understand.

This girl's brain is completely focused on climbing the social ladder; she has little time left for romance.

He Sichen straightened up and leaned back against the headboard.

After they finished, he would usually pull her into his arms, put his arm under her neck, bury his face in the top of her head, and they would sleep until dawn.

He didn't know what to do tonight.

My arms are free, and I don't know where to put them.

I want to hug her, but I'm also afraid that if I do, I won't want to let go.

A tight hug feels like a plea to stay, a loose hug feels like a farewell.

No matter what I do, it's wrong.

He leaned against the headboard, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Outside the window, the darkness changed to deep gray, and then to pale light.

I didn't sleep a wink all night.

At six in the morning, a grayish-blue light seeped in through the window.

Si Yimian turned over and reached to the side, but didn't touch anyone.

She stirred and opened her eyes a crack.

Through her blurry vision, He Sichen sat on the edge of the bed, his back to her, buttoning his shirt.

The fingers moved slowly and deliberately, one by one, from bottom to top.

Si Yimian rubbed her eyes and sat up. The blanket slipped down, revealing marks he had left on her collarbone last night.

"He Sichen..."

Her voice was hoarse; she cleared it and spoke again.

"My flight is at 3 PM today, will you come to see me off?"

He Sichen buttoned the top button, then paused for a moment.

A silence hung between the two of them for about five seconds.

Then he fastened the last cufflink and stood up.

"Won't."

There was no explanation, no turning point, no hesitation.

Si Yimian watched his retreating figure and pursed her dry lips.

"oh."

She lowered her head, pulled the blanket up a little, leaned back, and lay back down on the pillow.

What a scoundrel! If you're not going to send it, then don't.

"Then I won't see you out."

She was referring to herself.

He didn't take her to the airport, and she didn't see him off at the door.

Si Yimian turned over and suddenly pulled the blanket over her face, her nostrils filled with his scent.

He Sichen stood by the bed, looking down at the small tuft of flesh that had bulged up in the blankets.

She wrapped herself up like a cocoon, leaving only a section of her hair exposed, spread out on the pillow.

His right hand fingers curled up slightly, then slowly unfolded again.

I didn't touch it.

He put his hands in his trouser pockets, turned around, opened the door, and walked out.

Si Yimian heard his footsteps as he left the bedroom, walked through the living room, stopped in the entryway, and then the door clicked shut.

The whole room fell silent.

She opened her eyes. The ceiling light was off, but the morning light had already illuminated a small corner of the wall.

She stared at the light and suddenly felt her eyes welling up with tears.

Oh well, I wasn't expecting him to deliver it anyway.

She closed her eyes again, intending to sleep a little longer.

He Sichen stepped into the elevator and leaned against the elevator wall.

The watch hands point to 6:10.

He took his phone out of his pocket and checked his schedule for the day.

He stared at his phone screen.

My finger lingered on the screen for a long time.

Then he closed his schedule and opened another interface.

It's an app from an airline.

The Boston flight schedule had been sitting on it all night.

He didn't click on it; he locked the screen.

The elevator doors opened, and he stepped out.

……

International departures level, 1 p.m.

Si Congshan stood to the side, saying little but giving all the necessary instructions.

"Get a bank card as soon as you arrive, and get your apartment keys from a Chinese real estate agent. Don't try to argue with foreigners yourself."

"Call a police officer immediately if anything happens, don't try to tough it out on your own."

"Okay, Dad."

Looking at her readily agreeing expression, Si Congshan suddenly sighed.

There's nothing this girl hasn't been able to handle on her own since she was little.

He found his way back at fifteen, and at twenty-three, he silently applied to MIT.

Sometimes he felt that his daughter didn't need him to worry about her at all.

But then he felt that there was too little to worry about, which made him feel empty inside.

Ruan Qiutang walked over, straightened Si Yimian's collar, and paused her fingers above her collarbone.

There was a small patch of pale blue, mostly covered by foundation, but you could still see it if you looked closely.

Ruan Qiutang didn't say anything, she just pulled her collar up a little higher.

"When you get there, eat well."

Si Yimian looked at the thin layer of tears in Ruan Qiutang's eyes and reached out to hug her.

"Mom, two years will pass quickly."

Ruan Qiutang patted her on the back but didn't reply.

Huo Siyue jogged all the way from the arrival floor, holding a cup of Heytea in her hand and shoving it into Si Yimian's hand.

"Here you go! This is your last cup of Chinese milk tea."

Si Yimian looked down and said, "This is iced. I want a hot one."

"Oh, almost, almost."

Huo Siyue pulled her half a step to the side and lowered her voice.

Is he coming or not?

Si Yimian paused for a moment as she poked the cup lid with the straw.

He said he couldn't do it.

"Damn, you're really not coming?"

"Um."

Huo Siyue was silent for a moment, then hugged her again.

"You scoundrel, stop pretending."

Si Yimian took a sip of iced white tea, and her cheeks ached from the cold.

"Um."

Huo Siyue didn't reply, watching as she bit the straw until it was deformed.

Why are you biting the straw? Do you have a grudge against me?

"have."

Si Yimian's gaze unconsciously swept towards the entrance of the departure hall.

I didn't see anyone.

She looked away and took a sip of her milk tea.

The coolness of the ice slid down my throat, but the indescribable feeling in my chest remained.

Didn't I already say I wouldn't come?

What is she doing now?

How could a sophisticated egoist like her have developed such an unnecessary habit?

Si Yimian put down her milk tea, said goodbye to her parents and Huo Siyue, and then headed towards the security checkpoint.

OK, I mean what I say.

He didn't see her off, and she didn't look back.

Liars are dogs.

She took three steps, then turned back once more.

Hmm, woof.

The departure hall was bustling with people, but that person was nowhere to be seen.

She turned her head back, but didn't stop walking.