Just because I wrote "Zhu Xian," the school beauty sent me razor blades.

One week later, on the high-speed train.

The afternoon sun slanted in through the car window, making people feel a little dazed. Gu Zhiwan leaned on Lin Yuan's shoulder and fell asleep after a short while. Her eyelashes trembled gently, and her breath fell on his sleeve, even and light.

Lin Yuan didn't move.

She quietly raised a hand to block the direct sunlight from shining on her face.

He maintained the position, and time passed little by little. He looked down at her sleeping profile, his eyes filled with a quiet, unpretentious gentleness.

Gu Zhiwan was half asleep when she unconsciously snuggled closer to him and clutched his sleeve.

Lin Yuan slightly relaxed his back to make her more comfortable, and remained motionless in the position.

The passenger next to him got up and walked by. He glanced up and gave a subtle nod. The other person understood and walked quietly. Lin Yuan's gaze returned to her and did not look away.

She slept soundly, occasionally making small movements; her fingers, gripping her sleeve, would sometimes tighten and sometimes loosen, as if she were having a very serious dream.

She didn't know how much time had passed, but half-asleep, she mumbled something, indistinct yet clear: "Don't wander off... wait for me to go home together."

Lin Yuan paused for a second, then looked down at her. Her eyes were still closed, and her brows were slightly furrowed, as if she were earnestly explaining something in her dream. Her expression was less playful and more serious than usual.

He leaned closer, his voice so low that only she could hear it.

"I won't leave, I'll stay with you forever."

Gu Zhiwan muttered something, her brows relaxed, and she drifted back into a deep sleep, her sleeves still tightly clenched.

The scenery outside the car window receded frame by frame, the sunlight still slanting, Lin Yuan remained in that position blocking the light, sitting and watching her without saying a word.

He had a photo on his phone, which he casually took when her hair was a mess on the boat. At that time, she was wrinkling her nose and picking at her hair, half of her face was covered by her hair, the sunlight was shining from behind, and the river breeze was blowing. That moment was very short, but he captured it.

He plans to set it as his lock screen.

Don't tell her.

Gu Zhiwan slowly woke up as the high-speed train pulled into the station. She squinted at the station sign, her voice still sleepy, and mumbled, "Have we arrived?"

"arrive."

She slowly loosened her grip on her sleeve, sat up straight, rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, turned to look at him. His hair was a little messy from sleeping, and there were still some marks on his face from the pillow.

How long did I sleep?

"More than an hour."

"You're not asleep?"

Lin Yuan didn't say anything, but casually tidied her loose hair.

The flow of people exiting the station pushed the two forward. Lin Yuan took the bag from her shoulder, and Gu Zhiwan followed. Once outside the station, the noise of the city hit them, bustling and lively, completely different from the mist and river sounds of the ancient town, but it wasn't too hard to get used to.

"Come on, let's go to my house for dinner," Lin Yuan said calmly, as if it were something that had been planned long ago. "My parents have been wanting to meet you for a while now."

Gu Zhiwan paused for a second, then looked up at him.

He had already taken two steps forward and turned his head to wait for her.

Gu Zhiwan snapped out of her daze, took a few quick steps to catch up, and her heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason.

Meeting the parents.

She mentally went over those three words, her ears secretly warming, but she didn't stop walking, following him forward. After a couple of steps, she couldn't help but turn her head and ask, "Did you tell them beforehand?"

"I said so."

"What did you say?"

"I said I'd bring you back for dinner."

Gu Zhiwan pursed her lips and asked again, "That's it?"

"That's it." Lin Yuan glanced down at her, his tone flat. "What's wrong, nervous?"

"No." She looked away, took half a step forward, and spoke in a slightly softer voice, "I was just asking."

Lin Yuan didn't speak, but his lips twitched slightly.

Gu Zhiwan stared ahead, her ears still red, her fingers clenching nervously in her pocket. Her mind was a little agitated, but her steps were steady as she followed him step by step.

Lin Yuan's home is in the west of the city, in a quiet neighborhood. He took out his keys to open the door on the third floor, and the aroma of food wafted out.

As soon as the door opened, Jiang Wanqing's voice came from the kitchen: "You're back? Come in quickly, the food will be ready soon."

Gu Zhiwan followed her through the door, changed her shoes, and looked up to meet Jiang Wanqing peeking out from the kitchen.

The two women stared at each other for a second. Jiang Wanqing's eyes lit up. Still wearing her apron, she walked over with a smile: "You must be Zhiwan? Come in and sit down, don't stand."

Gu Zhiwan instinctively straightened her back and greeted her respectfully, "Hello, Auntie."

"Okay, okay." Jiang Wanqing pulled her hand and walked inside, glancing back at Lin Yuan. "Go and call your dad out. Don't leave that girl standing there like that."

Lin Yuan responded and walked inside. Gu Zhiwan was pulled by Jiang Wanqing to sit down at the dining table. Her palms were still a little warm, and she quietly exhaled.

Thankfully, it wasn't that scary.

There were seven or eight dishes on the table. Jiang Wanqing hadn't stopped eating since Gu Zhiwan sat down, picking up ribs, fish, and stir-fried vegetables with her chopsticks. Gu Zhiwan's bowl was always full.

"Auntie, I can do it myself—"

"It's your first time here, don't be so polite." Jiang Wanqing smiled and put another piece of sweet and sour pork ribs on her plate. "Try this, it's Lin Yuan's favorite dish since he was little, I made extra for him."

Gu Zhiwan took a bite from the bowl, her eyes lighting up. She said sincerely, "Auntie's ribs are so much more fragrant than those in restaurants. The sweet and sour ratio is just right."

Lin Yuan pushed a bowl of peeled shrimp next to her and said in a low voice, "You were complaining to me this morning about how bland the snacks in the ancient town were, and now you're all sweet-talking my mom?"

Gu Zhiwan subtly stepped on his foot, her expression remaining obedient: "I'm just telling the truth, Auntie's cooking is really good."

"You two have been out and about for several days," Jiang Wanqing said, ladling soup into Gu Zhiwan's bowl with concern. "You didn't get back to the guesthouse until dark every day. You had a great time, but staying up so late is bad for your health."

Lin Liguo took a sip of tea, looked at Lin Yuan, and said calmly, "When you go out for a trip, you should also manage your time well."

"Understood," Lin Yuan replied, casually serving Gu Zhiwan a bowl of pork rib soup and handing it to her. "Next time, pack your schedule earlier so you won't worry."

Gu Zhiwan held the warm soup bowl, her eyes crinkling slightly as she said, "Uncle, don't worry, we'll definitely return earlier next time."

Lin Liguo hummed in agreement, then lowered his head to drink his tea again, saying nothing more.

After cleaning up after dinner, Jiang Wanqing pulled Gu Zhiwan to sit on the sofa. The two sat close together, seemingly having endless things to talk about. Lin Yuan sat down at the coffee table next to them, picked up an orange, and began peeling it himself.

"This hair color is so beautiful," Jiang Wanqing said, holding Gu Zhiwan's hand and examining her closely, her tone revealing her delight. "She's also very well-behaved. I've been hoping Lin Yuan would bring a reliable girl home for a long time, and now that I see her, she's truly pleasing to the eye."

Gu Zhiwan's ears burned, and she secretly glanced at Lin Yuan, who was peeling an orange with his head down, looking very focused.

She looked away and said softly, "Auntie, Lin Yuan seems aloof, but he's actually very considerate. He always carries a comb with him when he goes out, and he combs my hair whenever the wind blows."

"That's only right." Lin Yuan held a peeled, seedless orange segment to her lips.

"Then shouldn't you be expected to receive death threats when you write novels?" Gu Zhiwan immediately retorted, turning to look at Jiang Wanqing, "Auntie, you don't know, he's really mean when he writes. He tortures his readers so much that they send him death threats. I've cried several times myself."

"Wow," Jiang Wanqing looked at Lin Yuan in surprise, "You've written a book like this?"

"Writing stories is one thing," Lin Liguo said casually, flipping through a newspaper on the other side of the sofa, "but one must treat others with sincerity."

Lin Yuan leaned closer to Gu Zhiwan, his shoulder gently touching hers, his voice low, just loud enough for her to hear: "Don't worry, the story will have sweet moments, and I'll only be gentle with you."

Gu Zhiwan didn't say anything, but quietly leaned closer to his shoulder.

Jiang Wanqing looked at the two people without saying a word, then turned her head and raised an eyebrow at Lin Liguo. Lin Liguo turned a page of the newspaper and twitched his lips in response.

The warm yellow light shone down in the living room. Gu Zhiwan leaned against Lin Yuan, with a peeled orange beside her. The night outside was deep, but the house was still bustling with activity. She suddenly felt that this home was easier to stay in than she had imagined.