Why are you always thinking about dating me?

Lin An told Xu Qinghuan that he would go out at eight o'clock to sing with Luo Shuishui. Xu Qinghuan told him to go ahead, because she understood what Lin An was thinking.

So at 8:15, Lin An arrived at the KTV that Luo Shuishui had mentioned. He stood at the door and waited for a while, and saw Luo Shuishui, who had changed into a white dress and was carrying a wooden guitar on her back.

"Let's go." Luo Shuishui smiled at him.

Why did you suddenly think of singing?

"Because I had said before that I was going to busk at the mall with my friends, I felt a little embarrassed to practice at home, so I went out to practice."

Luo Shuishui replied, the evening breeze slightly lifting the hem of her skirt. Lin An hadn't noticed it before, but now he saw an expensive sports car parked there. "Did your family bring you here?"

No, I came by myself.

"But you've only been an adult for two months, how could you get your driver's license so quickly?"

“Yes, yes.” Luo Shuishui’s eyes held the cunning of a little fox. She led Lin An inside, as if she were quite familiar with this luxuriously decorated KTV. Luo Shuishui seemed to notice Lin An’s doubt and said softly, “My family owns it.”

"..."

Luo Shuishui led Lin An to a large private room, where fruit platters, soft drinks, and some snacks were laid out. Luo Shuishui took out a guitar from the bag, turned the accompaniment volume very low, took out her phone to copy the playlist she had selected, and then practiced the songs one by one.

Lin An began to doubt his purpose, since he seemed to be just there to make a cameo appearance. However, the watermelon in the fruit platter was very sweet, so he ate a few more bites. Watching Luo Shuishui play the zither and listening to her clear and melodious voice, which was neither too close nor too far, was quite pleasant to listen to.

He felt he should be a good listener, and he quite liked the atmosphere. Luo Shuishui was the kind of girl who was easy to get along with, while Su Yuejin…

That guy, it really is time for him to explode, isn't it? When he was playing games with her just now, Lin An could hear the dejection and emptiness in her voice, but he couldn't say anything to comfort her, because it would be pointless.

Unless she...voluntarily asks him for help.

Luo Shuishui sang for a while, then, probably a little tired, she leaned back on the sofa and pointed to another microphone on the table, "Sing with me."

"What do you want to sing?" Lin An asked helplessly. He added, "I'm tone-deaf."

"Well, let me think about it, what's wrong with that?" Luo Shuishui said.

"You listen to this too?"

"Why not listen? I like it, that's enough." She smiled gently, then tossed the guitar to Lin An. "I'm tired of playing, you take over."

"I don't know how." Lin An looked at her strangely.

Ke Luo Shui Shui's expression carried a hint of threat, "So you're trying to tell me that you wasted two years of guitar lessons in junior high school, is that it?"

"..." Lin An knew this guy must have been investigating him.

He reluctantly took the guitar. He had indeed learned it for a while, just as Luo Shuishui had said. His girlfriend at the time wanted to hear it, so he learned it. It was simple. Anyway, given his family's circumstances at the time, his adoptive mother spoiled him and let him go as he pleased.

Lin An played quite well, and Luo Shuishui sang softly. It was a very simple love song that many people were familiar with.

Lin An also really likes this song.

He and Luo Shuishui got along very well. It seemed like they were just there to sing karaoke, and they both sang happily. Lin An hadn't touched a guitar in a long time. At first, he always played the wrong notes, but now he was slowly getting the hang of it. Luo Shuishui's eyes sparkled with a mischievous light as she sat down next to Lin An, getting a little closer to him.

"What perfume are you wearing?" Lin An suddenly asked.

"I didn't wear perfume, I naturally smell nice."

"Really? I don't believe it."

"Try smelling it." Luo Shuishui winked at him.

Lin Anzhen lowered his head, his gaze falling on the girl's slender, fair neck. He took a gentle sniff and indeed smelled a faint floral fragrance, which smelled wonderful. However, Luo Shuishui's face turned slightly red. "You... are too close, you pervert."

"Oh? I'm sorry." Lin An hurriedly stepped back.

In front of her, he was often inexplicably innocent, because she was always like that, reminding Lin An of his past self, who didn't need to consider so many thoughts, didn't need to guess what the other person was thinking, and didn't need to live such a complicated life.

The Luo River is like a warm ray of light, inviting you to get closer, yet impossible to grasp.

"Okay, okay, I want to hear you sing. What can you sing?"

"Hmm, let me think... I'll sing you a folk song."

As he said this, he requested an instrumental version of a song by Guo Yuanchao.

Luo Shuishui sat obediently on the sofa, watching him softly play and sing, her eyes seemingly sparkling. This was pure appreciation, the image of the aloof yet strong and gentle boy she had first encountered.

Luo Shuishui also believed that he had always been that gentle and strong young man. She preferred to believe that whether it was Su Yuejin or Xiao Chacha, Lin An was passively drawn into this vortex. He didn't have that much greedy desire; rather, it was more like a redemption by extending a helping hand.

Who knows?

As Luo Shuishui thought this, she rested her chin on her hands and smiled gently.

..............................

in the bathroom.

There were still some water droplets on Su Yuejin's body. The bathtub water soaked her, and she just lay there blankly. The water was icy cold, but she would get used to it slowly. There was a small utility knife on the side of the bathtub, and the tip of the knife gleamed with a cold light.

She raised her fair arm high, and with her other hand she gripped the small utility knife, slowly lifting it up, her eyes shimmering with a hazy, dim light.

The scar had healed a long time ago and hadn't been reopened, but it wasn't pretty; it was especially ugly.

She stared blankly at the scar, her hands growing weak, and large, hot tears welled up in her eyes, dripping onto her delicate collarbone and sliding down her chest.

The girl just kept shaking her shoulders and crying silently, tears falling one after another, until her voice became hoarse and no more tears fell. But this crying did not release her inexplicable emotions. She flailed her arms and long legs in the water like a madwoman, splashing large sprays of water.

Finally, she stared blankly at the phone beside her. She grabbed the phone, found his number, but her fingertips kept trembling, unsure whether she should dial it.

She didn't want him to see her like this... vulnerable, sensitive, and seemingly crazy, and wonder if it would make him think she was even more difficult to deal with. She put the phone down again, but tears were still falling drop by drop.

Finally, as if she had made a decision, her fingers trembling, she dialed the number, held it to his ear, her voice still choked with sobs, "Lin An... Lin An... please come and keep me company... drink with me... chat with me... anything... please, please come and keep me company...?"

There seemed to be singing on the other end of the phone; the voice sounded somewhat like Luo Shuishui's.

Su Yuejin waited only a second before she said those words, but what she got in return was even more panic in her heart. Was he on a date with Luo Shuishui? Or with someone else...? Had she disturbed him...? She was so ridiculous... like a fool.

Su Yuejin hung up the phone.

..............................

Lin An heard Su Yuejin's words clearly. He put down his guitar and looked at Luo Shuishui, who had been singing and hadn't heard the phone call.

"I'm leaving now, Shui Shui."

"Where are you going? It's only ten o'clock, are you sleepy?"

"I need to go find Su Yuejin... She needs me, at least for now."

Luo Shuishui paused for a second or two, then tilted her head slightly. "Couldn't you have made up a reason? Why are you being so blunt with me..."

Lin An didn't wait for Luo Shuishui's reply. He had already walked out of the private room, or rather, he ran out. Luo Shuishui looked at his back, slightly confused, but still packed up her guitar and followed him out.

She walked over to Lin An's side, just as the elevator arrived. She followed Lin An inside and, noticing his slightly hurried demeanor, asked softly, "Is something urgent?"

Lin An tried to calm himself down and gave a soft "hmm". He needed to calm himself down because he didn't know what Su Yuejin's current situation was.

But Lin An had already guessed that Su Yuejin's emotions must be flawed, otherwise her love wouldn't have lasted so long. This sweet love would excite her and make her fall in love, but it would also become poison when she was depressed.

After the two went downstairs, Lin An saw that it was pouring rain outside. Lin An was a little anxious and couldn't help but curse under his breath. He went outside to look around, but there were hardly any taxis on the road.

"Water, water."

"Okay, okay, just tell me the address, I'll take you there. I'm a pretty good driver." Luo Shuishui looked at him helplessly, her voice gentle as she spoke. She opened her umbrella and led Lin An to the car, where they got in. Lin An sat in the passenger seat.

Lin An told her the address, and Luo Shuishui, in her flat shoes, stepped on the gas pedal with particular force. Lin An heard a slightly ear-piercing start-up sound. Luo Shuishui's expression was calm. She entered the address by voice and then drove off in that direction.

She drove very steadily, but also very fast, faster than Lin An had imagined. Ten minutes later, they arrived at Su Yuejin's building. Luo Shuishui stopped the car and handed the umbrella in her hand to Lin An.

"Remember to owe me a favor, okay?" she said. Lin An nodded and thanked her, then quickly opened the car door, ran towards Su Yuejin's building without an umbrella, took the elevator, went upstairs, opened the door, and shouted loudly into the room, "Su Yuejin!"

Lin An didn't have time to change his shoes before he went into the house. He didn't see Su Yuejin, and the living room light was still on. He ran to the bathroom door and opened it.

Su Yuejin also looked up blankly, her hand holding the small utility knife. This time, however, the tip of the knife was aimed at her slender, fair thigh. Fortunately, she hadn't slashed down yet.

Lin An walked towards her step by step.

Su Yuejin's shoulders trembled slightly. She stared blankly at him, tears streaming down her face. "You...why are you here?"

"I'm worried about you." Lin An sighed softly.

"Give me the knife." He said this without waiting for Su Yuejin's reply, then grabbed the knife from her hand and looked into her eyes.

"I'm sorry... Lin An... I'm sorry..."

"Do not blame you."

Lin An squatted by the bathtub, and Su Yuejin leaned closer. Lin An hugged her and gently stroked her hair. "It's not your fault...it's not your fault, you silly Su Yuejin."

"I'm here. Don't be afraid. Whatever you want to say or do, I'll be there for you. You're not alone; you still have me."

He ultimately chose to step into this vortex, a vortex he already knew about from the moment he saw the scar on Su Yuejin's inner arm.

Chapter Seventy-Four If

Su Yuejin leaned against Lin An's chest and burst into tears.

This time, the crying was no longer silent; it was an emotional outpouring. Lin An showed no impatience; he gently patted Su Yuejin's back to comfort her.

Su Yuejin cried for five or six minutes, but she didn't just cry; she also apologized to Lin An while crying, "I'm sorry... Am I really annoying... Lin An..."

"I've already said it, Su Yuejin, I'm by your side, and I'm willing to listen to whatever you say. This is a choice I made willingly, so I won't be annoyed. It's okay to cry for a while."

Looking at her red and swollen eyes, Lin An slowly got up from his arms. Lin An put down the small knife he had just snatched and placed it on the other side. He reached out and cupped her face in his hands.

"It's good to do something else when you're feeling down. It would be a shame to ruin such a beautiful body." He thought for a moment and added, "It would break my heart."

Su Yuejin bit her lip and nodded, but she felt even more like crying.

Her body was clean and clear, but her hair was soaking wet. Lin An spread out his hands towards her, and Su Yuejin stared blankly. She murmured, "I... I'm wet."

"Anyway, I'll be taking my clothes off soon, so it makes no difference."

So Su Yuejin hugged Lin An tightly. Lin An lifted her out of the bathtub and had her sit on a small stool. Lin An went to get her a towel and carefully wiped the water off her hair.

He didn't ask Su Yuejin why she was like this, but first stopped her from blaming herself. He gently comforted her, dried her hair a little, then turned on the hairdryer and dried her hair for her. He then got a towel to wipe the water droplets off her body.

"Come on, hug my neck."

Su Yuejin reached out in a daze and grabbed his neck. Lin An supported Su Yuejin's back with one hand and grabbed her knees with the other, carrying her out of the bathroom and into the room. He then put her on the bed and gently pulled the blanket over her.

Lin An sat down on the edge of the bed and gently reached out to pinch her cheek. "You need to calm down first."

As he said this, he moved closer to Su Yuejin. Su Yuejin sat up in bed, still covered by a blanket, but after getting his permission, she hugged his neck tightly and kissed his lips.

Until Su Yuejin vaguely felt as if she could hear her own heartbeat again.

“I’m here with you now, so there’s nothing to be sad about, Su Yuejin. You’re not alone anymore, I’m here.” Lin An gently stroked her long, black hair, then paused for a moment before saying, “I was actually a little surprised.”