Chi Yu declined Yao Tao’s kind invitation: "No, thank you, I prefer peace and quiet."
Alright then.
Yao Tao said no more, picked up the shopping basket, and prepared to get busy in the kitchen.
No one had co by today; presumably, everyone was either at ho for New Year’s Day or visiting more picturesque places.
The sky was a dreary gray, and the damp sll was getting stronger—it was about to rain. Chi Yu bent down to pet the two tabby cats before standing up to head back to his room.
Gu Yuan’s room wasn’t locked; just push down the handle, and the door would open.
Chi Yu paused outside the door, unable to restrain himself, he went in after all.
The room had been unoccupied for quite so ti; it was hastily tidied up yesterday. Her presence was minimal; the suitcase wasn’t opened, and a bag rested on the cabinet.
Chi Yu went to the bedside; the blanket held a trace of Yuanyuan’s scent, as did the pillow. He longed to lean in and sll it, and in fact, he did.
He seed like the ultimate obsessive, like a madman, unwilling to part with any of her possessions, loath to ever be apart from her.
If only he were truly dead, that would be so much better.
But here he was, clinging to a fragile existence, with his days numbered, unable to stay by her side.
Outside, it had started to drizzle, the raindrops pit-pattering against the window; the two succulent pots were getting wet. Chi Yu got up to bring them inside.
Outside the window hung Gu Yuan’s intimate clothes she washed and hung this morning. Without hesitation, Chi Yu brought the clothes in from the rack.
On the rack was a set of underwear, black lace, Gu Yuan’s favorite series—she wore it for comfort and fondness.
Chi Yu had washed Gu Yuan’s intimate clothes by hand many tis.
Initially clumsy, ruining a set with each wash, until over ti he beca skillful, no longer needing Gu Yuan to check his work.
He didn’t glance at them much before hanging the intimate clothes up.
Thud thud thud-
Hurried footsteps sounded from the stairs.
Chi Yu’s face darkened; running out in haste might seem suspicious if seen, but there was no ti. He placed his hand on the doorknob.
"Why are you here??!"
Yao Tao’s breathless questioning ca through; Chi Yu closed the door: "The landlady’s door was open. I saw the room was empty, so I just closed it."
"Oh, I see, thank you." Yao Tao had a pretty good impression of Chi Yu, apart from his aloof deanor. Hearing it was just him closing the door, she didn’t suspect anything and even thanked him.
It started raining; Yao Tao hurried upstairs to close the windows for the landlady and collect clothes if there were any.
Upon entering, she saw the window was closed, intimate clothes were hanging on the rack, and the two succulents were brought in.
"The landlady is foresighted, knowing it would rain and bringing everything in beforehand." Yao Tao realized her worry was unwarranted and left the room.
The figure outside the door had vanished.
When Gu Yuan returned, she was a bit wet—the rain started halfway back.
Lu Tinglou took off his coat to shield her; Gu Yuan thanked him, then quickened her pace, running ahead, leaving Lu Tinglou with a helpless expression.
Back at the bed-and-breakfast, her hair was sowhat damp, her shoulders too, but it wasn’t severe. She didn’t wipe her hair first but instead took out her phone to call Sheng Yi.
At that mont, Sheng Yi was already on her way to Ancient Water Village. Her assistant was driving, and she was drowsy in the backseat.
Sheng Yi had inford Gu Yuan before setting off. Now, receiving Gu Yuan’s call, she perked up: "Hello, Yuanyuan..."
"How far are you? How much longer to Ancient Water Village?" Gu Yuan asked.
Sheng Yi asked her assistant Han, "How much longer do we have?"
Han replied, "Sister Yi, the GPS shows about twenty kiloters left, should be about an hour."
Sheng Yi relayed to Gu Yuan on the phone, "Yuanyuan, I should be there in about an hour. What’s up?"
"Tell your assistant to drive slowly, it’s raining, the mountain roads are slippery, safety first," Gu Yuan advised.
Sheng Yi’s heart lted. Over the phone, she kept expressing affection, making Gu Yuan laugh: "Alright, waiting for you."
"Hmm hmm."
Yao Tao ca out and saw Gu Yuan’s hair was wet. She hurried to get a dry towel: "Your hair’s wet, why didn’t you call for an umbrella?"
Gu Yuan took the towel and patted her hair, smiling: "The rain wasn’t heavy, just a little moisture. I ran back, quickly."
"You dry your hair; I’ll get you a bowl of hot soup," Yao Tao turned back to the kitchen.
Gu Yuan said, "I’ll be upstairs."
A voice ca from the kitchen: "Okay—"
Back in her room, the first thing Gu Yuan did was collect her clothes. When she went out, she didn’t bring them in; the window was left open.
Upon entering, she found the clothes already gathered, the succulents moved in, and the window closed.
It must have been Yao Tao who collected the clothes and closed the window.
Gu Yuan got the hairdryer to dry her hair. Yao Tao ca in with hot soup: "Landlady, here’s the soup, radish soup I made. I chilled a few bowls earlier, the temperature’s just right now, drink it while it’s hot."
Gu Yuan put down the hairdryer, took the bowl to hold its warmth.
She took a sip: "It’s very light."
"Light is good; it’ll warm your whole body."
Gu Yuan drank half the bowl in one go and was about to set it down to finish later when Yao Tao remarked: "Landlady, you must have known it would rain today, you brought in the clothes and closed the window so early. You’re better than the weather forecast."
Gu Yuan hesitated: "Didn’t you bring in the clothes and close the window for ?"
"Huh?" Yao Tao was surprised, shaking her head: "No, when I ca up, your window was already closed, and the clothes were hanging inside."
Gu Yuan: "..."
Those were her intimate clothes, so if it wasn’t Yao Tao, who collected them?
Gu Yuan’s face turned cold, and she asked sternly: "Sister Yao, did you notice anyone going into my room?"
"Into your room... No one..." Yao Tao recalled the recent mont, pointing: "Oh, right, when I ca up to collect your clothes and close the window, the handso guy staying in that room was closing your door, saying your door was open... Wait, that’s not right..."
Yao Tao was startled, suddenly realizing: "It was him who went into your room!"
"Wasn’t he out? Didn’t he leave?" Gu Yuan rembered knocking on the door for a long ti this morning, but no one answered.
"He was there, never went out," Yao Tao explained moodily, "probably slept through it, didn’t hear you knocking. After you left, he woke up."
"I’ll go check. Sister Yao, go downstairs and get the key," Gu Yuan said, pushing past Yao Tao to urgently head to the corner room.
"Landlady, why do you need the key?" Yao Tao didn’t catch on imdiately.
Gu Yuan: "To forcibly open the door."
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