Zhou Wan guessed he had probably gone home, but to her surprise, he came back in just over ten minutes with two bottles of water in his hand.

He twisted one open and handed it to Zhou Wan.

Zhou Wan thanked him and took a sip, the water soothing her dry mouth and throat.

The green light of the emergency room stayed on. Outside, Zhou Wan sat while Lu Xixiao leaned lazily against the wall. The two of them were quiet, neither speaking.

Zhou Wan knew that, according to etiquette, she should tell Lu Xixiao to go home and that he didn't need to stay and wait with her.

But she simply didn't have the energy to spare to say it.

Besides that, there was another reason: she was afraid.

She was afraid that she would receive bad news today, that she was fated to be alone from now on. At the very least, as she faced this reality, there was someone there to accompany her.

As it turned out, Lu Xixiao was the best companion.

His presence was strong; just standing there, no one could ignore him.

He was also very quiet, standing silently to the side without being a disturbance.

Every minute and every second felt like torture, until the operating room light went out.

A nurse came out and said everything went smoothly.

All the strength left Zhou Wan's body. The taut string of her nerves finally slackened, and tears instantly began to stream down her face uncontrollably.

Next came a series of hurried tasks. Grandma was settled in a hospital room, and Zhou Wan went to Doctor Chen's office to ask about her condition.

Even late at night, the hospital was still full of people, a testament to the pain and suffering of the mortal world.

After handling all of this, Zhou Wan remembered she hadn't paid the surgery fee yet.

Doctor Chen raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You've already paid?"

Zhou Wan froze.

Doctor Chen pulled up the record on his computer. "Look, half a month's ward fees have been paid as well."

"But I didn't pay."

Just then, a nurse walked in. "It was the boy who was with you during the surgery. He went downstairs and paid for it."

Zhou Wan was stunned.

Lu Xixiao?

When he went downstairs, he didn't just buy water, he also paid her medical bills.

In that instant, a mix of complex feelings welled up in Zhou Wan's heart.

She asked the nurse for the amount so she could pay Lu Xixiao back, but she fell silent when she heard the number—she couldn't come up with that much money right away.

After leaving the office, Zhou Wan went to the hospital room to check on her grandma.

Lu Xixiao had paid for a private room.

The room was very quiet, perfect for getting a good night's sleep.

Grandma's anesthesia from the surgery hadn't worn off yet, so she wouldn't be waking up for a while. Zhou Wan poured a glass of water and placed it on her bedside table, then left the room and sent Lu Xixiao a message.

[Zhou Wan: Where are you?]

A moment later, Lu Xixiao replied.

[Lu Xixiao: Downstairs.]

Zhou Wan found him at the hospital entrance.

Smoking was prohibited inside the hospital, so the open area by the entrance had become a de facto smoking area. Lu Xixiao had a cigarette between his lips, but it wasn't lit. It bobbed up and down between his teeth. Bathed in the moonlight, his figure was tall, straight, and unrestrained.

"Lu Xixiao."

He turned his head but didn't speak.

"Thank you." Zhou Wan thanked him solemnly.

He gave a faint smile. "That's all you've said to me tonight."

"This time, it's to thank you for helping me pay the medical bills." Zhou Wan looked at him and said, "But I can't pay you back right away. Can I give it to you after I've gathered the money?"

"No need." He looked down, shielded the flame with one hand to light his cigarette, and replied nonchalantly, "Didn't you treat me to noodles?"

Zhou Wan was taken aback for a moment, then said softly, "But the difference is too great."

"It's the same thing."

Zhou Wan knew he wasn't short on money.

Perhaps those medical fees really were nothing to him, but she couldn't think that way. No one was obligated to help her.

It was just that Lu Xixiao seemed very different from what she had previously thought.

She had previously thought he was dissolute and carefree, a heartless philanderer who knew many unsavory friends, got into fights, indulged in debauchery, and treated life like a game—so open and casual that he didn't care about many people or things.

That was why she had tentatively wanted to use him to get revenge on Guo Xiangling.

After all, it was impossible for him to develop real feelings for her, impossible for him to be hurt.

If everything went smoothly according to her plan, it would only take one month—none of Lu Xixiao's girlfriends ever lasted more than a month.

In just one month, she could get her revenge on Guo Xiangling, and then she and Lu Xixiao could part on good terms, going their separate ways.

But now, she discovered that Lu Xixiao wasn't like he appeared on the surface.

He was actually very thoughtful, and he had even become her grandma's savior.

With the cigarette between his fingers, Lu Xixiao sat down on the edge of the steps and looked sideways at her. "Sit for a while."

Zhou Wan sat down beside him. She was a little reserved, her hands placed properly on her knees.

The autumn breeze felt comfortable against her skin, but her face, which had just been tear-streaked, felt a little dry. Zhou Wan wiped her face and said softly, "Lu Xixiao."

"Hmm?"

"Do you like being in relationships?" she suddenly asked.

Lu Xixiao turned his head, his gaze towards her becoming playful.

But Zhou Wan's gaze was calm and open, her eyes clear.

Lu Xixiao looked away and smiled faintly. "I don't."

"Then why do you have so many girlfriends?"

"I'm bored."

"Do you actually like them?"

He didn't answer, just gave a noncommittal, indifferent smile.

Zhou Wan understood his answer and changed the subject. "Aren't you going back yet?"

"Nah."

…

After a while, Zhou Wan asked again, "Why do you live alone?"

"Moved out a long time ago." Lu Xixiao said with a half-smile. "Besides, my dad brought a woman home. Out of sight, out of mind."

He was extremely direct.

Zhou Wan picked at a hangnail on her finger and accidentally made it bleed. She raised her hand to her lips and dabbed at it, the metallic taste of blood spreading in her mouth.

Her eyelashes trembled. "Do you hate that woman a lot?"

"That woman has nothing to do with me. I just can't stand the sight of Lu Zhongyue."

Lu Xixiao propped himself up with his hands behind him, leaning back with his chin tilted up. The lines of his jaw were smooth, his Adam's apple prominent—a sharpness that could kill without drawing blood.

Around them, people bustled in and out of the hospital, all in a hurry.

He said in a very calm voice, "Lu Zhongyue betrayed my mom and caused her death, so I can't bear to see him happy."

Zhou Wan froze.

She knew, of course, that his parents were divorced, but this was the first time she learned that his mother was gone.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, lowering her head.

Lu Xixiao looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Besides 'thank you' and 'I'm sorry,' do you know how to say anything else?"

…

Zhou Wan looked at the stars in the sky. It was foggy today, so the stars were dim and gloomy.

"Lu Xixiao." She looked at the brightest star, the North Star, as if trying to find her way forward. "Then what if… someone betrayed you? What would you do?"

Lu Xixiao glanced at her, smiled, and answered half-jokingly, nonchalantly, "I'd kill her."