Not a Couple, but...

Realizing that it wasn't love was the first step to truly understanding love—and being loved.

For Bai Yuyou, who had been wandering in confusion, grasping that the bond between her and Ye Shuang wasn’t marital love, but something akin to familial affection, marked a moment of growth. Aunt Li, aware of this truth, had privately nudged the young girl toward this realization—though the rest would have to come from Bai Yuyou herself.

At three in the morning, even the city lights beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows had dimmed by seventy or eighty percent. A full moon hung high in the sky, flickering behind wisps of cloud.

On the apartment sofa, the long-haired girl nestled against the man, her head resting on his shoulder. As she digested Aunt Li’s words, the haze in her heart seemed to lift slightly, as if a corner had been wiped clean by a silk cloth. Just then, Ye Shuang murmured groggily, "Thirsty..."

Bai Yuyou rose slowly to fetch water.

"Ye Shuang... water..."

In his daze, Ye Shuang reached out, but his fingers failed to grip the glass—a crisp shatter echoed as the cup hit the floor, water splashing and glass fragments scattering everywhere.

The sharp sound seemed to clear some of the fog in Ye Shuang’s bleary eyes. He pressed a hand to his forehead and sat up slowly.

"Sorry, I’ll clean it up."

"Ye Shuang... I’ll do it." Bai Yuyou pressed him back down with a gentle hand.

She fetched a mop and broom, her movements clumsy and unpracticed, yet meticulous. Watching her from behind, Ye Shuang couldn’t help but smile. By the time he blinked, she had already finished cleaning and returned with a fresh glass of water.

Meeting her concerned gaze, Ye Shuang chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Sorry for making you take care of me."

After downing the water, he felt noticeably better.

"What’s wrong? Why keep staring at me like that?" Ye Shuang asked, noticing her lingering gaze.

Bai Yuyou hesitated, then said, "Ye Shuang..."

"Yeah?"

"Am I... stupid?"

The sudden question caught Ye Shuang off guard, but he replied, "You’re not stupid. You just need more time."

Her lashes lowered. "But... Ye Shuang, my time... might not be enough..."

"Silly, you’re so young. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you. Don’t talk nonsense." He reached out and lightly flicked her forehead.

"I’m slow... very slow... but Ye Shuang promised... to wait for me..."

Ye Shuang paused, recalling his past words. He pinched her cheek lightly. "Yeah, I’ll wait."

"Then... when I grow up, we’ll get married."

"Because... we’re not married now."

Her words froze Ye Shuang for a few seconds. "Did Keke teach you that?"

Bai Yuyou shook her head.

"Who did?"

Again, she shook her head. Her calm voice carried an undercurrent of resolve. "I want to be with Ye Shuang forever. I’m slow... but... I want to be with Ye Shuang forever."

"To stay together... always."

"Even if we’re not married now, I’ll work hard..."

"To learn what love is..."

Ye Shuang was certain now—someone had spoken to her. Who was it? Chen Hai and the others? Or Fugui?

"Yuyou." He stroked her hair, silky as satin.

"Hm?" She looked up.

"Silly, what you just said to me—that’s love." He smiled. "Maybe not romantic love, but it’s pure, flawless, just like you."

"The most beautiful thing in this world."

"Thank you for your feelings." His voice softened. "No need to rush. I’ll wait for you until you truly grow up."

"Even if... you’re very, very slow."

"It’s okay..."

......

The night passed without further words.

When Ye Shuang woke, he found himself still on the sofa, the scent of cooking oil drifting to his nose. Rubbing his eyes, he spotted a familiar figure in the kitchen—her waist-length hair tied into a ponytail, a spatula in hand as she focused on the frying pan.

"Yuyou?" Seeing Bai Yuyou making breakfast, Ye Shuang sat up, only for a sharp pang to shoot through his head.

He’d really overdone it last night.

Rubbing his temples, he grimaced at the throbbing ache of a hangover. Fragments of memory returned—being helped home by Yuyou, the words they’d exchanged.

The girl—no, Yuyou—had finally understood their relationship.

They weren’t married.

She’d grown up.

A bittersweet warmth filled Ye Shuang as he watched her. The more mature her thoughts became, the less he saw her as a child. He’d even caught himself imagining their future, though he shook his head with a self-mocking chuckle and stood.

"Ye Shuang..."

"Why are you making breakfast today?" he asked.

Flipping a sunny-side-up egg, Bai Yuyou murmured, "Need to learn... for when we get married..."

Then, her gaze flicked to him. "Because we’ll be married... someday."

Ye Shuang: "..."

Had anything really changed?

No...

"Then what are we now?" he asked.

Bai Yuyou pondered, then answered seriously, "My phone says... you’re my sugar baby..."

"But... what’s a sugar baby?"

Ye Shuang: "..."

He’d have preferred "kept man" or even "husband."

Whatever.

With a resigned laugh, he felt oddly lighter. "Sure, whatever you say."

At least she was starting to act like a proper young woman.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Ye Shuang opened the door to find Tang Keke grinning outside. "Yo, morning, bro!"

"Morning." As Ye Shuang stepped aside, Keke’s eyes landed on Bai Yuyou in the kitchen. Her brows shot up. "Whoa, what’s the occasion? Yuyou’s cooking breakfast?"

"I drank too much last night, so she took over," Ye Shuang explained. "Come in."

"Okey-dokey!"

Keke plopped onto the sofa, scooping up the noticeably rounder Xiao Yiwang. As the cat kneaded her lap, she giggled. "You’ve gotten chubbier, Yiwang."

"Meow!"

Glancing toward the kitchen, Keke noticed Ye Shuang leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching Bai Yuyou with tender amusement as the girl—now in an apron—stood guard over the stove, spatula at the ready.

It was such an ordinary scene, yet something about their dynamic made Keke look twice.

Had the air between them... shifted?