I believe in you.

"Really?"

Xia Muzhu's eyes shimmered with tears as she gazed pitifully at Lin Yu.

Just as Lin Yu was about to respond with certainty, Xia Muzhu suddenly seemed to remember something. Her expression shifted—no longer sorrowful or tearful—as she swiftly raised her hand and pressed a finger against Lin Yu’s lips. Her voice was soft, husky, and sincere as she said,

"You don’t need to say anything."

"I believe you."

A flicker of confusion passed through Lin Yu’s eyes. He couldn’t understand why Xia Muzhu’s attitude had changed so abruptly.

Tears still glistened in Xia Muzhu’s deep blue eyes. Her pale pink lips parted slightly, her voice gentle, yet the words she spoke struck Lin Yu like a tolling bell, sending a tremor through his heart.

"I’ll never doubt you again."

"I’ll believe whatever you say."

"..."

"Heh."

Lin Yu chuckled, half-embarrassed, half-guilty.

Strangely enough, when faced with Xia Muzhu’s suspicions, Lin Yu could talk endlessly, weaving elaborate explanations without pause. But now, confronted with her unconditional trust, he found himself at a loss for words. Even opening his mouth felt difficult.

Silence lingered between them. Having just bared her heart, Xia Muzhu grew shy. She lowered her head, her delicate fingers unconsciously clutching and twisting the hem of her floral dress.

Beneath the dress, her slender, milky-white legs pressed tightly together, occasionally rubbing uncomfortably, as if she wasn’t entirely at ease.

"I... I’m going to take a shower," Xia Muzhu murmured, preparing to stand up.

But as she rose, her brows suddenly furrowed, and her body slumped weakly back onto the seat.

Their eyes met—an unspoken understanding passing between them.

Even someone as thick-skinned as Lin Yu flushed crimson. Xia Muzhu quickly averted her gaze, her ears burning so red they seemed about to drip blood.

"Let me help you," Lin Yu offered softly.

"Mm."

Xia Muzhu gave a tiny nod, not refusing.

Half-carrying, half-supporting her, Lin Yu guided Xia Muzhu to the bathroom door and considerately opened it for her.

Gripping the doorframe for balance, Xia Muzhu slowly stepped inside.

"You..."

Turning back to face Lin Yu, the blush on her face deepened visibly.

"You..."

"You..."

She stammered the word several times, unable to articulate what she wanted to say.

Finally, she pinned her hopes on Lin Yu, gazing at him expectantly, willing him to understand without her having to spell it out.

Lin Yu stared back, utterly clueless.

At her wit’s end, Xia Muzhu could only turn her face away and whisper,

"Go buy some medicine."

"Oh! Right!"

Finally catching on, Lin Yu swiftly turned and hurried downstairs.

After purchasing a box of emergency contraception at the pharmacy near the neighborhood, Lin Yu didn’t rush back.

The events of the day had left him reeling. Burdened with unease, he stopped by a nearby convenience store and bought a pack of cigarettes.

Payment made, he sat on one of the stone spheres at the entrance of the complex, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag.

The familiar burn traveled down his throat and into his lungs, bringing a faint sense of relief.

The strange, lingering discomfort in his body hadn’t faded, and his mind remained foggy. Trying to sort through everything that had happened proved futile.

After finishing the cigarette in a daze, Lin Yu got up, deciding to buy some food for Xia Muzhu before heading back.

Well.

Whether she was hungry or not didn’t matter!

What mattered was the gesture!

...

...

A sudden thought struck him. He pulled out his phone and checked the time.

Almost 3 p.m.

Hmm...

After all that, she probably was hungry by now...

He picked up some pre-cut fruit and a bag of millet before returning to Xia Muzhu’s apartment.

She had already finished showering and was now lying in her room.

Lin Yu placed the fruit on the nightstand, then headed to the kitchen to boil water, intending to show off his culinary skills.

Lin Yu’s cooking was... mediocre.

Very mediocre.

Falling squarely in the "below average" category for most people.

His dishes were edible, but not particularly tasty.

However, there were three things he could make decently—

Though "decently" might be stretching it.

They were just passable.

One was fried rice, another was shrimp congee, and the last was millet porridge.

Of the three, the shrimp congee was the least impressive.

But Lin Yu was fond of this simple, satisfying dish, so he shamelessly included it in his repertoire of "signature dishes."

This time, he planned to make millet porridge for Xia Muzhu.

As one of his "specialties," this porridge naturally wouldn’t be the same as the bland versions sold elsewhere.

This millet porridge had a secret ingredient—

Sugar!

Yes, adding white sugar to millet porridge was Lin Yu’s culinary masterpiece.

It might sound laughably simple, but a spoonful of sugar did transform the porridge into something far more delicious! (Note: This didn’t work with plain rice porridge—adding sugar to that just made it taste like laundry detergent!)

After rinsing the millet, Lin Yu dumped it into the rice cooker, closed the lid, and pressed start.

By then, the water had boiled.

He filled a large bowl with cold water, then poured a glass of hot water and placed it inside the bowl to speed up the cooling process.

Once the water reached a drinkable temperature, Lin Yu carried the emergency contraception and the glass into Xia Muzhu’s room.

She took the pill quickly, then burrowed under the covers, still too embarrassed to look at Lin Yu.

Not wanting to make her uncomfortable, Lin Yu excused himself, saying he needed to keep an eye on the porridge, and left to give her some space.

"Lin Yu."

Just as he was about to step out, Xia Muzhu called out to him.

"Yeah?"

He turned back, concerned.

"You’re leaving tomorrow, right?"

She asked the question but didn’t wait for an answer before continuing,

"You still have some money with me. If you’re leaving tomorrow, take it all with you."

"If it’s not enough, just let me know."

"..."

Lin Yu fell silent for a long moment before forcing a smile.

"No need."

"There were some things I had to take care of before."

"But not anymore."

"I... I can stay until a few days before university starts."

Hearing this, Xia Muzhu’s eyes brightened, her entire demeanor lifting with joy.

Lin Yu smiled back, then turned to leave again.

"Oh, one more thing."

Xia Muzhu suddenly asked,

"Which city are you going to for university?"

Lin Yu paused, his back still to her. After a beat, he replied softly,

"S City."