As the autumn chill deepened, Zong Yan put away the clattering old electric fan.
The nights were starting to feel cold, so Zong Yan chose a clear day to bring out the quilts and hang them on the balcony to air out. She sat in the living room, focused on her computer, drafting designs.
On the balcony, Si Jiang rhythmically patted the quilts. His master had said this would make them fluffy. He worked absentmindedly, feeling the warm sun soak into him, and soon, drowsiness began to set in.
With a yawn, Si Jiang gave the quilt one last pat and turned back into the living room. He sat on the floor, leaning against Zong Yan’s chair, preparing to nap. The clicking of Zong Yan’s mouse and the tapping of her keyboard sounded like a hypnotic ASMR track; enveloped by this regular, crisp sound, he closed his eyes in peace.
"Si Jiang."
Someone was calling him.
"Wake up."
It was Zong Yan. He snapped awake, his misty eyes looking up at the person gazing down at him.
"What’s wrong?"
"The generator is out of fuel. I’m taking the computer out."
"Ah." Si Jiang sat up straight and looked around. It seemed there was a power outage.
After Zong Yan finished speaking, she began packing her things to head out. Si Jiang followed closely behind her, asking, "When will you be back?"
"I don't know. I need to finalize the framework for these drawings today. I'll come back when I'm done."
"..."
"What’s with that expression?"
"Will you be done before dark?" Si Jiang asked softly, his expression looking very much like an insecure puppy.
Zong Yan frowned and checked the time. It was already past four in the afternoon; it would definitely take her more than three hours to finish. By the time she returned with diesel, it would be long past dark.
Seeing her frown, Si Jiang immediately tried to fix it. "It’s fine, I was just asking. Go do your work, don't mind me." He waved his hand, feigning nonchalance. "I’m actually still a bit sleepy. I’ll go to sleep after you leave. By the time I wake up, you should be back. I’ll tidy up the living room while it’s still light out. Oh, and the quilts—I’ll remember to bring them in. I haven't forgotten what you said about bringing them in before dusk, otherwise they’ll get damp."
Over the past few months, Si Jiang’s hair had grown quite a bit. His original hairstyle had been a side-parted undercut, but now the ends reached down to his neck, and his bangs hung in thin strands over his forehead. Combined with his slightly curved, slender neck, he looked soft and obedient.
Zong Yan found Si Jiang quite likable like this, so she reached out and ruffled the hair on his crown. It felt fluffy yet somewhat coarse.
"Come with me."
"Huh?" Si Jiang pointed at himself in disbelief. "Me? Go out? No, I don't want to. I don't want to go out. I didn't mean I wanted to go out." He refused almost instinctively. "I said it before—I won't try to run away anymore. I’ll stay home and wait for you to come back."
"Right, the quilts. I need to go bring in the quilts now."
Zong Yan watched him suddenly become busy, darting left and right, simply refusing to face her words. She didn't get angry or explain; instead, she went into her stepfather’s room, found an athletic jacket, and threw it over the head of the man scurrying about.
"Put it on. You're coming out with me."
Si Jiang looked grief-stricken. "Are you going to abandon me?"
"Shut up. Change your clothes."
Once they reached the ground floor, Si Jiang was still dragging his feet, refusing to step out of the building's exit. He was firmly convinced that this was a test from Zong Yan. He would absolutely not fall for it.
These past few days had been remarkably peaceful. He had slowly learned Zong Yan’s temperament and hadn't done anything to displease her. Consequently, she had been very good to him. Even at night, if he had a nightmare, Zong Yan would put the leash on him, and he would be able to fall asleep peacefully.
Zong Yan pulled a cord from her bag. Si Jiang’s gaze immediately fell upon it. "My leash?" He tilted his head in confusion. Why did she bring his leash out?
"Come here." Zong Yan made a gesture.
Si Jiang had no choice but to lean in, lowering his head to skillfully have the restraint fitted.
"I’m holding the leash; you can’t run." After saying that, Zong Yan pulled out a blindfold and had Si Jiang cover his eyes.
The sudden prospect of going out, combined with the loss of his sight, made him feel anxious and restless, yet he could not disobey her orders.
"Follow me. Trust me." Zong Yan walked down and tugged the leash.
She saw Si Jiang reluctantly—as if he were about to walk through fire and brimstone—finally take a step forward.
"Good boy." The woman’s cold voice sounded like she was coaxing a child. "A well-behaved pet will receive a reward from the master."
Zong Yan used this method to lead Si Jiang almost all the way to the street. Only in a deserted corner did she put the leash away. She wasn't so indifferent to the gaze of others that she would engage in such strange play in public.
"Take the blindfold off."
Si Jiang hesitantly lifted the blindfold, and the familiar yet strange scenery came into view. This was... a commercial street in the city. He stared blankly at the scene before him.
So, the city had already recovered to this extent. If it weren't for some buildings still under repair, he would have forgotten that a severe earthquake had occurred here.
So, had Zong Yan lied to him before? Letting him believe the familiar world had turned to ruins? No. Thinking back carefully, Zong Yan hadn't answered him at the time. It was his own wild imagination and deductions. Zong Yan hadn't lied to him; the master wouldn't lie to him.
"Let's go. To that milk tea shop." Zong Yan carried her backpack, preparing to leave the alley.
Si Jiang stood behind her, his heart beginning to race. It wasn't excitement or joy; it was resistance and fear. But Zong Yan’s decisions would not change because of him. If he didn't want to be left behind, he could only follow.
He lowered his head and pulled the zipper of his jacket to the very top, the collar almost touching his chin. Only his face and hands were exposed.
"Master."
Zong Yan looked back. "?"
"Can I have a mask?"
She saw Si Jiang covering his face with his hand, his features hiding an inferiority she had never seen before.
***
Inside the warmly decorated milk tea and coffee shop, two staff members were busy behind the counter. Business was decent, mostly relying on nearby students and regular customers. Because it was a small business with limited staff, the owner hadn't considered starting a delivery service yet. There were several seats in the shop; if you ordered a drink or a dessert, you could sit there all day.
Zong Yan had worked a summer job here after the college entrance exams.
Yang Jing and her friends were regulars here. They lived on this street and had visited this shop countless times since they were children. Whenever they couldn't think of a new place to go, they would just meet here, order coffee or milk tea, bring some outside food, and spend the whole day gossiping.
This was also Yang Jing's first year of university. Since she attended a local college, she often slipped back home on weekends to hang out with friends. In high school, "early romance" had been forbidden, but she had already secretly dated several guys—the good-looking ones in class, members of the school basketball team, even some delinquents. None of the relationships lasted long, though. Yang Jing always felt they were missing something; it was fine when the initial rush was there, but she would quickly notice their flaws.
Now that she was in university, seniors were pursuing her. Case in point, one had followed her here today. The senior was decent-looking, so Yang Jing stirred her coffee and listened to him brag, nodding occasionally and feigning expressions of surprise and admiration.
She boredly scanned the people in the shop, her heart unmoved, until she saw a person sitting at a corner table.
*Damn! I need to message the girls right now.* How could there be such a "god-tier" guy in this crappy shop!
Yang Jing’s eyes lit up. Taking advantage of the senior going to the restroom, she stared directly at the man sitting alone in the corner. With her years of experience as a celebrity fangirl, she swore that even though he was wearing a mask and dressed plainly, based on his posture, aura, and the half of his face visible above the mask, he was definitely top-tier!
The surging excitement in her heart had already sent the senior to the back of her mind. No, meeting him was fate. He seemed to be alone, which meant he was likely single. She had to try.
Yang Jing pulled out her eyeshadow palette, checked her makeup, touched up her lipstick, straightened her bangs, and walked toward that table.
Si Jiang was huddled in the corner, his whole body tense. His hands were on his knees, his fingers digging into the bone as he struggled to regulate his breathing.
What should he do? He was the only one here now. Zong Yan said she was going to the restroom and told him to wait here obediently and not move. He wanted to follow her, but he was rejected.
"It's a public restroom; it’s not convenient for you to stand there."
Leaving him with those words, Zong Yan had gone, leaving him alone in his seat.
There were quite a few people in the shop, everyone wearing smiles and chatting with their companions. If it were the old Si Jiang, he would have already grown restless and picked a pleasant-looking girl to flirt with. But now, he was extremely sensitive to every voice that didn't belong to Zong Yan. That atmosphere of daily life and those inadvertent glances made him want to bolt and flee back to his home—the place that belonged only to Zong Yan and him.
*Just endure a bit longer, Si Jiang. Just a bit longer, and Master will be back.* Endure it; once Master finishes her work, she will take him home. Nothing bad will happen.
"Hello there, handsome."
Si Jiang looked up. A woman he didn't know was standing in front of him, less than half a meter away. She gave him a smile and sat down in Zong Yan’s seat.
"No one’s here, right? Can I sit?"
Si Jiang’s eyes shifted to the opposite seat. Why was she sitting in Master’s spot?
"It’s like this—I noticed you just now and wanted to see if we could get to know each other. Can I add you on WeChat?" Yang Jing confidently pulled out her phone and opened her QR code. She wasn't bad-looking and had never been rejected when approaching someone.
But the handsome guy opposite her seemed like a robot that couldn't understand human speech, staring blankly at her hand.
*What’s wrong with my hand? Oh, there’s a computer on the table.*
"I don't have WeChat."
She heard the handsome guy reply coldly, and her face instantly stiffened. No WeChat? What kind of lazy, perfunctory rejection was that? How could there be a young person these days who didn't use WeChat? Did he look down on her that much? Was she, Yang Jing, so ugly that a guy wouldn't even give her that much face?
A spark of anger flared in her heart. Yang Jing asked crossly, "Handsome, are you joking?"
Si Jiang felt like he was suffocating. Why was she still talking to him? What if Master came back?
"I don't have it. Please get up; this seat is taken." He spoke stiffly.
Yang Jing stomped her foot in anger, grabbed her bag, and stood up. "Taken by who? You only ordered one coffee. Who are you trying to fool?"
"Honestly, no chivalry at all."
At a time like this, a normal man would usually say sorry to show his magnanimity. But Si Jiang remained motionless, standing his ground like a block of wood.
The more Yang Jing thought about it, the angrier she got. She felt she must have misjudged him; maybe the guy was actually hideous under that mask. Her previous guess was just an illusion.
"Yang Jing, why did you leave your seat?" The senior had returned at some point and found her here. He glanced at Si Jiang and froze, immediately feeling a strong sense of threat. "Junior, who is this? Your friend?"
*No way.* This guy looked nearly 1.9 meters tall, while he was barely over 1.7, even though he claimed to be 1.8.
Yang Jing’s expression was sour. "Don't know him."
"Oh." The senior secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then suddenly realized something was wrong. If she didn't know him, why was she so close? Was he about to have his girl stolen?
He looked at Si Jiang warily. The more he looked, the more insecure he felt. Based on his knowledge of men, this guy’s physical "assets" must be incredible. If he really competed for Yang Jing, what chance would he have?
However, the clothes this guy was wearing were both tacky and old; he was relying entirely on half a face and his height. No matter how good-looking a poor guy was, he wouldn't necessarily be competitive, right?
But his junior’s eyes were still glued to the man.
The senior felt frustrated. Seeing Si Jiang wearing a mask and looking evasive, and noticing the faint scars near his temples, a bold guess suddenly popped into his mind: *Could this guy be wearing a mask to hide his ugliness?*
His mind raced, and he forced a smile. "Brother, I’m from Polytech. How about you?" As he spoke, he reached out as if to shake hands, then suddenly diverted his hand in mid-air, grabbing at Si Jiang’s mask. "Brother, it looks like you’ve got something dirty here. Let me help you check."
Si Jiang didn't react in time, and the mask fell halfway. He instinctively covered his face with his hand, looking at the pair before him. He saw the two of them staring at his face in shock, their expressions filled with utter astonishment.
Si Jiang’s heart sank to rock bottom.
"And here I thought he was handsome. Turns out he’s a scar-face. Unbelievable, what a waste of my time."
"Junior, don't say that. This might be his trauma."
"Look at this brother; his family probably isn't doing well. He probably didn't have the money to treat his face after the injury. What a shame."
The man’s hypocritical words and the woman’s disgusted gaze were like two venomous snakes standing before Si Jiang, hissing poison at him. Si Jiang’s hand trembled as he tried to pull the mask back on.
"Poor guy, ugly guy, and he had the nerve to reject me." He heard the girl, who had been full of charm just moments ago, mutter under her breath.
A surge of rage rose in his heart, but it was quickly suppressed by a heavy depression. What was there to argue about? He really was ugly now.
Si Jiang silently put the mask back on, sitting there like a stone, giving no reaction. No matter how handsome or spirited his features were, paired with his current dull, lifeless eyes, they held not a shred of attraction.
Yang Jing wanted to throw in one last sour remark to salvage her pride after being rejected by an "ugly guy," but a flat, cold voice suddenly came from behind her: "Please move. You're blocking my way."
Before she could react, she and the senior were pushed aside. The person’s strength was so great she nearly fell.
"Who are you? Pushing me like that!" Yang Jing snapped.
Zong Yan ignored her and sat in her seat. She immediately received a burning gaze from her pet. Her eyes softened for a moment, and she reached out, removing Si Jiang’s mask.
"Don't wear it. I ordered a latte for you; it’s coming."
Si Jiang nodded with a hint of surprise. "Yes, thank you, Mas—you." In an instant, he threw the two of them to the back of his mind, a brilliant radiance erupting on his face.
Zong Yan tucked the mask into her backpack and then turned to the two people standing nearby. "We’re going to be busy. If you have nothing else, please don't disturb us."
So the seat really was taken.
Yang Jing’s face flushed red instantly. She grabbed the senior and turned to leave. *Damn, he really was taken.* The two of them actually matched quite well; both had flaws on their faces.
But... that guy was actually still very good-looking. Setting aside the scars, especially after the woman appeared, he had instantly come alive from a state of stagnant water. Truly... her eyes hadn't deceived her. But, a poor guy, and already taken—forget it.
Zong Yan opened her computer and plugged it into the outlet, quickly entering work mode.
Si Jiang held the freshly delivered latte, sipping it mouthful by mouthful, secretly watching Zong Yan. If this were in the past, he would have only found the taste cheap. But after so much time had passed and his life had undergone such earth-shattering changes, this sugar-free coffee actually tasted sweet to him.
He moved his chair, slowly getting closer to Zong Yan, and for the first time, glanced at the content on the screen.
He said in shock, "CAD?"
Zong Yan’s operation was extremely skilled; Si Jiang couldn't even keep up with her train of thought. Although they had to learn CAD in their Architecture and Design major, they were just university students—most just coasted to get the certificate and wouldn't truly study CAD drafting until they started working.
But looking at the level displayed on Zong Yan’s computer, she was already countless times stronger than them.
For a moment, Si Jiang’s heart was a mess of emotions. He knew Zong Yan had good grades, but he had never really cared, thinking she was just a nerd. If he were willing to study, he could reach her level too. But those were his old thoughts.
How many university students could draft as skillfully as Zong Yan? He remembered her mentioning selling drawings and working; she had likely already earned a lot of money for herself using this skill. Him? He couldn't compare at all. This had little to do with just "studying" anymore.
"Master, you’re amazing," Si Jiang remarked from the bottom of his heart.
Zong Yan only spared him a glance, giving no reaction. Si Jiang wasn't sad; he focused on watching Zong Yan draw. As he watched and watched...
His arm felt warm.
Zong Yan looked down. Her pet had fallen asleep by her hand.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 三七分侧背 | Side-parted undercut / 70/30 side-parted slick-back | A common modern men's hairstyle. |
| 天菜 | God-tier / Exactly my type | Slang for someone who is exceptionally attractive or a perfect match. |
| 理工大 | Polytech / University of Science and Technology | Short for a technical university. |
| 拿铁 | Latte | |
| 疤子脸 | Scar-face | A derogatory term for someone with facial scars. |
