Chapter 43: Late Night Musings and a Morning Surprise

It was eleven o’clock at night.

Lin Yu gazed out of the window, lost in thought.

She had originally intended to study and complete some exercises that evening, but with Lin Chu’s arrival, her focus had inexplicably vanished.

Her gaze drifted past the narrow balcony and through the rust-laden security bars, settling on an old yet still luxuriant banyan tree in the distance.

She found herself recalling that winter beneath the banyan tree.

‘Now, what could he be doing?’

“Why are you feeling down again?”

Lin Chu’s voice drew her attention away.

Having just finished her shower, Lin Chu emerged into the living room dressed in her pajamas.

Lin Yu offered her a faint smile.

“Nothing, I was just reminiscing about old times.”

“What old times?”

“I won’t tell you.”

“Not even your own sister?” Lin Chu settled onto the sofa, chuckling softly.

“Is it about Zhong Tian?”

“…Can you read my mind?”

“Haha, you’re just too easy to read.” Lin Chu chuckled twice, then glanced at Lin Yu’s profile, asking softly, “Still not planning to give up?”

Lin Yu gently bit her lip, her gaze lifting to the ceiling.

“…I don’t know.”

Lin Chu scoffed.

“Not knowing simply means you still harbor hope.”

Lin Yu remained silent, her eyes fixed on the ceiling.

“Alright,” Lin Chu said, rising.

“It’s getting late.

Time to get ready for bed.”

“Mm.”

****

After countless attempts, Li Jianren ultimately failed to defeat the Golden Knight.

With a sigh, he slumped onto the sofa, eyes closed, and handed the controller to Zhong Tian.

“This is… my final ripple… Take it, Old Zhong!”

Zhong Tian, still munching on potato chips, didn’t take the controller.

“If even you, with your superior skills, couldn’t beat it, I won’t bother trying.”

Moreover, the bath she had just taken had left her feeling rather drowsy.

‘Well, I’ll go to sleep at midnight.’

“Want to play other games then?”

“Any fun ones you recommend?”

“None.”

Under Zhong Tian’s questioning gaze, Li Jianren scratched his head.

“To be honest, I don’t play often myself…”

“Then let’s just eat snacks together.”

As Zhong Tian spoke, she opened another bag of potato chips and offered them to Li Jianren.

Li Jianren took the chips and devoured them with a ferocity, stuffing his mouth until it was full, chewing with difficulty, and nearly choking in the process.

‘Don’t take your gaming frustration out on the potato chips.’

Zhong Tian handed him a freshly opened can of cola.

Washing it down with the cola, he managed to swallow the chips.

Li Jianren let out a long sigh of satisfaction.

“Ah, that hits the spot!”

Zhong Tian surveyed the assortment of drinks and snacks on the table, picking up a box of matcha-flavored Pocky.

‘…I doubt we’ll finish all this.’

“If we don’t finish it, we’ll just leave it.” He said, before pouring another handful of chips into his mouth.

“Alright.” Zhong Tian wiped her hands with a tissue.

“I’m going to wash up and get ready for bed.”

“Huh? So early?”

“It’s almost midnight, isn’t it…”

“It’s only midnight!”

“I can’t stay up late.

You go ahead and enjoy yourself…” Zhong Tian yawned at just the right moment.

“Where’s your guest room?”

“Down the stairs over there.”

“Alright then, I’m off to sleep.”

Zhong Tian waved to Li Jianren, descended a few steps, and located the guest room.

Though a guest room, it was quite spacious and imbued with a minimalist aesthetic.

Opposite the door, a large floor-to-ceiling window offered a clear view of the coast outside.

In the darkness of night, the ocean was an inky black, almost merging seamlessly with the night sky.

Zhong Tian first entered the bathroom for a quick wash-up—the guest room was equipped with hotel-style disposable toiletries—before walking to the window and gazing out at the coast.

While the night offered no particularly beautiful scenery, Zhong Tian found a profound sense of peace within herself.

‘Right, time to sleep.’

****

As was her custom, Zhong Tian awoke naturally.

It was half-past seven in the morning.

After checking the time, she stretched languidly, then, still a bit groggy, pressed a button on the control panel beside her bed.

The curtains automatically drew open to reveal the morning.

A gentle, rather than bright, sunlight partially illuminated the room.

Zhong Tian had no intention of turning on the lights; she simply washed up, put on the school uniform she had taken off the previous day, and gave her hair a quick comb.

As it wasn’t school time, Zhong Tian had no plans to wear her breast prosthetics, simply tucking them into her canvas bag.

‘It’s so early, Li Jianren surely isn’t awake yet…’

‘I might as well use their kitchen to make some breakfast.’

With that thought, Zhong Tian went to Li Jianren’s kitchen, donned an apron, tied her hair into a ponytail with a hair tie, and opened the refrigerator, beginning her search for ingredients.

Aside from the snacks and drinks purchased last night, Li Jianren’s refrigerator seemed to contain only eggs that could truly be called ingredients… there were absolutely no vegetables or meats.

‘This is truly a case of a clever cook unable to make a meal without rice… though I’m not exactly a “cook.”

‘Wait… I don’t recall any convenience stores nearby… How does this guy Li Jianren plan to get through this typhoon day?’

Just as Zhong Tian pondered this, she heard the distant sound of keys turning in a lock.

She was instantly startled.

Had Li Jianren’s parents returned?

‘So early?’

Zhong Tian stepped out of the kitchen, just as a figure entered the living room.

It was a woman, appearing to be in her early forties, dressed in simple clothes, carrying several heavy bags in both hands.

Zhong Tian found her somewhat familiar.

Upon seeing Zhong Tian emerge from the kitchen in an apron, the woman also displayed a puzzled expression.

“You are…”

Zhong Tian felt a blush of awkwardness.

“Uh, I’m… Li Jianren’s friend.”

The woman’s expression shifted to one of sudden understanding, and she immediately broke into a smile.

“Are you planning to make breakfast for Jianren?”

As she spoke, she carried the large bags into the kitchen, unzipped them, and meticulously arranged the abundant ingredients inside the refrigerator.

“Um… if you don’t mind my asking, who are you?”

“Me? I suppose you could say I’m Jianren’s nanny,” she replied.

“Whenever Jianren’s mother is away on a business trip or vacation, I’m the one who looks after him.”

‘I see.’

Zhong Tian instantly understood why she had found the woman familiar.

She was the very woman Zhong Tian had seen when visiting Li Jianren’s home back in primary and middle school, during their time in Haibin City—the woman she had always mistakenly believed to be Li Jianren’s mother!

‘But it seems she didn’t recognize me…’

After organizing the refrigerator, she took another apron from the wall and put it on, then turned and thoroughly scrutinized Zhong Tian from head to toe.

“You’re truly beautiful,” she said, her eyes crinkling with a smile.

“Even more beautiful and charming than actresses on TV.”

Despite frequently receiving compliments from others, Zhong Tian could never quite accept them with a calm demeanor.

A mixture of awkwardness, helplessness, and a touch of delight colored her nod.

“Thank you, Auntie.”

“What’s your name?”

“Zhong Tian.”

She still seemed very pleased, the wrinkles around her eyes almost disappearing with her joy.

Zhong Tian felt her happiness was a little unusual, but she didn’t dwell on it, instead walking over to the woman who was preparing breakfast ingredients and offering, “Allow me to help you.”

“Alright,” she said, quickly slicing a plate of green onions with practiced knife skills and setting them aside.

“Just warm the milk and wash the dishes and chopsticks.”

“Okay.”

The woman’s cooking movements were remarkably swift and decisive; even for simple sunny-side-up eggs and fried bacon, she exuded the air of a professional chef.

“Not many young people are willing to step into the kitchen these days,” she remarked, plating the bacon.

“You must help out with cooking for your family often, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Zhong Tian replied.

“I usually do most of the cooking at home.”

“Such a good child,” she said.

Two plates of beautifully arranged breakfast were already complete.

She carried them to the dining table, then took off her apron.

“Go wake Jianren up, won’t you?”

“Oh, alright.”

Zhong Tian also removed her apron, then went to knock on Li Jianren’s bedroom door.

She tried the doorknob, found it unlocked, and entered directly.

Before even fully stepping into the room, Zhong Tian could already hear Li Jianren’s snores.

She glanced around, noticing Li Jianren’s vibrant computer tower still glowing.

Approaching, she touched it and found it still radiating residual warmth.

‘This guy probably stayed up late gaming and just fell asleep a short while ago…’

She walked over to Li Jianren and gently flicked his forehead.

“Time to wake up!”

Li Jianren groaned in agony, writhing on the bed, emitting a wretched sound that hardly seemed human.

“I… I’m so sleepy…”

“Your nanny’s here, and she’s made you breakfast! Get up quickly!”

At her words, he finally slithered off the bed like a mollusk, swaying unsteadily as he made his way to the bathroom.

Zhong Tian didn’t wait for him to wash up, instead heading out to the dining table and taking a seat.

Moments later, Li Jianren emerged from his room, hair disheveled and dark circles under his eyes, and sat down at the dining table.

“Good morning, Auntie Wang.”

“Good morning,” the woman he called “Auntie Wang” replied.

“Did you stay up late again?”

Li Jianren nodded, picked up his chopsticks, and began to eat his breakfast.

“Your health is important, so don’t stay up so late in the future,” Auntie Wang said, looking at Zhong Tian.

“Little Zhong, you’ll have to keep a close eye on Jianren from now on, won’t you?”

“Ah, I will.”

‘Her words felt a little strange, somehow…’