Xinyi woke up to the faint rays of morning sunlight filtering through her curtains, but instead of warmth, all she felt was exhaustion.
She had barely slept.
Her mind had been restless, turning over the events of last night again and again. Her parents’ accusations, their harsh words, the way they dragged up the past—it all still clung to her like a suffocating weight.
She sat up slowly, rubbing her tired eyes. The air in the house felt heavier than usual, and the silence was almost unbearable. The only sounds were the distant clatter of dishes from the kitchen and the occasional footsteps of her mother moving around.
Xinyi wasn’t in the mood to deal with them.
She needed to get out.
She didn’t even realize where she was going until she found herself standing in front of the café.
The place where she had first met Zhao Chen.
Her feet had brought her here before her mind had made the decision.
But something felt off.
She glanced through the window, expecting to see him behind the counter, but he wasn’t there. Another worker—a young woman she didn’t recognize—was taking orders instead.
Her fingers curled slightly at her sides.
For some reason, she had assumed he would be here.
She hesitated, considering going inside, but what would she even do? Sit there alone? Ask about him?
No. That would be weird.
Shaking her head, she turned away and walked down the street.
Maybe she just needed something else to focus on.
The convenience store was nearly empty when she stepped inside.
Her eyes scanned the shelves, searching for something quick and easy. She wasn’t in the mood to cook, and the thought of sitting at the dining table with her parents made her stomach turn.
She grabbed a few instant meals, her mind elsewhere.
Her thoughts were still circling the same thing—Zhao Chen’s offer.
He had bought a house for her. He had given her an escape.
And yet, she was still afraid.
As she walked to the counter, she barely looked up, only focused on paying and leaving.
But then—
“Hi, princess.”
Her head snapped up.
Zhao Chen stood behind the register, wearing the convenience store’s uniform with the sleeves rolled up slightly. His familiar smirk was in place, but his tone was light, almost teasing.
Xinyi blinked, caught off guard.
“You…” She glanced around. “You work here today?”
He chuckled. “Surprised?”
She nodded slightly.
“I take shifts here sometimes,” he said as he scanned her items. “Keeps things interesting.”
Xinyi looked down at the counter, feeling strangely awkward. She hadn’t expected to see him, but at the same time… she wasn’t unhappy about it.
She didn’t know what to say, so she just pulled out her wallet, ready to pay.
But before she could, Zhao Chen took one of the instant meals and, without a word, walked over to the store’s microwave.
She watched in confusion as he heated it up for her.
She hadn’t asked him to.
He just… did it.
It was such a small thing. So simple.
Yet, something about it made her chest tighten.
She wasn’t used to this.
Someone quietly taking care of her without expecting anything in return.
By the time he returned, the food was warm, and he handed it to her with a slight nod toward the small seating area in the store.
Xinyi hesitated for a moment before taking the tray and walking over to one of the tables.
She sat down, opening the container and stirring the food absentmindedly. She wasn’t even that hungry, but the warmth in her hands felt grounding.
As she took a small bite, Zhao Chen appeared again, this time placing a drink on the table in front of her.
She blinked up at him.
“I forgot to buy one,” she muttered.
“I noticed,” he replied casually.
She stared at the drink for a second before picking it up and taking a sip. It was the same one she had at the amusement park yesterday.
He had remembered.
She swallowed, lowering her gaze to the table. “Thanks…”
Zhao Chen sat down across from her, stretching his arms slightly before resting his elbows on the table.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Xinyi just ate quietly, while Zhao Chen occasionally glanced at her, his expression unreadable.
Then, after a moment, he said, “If you ever need a place to go, you have options.”
Xinyi stopped mid-bite.
Her fingers tightened slightly around her fork.
She didn’t look up.
He didn’t push further, didn’t elaborate.
But she knew what he meant.
And it scared her.
She forced herself to keep eating, even though her appetite was nearly gone.
Her thoughts were a tangled mess.
Could she really leave?
Would she even be able to do it?
What if her parents found out? What if they retaliated? What if they blamed Zhao Chen, just like they blamed her for her brother leaving?
She glanced at him from under her lashes.
He was watching her, not with expectation, not with judgment—just quiet patience.
Like he was waiting for her to come to a decision on her own.
She looked away.
“I…” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “I don’t know.”
Zhao Chen leaned back in his seat, exhaling lightly. “You don’t have to know right now.”
Xinyi swallowed.
A part of her wanted to ask—why was he doing this? Why did he care? What did he get out of this?
But she didn’t.
Because deep down, she already knew the answer.
He was just like that.
And that made it even harder.
Because the last time someone had cared about her that much, they left.
Her hands clenched into fists under the table.
She didn’t want to lose him, too.
But at the same time…
She wanted to leave.
For the first time, she truly, desperately wanted to leave.
And that realization made her feel more terrified than anything else.