Chapter 4

An ear plug is an item used to secure earrings

The next morning, Baoyin got up early. After washing up, she packed a few pieces of clothing she had brought into her travel bag. After applying a bit of makeup in front of the sink, she decided to put on her earrings.

Baoyin recalls that throughout her journey of growth, there have always been a few male classmates and colleagues who particularly attract the favor of teachers and superiors. They do not need to exert much effort or strive too hard, and they do not even have to be particularly outstanding. As long as they fulfill their own responsibilities, it is even acceptable if they make mistakes. In short, they can effortlessly receive praise, attention, forgiveness, and another chance.

On Saturday night, they watched an old movie together. Baoyin was wearing a smoky pink loungewear, her hair cascading down. Yebaiyuan naturally leaned against her shoulder, occasionally nuzzling his face into her neck like a clingy little animal. They shared an intimate moment on the sofa, and for Baoyin, it was the best feeling she had experienced in the past one or two years, with no resistance whatsoever.

She tilted her head back, squinting her eyes, trying to identify those lovely constellations. She barely recognized a few of the most famous ones, and for the rest, she couldn't make them out, but that didn't matter. She softly said, "It doesn't matter."

She has not cried for a long time, as there is nothing in life that is worth shedding tears over. It is not that everything goes as she wishes; on the contrary, it is precisely because there are too many disappointments that none of them particularly saddens or disappoints her. From her student days to now, having navigated the workplace for five or six years, she has always been known for her emotional stability throughout this long period. Even when faced with many grievances and unspoken hardships, she has consistently presented a calm and composed demeanor to others. From her student days to now, having navigated the workplace for five or six years, she has always been known for her emotional stability throughout this long period. Even when faced with many grievances and unspoken hardships, she has consistently presented a calm and composed demeanor to others.

Baoyin found the silver earplug in the gap under the washstand at the Ye Baiyuan household

She ate a taro paste bun, and the soft texture made her feel as if she were biting into a cloud. Then, she poured white peach wine into a turquoise glass filled with ice cubes. It was delightful; now, Zhou Baoyin had welcomed the only wonderful moment in a terrible day

Baoyin's tone was stiff and her emotions were low. She decisively told Ye Baiyuan: "You don't need to worry about what my mother says, I will handle it myself and won't trouble you."

Before Baoyin had a chance to say anything further, her impatient mother had already hung up the phone

Yes, I apologize, it should be my mistake. May I ask what issues there are with my report

Throughout the journey, she was reviewing several documents that the boss had sent in the work group last week. In this morning's regular meeting, everyone was set to discuss several matters, and she was clearly unprepared. Such situations are usually not something Baoyin would postpone until Monday morning, but this weekend was an exceptional case

Kong Kong called her back immediately after receiving the message, saying: "Of course it wasn't sent to the wrong address. Don't think that just because it's not a valuable item, it's not interesting." Kong Kong became anxious, looking quite adorable in her seriousness. "Did you see the pop-up pages inside when you opened it? The patterns made by those small round holes are all constellations. Find a night when you can turn off all the lights, and place your phone's flashlight under that arched page."

It was not until the night was about to end that Baoyin seemed to awaken from a dream—why did her mother emphasize that Ye Boyuan should accompany her to receive Aunt Lu—so that was it, it was a kind of vanity that could only be understood intuitively. Her mother wanted to take this opportunity to subtly show off to an old friend that her daughter was not only intelligent and beautiful, but also had first-class taste in choosing a boyfriend

During this period, Kong Kong has been contemplating whether to find a place to move out. Although everything seems normal on the surface and Chen Kewei has not said anything that might cause her anxiety, Kong Kong understands very well that one day they will have to confront that iceberg.

On Sunday morning, they went together to the newly opened restaurant for brunch, and the intimacy from the previous night continued seamlessly. While eating, they did not look at their phones but instead engaged in lively conversation for a long time. It had been a long time since they had been together so joyfully, and they both saw this sentiment reflected in each other's eyes, responding with affirmation.

In this way, a wiser approach would be to persevere through it. Baoyin touched her earlobe, where she wore the diamond earrings that Ye Baiyuan had given her on her birthday. When he saw them yesterday, he displayed the expression of a child receiving a reward—perhaps it was that kind of innocent satisfaction that moved her

Mom's friend, Aunt Lu, do you remember her? It has been about five or six years since you last met—she is returning to the country recently to visit family, first flying to Beijing. Please host her and have a meal with her. She is traveling alone and does not want to stay in a hotel, so please tidy up the guest room at home; she will only stay for a day or two as a layover, it won't be a bother to you. When the time comes, you and Baiyuan can go to the airport to pick her up. As she is getting older and has not been in the country for a long time, there are many things she may not understand, which can be inconvenient for her. She is traveling alone and does not want to stay in a hotel, so please tidy up the guest room at home; she will only stay for a day or two as a layover, it won't be a bother to you. When the time comes, you and Baiyuan can go to the airport to pick her up. As she is getting older and has not been in the country for a long time, there are many things she may not understand, which can be inconvenient for her.

After a long wait until after 5 o'clock, a colleague from the Human Resources Department sent out this year's health check notification in the group chat. Baoyin took a few minutes to quickly skim through it; it was just the most routine packages. What could this possibly check for? Regardless, she thought, I should still go.

No other night is more suitable than tonight to try this gift. Baoyin glanced at the instructions in the book, which contained a very basic English explanation. The first step is to immerse oneself in complete darkness

Regardless of whether he sent a WeChat message, made a phone call, or attempted to meet her in person, she found reasons to decline.

Upon entering Ye Baiyuan's home, Baoyin reached out and pressed the light switch in the familiar position

In the evening, Baoyin returned to her residence, removed her makeup, took a shower, and changed into her pajamas. The entire world became quiet. Although she had thought this many times in the past, tonight she must reaffirm that her decision to live alone was indeed the right one.

She turned off all the luminous objects in the room: the lights and the television were switched off, the laptop screen was closed, and the curtains were drawn. Now she found herself enveloped in profound darkness. She turned on the flashlight of her mobile phone, and as Kong Kong suggested, placed the phone beneath the arched page of the book. In that instant, the simplest principle gave rise to a magical moment—Baoyin looked up at the ceiling, which on ordinary days was merely a dull pure white, now transformed into her own personal starry sky

Before coming, Baoyin originally intended to candidly share the stalemate between herself and Ye Baiyuan with Kongkong, which was the reason she took some time off to have coffee today. She needed to talk to someone she could confide in, to clarify her thoughts and make a decision. However, most of her friends are also friends with Ye Baiyuan, and she did not want to drag mutual acquaintances into this murky situation. Relatively speaking, her relationship with Kongkong is the simplest; sometimes, simplicity means reliability.

Everything in the room materialized before her, much cleaner and tidier than she had originally imagined

Yet she merely stood quietly in front of the washbasin for a moment, turned on the faucet, and rinsed her hand, which was covered in dust, clean. She pulled a tissue from the tissue box, placed it on the countertop of the storage cabinet, and then set the earplug on top of the tissue.

During this time, Baoyin took the opportunity to undergo a physical examination, adding several items to the basic package at her own expense. Recently, there had been rumors in the company that an employee from the company downstairs had suffered a heart attack while working late at night, and they almost could not be saved. Baoyin quickly rummaged through her memory and confirmed that she did not know that person, but after her colleagues provided detailed descriptions, she vaguely felt that she might have taken the same elevator as that person at the same time—just this slight and tenuous connection was enough to evoke a sense of empathy in Baoyin. They arranged to meet at the coffee shop downstairs in the company.

However, Baoyin has already regretted it. At the moment she spoke, the magic brought by the lingering effects of last night completely dissipated

It is well known that Monday is the busiest day. Bao Yin hardly had a moment to catch her breath throughout the day. After the regular meeting, there was a departmental meeting, and lunch was resolved at the fast-food restaurant downstairs, where she had a subpar tomato meat sauce pasta. The pasta was overcooked, falling apart as soon as it entered her mouth; she managed to eat a couple of bites before throwing down her fork. In the afternoon, due to a minor work-related conflict, she had a heated argument in her superior's office. The back-and-forth dispute reminded her of a project she had high hopes for last year, which was ruined by this individual—later turned into a hit by a rival company, with promotional materials distributed everywhere: bus stop signs, subway stations, and those absurd elevator ads in office buildings. Related topics dominated the rankings of major social media platforms for an extended period. Every time Bao Yin recalled these old grievances and new resentments, it made her head ache with anger.

Ye Boyuan shook his head: "Last time you were promoted, I wanted to give you a gift, but I couldn't find anything suitable. This time, combined with your birthday, no matter how expensive it is, you can afford it."

However, upon seeing Kong Kong, she immediately understood that Kong Kong was also in a state of some distress

Baoyin, I often wonder how I can become like you. You always know where you are headed

On a weekday afternoon, as the end of the workday approached, Baoyin stood by the window, gazing blankly at the clouds in the sky. Her phone rang; it was her mother.

What is this thing

According to the original plan, they took Aunt Lu to the airport together in the afternoon, accompanied her in checking in, and stayed until they saw her figure disappear from the security check. On the way back on the highway, Baoyin suddenly asked, "Can I stay with you for another night?"

This is a complete release, unrestrained and unreserved. She knew when she turned off the shower faucet that she would not cry again for a long time

But tonight she completely lost control, in the deep darkness, under the artificial starry sky. She was not crying because her superior, who was neither as capable nor as insightful as she was, was stepping on her head, self-righteously nitpicking and denying her. She was not crying because her mother frequently urged her, applying pressure, constantly hinting that she should not miss out on Ye Boyuan. She was certainly not crying because she found that earplug at his house in the morning, fully aware that this girl was definitely not his first. She was not crying because her mother frequently urged her, applying pressure, constantly hinting that she should not miss out on Ye Boyuan. She was certainly not crying because she found that earplug at his house in the morning, fully aware that this girl was definitely not his first.

She is completely capable and absolutely entitled to rush into the bedroom, shake Ye Baiyuan awake from his bed, present the evidence before him, question him, scold him loudly, and even engage in more extreme behavior if necessary

This conversation did not provide any assistance to Baoyin; both parties were distracted and spoke vaguely. Just as they were about to part ways, Kongkong suddenly said without any context: "You know, actually, a person like me chooses not to participate because I know I cannot win. Ultimately, it is just cowardice. From Qingcheng to Beijing, from the moment I met Yan Yiming until now, I have made no progress at all"

After that, Baoyin avoided Ye Baiyuan for half a month

This is a phone call capable of ruining her good mood

Baoyin had changed from her usual clever and lively self, speaking little and idly accompanying Xiaoxiao, while coldly observing Ye Baiyuan—there was something inherently appealing about him that attracted the opposite sex, regardless of age. She silently counted in her heart: my former classmates, my current colleagues, Kongkong, my mother, and now Aunt Lu; they all held Ye Baiyuan in high regard.

Since returning from Shanghai last year, Baoyin and Kongkong have grown closer, having upgraded from friends who share joy to friends who can show each other their wounds

At the very moment when I was extremely busy, my mother sent a WeChat message saying that she had met with Aunt Lu. Aunt Lu spoke highly of her interactions with Ye Baiyuan, and the other uncles and aunts present expressed their envy.

"Why say all this? You can just bring it over directly; I couldn't ask for more." His voice was calm and friendly, without any hint of abnormality

On Friday afternoon, Ye Baiyuan and Baoyin successfully picked up Aunt Lu at the airport. Baoyin had packed a few personal clothing items and toiletries in a travel bag in advance and placed it in the trunk.

I cannot speak for others, but for me, this classical approach is always effective said Baoyin, carefully cradling the bouquet with her elbow and smiling

She should not have been greedy; if she were returning to her own home instead of going to Ye Boyuan's house, then everything that happened this weekend could have been perfectly preserved in amber. But she spoke it out loud, like an email that cannot be retracted, and it would seem very strange to backtrack now

Suddenly, Zhou Baoyin burst into tears

This brief weekend gave both parties a sense of returning to their initial state

For dinner, they had Huaiyang cuisine. At the dining table, Ye Baiyuan took the initiative to assume the responsibility of hosting and caring for Aunt Lu. After the meal, he thoughtfully escorted Aunt Lu to Baoyin's apartment. Although this was their first meeting, it was evident from the smile that remained on Aunt Lu's face and her generous compliments that she had a very good impression of this young man, Ye Baiyuan

Sunday night indeed felt much more tedious, as the identical scene and the same people could no longer replicate the essence of the night. Ye Baiyuan would sneak off to the kitchen or the bathroom every few minutes with his phone in hand, acting furtively. Baoyin was engrossed in watching television, occasionally yawning, appearing heavily drowsy, which led Ye Baiyuan to believe that she was completely oblivious to everything around her

Baoyin still remembers that this book was delivered by the courier. She tore off the outer layer of wrapping paper and saw a sentence printed on the cover in English: "This is a planetarium." Her first reaction was to wonder if Kongkong had mistakenly sent something that was meant for someone else. This was clearly a gift intended for a child

The earring in her left ear is slightly askew, perhaps because she accidentally pressed it while lying on the sofa earlier. In a moment of inattention, the stud slipped out of her earlobe and, following some inertia, fell into the gap beneath the sink.

"What is it," Kong Kong smiled as he reproached Baoyin, "you mean to say that I and they are all unsophisticated, you condescending fellow"

Only then did Baoyin remember that there had indeed been several missed calls on her phone a couple of days ago, which she had ignored, thinking they were nuisance calls. This is a change brought about by the widespread use of social media applications, she thought to herself, who still remembers that the original purpose of the invention of the mobile phone was to make calls?

On the bookshelf in the living room rests a large hardcover book—specifically, it is a creative pop-up book designed to develop children's intelligence and inspire their thinking—what others might not expect is that this was a birthday gift given to her by Kong Kong

A trace of mocking laughter crept across Baoyin's face

It was a small city, with an ordinary public school, characterized by a simple and unpretentious atmosphere. She only stayed there for a brief semester, and after everything settled down, her mother brought her back.

Kong Kong paused here for a moment, as if deliberately trying to create an atmosphere, and then said: "The ceiling of your home will transform into a vast expanse of starry sky"

What does it matter if I say it or not? The Earth continues to rotate regardless

A week later, the colleagues who went for the medical examination with Baoyin gradually received the reports sent by the medical examination center. Baoyin remembered that she had also chosen the "email format" at that time, but after carefully checking her inbox several times, including the spam folder, she ultimately confirmed that she had indeed not received the medical examination report

Baoyin took two deep breaths before finally summoning the courage to tell him: "This is not mine."

If it is convenient for you, she added.

Zhou Baoyin, in this silent collapse, finally found herself with no escape and no way to avoid it. An undeniable force pressed down on her head, compelling her to acknowledge that the greatest issue between her and Ye Baiyuan did not lie with him, but with herself

Yet she does not know which is less forgivable, deception or betrayal

Ye Baiyuan explained that he had deliberately woken up early in the morning to invite a housekeeping aunt to come and clean thoroughly, hoping to make Baoyin's stay a bit more comfortable, even if it was just for a short two days. He also took the time to buy Baoyin's favorite Swiss roll from the dessert shop, placing it in the zero-degree preservation layer of the refrigerator so that she could enjoy it after her shower in the evening

I do not know whether it is a good thing, " there is a hint of sorrow hidden in Baoyin's eyes, " it is a kind of consistent and stable magnetic field, living according to habitual life, showing little curiosity towards anything beyond oneself

She recalled that on her birthday, she had originally just wanted to have a simple meal, but Ye Baiyuan insisted on making a reservation at a high-end hotel restaurant. When it came to dessert, he took out a square red box, and Baoyin immediately recognized the dark gold cursive logo. In that moment, she was almost beside herself. When she opened the box and found it was just a pair of earrings, her heart slowly returned to its place.

They were silent for a while, and a group of clouds shaped like small fish swam across the sky above their heads

Oh, I see, Miss Zhou, your report is ready. Please let us know when it would be convenient for you to come by. We have a professional doctor available to answer your questions, and you can consult in person.

What does it mean? Baoyin, are you too shy to speak to Baiyuan? Then I will talk to him.

In this long-standing and stable relationship, she could only face this matter in solitude: she does not love him, nor does she love anyone else.

"Did you meet that person when you returned to Qingcheng for the Spring Festival?" Baoyin asked. Kongkong shook his head: "No, he doesn't return every year. Besides, I no longer wait for him in Qingcheng like I used to."

Later, Baoyin took another shower. She stood under the showerhead and cried for a while, until she felt that all the sadness within her had flowed down the drain along with the hot water

That place began to ache again, she gripped her phone tightly with one hand while the other hand pressed against the edge of the table to maintain her balance. She could not understand why her mother could speak such obviously excessive words with such righteous indignation and so naturally.

She weeps because many years ago she aspired to be a producer and make films, yet now, having surpassed the age of twenty-eight, that wish remains distant and even its initial form is nowhere to be seen. She weeps because when Ye Boyuan once expressed his affection for her, she believed that her feelings mirrored his. She weeps because the most serious and erroneous procrastination of her life has dragged on to this day, and she still has not broken up with Ye Boyuan

Whenever she thinks of Kong Kong, Baoyin always recalls another matter first: when she was in high school, there was a period when her family encountered some issues, and every day was filled with a tense atmosphere as if a storm was about to break. Her mother found a way to transfer her to a middle school in a neighboring city, perhaps to protect her, perhaps to avoid trouble—Baoyin has never asked her parents what exactly happened back then.

After several attempts, Ye Baiyuan also became weary. He exhibited a kind of passive clarity; the worst outcome would merely be not receiving forgiveness. Since that is the case, why rush?

Ye Boyuan also possesses this quality. She was somewhat surprised that she only realized this so late: he must have discovered his talent long ago, and thus he would not miss any opportunity to showcase it, much like those characters in martial arts novels who are highly skilled yet have mediocre realms, always insisting on revealing their abilities in the arena before they are satisfied

Is there something wrong? She knows she must be overthinking it, but after waiting for a day, she decided to take the initiative to contact the health examination center

Two small diamonds sparkled under the light, and she gazed at them for a moment before gently closing the box

Oh my, I can't believe you would misinterpret it this way. In fact, I am quite envious...

After celebrating her twenty-eighth birthday, she felt no change at all. Perhaps, as those older superiors and friends had said, this number is not yet a watershed. "However, it will come soon," they said, "in the next year or two, you will find that you haven't had the chance to do anything before it passes by.

"I hired a housekeeper to clean thoroughly," that sentence echoed clearly in Baoyin's mind. Clearly, the housekeeper was still not meticulous enough. Baoyin pinched the earplug with her thumb and index finger, looking at it under the mirror light for a few seconds—though there was really no need to be so cautious and detailed in her identification—she recognized at first glance that it absolutely did not belong to her.

During her mother's speech, Baoyin endured without interrupting her, only making a slight symbolic protest at the end: "I can go pick up Aunt Lu, there's no need to call Baiyuan, right?" She hoped her mother could show her a bit more understanding, saying, "Really, it's unnecessary."

Baoyin did not continue to inquire further; she concluded the call with a very polite and courteous demeanor, as she had already understood.

After completing these tasks, she put on her earrings, turned off the bathroom light, walked into the living room, picked up her travel bag, and while putting on her coat, called for a ride using her phone

Ye Baiyuan was quite surprised by her reaction; he did not expect Baoyin to be so distant with him, and for a moment, he felt a bit sad: "It's just a small matter, not troublesome at all," he said gently and affectionately, "On Friday evening, I will go with you to pick up Aunt Lu. By the way, you said you are not used to living with others, so why not bring a few pieces of clothing and stay at my place for two days? After Aunt Lu leaves, you can go back home."

After a while, her phone rang again; it was Ye Baiyuan.

A sudden wave of intense dizziness struck her, and she could not remember how she made her way to the tea room, where she prepared a cup of coffee using the new coffee machine. In the process, she nearly burned herself due to improper handling, but fortunately, a colleague nearby was quick to react and pressed the pause button for her. Which department was that colleague from? She felt a sense of familiarity, yet her mind was in a state of chaos, unable to recall anything. "Did I thank anyone?" she wondered, doubting that she had, but then quickly dismissed the thought, "Who cares!" She felt a sense of familiarity, yet her mind was in a state of chaos, unable to recall anything. "Did I thank anyone?" she wondered, doubting that she had, but then quickly dismissed the thought, "Who cares!"

Baoyin expressed gratitude, and to be frank, there was not a single trace of indifference in my heart

In the mirror, she wore a broken and eerie smile on her face

I have been really busy lately ... ... Bai Yuan, I am not angry, it's not anger ... ... In any case, I promise that once this busy period is over, I will definitely find some time to have a good talk with you

This relaxed and pleasant morning undoubtedly provided them with encouragement and confidence. As they exited the restaurant and passed by a flower shop, Ye Boyuan bought a bouquet of pink Austin roses for Baoyin

It is unclear when it began, but they seem to have grown accustomed to ignoring each other's unique qualities. Like two individuals who have lingered too long in a swimming pool, even the deep end can no longer provide any thrill; they quietly yearn for broader waters, unwilling to let the other discover their desires.

Waking up in the middle of the night, she wanted to go to the bathroom, only to realize that she was tightly held by Ye Boyuan. As she moved his arm away, she heard him mumbling something incoherent; she couldn't catch it clearly, but she was certain it wasn't anyone's name, likely just an unconscious murmur.

Ye Boyuan, this person—by the time Baoyin returned to tranquility once more, the sky outside had already darkened, and dusk enveloped the surroundings. She sighed silently; despite his various shortcomings, there was one aspect in which he surpassed all the males she knew, which was the rare tenderness in his character

It is too precious, Baoyin said sincerely

No matter what, as long as it is not a ring. A smile, the most relaxed one of that night, appeared on her face

After leaving the health examination center, it was not yet 10 o'clock. Baoyin felt that it would be somewhat unwise to return to the company and work honestly, so she sent a message to Kangkang, inviting her to come out.

The time was too short, and I did not have the opportunity to become friends with anyone there, but after getting to know you, I always feel that you share some similarities with them

The voice of the staff on the other end of the phone was warm and gentle. Baoyin instantly thought that if one were to convey bad news to someone, it should indeed be done with such a tone. After verifying her identification number and phone number, the other party said, "Our records show that we have attempted to contact you two or three times, but we were unable to reach you."

Oh? That doesn't sound like something good..." Kong Kong poked the honey cake on the plate until it crumbled. She didn't even know why she ordered something she clearly didn't want to eat. It was merely because after buying the coffee, the staff habitually asked, "Do you need any dessert or bread?" and she randomly pointed to one.

There are two WeChat messages from Ye Baiyuan on the phone. The first is a picture, taken of the tissue on the storage cabinet. If it were not for Baoyin placing it there herself, she would probably have overlooked that small silver dot. The second message is very simple: "What is this paper?"

As summer approaches, they are all dressed lightly, and their words are cheerful and casual, yet their faces bear a sense of the bleakness and severity of winter. This is especially true for Baoyin, whose expression is truly inconsistent with the image she usually strives to cultivate.

Baoyin glanced at the message and swiftly deleted it

Around 11 o'clock, Baoyin went into the bedroom. She could no longer pretend to be oblivious and realized that her unexpected decision to stay here for another night must have disrupted Ye Baiyuan's plans. But it was alright; she reassured herself: "Tomorrow morning, it will all be over. I will go to work as usual, and the next five days will be a whirlwind of activity. Work keeps us busy and fulfilled, and by next weekend, we will have completely forgotten about these two days."

Do not keep the paper, something happened on it. Baoyin replied

Baoyin was a bit angry with herself for her carelessness, but in the end, she had no choice but to kneel on the ground, one hand holding the flashlight of her phone, while the other hand tried to squeeze into the narrow gap. She felt her fingers rolling in the accumulated dust in the dead corner, a slight nausea surged in her heart. Fortunately, soon, a small hard object brushed against her skin. She gently hooked it with her nail, and the earring rolled out from the gap. However, what rolled out from that gap was not just her earring.

Oh, I see, did you forget it here? I will keep it for you, you can come and get it next time, or I can bring it to you one day He had no idea that one of the most solid parts of his life was gradually collapsing with the sending of this message