Chapter 5

that kind of patient and gentle tone

She subconsciously thought that she had gone to the wrong place

In fact, compared to the fragrance of lavender essential oil, Ruoyue prefers peppermint and sweet orange more.

The girl's eyelashes were slightly damp, her nose tip slightly reddened, and the disappointment she was trying to hide carried a hint of a sobbing tone, presenting an expression as if she might burst into tears at any moment

Wen Jingran was taken aback

When faced with difficulties, her first reaction is never to cry, but to find a solution

Then I heard him close the cabinet and the sound of footsteps approaching a few steps closer

"You should go to sleep," she said, turning around as expected, and dripped two drops of lavender essential oil into a dish. "This can help with sleep."

As she was lost in thought, a rustling sound came from the sofa behind her. Before she could turn around as expected, a hand had already reached out from behind and snatched the box of matches from her fingers

Once again, as expected, she saw him raise his hand, the outline of his back accentuating a taut waistline. She bit her lip, feeling a bit flushed, and lowered her head to stare at her toes

Her fingers rested on the keyboard, sliding left and right.

As promised, she shifted her gaze from his fingers to his face, feeling a slight daze.

When the clock in the living room struck the hour, the long-standing grievances completely overwhelmed her, and she covered her eyes, crying uncontrollably

Hearing the sound, the man, with his back to her, turned around, his long fingers still holding a few documents, the prominent knuckles making him quite appealing.

From that day on, she knew that her grandfather had a student named Wen Jingran

"It's a bit damp," he squinted as he examined the match, then pulled a lighter from his pocket. "Do you want to light something?"

With disappointment barely concealed, she lowered her eyes as expected, her fingers lingering on the thermos box for a while, and in a muffled voice, she asked: "Do you like dumplings?"

Occasionally, Wen Jingran looked at the azure flame that flickered slightly due to her breath, as she placed the ends of the candle into the tray beneath the aroma lamp.

She raised her eyes to the blooming crabapple flowers in the courtyard, thinking: this afternoon will soon pass

A distance that is neither too far nor too close, which prevents water from splashing while allowing those in the hot spring to place and retrieve their belongings

That day was January 1st, New Year's Day

It was during her 16th year that she was supposed to meet Wen Jingran.

"The doctor is still in surgery." His gaze lingered for a moment around her still swollen eyes, and he said gently, "Which patient's family member are you?"

The surgery had just begun not long ago. He lifted his chin and pointed to the insulated box she was holding in her arms like a treasure: "Shall I help you pass it on?"

As expected, somewhat in a daze: "Did I disturb you?"

Compared to the boys in school who have yet to mature, this man is handsome, with distinct features, and his refined demeanor sets him apart as exceptionally extraordinary

She hurried down the stairs through the dimly lit corridor filled with light and shadow

His voice is hoarse and deep, yet still pleasant to hear

She sat alone in the dining room, listening to the voice of the news anchor in the living room, eating the dumplings steamed by Aunt Hua

As she stepped into the office of the old master with a thermos box in her arms, there was only a young man with his back to her, organizing the case files.

She let out a soft "Eh" and then took several more puffs.

The master bedroom does not have a desk, so if I want to use the computer, I have to return to the small living room

From the time she could remember, she knew that her family was different from others

That year, City S was very cold; she rode her bicycle through half the city, her fingers, ungloved, were frozen and stiff.

Faintly, one can hear the sounds of laughter and joy coming from next door when the television volume is turned down, along with the noisy and playful voices of children.

He quietly and cautiously exited the door, carefully confirming the signs, and could only muster the courage to ask: "Excuse me, where has the doctor gone?"

No." He lowered his gaze and glanced at her, his eyes landing on the small object she had casually placed on the pedestal, then he reached past her ear to grab the candle

After a long while, Ying Ruoyue calmly replied, "Grandfather is here."

It was evident that he did not expect the appointment to be with the doctor's granddaughter. Wen Jingran paused for a few seconds before turning around to place the documents back in their original position

Before her self-comfort had a chance to take effect, the quiet room, which was only filled with the faint sound of the computer running, suddenly echoed with his voice: "I thought you wouldn't come back"

This aromatherapy lamp was originally intended for her to use while soaking in a hot spring to soothe her spirit, but now... Regardless of how she had planned her afternoon, from the moment Wen Jingran knocked on the door, her schedule had to be altered.

I... I am not." As she exchanged a glance with him, feeling somewhat awkward, she touched her ear and explained, "I am delivering some dumplings to my grandfather.

The spacious house was empty; she turned on the lights in all the rooms but still felt an unbearable loneliness

If ... ...

As promised, she handed him the thermos box in her arms: "If we wait too long, the dumplings will get cold, so here, have some."

In the faintly rough sound of friction, only a few scattered sparks glimmer, yet there is no hint of flames being ignited

Under the begonia tree, there is a stump-shaped low table, which is placed by the hot spring pool

Indeed, she could hardly contain herself as promised; tonight she seemed particularly fragile, with tears welling up, threatening to break through her defenses at any moment

Some dim sunlight spilled over her entire body

She has already forgotten the specific reason, but vaguely remembers that Aunt Hua made chicken soup and steamed dumplings

During those years that honed her growth, she gradually learned to grit her teeth and persevere

As he took the handle of the car, he pulled out a pair of gloves that he had just conveniently stuffed into his pocket and handed them over, saying: "Put them on."

Her parents are always very busy, and she often needs to accomplish certain tasks independently

The sound of water droplets is crisp, and along with the ripples stirred in the dish, there is also a gentle fragrance of lavender.

Although there is neither bright sunshine nor warm sunlight, it is still able to dispel the chill from her body

She blinked as expected, hesitated for a moment, and then whispered: "Riding a bike"

As promised, the strings of my heart were gently plucked by him, buzzing in a chaotic hum for a moment before returning to tranquility

The man before me has a tall and slender figure, dressed in a white lab coat. At this moment, as he raises his hand to flip through a folder, the jacket of the lab coat tightens, revealing a defined waistline

After standing in place for a moment, I finally heard the sound of him returning to the sofa behind me, and only then did I take a step forward to go to the bedroom to retrieve her computer

She rarely fell silent for a moment

She reheated the dumplings that Aunt Hua had steamed, placed them in a tiered thermal box, and rode her bicycle to the hospital to deliver the meal

In the yard outside the small living room, a tree of crabapple blossoms is in full bloom

My name is Wen Jingran, and I am a student of Doctor Ying. He lowered his head and slightly bent at the waist to match her height: "How did you come here?"

The bicycle parked downstairs has been knocked over by someone, its slender kickstand bent.

It is like facing a little girl who has not yet developed the ability to act independently, yet has secretly run out of the house

Without exception, none of them can be lit.

As scheduled, place the aroma lamp on the pedestal in the small living room

He awkwardly shifted to one side as he watched him light the candle with a lighter, unable to help but ask, "Do you smoke?"

Therefore, no matter how wronged she felt, she quickly thought of a solution after venting her emotions

As scheduled, I arrived at the courtyard with the intention of retrieving the aromatherapy lamp that had been placed beside the hot spring pool

As expected, they are still able to maintain the pure way of interacting that they had when they first met

From that day on, this person with a pleasant name gradually stepped into her world

She lightly tapped the small box containing the matches, took out a match, and struck it against the side.

She buried her face in the scarf, did not wait for him to reach out to take the thermos, directly placed it on the table, and turned to leave

Especially as he wore a white coat, his model-like figure made this simple yet sacred uniform appear particularly well-tailored

She hesitated as she took the charging cable out of her bag, estimating that Wen Jingran was about to fall asleep, and only then did she quietly carry her laptop to sit in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in the small living room

She ran over in a few steps, and just as she bent down to support the vehicle, a hand reached out beside her, faster than she could, to grasp the handlebars.

Even that lighter was casually placed together with her aroma lamp by him

Wen Jingran helped her lift the vehicle and checked the brakes and footrests once again

The flowers are vibrant in color, and through the mist of the hot spring water, they appear from a distance like blooming peach blossoms in spring, clustered together and particularly striking

However, most of the time, she often needs lavender to aid her sleep

Wen Jingran lowered her gaze

If it were not for the events that transpired that night without a high school diploma

As promised, she looked up at him, and in an instant, she gazed into the profound darkness of the night.