Chapter 2, The Last Night

The phone went silent, I did not hear it

Speak up, it is better to face it than to endure this unclear cold war.

No, I just had a fight with my sister again, I'm in a bad mood, and I want to be alone for a while

At least, she has always thought that she no longer cared.

She knew that Fang Zhe had a long period of being single before her, during which he was constantly introduced to various girls. She also understood that he didn't really need others to introduce him, as someone like Fang Zhe would naturally attract admirers. She had always wanted to know why Fang Zhe chose her, but her pride did not allow her to ask so directly. Instead, she pretended to be carefree while chatting with Fang Zhe about the amusing stories from her previous blind dates, casually inquiring about the types of girls he had known before, subtly probing why he had been single for so long. Most of the time, he responded perfunctorily, and sometimes he would joke with her, saying it was because the girls he had known before were not as beautiful as her. She had always wanted to know why Fang Zhe chose her, but her pride did not allow her to ask so directly. Instead, she pretended to be carefree while chatting with Fang Zhe about the amusing stories from her previous blind dates, casually inquiring about the types of girls he had known before, subtly probing why he had been single for so long. Most of the time, he responded perfunctorily, and sometimes he would joke with her, saying it was because the girls he had known before were not as beautiful as her.

However, Anna's words today opened a wound in her heart, and all those old memories surged forth.

Later, she returned from the restroom and saw him standing at the door, lost in thought while holding the box. When he turned to see her enter, his expression was somewhat stiff. She pretended not to care and turned to go outside to help.

At that time, she particularly regretted not having made one or two close friends in high school, otherwise she would have definitely called them immediately to gossip: "Guess who I met on a blind date? Fang Zhe, I actually went on a blind date with Fang Zhe." If that were the case, the other person would surely be so shocked that their jaw would drop, and for a long time afterward, this would be a hot topic of conversation during their gatherings.

She and Fang Zhe actually met through a blind date. A few years ago, An Ran's mother underwent a minor gynecological surgery at the hospital where Anna worked as a nurse, and the attending physician was Fang Zhe's aunt. At that time, An Ran's mother was constantly worried about her marriage, eager to introduce her to anyone she met. While chatting with Fang Zhe's aunt, they hit it off immediately, and before An Ran was discharged, a new round of blind dates had already been arranged for her.

Anna also said that the reason you remained single for so long before me was that you could not move on from the shadow of your late ex.

Fang Zhe's parents divorced when he was very young. He grew up by his grandmother's side, along with books. She remembers the first time Fang Zhe took her to meet his grandmother; they had just confirmed their relationship not long before. Fang Zhe's grandmother had just recovered from a serious illness, yet when she spoke to her, she wore a beaming smile and was full of vitality, not at all resembling a patient who had just been discharged from the hospital. Fang Zhe's mother said this was because she saw her and knew that her most beloved grandson had a girlfriend, which was more effective than any medicine.

In fact, Anran knew that it was sufficient to say this much, and that further questions should not be asked. However, once certain matters are brought up, they cannot be controlled by reason.

Whether it is to escape from reality, to seek a moment of calm, or simply to comfort oneself after feeling wronged, Anran took a long bath. She indulged in skincare and haircare masks, going through various elaborate cleansing steps. Several bottles of essential oils, impulsively purchased during the Double Eleven shopping festival, finally saw the light of day this time.

However, she now realizes that it seems to be otherwise. If Fang Zhe had shown her a bit more concern when she first entered, had approached her with caring inquiries about her well-being, had expressed interest in what had happened between her and Anna, and had offered even a few simple words of comfort instead of solely being angry about her late return, her mood would certainly not have been this way

Fang Zhe was unwilling to speak much, so she gradually asked fewer questions, yet this doubt remained hidden in her heart

Ultimately, she still cares

"Don't lie to me, you really didn't have a quarrel with Fang Zhe, did you?" Cui Yanan could discern something from just a tone in An Ran's voice over the phone, reflecting their twenty years of relationship.

Anran, are you alright

It is good that everything is fine, so hurry back home, and send me a message when you arrive. I will come to have lunch with you tomorrow.

Alternatively, the turning point of the wheel of fate may not begin tonight; giving them more time to digest it may lead to a different story

Anran gazed at Fang Zhe, who remained silent, yet she still caught a fleeting glimpse of a strange expression that passed across his face

No need, it's nothing serious. I have nothing to do at the moment, and I am just about to head back.

Anran did not answer immediately, and Cui Yanan knew she had guessed correctly. She asked, "If you don't want to go home, why not stay here with me today? I will call Fang Zhe and tell him. He was genuinely worried just now; if you don't get back to him, he might even call the police."

She felt a bit embarrassed by the compliments and, in her confusion, looked towards Fang Zhe for help, but he merely lowered his head in silence, picking at his food. At the time, she did not think much of it, but now she realizes that it was likely his reaction to being stung by the phrase "more blessings and longevity"

The answer from Anran is Fang Zhe's consistent silence and the profile that has never turned away from the shadows

"There is no need to explain to me; it's enough to know that you are fine," Cui Yanan said. "What kind of disagreement do you have with Fang Zhe?"

She teased in a mock questioning tone: "Didn’t we agree to get rid of all traces of our exes? Why are you still keeping the love letters that the young girl wrote to you"

It is true

Listening to the banter between the male and female hosts on the radio, many past events began to emerge one by one from my mind

Anran first dialed her mother's number. On the other end of the line, her mother asked her worriedly where she had gone. She replied that a friend had invited her out for a chat, a rather flimsy excuse, but her mother did not press further. She only urged her to hurry home and mentioned that she hadn't brought up the evening's events with Fang Zhe, advising her not to overthink it and to be careful not to cause any trouble on her way home

She feels that if one does not truly love someone, it is unlikely to achieve such things, which makes her think that the question may not be that important after all, as everyone has a past. Moreover, over time, those past doubts have indeed faded.

I got into a fight with my sister tonight, and I'm feeling down, so I wandered around outside for a while... Anran said lightly, "I thought you would be busy all night again today, but I didn't expect you to come back earlier than me."

I understand now

Mother packed two lunch boxes into a bag and asked Anran to take them back to Fang Zhe. As she was leaving, she held her arm and advised her: "Don't listen to your sister's nonsense, and don't cause any trouble with Fang Zhe when you get back"

Anran comforted her mother and then returned the call to Cui Yanan

Anran sat beside her father on the sofa for a while, making small talk with him. Her father occasionally responded with a brief "mm" to indicate he was listening, but he never looked at her. After sitting for more than half an hour, her father finally changed the subject: "You should go back now; it's too late, and it's not safe to drive alone."

Anran looked up at Fang Zhe, who still turned his face away from her, remaining silent and appearing angry. His reaction was within her expectations, which gave her some comfort. His silence revealed his righteous indignation: Is it just because of this one sentence? You believe what others say? Our years of relationship cannot withstand a single remark from someone else?

As soon as Cui Yanan answered the phone, before she could say anything, the caller immediately asked: "Did you have a fight with Fang Zhe or are you having an affair outside? You don't even answer my calls?"

He was taken aback and said that a long time had passed, and he had long forgotten about these things

Upon leaving her parents' home, Anran found it impossible to contain the emotions she had been suppressing, feeling an overwhelming urge to drive directly to Fang Zhe's company to confront him in person. Although she was aware that this was somewhat irrational, she still drove onto the ring road

I understand...

Sigh, just don't argue with your sister; let her say whatever she wants, and you can simply pretend you didn't hear it.

Anran stepped out of the elevator, just as she was rummaging through her bag for the keys, when she heard Fang Zhe approaching quickly to open the door inside the house

Fang Zhe did not respond, silently watching An Ran take off her coat and change into slippers. An Ran did not need to look to know the unpleasant expression on his face, which clearly indicated his dissatisfaction with her response or attitude.

Anran took the bag, not even having the thought to say a reassuring word to her mother, and hurriedly left

When she came out of the bathroom, only the living room light was on. After hesitating for a moment, Anran walked to the corridor and took a glance. Fang Zhe was sitting in the rattan chair on the balcony with a stern expression. She felt that he had probably been sitting like this the whole time she was taking a shower, and that he was angry with her

Anran got up and returned to the bedroom. Before leaving the living room, she turned back to take a glance, and Fang Zhe's silent profile left a deep imprint in her mind, one that had not faded for a long time.

Because the other party was Fang Zhe, An Ran initially did not have high expectations for this blind date, simply feeling curious. She told Fang Zhe that they were high school classmates, to which Fang Zhe honestly admitted that he really did not remember her. She was not disappointed by this, after all, her high school experience was quite ordinary and unremarkable

During the meal, Grandma Fangzhe continuously served her dishes and praised her incessantly, often saying that she had a good appearance, a face full of blessings, and that she would surely enjoy great fortune and longevity in the future

Anran felt that she should say something more, but her mind was filled with the words that Anna had thrown at her, making it truly difficult for her to sit still

The car approached the exit of the ring road leading to Fang Zhe's company. An Ran tightened her grip on the steering wheel, and after a struggle, she did not turn. The car continued to drive aimlessly on the ring road.

At 1:18 AM, there were numerous missed calls and messages from Fang Zhe, my mother, and my close friend Cui Yanan.

Anran walked over and sat on the sofa: "Last night when I was arguing with Anna, she mocked me by saying I was an idiot, a joke, and that the reason I chose to be with her in the first place was because my grandmother was critically ill"

So what about now, have you come out now?

As Anran stepped out of the bathroom, she cast a glance at the mirror, trying to appear as calm and natural as possible. However, upon opening the door and seeing her mother's concerned expression, she instinctively averted her gaze. Her mother seemed to want to say something, but Anran did not wish to revisit that topic and fled to the living room

Where have you been? Why didn't you answer my call?" Fang Zhe pushed the door open and saw An Ran. His expression first relaxed, then became somewhat irritated. "Don't tell me you set your phone to silent again.

On her way back, she constantly engaged in psychological self-preparation. She told herself that the reason she felt upset today, and why her heart felt so constricted, was not because Anna's words truly made her doubt Fang Zhe's feelings for her. She was merely shocked and annoyed that these words came from Anna's mouth rather than being told to her directly by Fang Zhe. She was frustrated that even Anna, her mother, or even her father, and indeed the whole world knew about it, while she remained in the dark. She was angry that Fang Zhe had made her into a fool kept in the dark, causing her to feel embarrassed in front of her family. She was simply shocked and annoyed that these words came from Anna's mouth rather than being told to her directly by Fang Zhe. She was frustrated that even Anna, her mother, or even her father, and indeed the whole world knew about it, while she remained in the dark. She was angry that Fang Zhe had made her into a fool kept in the dark, causing her to feel embarrassed in front of her family.

An Ran ignored Fang Zhe, returned to her room to change clothes, and took a bath towel to take a shower

Mother knocked on the bathroom door, and Anran realized that she had been inside for quite a while. She hurriedly replied, "It's nothing," and flushed the toilet.

Anran was indeed shocked for a while to discover that the person she was set up with for a blind date was Fang Zhe. She had not expected that Fang Zhe, who was such a sought-after and aloof male god in high school, would also enter the blind date market

After two years of dating and three years of marriage, Fang Zhe has been attentive to her. He remembers all their anniversaries, as well as all her preferences and little quirks. He tries sweets he doesn't particularly like just to accompany her, and he reduces the frequency of eating spicy food to cater to her taste. Whenever she sends him a message, he always replies promptly. On weekday mornings, he wakes up early to prepare breakfast for her. The last thing he does every night before going to bed is to place a thermos filled with warm water on her bedside table.

She remembers that last year her mother-in-law moved, and they helped tidy up the old house. While she was organizing Fang Zhe's desk in his bedroom, she discovered a box pressed under old textbooks in the cabinet. Inside was a stack of letters, all handmade envelopes in light purple or pale yellow, adorned with vine patterns, quite exquisite, clearly crafted by a girl's hand

She and Fang Zhe were classmates in high school, and Fang Zhe, due to his handsome appearance, was considered a prominent figure in high school. An Ran naturally knew him, but Fang Zhe did not know her

Putting down the phone, Anran's mood improved slightly as she started the car to head home. Driving alone on the road late at night, she wandered for half the night without returning home. Besides wanting to calm down, she also sought a psychological comfort for herself, a reason to persuade herself to let go of this matter: Fang Zhe was very worried about her

In the long time that followed, An Ran often thought that if Fang Zhe could have turned to look at her even once, without needing to say a word, just by glancing her way, perhaps their subsequent circumstances would have been vastly different

The father did not watch his favorite sports program as usual; instead, he, who never enters the kitchen, remained glued to a cooking show on television for a long time without changing the channel, wearing a serious expression.

Anran could not remember how long she had been driving on the ring road that night. The surrounding vehicles went from congested to sparse, and after her phone's WeChat and call notifications rang countless times, she finally exited the ring road and pulled over to the side.