Since the Spring Festival, Lin Ge had been very busy, juggling multiple roles besides his own research. The soaring housing prices put immense pressure on him. Coming from a modest background, with his father deceased early and his mother supporting the siblings, their family resources had long been depleted. This time, he came back partly to see Xu Ke and also to check out the house Lin Yao had mentioned. Buying a house had become an urgent matter; any further delay might make it impossible. Just as he was about to discuss the housing issue with Xu Ke, there was a knock at the door. Both were startled, and Lin Ge got up to answer it. Seeing Shen Mu at the door, he was surprised; hadn’t he just left?
“Hello, I’m here for Xu Ke,” Shen Mu’s voice came, startling Xu Ke to her feet. Standing outside, with dim light from the half-open door casting shadows on him, his expression was hard to read. From the bedroom to the door, just a few short steps, but Xu Ke’s heart was already pounding. He was always unpredictable; his sudden return might lead to something unexpected. She couldn’t be sure. Six years ago, he did something so shocking and heart-wrenching that it left a deep scar. Time had passed, and she thought she had forgotten, but seeing him again, she realized it was merely buried, not forgotten. His occasional appearances always inadvertently reminded her of those past pains.
She approached him slowly, noticing his composure was almost too calm, which made her even more nervous. She tried to stay composed and asked, “What’s the matter?” He handed her a set of keys, “Weren’t you wanting Lin Ge to see the house? Zhang Yang went to Beijing and left the keys with me. You can go see it when you have time. Here are the keys.” His words were quick, his eyes holding an emotion she couldn’t quite define, like the undercurrents of a river. Unexpectedly, his purpose was this, and she sighed in relief, taking the keys and saying softly, “Thank you, I’ll return the keys after we’ve seen it.” Lin Ge also thanked him repeatedly. Shen Mu just hummed in acknowledgment and turned to leave.
In the narrow, dilapidated corridor with dim lighting, his tall, erect figure seemed somewhat lonely. Xu Ke couldn’t help but say, “Goodbye.” Shen Mu paused at the staircase corner, glanced back at her. Suddenly, the motion sensor lights went out, and his figure melded into the darkness as if a past memory had abruptly been cut off. In that instant, Xu Ke’s heart ached. This man, loved, hated, intentionally forgotten, gradually forgiven… Although she no longer felt attached to him, every time she saw him, she would think of her youth, those beautiful years, the poetic feelings, all inextricably linked to him, etched into the fabric of time, indelible.
She quickly turned, closing the door as if to shut out those memories she didn’t want to recall or remember. Turning back, she met Lin Ge’s excited eyes. He put his arm around her shoulders, happily saying, “Xiao Ke, let’s go see the house tomorrow.” Xu Ke nodded, “Okay.” They entered the bedroom, and Lin Ge closed the door, embracing her. “Once we buy the house, we’ll get married.” Xu Ke nodded, defaulting to the idea, but playfully pouted, “Is this how you propose?” Her playful, sweet demeanor made Lin Ge’s heart overflow with happiness. He held her tightly, letting out a long sigh. “Xiao Ke, Lin Yao is a bit immature. I know it’s tough for you living with her.” Xu Ke was taken aback, “Why bring this up suddenly?” “Because when I came back, she complained to me about someone sending you lingerie, not answering your phone during dinners, etc. It was annoying, so I waited for you downstairs.” Xu Ke felt warmed by his trust, “Do you believe me?” Lin Ge looked at her earnestly, “Of course, I believe you! She does this because she lacks confidence in me. She always feels that a girl as beautiful and excellent as you isn’t someone I can afford or control. She’s just worried about me; she doesn’t have any ill intentions, don’t take it to heart.” Xu Ke nodded; it didn’t matter what Lin Yao said, as long as he trusted her, that was enough. They hugged quietly, sharing a tacit understanding without words.
He was an introverted and shy person, never one for dramatic or extreme actions, his emotions flowing like a gentle stream. Xu Ke cherished his steadiness and tranquility, feeling relaxed and at ease with him, unlike the tumultuous emotional exhaustion she experienced with Shen Mu. Nestled against Lin Ge’s chest, she recounted the night she encountered a thief, mentioned Shen Mu, and casually glossed over the incident with the lingerie. After speaking out, she felt much more at ease; she hoped for honesty between them, disliking deceit because she had tasted the bitterness of betrayal. After listening, Lin Ge was silent for a long time. Xu Ke thought he might be upset, feeling a bit anxious, wondering if she should have told him. But if she hadn’t, wouldn’t there always be a doubt in his mind, and a knot in hers?
Lin Ge looked deeply into Xu Ke’s eyes, his tone serious, “Xiao Ke, I feel increasingly guilty about you living here. You deserve a better life. Being with me, I always feel like I’m letting you down.” His words surprised and moved Xu Ke. She smiled at Lin Ge, “I feel that being with you is already a good life.” Lin Ge released her, pulling out a bank card from his wallet. “Here are my savings, only thirty thousand. The password is your birthday. I might be very busy sometimes and can’t come back. You decide on the house.” “What you like is what I like,” Xu Ke said as she took the bank card, feeling a warm glow in her heart. At that moment, she felt incredibly close to Lin Ge, sharing a sense of camaraderie and mutual support. She was willing to spend this simple, serene, and stable life with him. Suddenly, Lin Yao knocked and entered. She asked bluntly, “Brother, I have to get up early for work tomorrow, so I want to sleep now. Are you two going to sleep together, or should I sleep with my sister-in-law?” Xu Ke and Lin Ge’s faces turned red instantly. With such direct speech, even if Lin Ge had any intentions, he wouldn’t dare act on them in front of his sister. Thus, Lin Ge went to Lin Yao’s room. Tossing and turning, he was eager to get married immediately, to have Xu Ke by his side right away. Lin Yao had no confidence in him; he didn’t want to admit it, but he had to – in Wuhan, he was so deeply in love, longing to marry Xu Ke as soon as possible for peace of mind.
The next morning, Xu Ke prepared breakfast. Lin Yao ate quickly and left in a hurry. Xu Ke, going to work a bit later, was more at ease. “Lin Ge, I’m heading to work first. Come find me at my office at 11:30; we can go house hunting during my lunch break.” Lin Ge held her hand, reluctant to let go. “Xiao Ke, can’t you take the day off? I have to leave at five this afternoon.” Xu Ke shook her head helplessly. “If I take the day off, I’ll lose my full attendance bonus. Plus, I have important things to do at work today.” She planned to monitor the movements of stock 600xxx, ready to invest if there were any significant changes. Lin Ge kissed her cheek and whispered, “I can’t wait to get married.” Xu Ke blushed, her cheeks a vibrant red. Lin Ge felt increasingly anxious but had to suppress it.
At work, Xu Ke quickly got down to business after turning on her computer. At 9:30, when the market opened, she kept a close watch on 600xxx. The trading volume was high, and the volume ratio was among the top in both markets, with eager buying activity. She was excited. By 11:00, the stock had risen by 5%, showing signs of hitting the upper limit. Without hesitation, Xu Ke invested all her funds. The stock soon rose to 6%, and she felt relieved. At 11:30, the market closed. Xu Ke shut down her computer and rushed downstairs. Lin Ge was already waiting in the trading hall. He approached with a smile, took her hand, and asked softly, “Busy?”
