"I mean, if you're so interested in physics, you must have self - studied some. You can't be a complete beginner. You're being too modest," Chi Yu said in a flustered tone as he saw Jiang Zhirou looking at him with a puzzled expression.
It was only at this moment that he realized Jiang Zhirou had unknowingly entered his life.
The girl he met in his youth was her; the first time his heart skipped a beat was because of her; even that open - class was related to her...
At this moment, Chi Yu felt as dull as a child who had just learned to think. There had been so many suspicious moments, but he had never thought more about them.
On the contrary, he had been so reckless and foolish as to drive her away.
Now he wished he could turn back time to the day when they had the argument. He would surely have kept her by his side.
Hearing Chi Yu's explanation, the confusion in Jiang Zhirou's eyes gradually faded. Without thinking much, she looked up at the man half - jokingly.
At that moment, her eyes suddenly met Chi Yu's.
The teasing words on the tip of Jiang Zhirou's tongue got stuck in her throat because of the man's burning gaze.
Just then, a cool breeze blew by, and Jiang Zhirou couldn't help shivering. She dodged his gaze.
This year's winter seemed to come especially early. The night wind carried a hint of chill.
Jiang Zhirou was only wearing a thin knitted cardigan. As the wind blew, the cold air seeped into her body through her neck.
The next second, a coat wrapped in a faint fragrance and warmth was suddenly draped over Jiang Zhirou's shoulders.
Before she could say a word, Chi Yu's voice came from above her head.
"It's windy. Let's go back."
Chi Yu subconsciously reached out his hand, intending to hold hers. But just as he was about to touch it, he silently withdrew his hand, nodded, and motioned for her to follow.
Jiang Zhirou's mind suddenly went blank at this moment. Rarely, she didn't refute him but quietly walked beside him towards Yue Lan Manor.
In Yue Lan Manor, a dim warm - yellow light shone through the window of the second - floor study.
Si Moshen stood in front of the floor - to - ceiling window, his gaze fixed on the two figures walking side by side. His eyes were filled with an unfathomable emotion.
"Third Master, it's time to take your medicine," a sudden voice interrupted Si Moshen's train of thought. He silently pulled the curtains and turned back to sit in his office chair.
Uncle Shen was holding a bowl of traditional Chinese medicine that was steaming and giving off a bitter smell. He carefully placed the bowl on the office desk.
Si Moshen's eyes were fixed on the computer screen in front of him. He didn't even glance at the bowl of medicine.
"I don't need to take this medicine anymore," he said in a soft but cold voice.
Uncle Shen understood what he meant.
At the hospital that day, the doctor had made it very clear.
For Si Moshen's illness, a blood transfusion was the only treatment option. The traditional Chinese medicine in front of him could only serve as a psychological comfort.
Thinking of this, Uncle Shen frowned involuntarily and pushed the bowl a little closer to Si Moshen. "Third Master, Miss Zhizhi only has you. If even you give up, what will she do in the future?"
As soon as the words were out, a strange look flashed across Si Moshen's eyes. Then he shifted his gaze from the computer to Uncle Shen.
A faint smile appeared on his lips. He said softly, "You're wrong. It's me who only has her, not her who only has me. Besides me, she has Professor Jiang, Chi Yu, Chen Yixia, Chen Yu'an, and all those friends in the imperial capital."
"Uncle Shen, you actually know very well that it's not her who can't live without me."
A look of pity flashed across Uncle Shen's wrinkled face. Si Moshen paused.
"The one who can't live without her has always been me..."
His voice was softer than before, as if he were talking to himself.
Uncle Shen didn't say anything else.
But Si Moshen suddenly looked up at him. "It's getting late. Go and rest early. I'll drink the medicine when it cools down."
Uncle Shen nodded. "You should also rest early." Then he exited the room and gently closed the door.
The moment the door was locked, Si Moshen turned his head and glanced in the direction of the floor - to - ceiling window, but he quickly retracted his gaze.
...
"Get some rest early. Good night," Chi Yu and Jiang Zhirou stood in front of their respective bedrooms.
Jiang Zhirou nodded. "Good night."
The next second, Chi Yu opened the door and walked in.
Jiang Zhirou stood by the door. It was only after the door was closed that she suddenly remembered the coat on her body.
She subconsciously walked to Chi Yu's door. Just as she raised her hand to knock on the door, she suddenly stopped when her hand was about to touch the door panel.
Jiang Zhirou lowered her head slightly, glanced at the coat on her body, and slowly withdrew her hand two seconds later.
She'd wash it and return it to him later.
After Chi Yu returned to his bedroom, he hurriedly opened his laptop.
He entered one password after another and finally opened the folder hidden in a corner.
The folder was filled with photos and videos of Chen Qingmian.
To be more precise... the person in the photos was Jiang Zhirou.
The photos in the folder spanned a long time.
From the day he first met Jiang Zhirou to now, there were tens of thousands of photos.
Chi Yu flipped through them one by one in chronological order. The more he looked, the faster his breathing became.
Jiang Zhirou had always been there, but he had never noticed.
With a "thud", the laptop on Chi Yu's lap slipped to the ground.
He couldn't describe how he felt when he learned all this.
Just then, a phone ringing interrupted his thoughts.
Chi Yu stared blankly at the phone charging on the bedside table. He had no intention of getting up to answer it.
He still sat there motionless even after the phone automatically hung up.
But the person on the other end of the phone didn't give up easily. One call after another came in, as if they would keep calling until he answered.
Chi Yu glanced at it, stood up, and dragged his feet to the bedside table to answer the call.
"Hello?"
"I have some information about Qingmian's biological father. Do you want to know?"
Chen Yu'an's voice came from the other end of the phone.
Chi Yu was stunned for a moment. He immediately remembered Ji Bai's words, and his face became serious. He asked the person on the other end of the phone,
"Where are you?"
There was a pause on the other end. Instead of answering, the person asked the question again, "Do you want to know about Qingmian's father?"
At this moment, Chi Yu was a little hesitant. He couldn't tell if it was fear or something else. After looking at those photos, a bold idea suddenly popped up in his mind.
But it was just an idea.
Chen Yu'an's voice was like a death knell, urging him to find the answer to his conjecture.
Chi Yu took a deep breath. His hand holding the phone tightened involuntarily. If you looked closely, you could see the fine beads of sweat on his forehead.
He said in a low voice, "She's never had a dual personality. You've known that for a long time, haven't you?"