By late October, Ji Chuan City had entered deep autumn.
The entire city had experienced several consecutive days of rain. The moisture in the air seemed to have crystallized into ice, alternating between dampness and cold. The heavy rain showed no signs of stopping, occasionally striking the windows with a tapping sound.
In the sealed room, the blackout curtains covered the outside scenery completely. The white wooden door had three silver locks embedded in it, arranged in a row, giving an oppressive and gloomy appearance.
The ceiling light was on, emitting a warm yellow glow with a soft hue. The room was brightly lit, unlike the dim lighting suitable for sleep.
But under this light.
On the bed near the window, a pink-blue blanket bulged.
A young woman was curled up underneath, her eyes closed. Half of her fair face was visible, along with her soft hair strands.
She seemed to be sleeping restlessly. Although Shu Nian hadn’t moved, her face was pale, with grayish shadows under her eyes, and her eyelashes trembled occasionally. She looked haggard and uneasy.
Suddenly.
A crisp, clear click sounded from far away.
It was the sound of the entrance door being opened.
Shu Nian’s heart lurched, and she immediately opened her eyes. Her expression was blank as she regained consciousness, cold sweat forming on her forehead.
Recalling the sound she had just heard, Shu Nian slowly got out of bed, making faint gasping sounds from her throat. She stepped onto the soft carpet and stopped at the bedroom door.
Standing there, she could faintly hear her mother, Deng Qingyu, talking to herself.
But she still maintained a very vigilant demeanor, unlocking the two lower locks while leaving the chain lock at the top intact. Shu Nian carefully opened the door, creating just a tiny gap.
Only after confirming the person outside was Deng Qingyu did Shu Nian completely relax. She pressed her lips together, scratched her head, and searched for her slippers that she had kicked somewhere unknown.
After putting them on, she walked out of the room.
The apartment wasn’t large, about fifty square meters. One bedroom, one living room, one bathroom, plus a small balcony. The curtains had now been opened, and through the floor-to-ceiling windows, besides the lush camphor trees, one could only see the raindrops continuously falling.
The sky was gloomy, though night had not yet fallen.
A subtle breeze slipped through the gaps in the windows as if mixed with ice.
Shu Nian couldn’t help but shudder.
The living room had no carpet, and the sound of her slippers slapping against the floor was not small, quickly attracting Deng Qingyu’s gaze.
“Why do you look so pale? Didn’t sleep well?”
Shu Nian shook her head and asked softly, “Why did you come?”
“When I called you yesterday, I heard you coughing. Your aunt just sent over a box of pears, so I brought some for you.” Deng Qingyu pointed to the kitchen, “I put a bag in the refrigerator. Now I’m going to stew some pears with rock sugar for you.”
Shu Nian picked up the hot water kettle from the coffee table, went to the water dispenser to fill it, and responded tepidly.
“Thank you, Mom.”
Deng Qingyu gave a brief acknowledgment, tidying up the living room while saying, “It’s the season change now, so you should be careful. Don’t keep the windows closed all the time; make sure to ventilate, don’t let yourself get sick from the stuffiness.”
Shu Nian nodded, “Okay.”
Filling the kettle halfway, Shu Nian carried it back to the coffee table and started boiling water.
The electric kettle was powerful, and soon it emitted sounds of boiling, with steam rising. Shu Nian opened the plastic bag on the coffee table, took out several boxes of medicine, and carefully read the instructions.
Deng Qingyu, unable to stay idle, straightened the cushions on the sofa and casually asked, “You don’t have a fever, do you?”
Shu Nian looked up and obediently replied, “No, just a slight cough.”
Deng Qingyu didn’t say anything more, just glanced at Shu Nian.
Her lips were pressed together as she lowered her eyes again, focusing on the small print on the paper, looking particularly serious.
Afterward, Deng Qingyu went into the kitchen.
When Deng Qingyu returned to the living room, she found Shu Nian still maintaining her previous posture, motionless. Her spine was ramrod straight, her smooth hair hanging down, appearing somewhat fluffy.
Her delicate and gentle features made her look like a child who hadn’t fully grown up.
Below, her slippers had been kicked off, lying in disarray.
“What’s this?” Deng Qingyu walked beside her, suddenly remembering, “Today is Thursday, right? Are you going to see the psychologist later?”
“Mm-hmm.” Shu Nian put away the medicine, organizing it neatly, “I go every week.”
The atmosphere returned to silence.
Deng Qingyu crouched down to arrange her slippers properly, her voice small and careful: “Nian Nian, you’ve been seeing this psychologist for about a year now, do you think it’s effective…”
Shu Nian paused, seriously contemplated for a moment, and hesitantly replied, “It should be.”
Deng Qingyu’s expression showed she wanted to say something but held back, ultimately saying nothing and reaching out to rub her head: “That’s good then.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Deng Qingyu revealed a smile, “Mom’s just asking about your condition.”
Shu Nian recalled what the doctor had told her last week: “Last time I went, the doctor told me that if I continue treatment, after a while I could go once every two weeks. This interval will gradually extend.”
“And then you’ll be completely better, right?” Deng Qingyu’s mood immediately improved, and she even felt like joking, “Mom’s still waiting for you to bring a boyfriend home.”
The sudden change of topic made Shu Nian freeze, looking at her with astonishment.