Chapter 7 — Turns Out You Actually Like Me

"Just a little bit more, you understand? Life isn't easy for anyone out there, either."

I nodded blankly, lowering my gaze to gently prod at the grains of rice in my bowl, my ears completely shutting out the rest of their conversation. For some inexplicable reason, a sudden and intense longing to see him washed over me. I wanted to see him so badly it ached.

By afternoon, I found myself standing before the door of his apartment, a warm parcel of food held securely in my hands. After I pressed the doorbell, it took a long while before the heavy oak door cracked open just an inch. Chen Che thrust half of his face through the gap. The moment his eyes landed on me, he visibly froze, a flicker of flustered panic crossing his features.

"Yao Yao? Why on earth are you..."

"I brought a little warmth your way," I said, giving the takeaway bag a light shake. "Your brother mentioned you've been run off your feet lately, and told me I ought to check in on you more often."

Even though the second half of that sentence was entirely a fabrication of my own making, he hesitated for a brief moment before finally sliding sideways to let me step inside. The very first breath I drew upon crossing the threshold made my nose wrinkle involuntarily. The air was suffocatingly thick with the stench of cigarette smoke. The crystal ashtray resting on the coffee table was already overflowing with crushed cigarette butts, and the heavy window drapes remained stubbornly drawn, shutting out the dying afternoon light. Chen Che followed closely behind me, his hands fluttering awkwardly as he scrambled to tidy up the mess.

"I am so sorry, the place is an absolute wreck... Just give me a second, I will clear this up right now."

I looked at his crumpled shirt, the top two buttons casually undone, and his hair, devoid of any styling, with a few stray locks tumbling over his forehead. This was the absolute first time I had ever laid eyes on him looking so disheveled. In my eyes, Chen Che had always been the epitome of pristine perfection—immaculately groomed, composed, and effortlessly at ease. What on earth could he possibly have been going through to reduce him to this state?

Without a word, I walked straight over to the window, wrenched the heavy curtains apart, and shoved the pane outward. A gust of crisp evening wind swept into the room, instantly dispersing much of the stale, suffocating atmosphere.

"I really am sorry about this," Chen Che muttered, hastily concealing the ashtray behind his back with a strange, guarded sheepishness. "My mood hasn't been great these past couple of days, so I smoked a bit more than usual. Normally, I hardly touch the things."

Though the lingering stench was still making my head spin slightly, I deliberately adopted a breezy, lighthearted tone. "It's fine. Back in high school, your brother went through a rebellious phase and secretly learned how to smoke. My parents caught him and gave him the beating of a lifetime—he never dared touch another cigarette after that. He was in such a pathetic state."

My intention was purely to tease him and crack the heavy tension hanging between us. Instead, Chen Che lowered his gaze, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "Must be nice, having someone to keep you in line."

My smile froze instantly. Damn it, whenever I panicked, I always managed to say the wrong thing. I stammered, frantically searching for a way to salvage the situation. "That... that isn't what I meant at all..."

Chen Che suddenly raised his head, locking his dark eyes onto mine. "Yao Yao, why don't you keep me in line?"

"Huh?"

He lowered his chin, the tips of his ears flushing a faint, betraying shade of red. "I mean... supervise me. Help me quit smoking."

I pressed my lips together, desperately fighting to keep my composure from shattering. Ah, isn't it true that human relationships grow closer precisely through these tiny, seemingly insignificant moments? I nodded slowly. "Alright, then. But fair warning, I am exceptionally strict. Every single cigarette you smoke will cost you a hundred yuan in fines."

"Isn't that a bit steep?"

"It has to be expensive, otherwise it won't work."

A low chuckle escaped his lips. "Whatever you say."

My heart hammered wildly against my ribs, and I instinctively raised a hand to fan my burning cheeks. Did he have any idea just how ambiguously his casual remark had landed? Eager to change the subject before my racing pulse betrayed me, I hurriedly unzipped the food parcel. "Hurry up and eat something. I stopped by a wonderful little restaurant at noon, and the food was so good I just knew you would love it, so I packed a portion for you."

"Did you deliberately bring this for me? In that case, I'll just have to taste it very carefully."

He lowered his head to unpack the containers, saying nothing more, though the corners of his lips curled into a lingering smile. I seated myself across from him, quietly watching as he ate in silence. It was painfully obvious he hadn't eaten a proper meal in days. Once he had finished the bulk of the food, I finally mustered the courage to break the quiet.

"Hey... have you been having a hard time lately? You can talk to me, you know. And if you don't feel like talking about it, I can always tell you some terrible jokes to cheer you up. Would you like that?"

He remained silent. The heavy quiet stretched between us for several endless seconds.