Gu Pan slept until 10 p.m., awakening with a dry mouth and parched throat after the alcohol. He turned on the light and found a thermos at the bedside. It was indeed his, but originally stored elsewhere.

　　Giving it a shake, he heard water sloshing inside. Opening the lid, steam rose up.

　　The mist danced gracefully in the lamplight, resembling a shimmering water curtain. Beyond the veil of mist, a fantastical world unfolded in vibrant colors.

　　All left behind by Su Chiyuan. A cup of hot water and a crystal ball. One for material wealth, the other for spiritual nourishment.

　　Gu Pan took a sip to soothe his throat, then examined the gift Su Chiyuan had promised during their overseas phone call.

　　It was a substantial glass item. Its nature, he found it hard to define between craftsmanship and toy. However, recalling Su Chiyuan's various gestures, like lighting the fairy stick and offering fish belly... it seemed more likely to be intended as a playful gift.

　　Gu Pan cradled the crystal ball. Within the transparent sphere, a graceful mermaid sat, her expression lively. "Heh, Mr. Su, you're quite the character!" he muttered to himself.

　　At ten o'clock in the night, an awkward time to wake up, Gu Pan found himself facing the daunting task of returning to the realm of dreams amidst the silence of the night. He stared at the ceiling, unmoving, his eyes still tinged with red, fixated on the light and shadows cast by the bedside lamp onto the white plaster surface. In his blurred vision, it resembled a tranquil pond in the still of the night, serene and undisturbed. He longed for the appearance of fish of red, yellow, and black-and-white colors, hoping they would bubble up and tell him that somewhere nearby, at the other end of the neighborhood, someone was awake and perhaps thinking of him.

　　But as his eyes grew weary from staring, the water remained undisturbed.

　　He shifted his sleeping position to lie on his side.

　　The phone on the bedside lit up and dimmed. Junk messages. After clearing them out and about to lock the screen, Gu Pan noticed a pink icon. It had been silent for several days.

　　He logged into the website and searched for the video creator he followed.

　　Gu Pan discovered that "Xin Yuan" had not recently updated any work. And the invitation to "Dian Cai Xia Guo" for the blue dye workshop's guqin music, which he last responded to, had received no reply. So, he scrolled through the previous works.

　　In a video from over two years ago, there was a scene set in the library reading room of the School of Management.

　　The familiar long wooden table and the English motivational quotes on the wall caught his eye. The video tag was "reading and learning atmosphere." However, Gu Pan remembered that during his boarding school days, he had gone there several times to study, only to be lulled into dreams by the recitation and the sound of pens scratching nearby. So, the alignment between the creator's original intention and the actual utility was subjective.

　　The bedroom was unusually quiet in the late night. Gu Pan focused intently on observing the details in the scene, noticing that in a corner of the real scene, the silhouette of a boy played a subtle balancing role in the entire composition. The boy wasn't randomly filmed, absolutely not.

　　Gu Pan had heard of subjective and objective shots. Based on his intuition as a man, he judged that the photographer couldn't help but get involved in the picture.

　　Gu Pan sat up, pondering how to send a private message to "Xin Yuan." He hoped the author could provide insights from a female perspective.

　　PP Jun wrote: "A man forcefully wants to have sex with a woman, and the woman struggles desperately. She makes the man leave and closes the door. Shouldn't she slap him? But she neither slapped the man nor told him to 'Fuck Off.' What exactly is a woman thinking?"

　　After sending the private message, Gu Pan suddenly regretted it. He worried that the recipient would think PP Jun was mentally unstable or even feel harassed by this abrupt question. It was like asking a random girl you met on the street what color underwear she was wearing today. Getting slapped would be the least of it. Oh my God! What have I done? Gu Pan clenched his fist, hitting himself hard on the forehead, with a strong sense of self-condemnation.

　　Gu Pan endured a week of restless anticipation, anxiously awaiting what lay ahead. But reality had its own plans, proving that he had misjudged the impact of his message and underestimated the strength of "Xin Yuan." In response to his inquiry, she responded honestly and even completed her "assignment."

　　The indigo art museum offered a source of immediate inspiration, with large dyed fabrics cascading like waterfalls. The soothing melody of the guzheng, playing "High Mountains and Flowing Waters," resonated in the tranquil distance. The distinct sounds of tea being prepared and the gentle clinking of purple sand utensils were also captured in "Xin Yuan's" work. Gu Pan felt as though he could almost smell the fragrant aroma just by listening. Despite abstaining from alcohol, he found himself intoxicated in more ways than one. But there was something deeper that provided solace beyond these sensory experiences.

　　"Xin Yuan" conveyed to PP Jun: "If you believe it was merely a fleeting impulse driven by desire, I suggest you exercise restraint. If not, then perhaps it's time for you to seek the answers yourself."

　　After reading her words, Gu Pan contemplated deeply, holding his phone against his stomach. Throughout this time, his phone buzzed incessantly, not in rhythm with his breath, but pulsating in sync with the tumultuous battle raging within his mind.

　　"In the end, I must seek the answers myself," he resolved, just before drifting off to sleep.

　　Finally, Saturday arrived for Gu Pan. Early in the morning, braving the sudden chill of winter's onset, he ventured into the cold apartment building. Leaving a note on her door, he hurriedly retreated, fearing an unexpected encounter as the woman disposed of her garbage. Now, all he could do was wait anxiously at home.

　　The night before the arrival of Cold Dew, Ling Hanlu stayed up almost all night studying Fang Yucheng's project. It wasn't until 2 p.m. the next afternoon that she finally woke up.

　　After getting out of bed, she didn't go out to throw away the trash. She simply freshened up, had a quick meal, washed two pieces of clothing, and then stood on the balcony for a while as they dried in the sun. She casually glanced down at the evergreen trees and grass below. She made sure not to fix her gaze on any specific direction, allowing her eyes to remain calm and objective like radar.

　　In the evening, a delivery arrived. It was only with the reminder from the delivery guy that Ling Hanlu noticed the hidden message on the door.

　　The paper was the same color as the recipe for the sea salt cheesecake last time. But this time, it contained contact information.

　　Ling Hanlu interpreted this as the young man wanting to apologize for his impulsive actions that day. This was his way of embracing the necessary ritual for genuine affection.

　　In Ling Hanlu's eyes, this gesture perfectly matched the young man's pure demeanor. She didn't want to admit how adorable that innocence looked to her "world-weary" eyes. Since returning from the café, whenever she wasn't absorbed in organizing vast amounts of data, she couldn't help but recall the scene of Gu Pan wiping the dirt off her shoe with a tissue.

　　Ling Hanlu knew that this was merely a reflection of the young man's manners. When he "stood up" to take responsibility for his girlfriend's mistake, he didn't even know who she was. But when the young man squatted down, revealing his fresh buzz cut and straight nose bridge, her hand covering her forehead almost collapsed. And after it fell, it was just enough to feel the warm and melting aroma of hormones.

　　Yet, a strange sense of bitterness and resentment surged in her heart. She desperately closed her eyes, held her breath, and stopped worrying.

　　But regardless, the young man deserved peace of mind. Free from entanglements and self-blame, he could move on cleanly and grow alongside his, even if somewhat flawed, girlfriend.

　　Thinking of this, Ling Hanlu felt a halo shining above her head.

　　In Gu Pan's living room.

　　Not every surprise call or letter of surprise has to be presented by dropping from the palm of your hand and being lucky enough to catch it. When Ling Hanlu's friend request came, Gu Pan was diligently sweating on his dark green lawn. So, his response was delayed, and he regretted this.

　　Ling Hanlu immediately sent a message: "You're still that good kid. Sincere, kind, brave, and just. More heartwarming than many kids I've seen. Don't worry about growing up! Keep it up!"

　　The word "kid" made Gu Pan feel uncomfortable. At least, it didn't match the muscle soreness and physical challenges he had endured over the past few months. As for the praise, he was more than happy to accept it all. He could sense the comfort in those words. The sender's tolerance had never disappointed him. However, he was more eager to "find answers for himself," just as "Xin Yuan" encouraged.

　　"To correct you a bit, I'm not a kid. Please see me as an adult!" Gu Pan initially operated the keypad with one hand, but halfway through, he felt his emotions rising, so he let the other hand join in. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to steady himself.

　　"Okay, that's my fault. Several times before, you helped me out of trouble, and those were unique and wonderful experiences for me, as well as the image you've left in my mind. I can't thank you enough. If you're interested in English and American literature, feel free to audit some classes at the Foreign Languages Department. I'll send you the schedule." Ling Hanlu knew she didn't completely avoid mentioning the "sofa incident"; instead, she subtly hinted at the standards of right and wrong for this immature child, in her opinion.

　　Ling Hanlu's expression was appropriate. However, it didn't make her feel relieved. In fact, she felt disappointed in her own preachy behavior.

　　Instead of locking the screen immediately, she let the phone stay lit on the desk until it naturally turned off two minutes later. It seemed like this kid was going through some deep thinking. She lightly pressed her fingers on the computer keyboard but couldn't type a single word.

　　This kind of state was unusual for her. When the police came to search the house, she was sitting at the desk in the study.

　　She wasn't shocked to the point of madness, or like other wives, she didn't obstruct the police investigation based on absolute trust in her husband. She went to the closet, took out a coat, and handed it over. She left the man with some last shred of dignity.

　　She returned to her study. Hands resting on the keyboard. Emptiness in her heart, couldn't even press the spacebar...

　　Two years later, Ling Hanlu once again felt the emptiness in her solitary abode. Although she knew that in this emptiness, besides the bitter taste, there was also a flavor called self-deception.

　　As she had anticipated, the young man had indeed undergone a long deliberation.

　　However, the young man's response caught her off guard.

　　"But I want to see you at other times too! Not just in class!" Gu Pan thought for a moment, then immediately added, "I'm not crazy!" He was deeply impressed by Ling Hanlu's labeling him as "crazy" on the sofa.

　　"I have a report to write. Goodbye." Ling Hanlu casually sent over the class schedule. She believed that being decisive and efficient would be an effective stance, first deceiving herself and then convincing others.

　　Ling Hanlu was surprised by Gu Pan's boldness and frankness. But as a seasoned adult, she felt obligated to proactively help him avoid trouble. The love of a youthful teenager, Gu Pan was entitled to play with it, but she was not. The whirlpool created by vacillation, she could foresee it better than Gu Pan, and she should take precautions.