Chapter Twenty-Eight: Ebony Tangerine

No perfume? How could that be? She had clearly caught a faint whiff of oud—neither sweet nor cloying, a cool, restrained scent. Yet he didn’t seem to be lying, and Ye Mian wisely chose not to press further.

The hospital room’s bathroom was thoughtfully equipped, with grab bars on both sides and simple yet complete facilities. The floor tiles were textured and non-slip. Unlike the faint fragrance lingering in home or hotel bathrooms, here the scent of disinfectant prevailed, reassuringly clean and sterile.

Supporting herself on the metal bar, Ye Mian gingerly detached her hand from Jiang Chen’s and made her way into the bathroom, not forgetting to close the door behind her. Only after settling steadily onto the toilet did she take out her phone.

She opened WeChat, hoping to see if anyone had messaged her. But at the very top of her chat list was Jiang Chen’s profile picture.

The exhaust fan brought in fresh air, a little cold. Ye Mian shivered, her fingertip hesitating before tapping into the chat.

As expected.

Her last exchange with Jiang Chen was a several-minute-long call. She checked the time...

It was right around when the incident had happened.

Ye Mian quickly set her phone aside, leaning against the toilet as her breathing grew ragged. Only by clenching her fists could she keep her trembling at bay.

Speculation was one thing; no matter how wild, it remained just imagination. But when speculation was confirmed, a chill and terror rose from the depths of her heart, sending goosebumps all over her skin.

Outwardly, Jiang Chen seemed gentle and pure, but in those chilling memories, his eyes were even colder and more ruthless than in her past life, devoid of any pretense, ambition laid bare.

If Jiang Chen had come that day and dragged Zhong Qian out of her house...

Then why did Zhong Qian turn himself in?

Why could Jiang Chen stand here as if nothing had happened?

So many questions made it impossible for her to see him as just a simple boy—he already possessed the cunning of his future self.

Yet she also couldn’t understand why Jiang Chen… had saved her.

And why didn’t he say anything?

She even began to suspect her past-life assumptions were wrong—that maybe, in places she never knew, many things had happened.

She looked up at the pristine floor tiles, their speckled patterns swirling like riddles, shrouding her heart.

...

After she had calmed herself, Ye Mian emerged from the bathroom as if nothing had happened.

Jiang Chen helped her back to the bed.

By now, the sky was growing ever darker, the endless night swallowing the city’s lights until all that remained was a faint, hazy orange.

Lying on the bed, Ye Mian stared absently at her phone, her thoughts a tangled mess she couldn’t unravel.

Anxiety gnawed at her heart.

Jiang Chen said nothing.

She fretted over how she might find the answers she wanted.

A Weibo notification popped up, as if the algorithms had read her mind—a line of text appeared in the push message:

Why is he always so good to me?

On impulse, Ye Mian tapped the link.

It was someone’s post, a question. She skipped the lengthy main text and scrolled straight to the comments.

The top reply read:

If a guy is good to you, why else? He likes you, obviously! It’s not the 1980s anymore, nobody’s just nice for no reason—everyone has an agenda.

...

Ye Mian immediately swiped past it and read the second comment.

Your classmate has a crush on you, definitely! There’s no other explanation.

The third comment.

Same here, he likes you.

The near-identical responses startled Ye Mian so much she almost leaped out of bed—only the sharp pain in her lower back stopped her, and her phone tumbled in an arc to the floor beneath the bed.

She replayed what she’d just read in disbelief!

What nonsense!

Jiang Chen had a crush on her???

What was this person even talking about!

Of course, Jiang Chen noticed the commotion.

He watched her quietly for a couple of seconds, then stood up, picked her phone off the floor, and tapped it against the edge of the bed. “Ye Mian, with your back like this you’d better just lie still. What are you looking at that has you so worked up?”

Ye Mian’s face was blank.

Staring at Jiang Chen’s face from such close proximity, Ye Mian could hardly breathe. Especially after what she’d just read—her face felt like it was on fire.

In that instant, some nerve in her brain misfired, and she blurted out stiffly, “I was checking to see if you have a crush on me.”

“...”

“...”

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow, pausing in his movements.

He lifted his head and met her gaze.

For a moment, their eyes locked.

Then, suddenly, Jiang Chen burst out laughing—deep and melodious.

It was as if Ye Mian had told the most ridiculous joke in the world.

As the embarrassment washed over her, Ye Mian’s scalp tingled and her heart raced.

Ashamed and flustered, she tried to say something, but her throat tightened. She opened her mouth, but could only squeeze out a feeble explanation: “No, I was just joking. Funny, right? Ha ha.”

This was mortifying. Absolutely mortifying.

Jiang Chen’s smile took on a hint of amusement, light and fleeting as morning dew. He said warmly, “It is funny—you’re quite the comedian.”

Ye Mian took a shallow breath, forced another awkward laugh, “Ha ha, right?”

And in her heart, she cursed herself—why did she believe all that nonsense from strangers online? How humiliating.

Believing everything you read can only harm you!!

“Yeah, yeah.” Jiang Chen arched his brow, lazily adjusting the IV line wrapped around her hand, his movements gentle, as if afraid of pulling the needle and causing her pain.

The medicine bottle was empty. He smiled. “I’ll go call the nurse to take out your IV.”

As the boy walked out of the room, Ye Mian finally exhaled in relief.

At least Jiang Chen didn’t think she was a narcissist.

Still, this was so embarrassing!

What could possibly be worse than asking someone to their face if they liked you—only for them to laugh?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Ye Mian hugged her pillow and buried her face in it.

The low hum of the air conditioning drifted into her ears, like a summer breeze.

She didn’t even realize the faint disappointment lingering at the tip of her heart.

So, Jiang Chen didn’t like her after all.

A few minutes later, the nurse knocked and entered, with Jiang Chen following behind.

With practiced hands, the nurse removed the IV, took away the glass bottle, and glanced at the two of them. “Family members, please don’t wander around at night. Our night shift nurses can’t accompany patients all night, so for everyone’s safety, family must stay with the patient overnight.”

Ye Mian paused, looking uncertainly at Jiang Chen, about to ask the nurse where she could find an attendant.

But Jiang Chen had already nodded, his voice as cool as the wind outside. “Alright, thank you.”

The nurse took out a lancet and gently pricked Ye Mian’s finger.

Throughout the process, no one spoke again.

Yet amid the sting at her fingertip, Ye Mian could hear her own heartbeat, growing clearer.

Thump-thump—

Thump-thump—

Each beat strong and distinct.

After the nurse left, Ye Mian felt uneasy and tugged at her blanket. “Jiang Chen, why don’t you sneak home tonight?”

Jiang Chen patted her hand, tucking her in again. “Let’s follow the rules, Ye Mian.”