At three in the morning, the night was drawing to a close, and dawn had yet to break. The street lined with nightclubs was eerily quiet, only a few staggering figures of men and women passing by, leaving behind a trail of teasing laughter. Lin Wan loosened her grip on the steering wheel, her fingers turning white from the tension and long hold. She took a swig from the canned beer beside her, then placed it back down. As she did, she saw a man and woman embracing as they walked out of a bar. The man looked familiar, so familiar that even if he were turned to ashes, she would recognize him.
They kissed again before parting. The woman waited in place as the man went to get the car.
Good, a cruel smile spread across Lin Wan's lips as she started the car, pressed the gas pedal, and sped straight toward them... Bang, the sound of impact, followed by screeching brakes, the woman's piercing scream echoing through the silent street. Through the windshield, she saw something being thrown high into the air before falling heavily in front of her. In an instant, her vision was flooded with blood, a sea of red, the thick stench of blood rising up and making her stomach turn. Through the blood-splattered glass, she saw a distorted face, its features shattered, blood gushing from various places. It was the person she had hated for so long, but as he died right in front of her, she could only scream, overwhelmed by suffocating despair, as if the end of the world had come...
"Wan Wan, wake up."
Lin Wan snapped awake from the nightmare. She opened her eyes and saw a face that resembled the man from her dream, causing her to panic. She tried to retreat, but the bedhead was behind her, leaving her with no escape. She could only press herself back helplessly, staring at him with a look of pure terror.
"Nightmare?" Chen Jin asked anxiously, reaching out to wipe the sweat from her forehead.
Lin Wan, flustered, shook her head, then nodded. Chen Jin pulled her into his arms, kissed the top of her head, and softly comforted her, "Don't be afraid, I'm here, it's over."
He had seen many sides of Lin Wan: despair, pain, anger, indifference, stubbornness, and today, sweetness. Some made him feel moved, some gave him headaches and even made him furious. But he had never seen her this vulnerable, so helpless it made his heart ache. He suddenly became curious about what kind of dream had scared her so much, so he asked, "What did you dream about? Why were you so scared?"
The person in his arms shivered, and Chen Jin realized that was an inappropriate question. He quickly changed his tone, "Alright, don't tell me. Dreams are the opposite of reality, so whatever you dreamed about was all fake, okay?" It seemed like adults always comforted children this way, so he tried to follow the pattern, though he had always doubted this theory himself.
"Really?" Lin Wan blinked at her wet eyes, her voice small as she asked again.
"Of course," Chen Jin patted her back and then, as if dealing with a kitten, gently stroked her from top to bottom. He didn't have experience with this, but he hoped the instincts of humans and animals were the same. Sure enough, Lin Wan seemed to find comfort in it, nestling closer into his embrace. Feeling a sense of accomplishment, he held her even tighter.
Lin Wan was quietly nestled against him, unusually calm, even dependent, which stirred an unfamiliar feeling in him—pride, as a man. He had embraced many women, most of them driven by desire, and he had never doubted his own power. He was capable of protecting those he cared for, making them feel invincible. Over time, he had become accustomed to this, even numb to it. But at this moment, he felt deeply gratified that he could provide such a sense of security to the woman in his arms.
"Sleep," Chen Jin yawned after holding the position for a long time. He carefully lay down with Lin Wan still in his arms.
Because it was the first time he'd held someone while sleeping, Chen Jin couldn't sleep well. His arm became sore and numb from the position. After waking up several times, he decided to pull his arm out, only to find that the woman in his arms still had her eyes open. Surprised, he asked, "You're not asleep?"
"Mm, I can't sleep." Lin Wan, still haunted by the nightmare, also wasn't used to resting on someone's stiff arm. Compared to a soft pillow, it was quite uncomfortable. She tried to move to relieve both his arm and her neck, but Chen Jin wouldn't let her go. She finally admitted, "It's uncomfortable…"
"You'll get used to it." Chen Jin moved a little and adjusted to a slightly more comfortable position.
"But…"
"I told you, you'll get used to it. I'm uncomfortable too," Chen Jin interrupted her impatiently. After a while, he used his other hand to gently close her eyelids, his voice heavy with sleep, "Sleep, be good."
Lin Wan still couldn't sleep. Her old problem had resurfaced. Without alcohol to help, she couldn't fall asleep. She quietly lay there, eyes closed, breathing softly so as not to disturb Chen Jin. Honestly, for a brief moment earlier, she had been touched. But as soon as she realized who she was lying next to, that feeling disappeared completely. If this man knew what she had dreamed about, he'd probably beat her senseless, or worse, he might kill her to prevent her from becoming a problem.
By the time dawn was breaking, Lin Wan finally fell asleep. When she woke up and saw the clock, it was already past nine. She jumped out of bed, rushed into the bathroom to quickly freshen up, grabbed a random outfit, and ran to the doorway. As she was putting on her shoes, she heard a voice from behind: "Aren't you having breakfast?"
Lin Wan was startled and turned around, thinking he had already left for work. Instead, she saw him casually walking out of the study in his loungewear. She bent down to tie her shoes and replied, "I'm late, I'm not eating."
"Have breakfast first. I'll take you."
"No need…" Lin Wan was about to refuse when she looked up and saw the corner of his mouth curved slightly. She thought to herself, It's early, no need to make things difficult. If I argue with him, I won't even be able to go to work today.
So, she obediently switched back to her slippers and followed him to the Xitu LanYa restaurant. Chen Jin's voice called after her, "Heat it up before you eat." She had no choice but to put her milk in the microwave to heat it. By the time she hastily finished her breakfast, Chen Jin was already dressed in a suit, standing at the door, saying, "Let's go."
Chen Jin found Lin Wan's stubborn refusal to drive herself or accept a driver to be both foolish and tiresome. However, he didn't force her; when necessary, he would send a driver to pick her up, and Lin Wan didn't object. On some trivial matters, the two of them found it easy to give in to each other and reach a consensus.
When they arrived at the publishing house, Lin Wan casually said goodbye and got out of the car. Chen Jin didn't immediately have the driver drive off but lowered the car window and watched her walk away with a light step. Today, she wore a floral shirt with a beige knit sweater over it, grey denim jeans, and pink canvas shoes. She looked youthful and vibrant, and as she walked, the short hair at the back of her head bobbed lightly, making one's mood brighten just by watching her.
As he watched her retreating figure, he suddenly called out, "Lin Wan."
When she turned around, looking at him in confusion, he realized he had nothing to say. He waved it off and casually said, "It's nothing. Go home early tonight."
Seeing the look of indignation on her face, she raised her right hand, pointing to her left wrist, where the watch's face glistened under the sun. The implied message was clear: she was already late, and he was wasting her time. She shot him a glare and then turned, running off.
Chen Jin chuckled. This version of Lin Wan reminded him of a little deer, though an irritable one. In the animal kingdom, deer are clever, nimble, and skilled at escaping. But when faced with a seasoned hunter like him, Lin Wan could only be tamed and confined.
He realized that this was the moment he felt the best all day, and remarkably, the good mood lasted the entire day. During an afternoon meeting, when he heard a few subordinates fumbling for words, unable to explain themselves clearly, instead of scolding them or throwing files like he usually did, he merely smiled and told them to go back and tidy up the report. Everyone was taken aback, thinking, "What's going on today? Is the king of hell possessed by Maitreya Buddha?"
Lin Wan punched in at work and sat down at her desk. Just as she got settled, Xiao Xie leaned over and asked with a grin, "Come on, spill it—why are you so late?"
She smiled and said, "I slept in, so I was late."
Xiao Xie gave a knowing smile and gestured toward the meeting room with his chin. "Someone's waiting for you. But I'd recommend you tidy up a bit before you go in."
Lin Wan realized that she hadn't had time to properly fix her hair this morning, so she rushed to the bathroom. She froze when she saw herself in the mirror and immediately understood why Xiao Xie had smiled so strangely. The top two buttons of her shirt were undone, exposing a noticeable red mark on her collarbone. Anyone who looked would know exactly what it was. She remembered how, after returning from the hotel yesterday, that person had dragged her to the bed, biting and nibbling her, as if he couldn't wait to devour her. She suspected he must have been a dog in his past life—why else would he love biting people so much? Damn it, an animal is just an animal. She cursed inwardly before snapping out of her thoughts, buttoning up her shirt, and heading to the meeting room.
There, she was greeted by a thirty-something client named Li Jin, for whom Lin Wan was illustrating a poetry collection. Li Jin flipped through the samples, praising her work. "Your illustrations are even better than I imagined. They perfectly express my thoughts. Thank you, Miss Lin."
"Just call me Lin Wan. It's my pleasure. I really love your poetry," Lin Wan replied, appreciating Li Jin's cultured demeanor. She liked these thoughtful and profound lines. She had always been serious about her work, and since Chen Jin had been absent lately, she had found inspiration and stayed up a few nights to finish the illustrations in one go.
After Li Jin left, Lin Wan sat in her chair, lost in thought. She was holding Li Jin's business card, replaying the last words the client had said:
"Lin Wan, I really like your artwork, and I admire you as a person. But there's something I'm not sure if I should say..."
"You might not realize it, but I'm actually a psychologist. I can sense some of your emotions in your art, like the contradiction, the suppression, and the struggle. Of course, this is also what I try to express. But Lin Wan, you're so young, and I believe you could live much lighter and happier life."
Then she had said, "Maybe one day, I'll come to talk to you."