Translator: Lonelytree Editor: Millman97
Su Zhinian sat there immobile. Just as Song Qingchun was going to remind him for the third time, Su Zhinian suddenly opened his lips to call her name.
Qingchun.
Song Qingchun swallowed the words that had reached her mouth and looked at him with curiosity as she uttered a confused,
Hmm?
Su Zhinian continued glancing out the window before slowly moving his gaze to fall on her.
Can you follow me somewhere?
Huh?
Song Qingchun was confused by the sudden request before adding,
Now?
Yes.
Su Zhinian nodded and repeated,
Now.
Where does he want to go in the middle of the night? Song Qingchun wanted to ask for more information when Su Zhinian stood up from his chair and declared,
I’ll return to my room to change, and I’ll wait for you downstairs.
When he passed Song Qingchun, he paused for a moment to say,
It’s cold outside, so wear something thick.
Then, he exited her bedroom and closed the door behind him.
…
After Song Qingchun put on her coat and exited the house, Su Zhinian had already started the car.
The weather outside was bone-chillingly cold, but he didn’t wait inside the car. He leaned against the car as he usually did when he went to fetch her from work.
When she got near, he quickly went around the car to help her with the door. When she got in, he even leaned in to help her with the seatbelt.
Song Qingchun stared at the man’s face as he was putting the seatbelt on for her, and a thought bubbled up in her mind. Since when did it become a habit for him to put on the seatbelt for me?
Probably afraid that she was cold, Su Zhinian turned the heater in the car up before starting the engine. Then he drove off the driveway.
Beijing at 4 am had practically no cars on the road, so they went uninhibited. While they were waiting at the first red light, Su Zhinian switched on the radio, probably because Song Qingchun would get too bored.
It was playing some classics. The familiar tune smoothed Song Qingchun’s heart. The car drove for about half an hour before stopping at the roadside.
Song Qingchun glanced out of the window and realized they had stopped in front of a row of shops. She frowned in confusion and turned to ask Su Zhinian with some measure of disbelief in her voice,
We’re here?
Yes, we are.
Su Zhinian stopped the engine and got out of the car to help Song Qingchun with the passenger door.
Su Zhinian locked the car after Song Qingchun got out, and he then pointed at a small alleyway between two of the buildings, adding,
Let’s go.
Song Qingchun glanced at Su Zhinian with enquiry in her eyes; however, since Su Zhinian didn’t seem like he was going to explain himself, she had no choice but to follow obediently behind him.
They didn’t share a word along the way, and he stayed a distance of about half a meter away from her.
After they entered the alleyway, the light was much darker. Due to the sudden nature of this trip, Song Qingchun was wearing her usual high heels, and when she accidentally tripped on an empty can, it was Su Zhinian who reached out to catch her.
The alleyway was short, only about two hundred meters long. The other side of it was a one-way street. The man pulled her along as he turned left and headed east.
Along the way, they passed a night market hawker stall selling barbeque. Trails of smoke rose into the air from the pot of coals.
A middle-aged woman, probably the proprietor, sat before the pot, minding the flame while a song was playing on her phone.
When Song Qingchun passed, through the tune alone, she could recognize the song.
