C4 Could They Have Been Discovered?

As Ruoye spoke, Shirann heard a guy's voice in the background asking if she wanted some popcorn.

"With Shaoyu?"

"Hehe, yeah, he asked me out to see a movie."

Shirann glanced at the approaching dusk, a bit concerned. "Isn't it a little late for a movie?"

"It's fine. I've been lying in bed all day, and my back's killing me. I'll head back soon."

"Just be careful, okay? Call me when you're on your way home."

"Okay, I will!"

"Alright then, don't stay out too late."

Listening to Ruoye's happy voice on the phone, Shirann felt a bit uneasy but didn't want to say more, just gave a few more reminders.

After hanging up, Shirann parked her bike and headed upstairs. Ruoye often talked about Shaoyu. They were classmates, and Shaoyu had been pursuing Ruoye for a while. Ruoye liked him too, but they were still in that awkward stage where neither had made a move.

Back in her apartment, Shirann turned on the lights, drew the living room curtains, and collapsed onto the couch, exhausted. The scene from the afternoon replayed vividly in her mind.

"Rann."

The man's deep, magnetic voice, his intense gaze, handsome face, and striking features overlapped perfectly with the image of the boy she remembered from years ago.

He had returned, more mature and composed, with a hint of mystery about him.

It was really him.

Xia Shirann closed her eyes, feeling a heartache spreading like vines deep within her.

Meanwhile, a black sedan was parked below the apartment building. The man inside rolled down the window, gazing silently at the curtained window, his eyes filled with longing.

This time, he had come back knowing her school, her place, her roommates, her job, and how hard her life had been all these years.

It was all his fault.

Hsu Chiyang lowered his gaze, pulled a cigarette from the pack, and lit it. In the dark night, the cigarette's red glow flickered.

He was determined to make it up to her, to care for her, never to leave her again, and to ensure she never suffered even a bit more.

Hsu Chiyang thought silently, watching as the light in the window went out. With countless thoughts swirling, he sat in the car all night.

At dawn, as the first light crept in, Hsu Chiyang, who had been smoking all night, coughed a couple of times, adjusted his posture, and looked up to see Xia Shirann's slender figure running out of the building, looking around anxiously.

Instantly, Hsu Chiyang was wide awake, alertly watching her actions, breathing quietly with a hint of guilt.

What is she looking for? Could she have spotted him? Hsu Chiyang felt a pang of guilt, like a thief caught in the act, but then reassured himself that Rann couldn't possibly recognize this car.

In the next moment, a figure dashed past the car. Summer Shirann's face softened with concern as she saw her, and the two girls embraced tightly.

Instinctively, Hsu Chiyang glanced at the backup files on his phone. It seemed this girl was Rann's roommate.

Ruoye was trembling with sobs, and Summer Shirann held her close, gently patting her back. "Alright, alright, stop crying. Let’s go home."

Through her tears, Ruoye gasped, "Liu Shaoyu is such a jerk, such a jerk!" She stomped her foot in frustration, her cheeks flushed with a feverish red.

Even through the thin dress, Summer Shirann could feel Ruoye's body burning up. She touched Ruoye's forehead, worried. "Okay, he’s a jerk. But you’ve got a fever now. Let's get inside!"

With that, Summer Shirann helped Ruoye into the building.