Back at home, Jian Ran changed her shoes at the entrance and threw herself onto the living room sofa. So many things had happened tonight—it was surreal, and her mood still felt a bit unsteady. How to put it? There was an indescribable feeling. Just that afternoon, she had been so confident about not leading that boy astray, yet in the evening she muddle-headedly... Jian Ran sighed silently, adding a self-deprecating thought: it seemed saving someone from vice wasn't just something men were passionate about.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket. She took it out and saw a message from Chu Lulin: [Big Sister, did you get home safely?] The corner of her mouth curved up involuntarily. Before leaving, Chu Lulin had specifically asked how long it would take her to get home, and now he was checking on her right on schedule. So thoughtful.
She casually replied that she was home safe, thinking that would be it. But before she knew it, another message came: [Glad you're safe. It's late. Big Sister, get some rest early. Good night.]
Jian Ran smiled and tossed her phone onto the sofa. Lu Chuchu had been right—male college students really knew how to provide emotional value. In that sense, the money was well spent.
But speaking of money, she suddenly remembered she and Chu Lulin hadn't even discussed that yet. She rubbed her forehead—how could she forget something so important? She picked up her phone to message him, then thought better of it. This was something best discussed in person. She'd bring it up next time they met.
Before that, there was something more important: she needed to take a good look at her finances. Jian Ran was not short of money, but she knew she couldn't compare to a real rich woman. Suddenly taking on a male college student as a kept man—there was bound to be some pressure. She had to count her pennies.
Honestly, she did have some assets under her name, but most were inherited from her mother. When her parents divorced, her father had made a substantial compensation out of guilt, and after her mother passed, her maternal grandparents had arranged for everything to pass to her. The inheritance mostly consisted of real estate—houses and shops—plus some cash and rental income. Her uncle had handled some investments, which had yielded good returns over the years, but those were long-term and not to be touched unless absolutely necessary.
As for her liquid assets, they mostly came from her share of the dubbing studio's earnings from the first half of the year and last quarter's rent from a few shops that she hadn't yet transferred into investments. All together, it was probably around a million or so. Jian Ran wasn't sure about the going rate in this circle, but she figured it could sustain things for a while. She might not be as wealthy as that rich sister, but she considered herself generous—at least she wouldn't shortchange Chu Lulin in terms of money. Of course, she knew her limits. She had set a mental warning line: she could indulge, but within reason. One million. She wasn't stubborn; she understood the principle of spending within her means. Besides, she was well aware that Chu Lulin was still a student, and their arrangement was inherently abnormal. Short-term was okay, but long-term was impossible. So she needed a time boundary. She'd stop once that money ran out, and then their relationship would be over.
*
Jian Ran had thought they'd meet again soon, but the very next day, her master sent her out of town. There was an industry exchange conference she'd previously agreed to, and Su Jin was supposed to attend herself, but with her broken bones and all, she couldn't go anywhere, so Jian Ran had to go in her place. This trip ended up taking nearly half a month, mainly because after the conference, Jian Ran also visited a local embroidery workshop for hands-on learning.
By the time she returned to Jing City, the leaves on the ginkgo trees by the roadside were starting to turn yellow. During her time away, Chu Lulin had kept in touch every day, sending 'good morning' and 'good night' messages, checking the local weather to remind her to dress warmly the next day, and other small gestures. Jian Ran actually felt quite guilty about this. She had promised to take him in, but hadn't given him any security, and then 'disappeared' the next day. Anyone would feel a bit uneasy—no wonder he kept messaging so frequently; he needed to confirm she hadn't regretted it and run away.
To prove she hadn't changed her mind, as soon as she got back, she first visited the Embroidery Workshop to discuss some matters with Su Jin, then promptly arranged to meet Chu Lulin.
When Chu Lulin received the message, he had just returned to the dorm after finishing work in the lab. Seeing the WeChat notification, a smile tugged at his eyes. In fact, contrary to what Jian Ran thought, during those two weeks, Chu Lulin hadn't been uneasy at all; instead, he felt an unprecedented sense of peace. Finally, he could contact her openly and legitimately. It seemed having an identity was essential. No matter what identity.
Just as Chu Lulin was replying, the dorm door burst open, and Jiang Ming walked in carrying a cat carrier. "Yo, you're back early. How did the advisor let you off today?" Recently, a lab project had entered a critical phase, but a data error kept popping up, so their advisor had been drilling his students day and night. Others could at least take shifts, but Chu Lulin, as the advisor's prized disciple, had it worse—he was practically living in the lab these days.
Chu Lulin pressed send, confirmed the message went through, and tossed his phone onto the desk. "Professor Sun came to the lab." Jiang Ming 'oh-ed' knowingly. Professor Sun from the School of Literature was their advisor's wife. Whenever their advisor got into his research frenzy, only she could drag him away. But she rarely made an appearance—maybe once out of ten times. "Lucky you guys today." Chu Lulin's lips twitched slightly as he casually replied, "Maybe." Jiang Ming paused, then quickly caught on. Chu Lulin had asked Professor Sun for help. "Shouldn't be, though. Didn't you seem pretty urgent a couple of days ago?" This project had been Chu Lulin's main focus. To put it bluntly, if a problem arose, he probably panicked more than the advisor. Chu Lulin's eyes lowered, half-hiding his gaze. "It's not that urgent." He knew Jian Ran was coming back today, and even if she hadn't arranged to meet him, he would have found a way to see her. So this time had to be freed up.
Jiang Ming chuckled and set the cat carrier on the desk, intrigued. "Looks like you've got plans. A date?" Chu Lulin hummed in affirmation, not denying it. "Sort of." Jiang Ming perked up. Last time, he'd managed to coax out that Chu Lulin had a crush, and he'd been trying to get more details ever since, but Chu Lulin never took the bait. Now that an opportunity presented itself, he wasn't about to miss it. Just as he was about to speak, Chu Lulin shot him a look and said flatly, "Do you have nothing to do?" Jiang Ming shrugged. Fine, he was out of luck again. "Alright, alright, I won't ask."
Meow~
A cat's meow came from the carrier on the desk, interrupting the conversation. Chu Lulin followed the sound and saw a small white cat inside. It was lying at the opening of the carrier, apparently injured—a long, bloody scratch on its head. Jiang Ming suddenly remembered the kitten he'd brought back. He was about to take it out when he seemed to think of something and turned to Chu Lulin. "You're not afraid of cats, are you?" Chu Lulin shook his head. "I have a cat at home." Jiang Ming looked surprised. "Really? I didn't know you liked cats." Chu Lulin didn't know how he'd jumped to that conclusion. Having a cat at home didn't mean he liked them. "No, my mom keeps one." Jiang Ming 'oh-ed. "That explains it. You never post about it on Moments." Anyone who really owned a cat wouldn't resist showing off their furry overlord. At least, no one he knew could.
While they were talking, the kitten had been let out of the carrier. It was an ordinary white cat with a round head, seemingly timid. Once released, it didn't dare move, shrinking beside the carrier and staring at the two men. Up close, besides the obvious scratch on its head, there were several other wounds. "Where did this cat come from?" Chu Lulin asked. Jiang Ming, looking exasperated, said, "Senior Sister Zheng just handed it to me downstairs. She's in the school's stray cat care association. No idea where she found it—she said it was just abandoned. She had something urgent and asked me to look after it." While speaking, Jiang Ming pulled some iodine swabs from a drawer, broke them open, and tried to clean the kitten's wounds. The kitten was extremely timid. Even though the iodine stung, it just curled up and mewed softly, not even daring to extend its claws. It made Jiang Ming, a big guy, feel so sorry for it that he couldn't help but vent indignantly. "I hate those irresponsible couples the most. When they're in love, they have to get a cat or a dog, saying it deepens their bond. Then the moment they break up, neither of them wants it. How's that any different from abandoning a child?"
"White cats like this are at the bottom of the cat hierarchy; they get bullied the most. These injuries are probably from other strays. If it keeps wandering, it won't survive long. Good thing Senior Sister Zheng is already looking for an adopter. But first, I need to take it to a pet hospital for a full check-up." Jiang Ming rambled on as he worked, not caring if Chu Lulin wanted to hear it. Once he finished treating the wounds, his phone rang. Senior Sister Zheng had sent someone with cat food and asked him to pick it up downstairs. The kitten huddled by the carrier, tiny and pitiful, with iodine-stained fur sticking together, looking listless. Chu Lulin stared at it for a long time, frowning slightly, as if lost in thought.
As soon as Jiang Ming left, the room fell silent, leaving just the man and the cat in a silent stare-off.
*
Back home, Jian Ran freshened up, then drove to A University. She had booked a high-end Japanese restaurant with an average cost of two thousand per person, planning to take Chu Lulin out for a nice dinner. Having the title of 'Rich Woman' might be debatable, but she had to maintain appearances—it was also a way to make up for her sudden 'disappearance.'
Not long after, Chu Lulin emerged from the school. He wore a black hooded sweatshirt, looking relaxed and casual, paired with cargo pants and sneakers—the epitome of youthful, collegiate charm. Under Jian Ran's gaze, he quickly approached the car, pulled open the passenger door, and bent slightly to look inside, a hint of a smile in his eyes. "Long time no see, Big Sister."