From the parking spot to the elevator, he kept holding her hand like that.
Xu Qinghe pretended to look at the elevator buttons, avoiding eye contact with him.
"Did you buy the third floor?" she asked, steadying her breath.
"Mm, there's a community garden in front, no obstruction, good lighting and view," Shi Wenli said. "It's suitable for us to work overtime at home on weekends."
When he mentioned their married life, Xu Qinghe couldn't find a response for a moment.
Where their palms touched, it gradually became damp.
Once inside the house, Shi Wenli took slippers from the shoe cabinet for her, finally letting go of her.
Xu Qinghe didn't sit on the shoe bench; while changing shoes, she naturally supported herself on him.
All her attention was on him, so much so that she didn't even notice the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room at first.
Not until Shi Wenli said, "The furniture is all here, just the plants are missing. Take a look at what kind of greenery we need; I'll have time to pick some before New Year's."
Only then did Xu Qinghe carefully examine the apartment—minimalist rustic style.
Looking at the dining table, she could almost imagine how pleasant it would be to lay a fresh tablecloth, put a bunch of white roses in a vase, sit there for afternoon tea in spring and summer, while the goldenrain tree leaves outside the window would be layered and lush by then.
By late autumn, the goldenrain trees would be covered with red capsules, a riot of colors.
From now on, the most beautiful and richest autumn would be right outside their window.
By then, she and Shi Wenli should have fallen in love, right?
She withdrew her gaze from the dining table, looked around the living room, then turned to him: "So clean, did you just have it cleaned?"
Afraid she might be cold, Shi Wenli turned on the air conditioner and adjusted the temperature. He replied, "The auntie at my brother-in-law's place comes every day to air out the house and clean."
Mentioning Shi Miao, Xu Qinghe asked, "Is their honeymoon almost over?"
"Coming back tomorrow."
Shi Wenli hadn't yet told his sister and brother-in-law about him and Xu Qinghe being together.
Speak of the devil—just as he mentioned Shi Miao twice, her video call came in.
Near the end of her honeymoon, Shi Miao was shopping locally and wanted to bring a housewarming gift for her brother.
Min Ting suggested she buy a vase; the house lacked nothing, and a vase was the most practical.
Tonight, she had her eye on several series while shopping but couldn't decide, so she let her brother choose.
"Bro, are you at the new place?"
Shi Wenli: "Mm, just came to take a look."
"Perfect timing." Shi Miao switched to the rear camera, showing the vases in the store. "Which series do you like? It'll be placed on the dining table or side table after you move in. Each series comes in five or six sizes."
"It's hard to compare in a video," Shi Wenli said. "Send me pictures."
"Right away, I'll hang up and take photos."
Just as Shi Miao was about to hang up, she remembered, "Hey, bro, wait. Let me see the color of the dining table and side table one more time; I'll help you decide which series to choose."
"Okay."
Shi Wenli immediately switched to the rear camera.
He thought he had avoided capturing Xu Qinghe, who was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, but his sister exclaimed in surprise, "Dr. Xu is here too?"
Shi Wenli: "..."
The camera panned over, and Shi Miao initially thought she had seen wrong, but Xu Qinghe's graceful back was too familiar to mistake.
By the window, Xu Qinghe also heard Shi Miao's voice.
It was so sudden that she didn't know how to greet her.
Shi Wenli replied to his sister, "Mm, she came with me to take a look."
Her brother was so open about it, Shi Miao didn't overthink.
Back when her brother and Xu Qinghe were close, she had speculated, thinking they might get together.
But after all these years, they remained just friends, so she had abandoned that idea.
She simply assumed Xu Qinghe was interested in this community and considering buying an apartment.
Many colleagues from the hospital had been eyeing this neighborhood recently. Jiang Yang said that when he got married, he'd buy his wedding apartment here—first, it's convenient for commuting; second, it's close to her brother's place, making it easy to mooch meals.
"Dr. Xu thinking of moving?" Shi Miao asked casually.
Shi Wenli didn't want to lie to his sister: "She's just looking at the layouts."
"You and Min Ting keep shopping. We'll talk when you get back tomorrow night."
If he told his sister now that he and Xu Qinghe were together, and that their relationship had progressed to the point of visiting the new home together, she'd surely lose all interest in her honeymoon, likely wanting to fly back that very night to prepare the house for him and get wedding things ready.
She'd be back tomorrow anyway, no need to know a day early.
Knowing later would mean she and Min Ting wouldn't spend their conversation focused on him and Xu Qinghe; they could enjoy their rare time alone together.
After the video ended, Xu Qinghe came over.