Lu Bancheng was afraid that Xu Wennuan would feel helpless if she came out of the shower to find him gone, so he whipped out his phone and leaned against the wall as he left a message for a food delivery, which arrived promptly half an hour later. Lu Bancheng boiled some water, made some warm milk, and then walked to the door of the master bedroom.
Out of consideration for the trauma he had inflicted on her in the past, Lu Bancheng knocked and did not enter. He stood outside the door and waited for a long time, and, when Xu Wennuan had not emerged, he pushed the door handle lightly and cracked open the door. His initial plan had been to call out to Xu Wennuan and hand her the warm milk, but before the words in his mouth could take form, he saw Xu Wennuan sitting on the floor in a fetal position. She appeared to be crying.
