"Remember, this time you must take it slow!"
——Excerpt from the first page of Li Hannian's notebook
...
...
Bedroom.
After taking a shower, Li Hannian came out wrapped in a bath towel and changed his clothes in the dressing room.
From the corner of his eye, he inadvertently scanned the terrace where the curtain was pulled aside, revealing the easel.
He walked over and stopped in front of the easel.
Chu Nanxi's birthday was coming up, and he had been pondering what special gift to give her.
A twentieth birthday was a big day for her.
These past few days, he had been rushing to find time to paint but still hadn't finished.
Tomorrow was her birthday, and he decided to stay up tonight to finish the remaining part.
He drew the curtain over the unfinished painting and stepped out of the room.
As he approached Chu Nanxi's bedroom, Li Hannian stopped and gently knocked on her door.
"Xixi?!"
Inside, no one responded.
