The next morning brought with it a tense stillness, the kind that clung to the air long after a storm had passed. Qin Lan sat at the dining table, her hands wrapped around a steaming cup of tea, while Lu Yan stood by the counter, scrolling through his phone. There was an unspoken distance between them that neither of them wanted to acknowledge, but it was there—a chasm growing wider with every unresolved doubt.
Qin Lan's mind raced as she replayed the events of the previous night. Lu Yan had come home late, tired and distant, and though he hadn't said much, his silence spoke volumes. They were in a precarious place, and Qin Lan knew that something needed to give.
She glanced over at Lu Yan, who seemed preoccupied with whatever was on his screen. His brow was furrowed slightly, and his attention was so focused that he didn't seem to notice her watching him.
Was this their future? A series of quiet, disconnected mornings where neither of them said what needed to be said?
Qin Lan sighed softly, placing her cup down on the table with a gentle clink. The sound caught Lu Yan's attention, and he looked up, meeting her gaze for the first time that morning.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice soft but cautious, as though he were treading on fragile ground.
Qin Lan forced a smile, though she knew it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm fine," she replied, her voice just as guarded.
Lu Yan seemed to hesitate, his eyes searching hers as though trying to discern the truth behind her words. But after a moment, he simply nodded, turning his attention back to his phone.
The silence between them stretched on, heavy and uncomfortable, until finally, Qin Lan couldn't take it anymore.
"I think we need to talk," she said quietly, her voice breaking the stillness like a pebble tossed into a calm lake.
Lu Yan's fingers froze on his phone, and he slowly set it down on the counter. "What do you want to talk about?" he asked, though his tone made it clear that he already had an idea.
Qin Lan took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before speaking. "I don't know how much longer I can do this, Lu Yan. The late nights, the constant second-guessing… It's eating away at me."
Lu Yan's expression grew somber, and he stepped closer, pulling out a chair to sit across from her. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I know I haven't made things easy for you, and I understand why you feel this way. But I promise you, I'm doing everything I can to make this right."
"I want to believe that," Qin Lan replied, her voice trembling slightly. "But I don't know if I can. Every time you come home late or get a call that you won't explain, I feel like I'm back in that place—wondering if there's something you're not telling me."
Lu Yan ran a hand through his hair, frustration flickering across his face. "I know, and I hate that you feel that way. But you have to understand, my work—"
"It's not just about work, Lu Yan!" Qin Lan interrupted, her voice rising in frustration. "It's about trust! I feel like I'm constantly questioning everything, and it's exhausting. I can't live like this."
For a moment, Lu Yan didn't say anything. He simply stared at her, his jaw clenched as though struggling to find the right words. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and strained.
"You're right," he admitted. "I haven't been fully transparent with you, and I can see how that's made things worse. But I need you to trust me when I say that I'm not hiding anything from you anymore."
Qin Lan's heart ached at his words, but the doubt was still there, gnawing at her insides. She wanted to believe him—desperately. But the shadow of Song Rui, his white moonlight, still loomed large over their relationship, casting doubt over everything.
"Then prove it," she whispered. "Show me that I'm the only one in your life now, that I'm not living in her shadow."
Lu Yan's eyes softened, and he reached across the table, taking her hand in his. His touch was warm, but Qin Lan could feel the tension in his grip, as though he were holding on to her for dear life.
"I will," he promised, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'll do whatever it takes to show you that you're the only one that matters to me now."
---
That evening, Lu Yan made a point of coming home early. He had cleared his schedule, cancelling a meeting that he knew could wait. He wanted to show Qin Lan that he was serious about making their relationship work, and he hoped that this small gesture would be a step in the right direction.
When he arrived home, Qin Lan was in the kitchen, preparing dinner. The smell of stir-fried vegetables filled the air, and for a moment, everything felt almost… normal.
Lu Yan approached her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. He felt her tense slightly at the unexpected contact, but she didn't pull away.
"Smells good," he murmured, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"Thanks," Qin Lan replied, her voice soft but neutral.
They stood like that for a moment, the warmth of Lu Yan's embrace providing a small sense of comfort. But the underlying tension was still there, lurking just beneath the surface.
As they ate dinner together, Lu Yan tried to make conversation, asking her about her day and telling her about a few minor things that had happened at work. But Qin Lan's responses were short, and her mind seemed distant.
After a few moments of silence, Lu Yan set his chopsticks down and looked at her. "I know things have been hard lately," he began, his voice gentle. "But I want to make this work, Qin Lan. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to rebuild your trust."
Qin Lan looked up at him, her eyes searching his face for any sign of doubt or hesitation. She could see that he was sincere, but the fear still lingered in her chest.
"I appreciate that, Lu Yan," she said quietly. "But I don't know if it's going to be that simple. Trust isn't something you can just fix overnight."
"I know," Lu Yan replied, his gaze steady. "But I'm willing to put in the work. I just need you to meet me halfway."
Qin Lan was silent for a moment, her mind racing as she considered his words. Part of her wanted to take the leap, to throw herself fully into rebuilding their relationship. But the other part—the part that had been hurt before—was still holding back.
"Okay," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'll try."
Lu Yan's eyes softened, and he reached across the table, taking her hand in his. "That's all I'm asking for," he said, his voice filled with quiet relief.
For the first time in what felt like weeks, Qin Lan allowed herself to feel a small glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, they could make this work after all.
---
Later that night, after dinner, Qin Lan sat alone in the living room, scrolling through her phone while Lu Yan was in the shower. She wasn't really paying attention to what was on the screen—her mind was still replaying their conversation from earlier.
She wanted to believe him. She wanted to trust that they could move past the hurt and the doubt. But deep down, she knew that it wouldn't be easy. It would take time—time that she wasn't sure they had.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her phone buzzing. She glanced down at the screen and froze.
It was a message from an unknown number.
Unknown: I think you should know the truth about Lu Yan. He's not as innocent as he seems.
Qin Lan's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the message. Her hands trembled slightly as she read the words again, her mind racing with possibilities.
What truth? What was this person talking about?
Before she could respond, another message came through.
Unknown: Meet me tomorrow. I'll explain everything.
---
End of Chapter 17
---