A moment passed.
There was no result, only a trademark called "Poetry Leaf" appeared.
Unable to find any information about Li Yin's identity, Yi Fan inexplicably felt a trace of relief in his heart.
He was stunned.
Faced with the genuine emotion emerging from within himself, he instantly grew wary.
"I shouldn't be happy about this. I should help Li Yin find her family as soon as possible."
Actually, Yi Fan knew the quickest way was to find the police, but it didn't seem like a good idea. What if Li Yin was discovered to be a ghost? Would she be captured?
"..."
"..."
Even he couldn't fool himself with such reasoning.
Yi Fan wasn't in the mood to eat his ice cream. He leaned back in his chair, the sound of running water echoing in his ears, a wave of self-loathing rising within him.
"Making every effort to increase Li Yin's debt, not properly helping her find her family, and painting a picture of the future for her."
"To put it bluntly, I'm just selfishly wanting her to stay by my side."
"Why do I have such thoughts? Have I ever asked for her opinion?"
Splash—
The water stopped.
Yi Fan's hand tightened.
Creak—
Li Yin wrapped in a towel floated to the study to change clothes.
Bang!
The door shut.
Yi Fan exhaled deeply.
"Li Yin is doing her best to help me. I should also do my best to help her."
Having figured everything out, Yi Fan picked up his phone and sent his sister a message:
[Sis, are you busy?]
Wang Jingyao: [Working overtime. What's up, dear brother?]
Yi Fan: [I want to consult you about something. If you're free this weekend, come to the escape room. It's on me.]
Wang Jingyao: [I saw your post. The escape room has been renovated, right? I'm looking forward to it! Okay, I'll bring my colleagues on Saturday.]
Yi Fan: [Sounds good.]
Wang Jingyao: [A young female officer recently joined the station. She's about your age and single. How about I bring her along to introduce you?]
Yi Fan: [Ah… no need for that. I'm not thinking about relationships right now.]
Wang Jingyao: [Oh, come on, meet some girls. Otherwise, there'll be no one around you, and you'll be dating a ghost!]
Yi Fan: […]
Yi Fan rubbed his temples. His sister's words almost scared him to death.
His elder sister had always been a star of the family—excellent grades, graduated from the police academy, and directly got into the civil service. That was why their father hoped Yi Fan would follow in her footsteps.
"I'll have a good talk with her when I see her this weekend," he thought.
After finishing this, the guilt in Yi Fan's heart eased considerably.
But it also marked the beginning of the countdown to his time with Li Yin.
His sister would definitely find Li Yin's family.
And that day would be the day Li Yin left.
Li Yin, now dressed, floated out of the room. "Yi Fan, go take a shower!"
Yi Fan looked at her, his feelings complicated. He didn't respond immediately.
Li Yin tilted her head. "What's wrong?"
"… Nothing, almost fell in love."
"Hmm?" Li Yin's eyes widened in surprise.
"Just now, while playing cards, an online player gave me a rose."
"Cute," Li Yin chuckled. "But… you're that easily moved? If I gave you a bouquet of roses, would you fall for me too?"
"You don't even need to give roses and—"
Yi Fan stood up, yawning. "Shower time. Long day."
The bathroom filled with steam.
As he squeezed the new shampoo, Yi Fan couldn't help but think: "Li Yin uses the same shampoo. Logically, her scent should change, but she's always smelled like violets. It's kind of mysterious."
He glanced at the toilet seat he had just put down and, again, thought of Li Yin.
"Wait a second, stop associating everything!"
Shaking his head vigorously, water droplets splashed onto the bathroom glass, forming rounded streaks.
Whenever he saw or did something, he thought of someone. Yi Fan had read in novels that this was a dangerous sign.
They had only known each other for a few days.
It shouldn't feel like this at all.
"No, feeling like this is normal. It's just 'infatuation,' not real love."
The key was self-restraint.
Expecting nothing from a relationship meant avoiding any hurt.
Just like with Chen Xinyan.
Even though he had no feelings for her, Yi Fan had treated her with sincerity.
And look where that got me.
"Love is an unequal balance of investment and return.
You never know what others are thinking. You can only control yourself."
"So, Yi Fan, don't cross the line.
Comets are beautiful, but they vanish in an instant.
Meteorites may briefly light up the sky of your life, but don't get too attached.
They're bound to streak across the night, just like Li Yin will eventually go home."
…
Fresh from his shower, Yi Fan rummaged through his bookshelf for a paperclip, used it to pop out his phone's SIM card tray, and handed a spare card to Li Yin.
"This is my secondary SIM. You can use it for now."
He installed the card, started up her phone, and began setting up the basics.
Li Yin obediently sat next to him, watching his damp hair drip water, her fingers twitching slightly.
Yi Fan said, "I'll download some common apps for you. This one's for chatting, this one for short videos, this one for dramas, and here's your favorite, the Cat Budget app. Now you don't have to use paper and pen every day."
Li Yin nodded, her eyes sparkling with joy. She especially liked the Cat Budget app.
Plus, you could collect cat food daily and feed it to a virtual kitten—it was adorable.
Yi Fan smiled. "You really like cats?"
"Of course! What about you?"
"I like them too. But I think raising pets requires caution. Once you take them in, you're responsible for them for life. You have to feed them, bathe them, and take them to the vet when they're sick. It costs money, and I can't even take care of myself yet. No need to bring a cat into my struggles."
"You can take care of yourself now." Li Yin looked at Yi Fan with anticipation. "Xiao Fan, we're doing well now. How about we raise a cat together?"
"That's something couples usually do."
Li Yin blinked. "But aren't we a couple?"
"We're just pretending." Yi Fan shook his head. "Besides, once you find your family, you'll probably move back home. Who would the cat go with—me or you?"
Yi Fan suddenly felt like they were divorcing and fighting for custody of a child.
Li Yin tilted her head in confusion. "Finding my family doesn't mean I'll leave Dongmen. People need to work, and I like this job."
"…"
Yi Fan lowered his head, pressing his lips together. "With your skills, you can find the same job anywhere. You don't need me."
"…"
"…"
The room grew silent.
Li Yin watched Yi Fan closely. The air around her stirred slightly, and her cowlick stood up—a sign she was deep in thought.
Yi Fan's sudden shift in mood caught her off guard.
Yet, his melancholy felt oddly familiar.
It was as if she were looking at her past self.
For a brief moment, fragmented memories flashed in her mind.
It felt like… the winter of 2003.