Although she had already showered twice before, it was summer now. Going out once made her feel a thin layer of sweat on her body. Tang Man estimated she would have a sleepless night if she went to bed like this.

Xie Li made a sound of acknowledgment and went into the kitchen to open the fridge.

Tang Man glanced at herself and went into the bedroom. She unlocked her phone while sending Bella a message, so that she would see it as soon as she woke up tomorrow morning.

After a quick rinse, Tang Man put on a summer maxi dress and walked out. The air conditioning was on outside, and as soon as she stepped out, she felt her pores expand a little. Xie Li placed a tray on the dining table. As she walked over, she realized it was a sandwich.

“Your fridge is too clean.” Meeting Tang Man’s gaze, Xie Li said, “Next time I come over, I’ll bring some things. Anything you want to eat?”

Tang Man didn’t care. “Anything is fine, as long as it doesn’t have a strong smell. I don’t like things with odd odors in my fridge.”

Her fridge didn’t serve any other purpose most of the time. The refrigerator compartment was empty all year round, only holding a few ice cubes. The crisper above basically only held various beverages, as well as some bread, baguettes, and the like.

Xie Li wasn’t surprised by Tang Man’s words. He acknowledged, “I understand.”

The two of them sat together at the island counter, leaning against each other as they simply ate two rudimentary sandwiches.

Under the bright light, Xie Li only needed to turn his head slightly to see Tang Man’s profile, loose strands of hair scattered beside her ears, blowing against her cheeks, falling from time to time with her movements.

He couldn’t help but smile, reaching out a hand to tuck Tang Man’s loose hair behind her ear. Tang Man took a bite of bread, chewing a few times. Feeling Xie Li’s action, she said a word of thanks.

Xie Li stood up, “You’re welcome. Just leave the plates in the sink later. I’ll deal with them after I finish showering.”

Tang Man glanced over and said there was no need. “I’ll just put them in the dishwasher myself later. I can still handle such a small matter. Leave your plate here. I’ll take care of them together later.”

Xie Li made a sound of acknowledgment and said a word of thanks.

Tang Man nodded, holding the sandwich in one hand while scrolling on her phone screen with the other.

It was almost four o’clock by the time they finished the late-night snack. She rarely slept this late. When she stood up after putting all the plates in the dishwasher, she even felt her temples aching a little. She couldn’t help but rub between her brows, yawning as she walked towards her room.

However, before entering the room, Tang Man still knocked on the neighboring room. Xie Li should still be in the bathroom. Hearing the knock, there was no response.

She paused for a moment before pushing the door open. Hearing the sound from the bathroom and seeing the somewhat blurry silhouette projected on the glass, she knocked on the door.

The sound inside stopped, then Xie Li’s slightly puzzled voice rang out, “Tang Man?”

“It’s me. I’ve already cleaned up the dishes. I’m going to bed first.”

“Mm.” A sound came from inside.

She paused for a few seconds and said good night.

Xie Li thus also returned a good night.

Only then did she turn and leave, returning to her own room. After a simple wash-up, she climbed into bed, turned off the lights in the room, put on an eye mask, and prepared to sleep.

The next day was as usual. After having breakfast with Xie Li at a breakfast shop, she was dropped off at the company entrance, and Xie Li drove away.

She yawned as she entered the company and was even teased by a colleague, asking if she had gone thieving last night, her complexion looking so poor.

How could it not be poor?

She had nearly pulled an all-nighter, only getting three hours of sleep last night, and even woke up several times during that process.

She smiled without saying anything. At noon, Bella sent her a message saying that Si Jiahe had stopped by in the morning. Only then did she relax.

A week passed quickly. On the weekend, she and Xie Li had to make a trip to the hospital. Her grandmother had come over, but she had been so busy that she hadn’t gone to see the elderly lady. Moreover, the hospital was truly a place of right and wrong for her. She was reluctant to go both physiologically and psychologically, so she had dragged it out until this week, rejecting Old Tang’s calls several times along the way.

They went to the hospital on Saturday morning. Xie Li drove, and they went together. It wasn’t until they reached the door of the hospital room that Tang Man suddenly remembered something.

She hadn’t told Madam Yang and her grandmother the news of her decision to get engaged.

However, after hesitating at the door for a while, Tang Man felt that something was a bit off. The ward seemed a bit noisy. She seemed to hear Old Tang’s voice, as well as some other people’s voices.

Tang Man instantly had a bad guess in her heart. Her life always seemed to be walking on a tightrope suspended in midair. Every once in a while, she had to walk it with trepidation.

In fact, hadn’t Yang Qing’s pregnancy already surprised her enough today?

She glanced at Xie Li and couldn’t help but ask, “Did my dad have any abnormalities these past few days?”

“Chairman Tang has been very normal, recuperating peacefully in the ward.”

He had come over a few times, and Tang Zhengfeng’s expression had been quite calm. Except for asking about what Tang Man had been doing recently a few times, his mood was unexpectedly good, just like an ordinary middle-aged man.

Hearing this, Tang Man paused for a moment before raising a hand to symbolically knock on the door, then walked in.

Yang Qing was lying on the bed in pajamas, looking much paler, perhaps due to not wearing makeup. Pale lips easily made one look sickly. Madam Yang always appeared made-up in front of her.

As Tang Man entered, her gaze shifted from Yang Qing to Gu Yuanke sitting by the bed and Old Tang in hospital clothes not far away on the sofa.

The entire ward exuded a sense of decaying stillness.

Gu Yuanke sat by Yang Qing’s bed, a hint of anger on his calm face. Tang Man’s grandmother, Madam Yang’s mother, sat on the sofa not far away, inserted between the two men like a needle stabilizing the seas, separating the waters of the East and West Seas.

It’s just that this stabilizing needle was currently holding a ball of yarn and a long needle, knitting something in the scorching summer, quite a highlight.

In the corner, an older caregiver sat very quietly, but watched the people in the ward with the focused expression of listening to gossip.

This was the strangest employer she had ever seen.