The landlord has multiple personalities and wants everyone to pay him.

By the time Ye Shu arrived at the An family villa, it was already past nine o'clock at night.

As soon as Ye Shu entered, Shen Jingwan greeted him. An Jianxing was still sitting on the sofa, not watching TV, and the atmosphere was very tense.

"Auntie, Uncle An."

Ye Shu greeted them and then got straight to the point:

"What's wrong, Xia Qing? What happened?"

"Xiao Shu, don't worry."

Shen Jingwan led him to sit on the sofa, poured him a glass of water, and then recounted the events of the morning in detail:

"...Xiao Qing has locked herself in her room and hasn't come out all day. She hasn't eaten lunch or dinner, and she won't open the door no matter who calls her."

As Ye Shu listened to Shen Jingwan's words, his expression grew increasingly serious.

After listening to Shen Jingwan's explanation, he didn't waste any more words, got up and went upstairs:

"Auntie, I'll go take a look."

He arrived at Xia Qing's bedroom door and gently knocked.

Then, from inside the room, Xia Qing's muffled voice came through; it sounded like her nose was stuffy, and her voice was very nasal.

"Mom, I'm really fine... I just want to be alone for a while."

"Sister Xia Qing, it's me, Ye Shu."

Upon hearing this, there was a crash inside the room, as if something had been knocked over, followed by Xia Qing's somewhat flustered voice:

"Ye Shu?! What brings you here?!"

"Give me back how I got here?"

Ye Shu said somewhat irritably:

"Isn't that obvious? I haven't seen you all day. You weren't home when I got home from get off work. You didn't reply to my messages or answer my calls. I thought you'd disappeared."

Ye Shu finished speaking in one breath, and hearing no response from inside the room, continued:

"Then I called my aunt, and when I heard that someone had locked themselves in their bedroom all day, not eating, drinking, or going to the bathroom, how could I not come?"

After speaking, Ye Shu's attitude softened somewhat. He placed his hand on the doorknob and pressed it twice:

"Xia Qing, what's wrong? Tell me."

"I'm really fine..."

Xia Qing's hesitant voice came from inside the door again.

Do you think I'd believe what you're saying?

Ye Shu's attitude this time was really not good; it was a bit fierce.

He can accept their grievances, their little tantrums, and all their willfulness. He has plenty of patience to coax, pamper, and comfort them.

But he simply cannot accept this self-destructive, withdrawn behavior; he will never tolerate anything that would harm himself.

"Open the door, be good, or I'll really get angry."

Ye Shu's voice sounded like she was really about to get angry. The room was quiet for a few seconds, then the door clicked open.

Ye Shu didn't care about anything like a girl's room and just pushed the door open and went in.

The room was dark, and the curtains were drawn tightly, so there was no light at all. No wonder I bumped into something earlier.

Ye Shu felt for the switch on the wall and turned on the light. Then he saw Xia Qing standing in front of him.

She lowered her head, clutching her clothes with both hands, and bit her lip.

And those eyes, which are usually bright and a bit arrogant, are now swollen beyond recognition.

Xia Qing acted like a primary school student being called to the office, not daring to look up at Ye Shu, looking like she was waiting to be scolded.

Seeing her like this, Ye Shu was angry, but mostly felt sorry for her.

He closed the door behind him and slowly lifted Xia Qing's chin with his hand.

"look up."

Xia Qing did not resist and slowly raised her head.

Their eyes met, and Ye Shu saw the emotions in Xia Qing's eyes.

This wasn't the carefree Xia Qing he usually knew; it was a Xia Qing whose outer shell had suddenly been broken, revealing her vulnerable inner self.

Ye Shu looked down and saw a small table next to her, with everything on it overturned. Xia Qing must have bumped into it when she got out of bed in the dark.

He looked down at Xia Qing's feet and asked:

"Did you kick the table just now? Does it hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt."

Xia Qing shook her head.

Ye Shu took her hand and sat her down on the edge of the bed.

Xia Qing obediently sat down as well, but she still looked like a wilted eggplant, with her head down and listless.

Ye Shu turned her head to look at her, reached out and gently touched her swollen eyes, and smiled:

"Look at your eyes, they're all swollen from crying, like a monkey's bottom."

Normally, Xia Qing would have already retaliated, but today, she didn't react at all.

It seems this matter is really serious; it has truly hurt her.

Ye Shu gently put his arm around Xia Qing's shoulder, letting her lean on his shoulder, and softly said:

"Xia Qing, do you still remember the promise we made when we confessed our feelings at the beach?"

"Um……"

Xia Qing leaned against him and said:

"Speak your mind directly... I will never hide anything..."

"right."

Ye Shu nodded and patted her on the shoulder:

"So now you should tell me what's wrong with you? Why are you crying like this? And why are you going on a hunger strike?"

Xia Qing leaned on his shoulder and didn't speak for a long time.

Ye Shu turned to the side, cupped her face in his hands, and stared into her eyes.

"Sister Xia Qing?"

Xia Qing hesitated slightly under his gaze, but still slowly said:

"Then...then I said, you're not allowed to be angry with me."

"Okay, as long as you tell me, I promise I won't get angry."

Ye Shu nodded and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with her hand.

Xia Qing was still somewhat conflicted. She glanced at the phone still lying on the ground and slowly spoke:

"I...I saw it this morning...I saw Xiaoxue's chat history with Sister Lili, and then...then I found out that you and Xiaoxue are getting your marriage certificate..."

As she spoke, her voice began to tremble again, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Ye Shu didn't move or speak, just looked at her and let her slowly express herself.

Xia Qing raised her hand and wiped her eyes with her sleeve, but as soon as she did, tears started flowing again.

"I know... I know there's nothing I can do about it, I understand, and I didn't intend to compete with Xiaoxue..."

She spoke more and more urgently, her voice growing louder, and tears streamed down her face, quickly soaking a large patch of her sleeve.

"But I just don't feel well... The thought that I'll never be able to have a marriage certificate with you makes me... makes me feel terrible..."

Ye Shu watched Xia Qing trembling with tears, and his heart ached as well.

It wasn't an illusion; it really hurt.

With each heartbeat, he felt as if the wick of a lighter was giving him an electric shock.

This matter was ultimately unavoidable. Since he had chosen the four of them, he was destined to personally deliver the pain that belonged to them to them.

Ye Shu held Xia Qing tightly in his arms, letting her cry and vent her emotions in his embrace.

He could understand that feeling; he put himself in Xia Qing's shoes.

I love this person so much that I'm willing to entrust my whole life to him, but even if I sleep in the same bed with him, even if I bear his children, even if we love each other deeply, I am not legally entitled to be his wife.

This kind of pain has nothing to do with material things, companionship, or love.

This is a kind of identity deprivation, a kind of despair that I will never be the one that society approves of.

Ye Shu held her, letting her cry until her shirt was soaked.

In the end, I was the one who hurt her the most.