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

This is an open beach park with no entrance fee; only a winding wooden boardwalk separates the noisy road from the soft sand.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, moist scent, brushed against my face, instantly washing away the lingering stuffiness of the city afternoon and the greasiness of the barbecue.

Ye Shu squinted, shading his eyes with his hand as he looked up at the metallic landmark building that reflected the sunlight.

It's hard to see from a distance, and when you get closer, it seems even more...abstract.

He tilted his head and studied it carefully for a while, but eventually gave up.

Four enormous inverted triangles, seemingly tossed about carelessly, were crammed together, topped by a rather large metal sphere. The metal sphere gleamed in the sunlight, giving Ye Shu the illusion that it might fall at any moment.

Is this what you call art?

Ye Shu thought to himself:

He could find a certain artistic conception in a whole seashell, a conch, or even a whole ribbonfish on the beach. But this... four triangles plus a sphere?

"Do you understand?"

Xia Qing watched him study this for a long time and then asked a question.

"Tsk, no."

Ye Shu shook his head, giving up after all, and said as he followed Xia Qing along the boardwalk:

"It can only be said that our artistic skills are insufficient; we simply don't have that artistic flair."

Although I don't understand the art, there's still plenty of excitement to see.

The weather isn't as hot as it was a while ago, but the beach is still quite crowded. There are couples strolling around in jackets, and children carrying small plastic buckets, ready to dig for seashells. There are also a few elderly men in swim trunks warming up on the shore, looking like they're really preparing to dive into the sea.

Ye Shu and Xia Qing walked down the steps to the beach, their shoes making a soft rustling sound as they stepped on the soft sand.

Xia Qing didn't walk towards the sea. Instead, she found a set of steps nearby, casually patted off the fine sand, and sat down without caring whether it was clean or not.

Seeing this, Ye Shu also sat down next to her, about half an arm's length away.

The bag of apples in my hand was placed at my feet, and time seemed to slow down all of a sudden. There were only the sounds of the wind, the waves, the indistinct voices in the distance, and each other's breathing.

The two sat there quietly, neither speaking first. Their previous conversation, the brief touch while crossing the street, and the turbulent thoughts in their minds seemed to be temporarily absorbed and settled by the deep blue sky before them.

Is it pleasant? Somewhat.

Xia Qing's hand, resting on her knee, unconsciously curled her fingers slightly before slowly relaxing. Her gaze was fixed on the distant horizon, seemingly focused on it, yet also seemingly oblivious to it all.

Ye Shu didn't speak, but just quietly looked at the sea, feeling the thoughts in her chest gradually becoming clearer as the sea breeze rippled through her.

He knew that some things might be said to the accompaniment of the waves. He just didn't know how it would begin.

The sun in the sky seemed to be drawn to the two people quietly watching the sea, and slowly moved from behind them to the horizon in front of them.

It was no longer dazzling; instead, it transformed all its light and heat into a crimson glow, staining the seawater red.

The children digging for crabs on the beach were called away by their parents, and the old man who had gone into the sea also came ashore. The liveliness gradually faded away, leaving only two people sitting on the steps, with the sound of the waves still echoing in front of them.

Xia Qing, who had been gazing at the sea, seemed to have finally gathered her strength and suddenly asked:

"Ye Shu, living with us, do you feel...tired?"

The question was very direct, without any preamble.

Ye Shu did not answer immediately upon hearing this. He continued to gaze at the setting sun in the distance, thought carefully for a moment, and then spoke:

"To be honest, I'm tired... I'm still a little tired."

Xia Qing, standing beside him, tensed up slightly.

"Because you have to deal with different people."

Ye Shu continued, her gaze still fixed on the setting sun in the distance:

"Different personalities, different habits, different tempers, and you also have to remember how to get along with each person, what to say and what not to say to each person, what each person is afraid of and what they like. It's like... managing several completely different interpersonal relationships at the same time, and you have to keep them from getting sidetracked at all times, so it is indeed a bit mentally exhausting."

He spoke frankly, without embellishment or complaint, simply stating the facts—facts he had already accepted and embraced.

Xia Qing chuckled softly, but there wasn't much joy in her laughter; instead, there was a sense of relief and self-deprecation.

"You know what? We've talked about you before. We really like your personality; you don't hide anything and you say what you think."

Ye Shu smiled but didn't say anything.

Xia Qing was silent for a moment, then spoke again:

"Zhi Qiu wrote in her notes that she once asked you a question: 'What are your thoughts on DID?' Your answer at the time was 'Four people sharing one body,' right?"

"Um."

Xia Qing suddenly turned her head. This time, she did not hesitate. Her gaze pierced through the sunset glow between the two of them and looked directly into Ye Shu's eyes.

The usual casualness was gone from his eyes; instead, there was a desperate seriousness, a search, and a hint of pleading hidden deep within.

"Now that so much time has passed, you should have a better understanding by now."

She paused for a moment, the sea breeze ruffling her hair and brushing against her cheek.

"Then I'll ask you one more time: what is your current view on DID?"

Her wording remained "DID," the abbreviation, a deliberate reminder to Ye Shu that it was an illness. But her eyes clearly asked: In your eyes, Ye Shu, what exactly are "us" with DID? Are we "illnesses" or "people"?

Ye Shu met her gaze without flinching. He frowned slightly, deep in thought.

Time flowed slowly amidst the sound of the waves, each second stretched out.

After a long pause, as if he had finally sorted out his thoughts, he slowly said:

"Well... objectively speaking, he could be considered a type of mental patient."

The moment the words left her lips, the light in Xia Qing's eyes seemed to freeze as if by a sudden chill, and then, inch by inch, it went out.

It wasn't an outburst of anger, but rather a sudden, submerged disappointment. Then, deep within that disappointment, a stinging anger ignited, only to be quickly overwhelmed by an even stronger sense of grievance and sorrow.

Several emotions collided and mixed violently in her eyes, finally condensing into a gloom that almost drowned her.

She abruptly turned back to face the sea, leaving Ye Shu with only her profile. Her hands, resting on her knees, clenched unconsciously, her nails digging deep into her palms.

Ye Shu is right, that is indeed the case.

But Xia Qing just didn't want to hear that answer from him.

The setting sun in the distance couldn't bear to look any longer and hid in the sea. The coolness brought by the sea breeze chilled Xia Qing's heart.

All her concerns, her forced composure, and the feelings that had quietly grown within her because of his daily treatment of her—feelings she herself didn't want to dwell on—seemed so ridiculous at this moment.

It turns out that in his heart, beneath the everyday warmth and tolerance, the essential label has never changed.

She, they, are ultimately the "patients" he needs to face.

Her heart felt like it was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, a dull pain that made it hard for her to breathe.

However, Ye Shu did not stop talking.

His voice remained steady, even gentler than before, as if he hadn't noticed her world collapsing in an instant, or perhaps he had, which made him even more determined to speak his heart.

"But in my opinion, each of you has a completely different personality."

"Xiao Nuan is very rational, has strange logic, and is good at observing. Although she can be a bit too blunt and annoying at times, her stubbornness is actually quite cute."

"Sister Zhi Qiu is very gentle, mature and reliable. You can't help but want to rely on her and listen to her opinions... although she can be quite scary at times."

"Xiaoxue may seem fragile and afraid of and resistant to the outside world, but I know she is trying to make changes, even if it's just a little bit, which is remarkable in itself."

Finally, he paused for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. Then, he turned his head, his gaze returning to Xia Qing's profile, where a fleeting glint of water seemed to appear, or perhaps it was just the illusion of the setting sun:

"And Xia Qing, you are righteous, protective of your own, and have your own principles. You're pretty cool. You seem indifferent to everything, but actually you care about the people around you more than anyone else. It's very natural and comfortable to be with you. I don't have to think too much or worry about saying the wrong thing because you are always the most genuine one."

Ye Shu looked at the sea again and gave his own answer:

"So, to me, you are four completely independent souls, unique and shining in your own way. It's just that... you're unlucky, or rather, for some reason we don't know, you're trapped in the same body."

"But the soul is independent and whole. It deserves to be seen, remembered, and treated well."

The wind seemed to freeze at that moment.

All that could be heard was the relentless crashing of the waves, a sound that seemed to strike my heart directly, creating waves of resonance.

Xia Qing didn't move or speak. On her profile, facing the sea, a line of water finally broke free of all control, silently sliding down, gathering at her chin, dripping, and instantly disappearing into her collar.

Then came the second line, the third line... She didn't make a sound, but her shoulders were trembling uncontrollably.

After a long time, long enough that the last trace of warm red on the horizon was swallowed by deep blue, she took a deep breath, without turning her head, still gazing at the distant horizon where it was no longer clear whether it was the sea or the sky. Her voice was very soft, carried somewhat by the sea breeze, yet every word still reached Ye Shu's ears.

"Ye Shu, I like you."