Chapter 196: Dependence

As the two of them waited at the bus stop, they felt the world around them gradually grow quiet.

It seemed as if they were the only two people left in the world.

The day’s laughter, the aroma of food, the clicking of game controllers, the kind chuckles of the elderly... All the sounds and images settled, transforming into a silent understanding that flowed between them.

The day spent at his grandparents’ house was filled with a simple, warm, and fulfilling happiness, just like the bowl of rice water that had warmed their stomachs that evening—seemingly ordinary, yet it soothed both body and soul.

To Su Yuqing, a quiet day like this, enveloped in kinship and friendship (or a deeper emotion), was even more precious than any bustling occasion.

It was a kind of stable, serene bliss she had long yearned for deep in her heart.

Chen Mo glanced at the time on his phone screen, then looked up in the direction the bus would come from. For now, the end of the pitch-black road was empty.

He turned his head and said to Su Yuqing in a low voice, "It should be here soon." His tone was calm, carrying a sense of definite reassurance.

His very presence was the greatest source of security in the quiet night.

Su Yuqing gave a soft "mhm," pulling his jacket tighter around herself. Her gaze followed his toward the far end of the dark road, quietly waiting for the bus that would carry them—and the day’s beautiful memories—back "home."

An old bus stop, a dim yellow light, and two figures huddled close.

’There should be one more late-night bus around this time.’

’If it really doesn’t come, I’ll just have to have Su Yuqing stay over at my grandparents’ place.’

However, the feeling of waiting together in the tranquil night made one’s heart slow down involuntarily.

They felt no anxiety as they waited. In fact, they found themselves wanting to savor this quiet moment, reluctant for it to end.

Under the dim yellow light, two moving white lights finally appeared at the far end of the dark road.

As the low hum of the engine drew closer, the familiar silhouette of the bus grew clearer. Finally, with the slight rattle of old metal, it pulled up steadily beside the stop.

With a PSSH, the doors opened. Warm yellow light spilled out from inside, mingling with the dim yellow glow of the stop’s streetlamp.

"The bus is here." Chen Mo put away his phone, naturally reaching out to gently guide Su Yuqing from behind. "Watch the steps."

Su Yuqing stepped onto the bus first, with Chen Mo right behind her.

The crisp CLINK of coins dropping into the farebox broke the brief silence.

The driver yawned. The bus was exceptionally quiet. Other than the driver and the two of them, there were only two or three other passengers scattered in the back of the spacious vehicle, lost in the worlds of their headphones.

They had boarded at one of the earlier stops. Since they were also heading back to the main urban area and knew this was the last bus, they had gotten on ahead of time to make sure they wouldn’t miss it on its return trip.

As it was the last run of the night, the driver didn’t mind bending the rules and tacitly allowed them to do so.

Chen Mo scanned the spacious cabin, his gaze landing on a window seat in the middle of the bus, away from any drafts.

"Let’s sit here." He gestured for Su Yuqing to take the aisle seat while he took the one by the window, creating a small, relatively private space for them.

As the bus started up, the engine rumbled low once more. Outside the window, the dim yellow lights and swaying shadows of trees began to retreat at a steady pace.

The soft light inside the cabin enveloped them, insulating them from the chill and darkness outside.

Su Yuqing turned to look out the window, her forehead resting gently against Chen Mo. Her gaze was somewhat hazy as she watched the familiar yet foreign nightscape of the old town flash by—shuttered storefronts, the occasional warm glow from an apartment window, and the pitch-black expanse in the direction of the park.

Scene after scene from the day flashed through her mind like the lights and shadows outside the window: Chen Mo’s thoughtful breakfast and the smooth lines of his back as he worked out in the morning; the way her heart raced when they held hands for the first time in the park, a silent understanding passing between them; the cozy atmosphere at his grandparents’ dinner table and every single dish they had carefully prepared for her; the laughter in front of the TV as they played games, sometimes cooperating intently, other times playfully sabotaging each other; the tempting aroma wafting from the stalls by the open-air stage and the surprisingly delicious taste of the fried snacks...

All the clamor, the warmth, the flavors, and the sounds melted with the gentle rocking of the bus into an indescribable, warm current in her heart. It washed away all her anxiety and loneliness, leaving behind only a deep, contented peace.

She stole a glance at Chen Mo, who was sitting quietly beside her. His unique scent—a mixture of faint, clean shower gel and something youthful and sunny—lingered around her. It had been the most comforting undertone of the entire long day.

Chen Mo was also leaning back against his seat, resting with his eyes lightly closed.

He was equally relaxed. The day of running around and constantly looking after Su Yuqing—the shopping, the games, the snacks—had left him feeling a little tired now that they were on the move, but it was a pleasant, contented sort of exhaustion.

He could feel the subtle warmth radiating from her side and sense the quiet aura of someone lost in thought.

He felt no need to break the silence. Simply sitting shoulder-to-shoulder like this, feeling the gentle sway of the bus, was comfort in its purest form.

The bus moved smoothly onto a wider road, and as it traveled at a constant speed, the engine noise faded into a hypnotic drone.

The mental energy Su Yuqing had expended all day—from her focus on the games, the excitement of tackling all the food, the warmth of being surrounded by family, and the unspoken closeness with Chen Mo—now coalesced into a thick wave of drowsiness that gently washed over her.

Her consciousness began to drift, and her once-upright posture unknowingly slackened.

Slowly, gently, her head drifted down until it came to rest on Chen Mo’s solid, dependable shoulder.

Her breathing was soft and steady.

Chen Mo felt his shoulder dip slightly, the faint, warm contact transmitting clearly.

He didn’t mind in the slightest. In fact, he leaned his body half an inch toward her, allowing her to rest more comfortably.

Whether it was because she sensed his unspoken permission and thoughtful response, Su Yuqing’s tense body completely relaxed, as if she had finally found a safe harbor.

She closed her eyes, the corners of her lips unconsciously turning up in the faintest of smiles, like a child who had snuck a piece of candy.

Drowsiness quickly claimed victory. Amid the even rocking of the bus and the steady support Chen Mo provided, her breathing soon grew deep and gentle as she sank into a peaceful sleep.

Chen Mo kept his eyes closed, but the weight leaning against him and the sound of her soft breathing made the corners of his own mouth lift into a small smile.

He didn’t look down at her sleeping face. He simply felt it: the weight of her trust and the warmth of their seamless intimacy.

The warm yellow light of the cabin traced the steady, gentle lines of his profile.

And so the bus drove on, carrying with it the quiet and this silently flowing sense of reliance, heading toward the ever-brightening lights of the city center.