When he returned, he felt that something had changed, but he couldn't quite pinpoint what. Was it her sulking? Detachment? Indifference? Distance? Had their feelings changed? ...No, no, no, none of that was it.
After musing on it for a while, he understood: she had lost her penchant for acting playfully coy.
She no longer acted spoiled. She didn't even dare to anymore.
She had reverted to the Yan Xixi she was at the beginning.
Her laughter and curses, her reckless abandon, her countless charming expressions, her captivating allure... all those displays of utter willfulness that came from being deeply cherished... were gone.
She could handle anything on her own now—studying, chores, work, going out. She could manage everything herself. She didn't need his help anymore, not even to pour a cup of tea.
She could handle it herself. After all, anyone with hands and feet could manage things on their own.
Wasn't this what I always wished for?
