After that night in his office, something between them stopped behaving like it used to.
It was no longer waiting.
It was no longer hesitating.
It was leaning forward—quietly, inevitably—toward something neither of them had officially named yet, but both had already started living inside.
[Morning – Anxin POV | Hospital Entrance]
Anxin walked into the hospital that morning with a feeling she couldn't easily define, not excitement, not nervousness, but a soft awareness that something about the day was already different before it even began.
People greeted her.
She responded normally.
But her attention drifted once, just once, toward the entrance.
Because she already knew he would be there.
And he was.
Wang Hedi.
Standing exactly where he always seemed to appear now.
But today—
he wasn't just waiting.
He was watching her walk in like it mattered more than anything else in his schedule.
Hedi POV –
He noticed immediately that something in her expression was lighter today.
Not different.
Just less guarded.
And that alone changed how he looked at her.
Because it meant she wasn't preparing for distance anymore.
She was assuming presence.
He stepped toward her without hesitation.
"You're early," he said.
"I'm on time," she replied.
A pause.
Then she added lightly, "You're just starting to wait earlier than usual."
That made him pause briefly.
Not visibly.
But internally.
As they walked through the corridor, a nurse greeted them briefly.
Anxin continued walking.
Hedi stopped only for a second—
then, without any hesitation, adjusted her coat properly in front of everyone.
Not subtle.
Not hidden.
Natural.
A few people looked.
Anxin noticed immediately, her cheeks turned red immediately.
She didn't step away.
Instead, she tilted her head slightly toward him.
"…you're not even trying anymore," she said softly.
"I have no reason to," he replied.
That sentence stayed longer than expected.
Inside the car, silence felt different again.
Not empty.
Not heavy.
Just waiting.
Anxin glanced at him.
"You've been different since yesterday."
"I have not changed."
She smiled faintly.
"That's your favorite lie."
"I do not lie."
"You avoid acknowledging change then."
That made him look at her longer than usual.
"…and you?" he asked.
"I notice too much now," she replied casually.
That answer made something in him shift slightly.
Because it wasn't confusion anymore.
It was acceptance forming.
They stopped at his office briefly.
Anxin walked in first this time without hesitation.
She didn't wait for invitation anymore.
She simply entered like it was normal, like she may not own this place but own him.
Hedi watched her do that.
And didn't correct it.
She turned slightly.
"You used to make rules about this place, didi" she said.
"I still do, xinxin."
"I don't see them anymore."
"That is because you stopped following them."
That made her smile.
"…or you stopped enforcing them."
Silence.
Neither denied it.
They stood closer than usual near the window in his office.
City visible behind them.
Light falling across the space between them.
Anxin looked up at him.
"…you were going to say something yesterday," she reminded softly.
"Yes."
"…are you going to finish it this time?"
A pause.
This time, he didn't hesitate.
He stepped closer.
Closing distance completely.
"I have been trying to understand," he said quietly, "when exactly you stopped feeling like someone I need to keep at distance."
Her expression softened slightly.
"…and?"
His gaze didn't move.
"…and I think I failed to find the moment it happened," he continued, "because it never actually did."
Silence.
That wasn't almost confession anymore.
That was confession structure forming.
Anxin stepped closer too.
Very small.
Very intentional.
"Then what is it?" she asked softly.
His voice lowered.
"…it is this."
The space between them disappeared almost completely.
And for a second—
it looked like a kiss would happen.
But instead—
Anxin spoke first, softly:
"…you're taking too long."
That broke the tension slightly.
Not fully.
But enough.
Hedi looked at her.
"…I am?"
She nodded lightly.
"Yes."
A pause.
Then she smiled faintly.
"…it's cute though."
That made him freeze slightly.
Anxin leaned slightly closer again—but instead of waiting, she gently tapped his chest once with her finger.
"You overthink everything," she said.
"I do not."
"Yes, you do."
"…that is not accurate."
"It is from my perspective."
That made him pause again.
Then she tilted her head slightly.
"…should I say it first then?"
That line changed the air completely.
Hedi's expression shifted subtly.
"…say what."
She smiled.
"You already know."
Silence.
Longer this time.
He finally spoke.
Low.
Clear.
Uncontrolled.
"…then say it."
Anxin looked at him for a second longer than usual.
Then softly—
"I like you, Didi wang."
Silence.
Not dramatic.
Not loud.
Just absolute stillness.
Hedi didn't respond immediately.
Because for the first time—
there was no structure left to hide behind.
Then he stepped closer.
And said quietly:
"…that is not new for me."
Anxin blinked slightly.
"…oh?"
His gaze didn't move.
"I just did not allow it to define anything."
A pause.
"…until now."
That was it.
Full confession.
Not poetic.
Not delayed.
Just real.
Later, outside the building, staff were present.
People walking.
Normal environment.
Hedi reached for her hand.
Not hesitating.
Not checking surroundings.
Just took it.
Anxin looked at him.
"…you're doing it in public."
"Yes."
"…no hesitation?"
"No."
That made her smile slightly.
"…you've changed."
"I stopped stopping myself."
And for once—
she didn't pull away.
They walked together slowly.
No urgency.
No distance.
No hidden meaning anymore.
Just presence.
Anxin suddenly leaned slightly closer and said lightly:
"You know… I kind of liked watching you struggle before."
He glanced at her.
"…struggle?"
"Yeah."
"…with what."
She smiled.
"Everything."
That made him pause slightly.
Then, quietly:
"I still do."
That made her laugh softly.
And as they continued walking—
he didn't let go of her hand.
Not once.