Melody used to be a lawyer. Her country had a high degree of freedom, and everyone valued their rights, so the legal profession was popular, and she had handled many cases of fighting and brawling.
Because she had dealt with so many, she keenly sensed that Long Yifei's condition was not just a simple fight.
But what did it have to do with her?
The words on her lips were swallowed back.
Long Yifei didn't explain. He saw that she was still wearing the same dress as when she first arrived, her hair disheveled, with patches of scalp showing here and there, her face pale. She seemed even thinner and smaller than when she first arrived.
From a certain angle, her current appearance was even a bit frightening.
He was quite shocked to discover her true state hidden beneath her beautiful exterior.
But as a man, he still had to show basic respect. He glanced at her briefly, then looked away, lowering his head and kicking his shoes toward her feet.
"I didn't buy groceries. I don't feel like cooking today. I'll take you out to eat."
After being lonely for so many days, it was a lie to say he didn't want to eat something delicious.
Melody felt lightheaded and dizzy every day. Although she knew she wasn't far from death, it was better to die full than hungry.
"Okay."
She got off the bed, slipped on her shoes, and stood up. She had intended to go to the bathroom to wash up, but she felt so dizzy that she sat back down.
She, young and beautiful, had come to hide in such a desolate place alone, not contacting friends and not going out every day.
Long Yifei had initially thought she was heartbroken, but now he had a different answer.
As he was pondering if this was the case, he saw Melody cover her head and sit back down, which confirmed his suspicion.
"What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"
Melody held her head, wanting to shake it but not daring to.
Her heart raced, and she struggled to speak, feeling breathless. After a while, she broke out in a cold sweat and felt a little better.
She said softly, "A little. I'm hungry. I'll have to eat a lot later."
The temperature had dropped a lot in the past few days, and it was almost dark again. The evening wind blew in gusts, and fallen leaves swirled around. Her attire was certainly unsuitable.
While she was washing up, Long Yifei found a set of autumn clothes for her in his sister's wardrobe.
When Melody came out, she understood his intention. Without being polite, she put them on and slowly walked out of the room.
She put on her hat and wig again. Although the clothes were very student-like, she wore them with youthful flair, restoring her beautiful and cool demeanor.
Long Yifei glanced at her. Recalling the scene just moments ago, he couldn't help but marvel at women's fickleness.
"Are you ready? Let's go then."
Melody adjusted her hat and got into the car. Seeing that he hadn't asked about her hair, she looked at the desolate autumn scenery outside the window and proactively said.
"I know you have secrets, but I won't ask too many questions. Just like I have them, but you won't ask either. You've handled this very well, Mr. Long."
Long Yifei hadn't handled it very well. After all, she was his tenant. If she was really sick and didn't get treatment, what was she doing living in his house and waiting to die every day?
He was about to ask Melody what was going on and urge her to go home when she stopped him with a single sentence.
After some thought, Long Yifei changed his approach.
"My parents are gone. They died when I was sixteen. They were taking my sister to pick me up from school when they got into a car accident and died on the spot."
"My sister survived, but her eyes were injured, and she became like this."
"Although I'm only ten years older than her, I've been her parent, watching her grow up bit by bit. Besides me, she has no other relatives in this world."
Melody didn't understand why he was suddenly telling her his life story. Seeing him pause, she looked over and asked.
"So? What does that have to do with me?"
Long Yifei said, "So, I can't get into any trouble. Otherwise, my sister will have nowhere to go. Miss Melody, if something happens to you here, it will inevitably lead to something happening to me."
So that's what he meant. He took quite a detour.
Melody looked out the window, suddenly feeling like a rootless duckweed again.
"It won't happen. Although I'm not a person with strong morals, I do have basic decency. I won't cause you any trouble."
Long Yifei didn't believe her assurance.
"Forgive me for speaking bluntly, but when you're truly unwell, illness strikes like a mountain collapsing, and you can't control it yourself..."
Melody interrupted him, "Then what do you want? To kick me out right now?"
"That's not what I meant, Miss Melody. You're very young and very beautiful. There shouldn't be any illness in this world that can defeat you. You might as well..."
Melody interrupted him again, "How do you know there isn't?"
Long Yifei slowed down the car and looked at her.
"Huh? So, what illness do you have? Cancer?"
Melody didn't want to say. She turned her profile coldly to him. After a few seconds, she finally hummed in agreement.
"May I ask, what kind of cancer?"
Melody thought he was scared and sneered, "You should have basic knowledge. Cancer isn't contagious."
Long Yifei was speechless. "Don't be so malicious, Miss Melody. I'm genuinely just concerned."
"Breast cancer."
Melody seemed to have given up, turning her face back to look at him.
"Then I promise you, I'll leave here before I'm too sick to function, before the illness strikes like a mountain collapsing. Please don't kick me out for now, okay? I quite like this place. It's quiet enough, and I haven't decided where to go yet. Give me some more time."
A sense of desolation and sympathy spread through Long Yifei's heart.
He hadn't expected such a good girl to get such a disease. There were truly too many unfortunate people in the world.
"Let me say it again, that's not what I meant. Forget it, pretend I didn't say anything."
Neither of them spoke again. Long Yifei drove the car to the county town.
To nourish Melody, he chose a very high-class restaurant and booked a private room.
He didn't let Melody order the dishes, ordering whatever was extravagant and oily.
They ordered seven or eight main courses and two soups.
After the waiter left, Melody joked with him.
"You made a lot of money going out, so why are you so generous all of a sudden? The 1,000 yuan rent I gave you isn't even enough to pay for this meal."
Long Yifei smiled, thinking of his previous stinginess with her, and felt a bit embarrassed.
"Consider it me making friends with you. Eat whatever you like."
"You're quite good at changing the subject."
What Melody actually wanted to know was if he had gone out to make money in the past few days. Long Yifei didn't answer, and she let it go.
They ate for over an hour, and Melody's stomach felt like it would explode.
Long Yifei, who had been extravagant when ordering, became stingy after eating and asked the waiter to pack the leftovers.
When they got back to the car, Melody was about to get in, but Long Yifei pointed to a budget hotel across the road.
"We're not going back tonight. Let's go there."