The house felt instantly colder and eerily quiet, with just one person missing. Mo Nuan found herself unable to get warm under the covers, curling up tightly and tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She felt a bit frustrated, thinking back to how she had managed just fine on her own in the past few years. How had she gotten so used to having someone else around in such a short time?

Suddenly, she remembered the hot water bottles Lu Chen had bought during a recent trip to the supermarket. She got out of bed, plugged in the two hot water bottles, placed one by her feet, and hugged the...