This question, once asked,

made Su Lu'an's expression instantly fall into desolation.

Her lips moved, and she said, "Can I not say it?"

"Of course, everyone has their own privacy,"

Chen Fang said.

Hearing Chen Fang say this, Su Lu'an sighed in relief.

The two finished their meal.

And left the restaurant.

Su Lu'an suddenly asked, "By the way, last time you... where did you buy the underwear you gave me?"

"It was at Jianye Mansion."

"What's Jianye Mansion?"

Su Lu'an asked.

Chen Fang was startled, "You don't know Jianye Mansion?"

"I don't."

"You... you don't go shopping usually?"

Su Lu'an shook her head and said, "I hardly ever go shopping. Most of the time I shop online, and apart from the hospital, I'm just at home. I have never been anywhere else but these two places."

"So you don't normally attend gatherings or events either?"

Chen Fang asked.

Su Lu'an shook her head again and said, "I don't have friends, and I don't like participating in events."

This answer, to some extent, still caught Chen Fang by surprise.

A girl in her early twenties should enjoy shopping and socializing the most, and yet Su Lu'an was nothing like that. She carried an extraordinary level of "quietness."

"Well, how about this? What if I accompany you on a shopping trip?"

Chen Fang cautiously suggested.

After a moment of thought, Su Lu'an nodded and said, "Okay."

Jianye Mansion wasn't too far from their location, just a walk away.

As they walked towards the mansion, Chen Fang noticed a detail: Su Lu'an would deliberately avoid contact with passersby, even if some brushed past her at a distance that clearly wouldn't touch her, she would still make a motion to sidestep them.

You have to remember, she's a doctor.

Her daily job involves touching many strangers, but outside, why does she seem like a completely different person?

After about fifteen minutes,

Chen Fang led her into Jianye Mansion and stopped in front of an underwear store.

"The... the brand I got you last time is this one. You go pick some out, and I'll wait for you outside,"

Chen Fang said.

After all, it wouldn't be appropriate for him to enter since the store was filled with women's lingerie.

Su Lu'an's face turned red all of a sudden.

She timidly said, "Could you... could you come in with me? I don't know what size I should wear."

Chen Fang was taken aback.

Only then did he remember that she usually did her shopping online, where sizes might not always be standard. Maybe that was the issue.

Fortunately, there were no other customers in the store after they went in; otherwise, Chen Fang would have felt rather embarrassed.

Su Lu'an looked here and there, unable to make up her mind, until Chen Fang pointed to a black lingerie set and asked, "How about this one?"

It was, after all, lingerie shopping.

Su Lu'an seemed still somewhat embarrassed, nodded her head, and asked, "Can I wear this?"

Chen Fang handed her the lingerie set, saying, "I think the size looks about right, you should try it on."

"Maybe... maybe I don't need to try it on?"

"Try it on, in case it doesn't fit right, we can exchange it,"

Chen Fang said.

Su Lu'an hesitated a moment, then nodded her head and went into the dressing room.

Chen Fang sat idly by, waiting for Su Lu'an to come out.

But she had only been inside for about two minutes when, with a click, the entire mall suddenly went dark.

"What happened?"

Chen Fang asked.

The clerk, a bit flustered, said, "Lately the electrical system has been under inspection and keeps cutting out. Don't worry, it'll be back on in a few minutes."

Just as Chen Fang settled down,

he suddenly heard a crash from inside the dressing room, it seemed like someone had fallen down.

"Dr. Su, are you alright?"

Chen Fang called out from the doorway.

There was no response.

He became concerned in an instant.

He called out, "Dr. Su, are you okay? I'm coming in, okay?"

Without further consideration,

Chen Fang forcefully pushed the door open and saw Su Lu'an cowering in a corner, trembling nonstop as she hugged her knees.

Chen Fang quickly squatted down and checked her pulse, clearly feeling her heartbeat racing.

"What's wrong?"

Chen Fang asked.

Su Lu'an looked up at Chen Fang and stammered, "I... I'm afraid of the dark."

"Do you have claustrophobia?"

Chen Fang asked.

Su Lu'an nodded.

Without a second word, Chen Fang also sat down on the ground, spread his arms and said, "Come, I'll hold you."

Without any hesitation.

Su Lu'an burrowed into Chen Fang's embrace.

It was only when he touched her body that Chen Fang realized she wasn't wearing a stitch of clothes, perhaps just having undressed and not yet managed to put on new ones.

But thankfully, her helpless trembling had gradually subsided.

Who knows how much time had passed.

Another click was heard.

The lights came on.

Su Lu'an let out a long sigh of relief.

Chen Fang said, "Dr. Su, I'll... go out first."

Su Lu'an suddenly lifted her head, her expression somewhat pitiful as she asked softly, "Can you... can you wait until I'm dressed before leaving? I... I'm still scared."

"Then... then I'll turn around."

After all, Su Lu'an was completely naked at the moment.

Chen Fang said this also as a matter of propriety.

Even so.

When both Chen Fang and she stood up,

her perfect figure still flashed into his field of vision, fleeting yet clear.

If Chen Fang remembered correctly, this was the second time he'd seen her body.

The rustling sound of her dressing came from behind him.

Who knows how much time had passed.

Then Su Lu'an softly said, "I'm ready."

Su Lu'an softly said, "I'm ready."

Only then did Chen Fang leave the changing room.

The set of lingerie he had picked out earlier hadn't even been tried on, but since Chen Fang said it was the right size, Su Lu'an just paid for it and bought it.

Walking out of the Jianye Building on the way back, Chen Fang deliberately wrapped his arm around her shoulder because he knew Su Lu'an did not resist him.

He was "protecting" her in this way.

"You rarely go out at night, right?"

Chen Fang asked.

Su Lu'an nodded and said, "If it's a night shift, I'll sleep in the office. If it's a regular workday, I usually get home before dark."

"Then let me take you home."

Chen Fang offered.

Su Lu'an wanted to refuse, but compared to fear, shyness was nothing.

She nodded and agreed.

Her home wasn't far from the county hospital, just a few minutes' drive.

He accompanied her into the elevator and then to her front door, watched her open the door and turn on the light before Chen Fang said, "Alright, it's getting late, I should be going."

"You... why don't you come in and sit for a bit, I... I'd like you to talk with me," she said.

In Su Lu'an's eyes was a plea.

In a moment of uncertainty on how to refuse, Chen Fang reluctantly entered.

It was a warmly decorated single apartment.

After Chen Fang sat down on the couch,

Su Lu'an brought over a cup of hot milk and placed it before him, before sitting down cross-legged, saying, "Thank you for tonight."

"I should be the one thanking you. After all, you got home late just to treat me to dinner," he replied.

Su Lu'an took a sip of milk.

It was as if she mustered all her courage to say, "Remember you asked me why I chose this small town? Because I ran away."

"You ran away? Why?"

Chen Fang asked.

Sighing deeply, Su Lu'an said, "Let me tell you a story, a story about me."

Before Chen Fang could respond,

Su Lu'an began to narrate.

She told Chen Fang she was born into a happy family,

with a responsible father and a loving mother, surrounded by warmth from all directions since she was little...

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