Siheyuan: tomb robbing? I am serious about hunting.

Chapter 1062 Engraved

The wrinkles on the bill. The early autumn breeze, bringing a hint of coolness, blew in through the window. Su Wan clutched the thin A4 sheet tightly, her fingertips white from the pressure. The bold letters "Script Acceptance Notice" on the paper seemed warm, burning her palms. This was the third script she'd submitted to that studio. The previous two had been rejected, and she'd expected the same this time. To her surprise, she received an acceptance notice. She stood there, stunned for several seconds before reacting. Her heart pounded, threatening to burst out of her throat. She wanted to tell Lin Shen the good news immediately, pulling out her phone to dial, but suddenly stopped. She wanted to give him a surprise, a surprise just for them both. A rich aroma wafted from the roast duck restaurant on the corner. The golden roast duck hung in a glass case, glistening and mouth-watering. Su Wan touched the brand-new bill in her pocket. It was the first decent income she'd earned after countless nights spent working. She took a deep breath and pushed open the door. "Boss, give me a roast duck, fresh from the oven." Her voice was filled with uncontrollable joy, and even the boss was affected by her emotion, smiling and replying, "Okay, I guarantee it'll be tender and juicy!" Carrying the roast duck wrapped in oil paper, Su Wan walked briskly home. The setting sun stretched her shadow, and the air was filled with the aroma of roast duck. She seemed to have seen Lin Shen's surprised expression. The light of the rental apartment shone in the distance, like a warm star, guiding her direction. She opened the door, but the house was silent. Su Wan placed the roast duck on the table and was about to call out to Lin Shen when she heard the sound of a key turning in the hallway. Lin Shen walked in, carrying a strong smell of alcohol, mixed with the smell of cigarettes and food, which made Su Wan frown subconsciously. His tie hung askew around his neck, his shirt collar was open, and there was a noticeable oil stain on his cuff. His hair was messy, as if it had been rubbed. He looked completely different from the usually neat and tidy Lin Shen. "You're back." Su Wan suppressed her discomfort and stepped forward to help him take off his coat. Lin Shen, however, slapped her hand away and shuffled into the living room. He slammed a thick envelope onto the table with a thud. The seal was loose, revealing the edges of a few red banknotes. He looked up, his eyes red from the alcohol, and wore an excited smile. "I got a promotion!" Su Wan was delighted at first, and just as she was about to say congratulations, she heard him continue, "No more overtime, and a significant pay increase!" His tongue was tied as he spoke, and the reek of alcohol lingered, causing Su Wan to take a step back. "Congratulations," Su Wan's voice was dry. She gestured to the roast duck on the table. "I have good news for you today too. I bought some, and we..." Before she could finish her words, Lin Shen pulled a thick stack of bills from his briefcase and slapped them onto the table. It was a pile of various bills: credit card bills, utility bills, internet bills, supermarket receipts... Each bill was densely crisscrossed with red or black check marks, like an intricate web covering the entire tabletop. Su Wan's smile froze, the joy that had just risen in her heart instantly dampened by the pile of bills. She stared at the bills, the numbers on them like tiny exclamation points, stinging her eyes. Lin Shen picked up one of the bills and poked it with the tip of his pen, his tone tingling with complaint. "This month's expenses are a bit high. Look at these utility bills! They're a lot more than last month." He paused, his gaze fixed on Su Wan's bag on the corner of the table. "And that bottle of perfume you bought? Can you return it? I don't see you use it much, so it's a waste of money to keep it there." Su Wan's hand, gripping the roast duck leg, suddenly froze, her fingertips digging into the greasy meat. She had bought the perfume specifically with her royalties. Their third anniversary was in three days, and she had wanted to surprise him that day. It was a light, woody scent. She remembered Lin Shen saying he liked its calm, clean scent. She opened her mouth, wanting to explain the perfume's meaning, to tell him her script had been accepted, to share her feelings. But Lin Shen had already lowered his head, picking up a calculator, his fingers clacking away, oblivious to the complex expression on her face. "This month's rent is , utilities , internet , groceries ..." He calculated, mumbling to himself, his brow furrowed as if he were solving a complex math problem. Su Wan stared at his focused profile, feeling a sense of suffocation. The Lin Shen who once would give her the last piece of meat and smile, saying, "I have enough money," seemed to have changed without her noticing. His world seemed to be filled only with these densely packed numbers and bills. "By the way," Lin Shen suddenly looked up, as if remembering something important. "My mom called me yesterday and told us to go back home for the New Year to get engaged. What do you think?" "Let's talk about it later," Su Wan interrupted him almost without hesitation, her tone tinged with a hint of irritation and fatigue she wasn't even aware of. She picked up the half-eaten duck leg in her hand and, without even looking at it, tossed it into the nearby trash can. The duck leg hit the inside of the trash can with a dull thud. Lin Shen froze, the calculator in his hand still in mid-air. The excitement and joy on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by a hint of surprise and confusion. "What's wrong with you?" "I'm tired." Su Wan didn't look at him, but turned and walked to the sofa to sit down, her back to him. She didn't want to explain, nor did she know how. The grievance, disappointment, and exhaustion in her heart surged up like a tide, threatening to drown her. Lin Shen looked at her back, opened his mouth, wanted to say something, but in the end he just sighed, lowered his head and continued to calculate his accounts. The sound of the calculator rang again, and it was particularly harsh in the silent room. That night, they slept in separate beds for the first time. Lin Shen was in the bedroom, and Su Wan was on the sofa in the living room. The sofa was small and hard. Su Wan curled up and couldn't fall asleep. The living room was pitch black, and the moonlight outside the window was blocked by thick dark clouds, not even a trace of light could get through. Only the indicator light of the refrigerator was on with a faint green light, like a peeping eye, quietly shining on the unopened bottle of perfume on the coffee table. The perfume bottle is transparent