Chapter 64
After a night of nonsense, they finally fell asleep in each other’s arms; outside the window, the night was still deep.
At three in the morning, the alarm gave a soft buzz in the silence.
Jin Zijin opened her eyes almost at once, reached over, and shut it off with the lightness of brushing away a feather.
She turned onto her side and, through the faint light seeping in at the curtains, looked at the peaceful sleeping face beside her pillow.
Wen Yan was sleeping soundly, her breathing long and even; her long lashes cast a quiet shadow beneath her eyes.
Jin Zijin couldn’t help bending down to press her lips very gently between Wen Yan’s brows, then rose soundlessly.
Barefoot on the soft carpet, she went into the outer room and called the house line, quietly instructing the butler to prepare the car.
When she returned to the bedroom, Wen Yan was already awake, sitting up in bed with the blankets wrapped around her. Her expression was still a little dazed from sleep, but there was no trace of fatigue.
“Did I wake you?” Jin Zijin walked over and brushed Wen Yan’s cheek with her fingertips.
Wen Yan shook her head, took Jin Zijin’s hand, and rubbed her face against it. Her voice was slightly hoarse from just waking up. “No, I woke up on my own. Are you leaving?”
“Mm. I’ll take you to work.”
The two of them washed up and changed as quietly as they could.
The pre-dawn chill seeped through the crack in the window; Jin Zijin helped Wen Yan wrap her scarf snugly, then fastened each button of her coat one by one with careful hands.
When they went out, the sky was still a deep ink blue. A cold moon hung at the edge of the heavens; the stars were sparse and clear enough to count.
The north wind hit their faces like winter’s blade in the dead of night, instantly sweeping away the last traces of warmth and sleep and leaving the senses washed clean, sharp, and alert.
Wen Yan took a deep breath. The icy air flooded into her lungs, and her spirits lifted.
Already full of energy to begin with, her eyes now shone like frosty stars, with no trace of an all-night vigil.
The driver had already warmed the car and was waiting quietly beneath the eaves.
Just as the two of them were about to get in, the butler from the hot spring resort hurried out of the main building, carrying a package wrapped in cotton cloth.
“Miss Wen, please wait a moment.” The butler bowed slightly and handed it over. “This was sent by Miss Jiang Linyue to be delivered to you yesterday.”
“She said the driver could bring it to you later, but I thought you were leaving early this morning, so it would be better to hand it over now.”
Wen Yan was a little surprised; she took it with both hands.
It was heavy. She understood immediately and nodded to the butler. “Thank you. Sorry to trouble you.”
“You’re too kind.”
Back inside the warm car, Jin Zijin’s gaze fell on the package by Wen Yan’s leg. She raised a brow. “Aren’t you going to open it and see? What did she give you?”
Wen Yan shook her head. “No need to open it. Judging by the weight, it should be stone.”
“Stone?” Jin Zijin looked faintly surprised.
“Mm.” Wen Yan turned her head toward her, a shallow smile rippling in her eyes as she explained, “I like making stone knives. Senior knows that.”
“So every year on my birthday, or around important holidays, if she finds suitable raw stone, she’ll give me a piece.”
Jin Zijin understood at once. Her fingertips curled unconsciously, and her voice sounded ordinary, though it was a beat slower than before. “Oh... so this is an early birthday present?”
“It should be.” Wen Yan nodded and carefully set the package by her feet. “My birthday is coming up soon. She probably figured that by then she’d be busy, or I might not be around, so she gave it to me early.”
“She really is thoughtful, remembering every year.” Jin Zijin leaned back against the seat and looked out at the silent mountains rapidly receding past the window, her tone giving away very little.
The dim yellow light inside the car traced a soft outline along her profile and concealed the flicker of faint jealousy in her eyes.
She wasn’t petty, but thinking of how, in all those years she had never been part of, someone had remembered Wen Yan’s likes and dislikes so steadily, she couldn’t help feeling a complicated ripple in her heart.
“Yeah,” Wen Yan said, not noticing at all as she followed the topic. “Senior has always been very considerate.”
Forget it. Being jealous was useless.
Her simple-minded wife just kept treating the other woman like a mom.
Jin Zijin pulled her gaze back and looked at Wen Yan again, her tone returning to its usual warmth. “Your birthday is this Thursday, right? I never had the chance to properly ask you. How do you plan to spend it? I checked my schedule; I can clear it.”
Wen Yan thought about it, then gave a somewhat helpless smile. “I’m on for a big surgery Thursday. I’ll probably be standing from morning until afternoon, and I can’t say exactly when I’ll be done.”
She paused, then added with some difficulty, “Probably... we’ll just be able to have a meal together in the evening.”
“What about in previous years?” Jin Zijin asked curiously. “How did you spend your birthdays before?”
“In previous years...” Wen Yan paused, memory spreading slowly like mist on the car window. “Either I was busy in the lab or on duty at the hospital.”
“Most of the time I’d be so busy I’d forget; by the time I remembered, the day was almost over.”
Jin Zijin’s eyes widened. “You didn’t even eat cake?”
“Not really.” Wen Yan smiled. “My brother is severely allergic to eggs. When we were kids, our family rarely had things like cake.”
“On birthdays, my mom would make us ice cream instead.”
Jin Zijin blinked. “Then are you allergic to eggs?”
“No.” Wen Yan found the question a little adorable. “Twins aren’t identical in everything, especially since we’re fraternal twins.”
“Oh.” Jin Zijin toyed with a strand of her own hair, then asked again, “Then... surely someone bought you cake before?”
“Senior did,” Wen Yan recalled. “When we were in school. But it was too sweet, and high in calories, so I usually only had one or two bites.”
“Later, when I was in my doctoral program, my grandfather would sometimes call me back for dinner and prepare a small cake. It was the family’s way of making it feel like an occasion.”
Jin Zijin listened quietly, gathering these tiny fragments into her heart like pieces of a puzzle.
Suddenly, she reached over and took Wen Yan’s hand resting on her knee, gently rubbing her knuckles. Her voice softened. “What time do you think the surgery on Thursday will finish? Let’s compare schedules and have a proper meal.”
“We still need a cake. If you don’t like sweet ones, we can order one that isn’t so sweet, or... should we just have ice cream?”
Wen Yan clasped her hand back, her palm warm and dry. “Anything is fine. You arrange it.”
The car rolled steadily into the district where the hospital stood. The sky shifted from ink blue to deep green, and the outlines of the city gradually sharpened in the morning light.
Wen Yan picked up the package and prepared to get out.
“Should I come pick you up after work?” Jin Zijin leaned over and helped smooth a stray strand of hair by her temple.
“No need. You do your thing.” Wen Yan pushed open the door. Cold air rushed in; she looked back and gave Jin Zijin a reassuring smile. “I can just take a taxi home. I’m going now.”
————
Busy as she was, Wen Yan practically spent two days living in the hospital.
By Wednesday evening, when she returned home, the apartment was quiet.
Because Jin Zijin had gone to Guizhou two days earlier to attend a launch conference for an engine innovation, she wouldn’t be back until the following day.
Her usual time alone.
After showering, Wen Yan dried her half-wet hair and walked into the small workshop that had been specially set up for her.
This was where she kept all kinds of stone materials and polishing tools. The air carried the cold, distinctive smell of stone dust and metal.
She had just sat down at the workbench when a warm, fluffy little thing silently jumped onto the low stool beside her, then sprang lightly onto the edge of the bench.
It was Little Honey.
The kitten tilted its round little head and stared at Wen Yan with curious amber eyes like glass, giving a soft meow.
Wen Yan smiled and tapped its damp nose with a fingertip. “Little curious thing.”
Little Honey took the chance to rub its head against her finger, purring happily in its throat while the tip of its tail swayed lazily.
The interruption reminded Wen Yan that the package Jiang Linyue had sent was still in the living room.
She got up to fetch it, and Little Honey followed at her feet every step of the way like a diligent little supervisor.
Back in the workshop under the bright task light, Wen Yan carefully unwrapped the outer layer of cotton cloth to reveal a sturdy cardboard box inside.
When she opened the lid, five stones lay quietly fitted into custom cutouts, cushioned by layers of shock-absorbing foam.
At just one glance, Wen Yan’s breath caught slightly.
Charcoal-blue flint, beautiful obsidian, agate with brilliant patterns, precious jade, and a rare transparent crystal...
Each of the five stones was worth a small fortune. More importantly, each represented different material properties and technical challenges.
To Wen Yan, who was obsessed with this craft, it was nothing short of a feast.
Her heart warmed at the sight of them. Her fingertips drifted lightly over the cold stone surfaces, as though she could feel the power and rhythm slumbering within them for millions of years.
A strong urge to start immediately rose in her chest.
She picked up her phone, adjusted the angle, and recorded a short unboxing video, focusing on the unique beauty of each stone.
She sent the video to Jiang Linyue with a message: “Senior, I got the gift! It’s amazing! Every piece is top quality. I can’t wait to start working on them!”
Jiang Linyue replied quickly, the message simple yet enough to make Wen Yan smile: “I’m glad you like them. I’m looking forward to your work.”
Wen Yan put down her phone, the smile at the corners of her mouth still lingering as she carefully took the raw materials out one by one and arranged them on the workbench.
Her mind was racing, already thinking about which one to start with and what kind of shaping strategy to use.
Little Honey seemed to have been drawn to the shiny, variously colored “big toys” as well. It lifted a paw, curiously trying to swat at the brightest crystal.
“This one won’t do.” Wen Yan reacted quickly, stopping it and picking the little thing up to rub it in her arms. “This is too sharp. It’ll hurt you.”
Just as she was fully immersed in the world of stone, planning to perhaps try a small piece of flint first tonight, the doorbell suddenly rang.
Ding-dong—ding-dong—
The crisp chime sounded especially abrupt in the quiet night.
Wen Yan paused and checked the time; it was already nearly eight in the evening.
Jin Zijin wouldn’t be back until tomorrow. Who would be here at this hour?
She held Little Honey and went to the entryway.
The kitten seemed to have sensed the unfamiliar movement too; its ears perked up alertly as it poked its head out from her arms.
Wen Yan looked at the smart door screen on the wall.
A face covered in dust, stubble, and exhaustion appeared on the screen.
The man’s hair looked as if it had been kneaded by a gale, hanging in a mess around his face. He wore a wrinkled military-green work jacket and held a somewhat old long wooden box in his arms.
He was leaning against the doorframe, looking exactly like a homeless man who’d just crawled out of some remote wilderness, or a down-and-out street artist.
Wen Yan: “...”
Her brows didn’t even twitch. She reached out and pressed the unlock button, then yanked open the heavy solid wood door.
The person outside clearly hadn’t expected the door to open so fast; he lurched forward and nearly fell inside.
He steadied himself, swept aside a few strands of long hair that were covering his eyes, and revealed a face that looked five or six parts like Wen Yan’s, only made rough and unruly by his sloppy appearance.
He grinned, tired but still bright, and dragged out his greeting. “Yo, darling little sister, long time no see. Miss your bro—?”
Before he could finish.
With one arm still holding the cat and the other shooting out like lightning, Wen Yan seized the front of his jacket with perfect precision. Her feet crossed, her waist drove the force through, and——
a clean, textbook over-the-shoulder throw!
Bang!
Wen Chen, box and all, hit the cold, hard marble floor at the doorway with a solid thud.
The sound alone hurt to hear.
The long wooden box flew from his arms and skidded far away across the floor.
“Ow, I—!” Wrenched senseless by the throw, Wen Chen saw stars; sharp pain shot through his tailbone and back, making him curl up instantly, baring his teeth.
But it still wasn’t over.
Wen Yan gently set down Little Honey, who had been startled into leaping away with a meow, then strode forward and kicked.
One kick after another, each landing squarely on Wen Chen’s solid, rounded backside.
“You bastard! You ran out on the engagement!”
“You ran out on the engagement!”
“You dumped this on me!”
“You dumped this on me!”
Wen Yan was pure vented fury; with every kick, she shouted another line, her force absolutely unrestrained.
This time Wen Chen was really howling in pain and had no energy left to care about his dignity. He clutched his head and rolled around in the limited space, trying to dodge. “Ow, stop kicking, stop kicking!”
“Ancestor! Auntie! I was wrong, I was really wrong! Stop, no, stop with your foot!”
“My tailbone! My tailbone’s going to break! My shoulder! Ow, my shoulder!”
Wen Yan gave him another vicious kick, sending him rolling half a circle until he hit the corner of the wall and finally stopped.
She stood where she was, breathing a little hard, and looked down at Wen Chen, who was lying on the floor with his face twisted in pain. Her voice was cold. “Get up.”
Wen Chen took several seconds to recover before tremblingly holding out a hand toward her, his voice even turning a little tearful. “H-help me up... I really can’t get up...”
Wen Yan’s expression did not change. She lifted her foot as if she were about to kick his hand again. “Either get up, or get out!”
Wen Chen jerked his hand back in fright and hauled himself up against the wall, wincing as he rubbed the places he’d landed on. “Hiss... Wen Yan, your temper’s really getting worse. You’re way too ruthless!”
When he noticed that Wen Yan was still looking at him coldly, he added sheepishly, “You only dare act this tough with me. In front of Mom and Dad, aren’t you just a little quail? You wouldn’t even dare fart.”
Wen Yan bent down, picked up the long wooden box that had been knocked aside, and without looking up said evenly, “That’s because you understand human language, and you’re worthy of hearing it.”
“They don’t understand it, and they aren’t worthy. Thanks.”
Wen Chen limped after her into the apartment, pointing at her back. “Look at you, there you go again.”
“Arrogance! Pure arrogance!”
The moment he stepped into the entryway, he saw, beside the shoe cabinet, a cat so beautiful it hardly looked real, sitting with its head tilted and its clear little eyes watching him, curious yet wary, as if assessing this uninvited guest.
Wen Chen’s eyes lit up at once, and he almost forgot half his pain. “Wow! When did you get a cat? It’s gorgeous!”
He promptly forgot the lesson from before, bent down, and reached out to touch it. “Come on, let your brother pet—”
Smack!
Without even turning around, Wen Yan accurately slapped his hand away, her voice cool. “Keep your hands to yourself.”
“If you scare her, you won’t be leaving today.”
She opened the shoe cabinet, took out a pair of disposable slippers, and tossed them at his feet. “Change shoes.”
Wen Chen raised a brow and deliberately said, “I’ve been running around in the wild for days. My feet stink so badly they could kill mosquitoes. Are you sure you want me to take off my shoes?”
Wen Yan finally turned around and gave him a look that said, what kind of filthy person are you.
Then she pulled out a pair of disposable shoe covers from the lower shelf and shoved them at him. “Then wear these. Don’t go making the place dirty.”
Wen Chen took the covers, but his eyes drifted involuntarily toward the inside of the shoe cabinet.
More than a dozen pairs of women’s shoes were neatly arranged inside.
There were elegant, minimalist flats, sharp high heels, and several pairs of fluffy, adorable house slippers that were obviously meant for wearing at home.
The sizes and styles were completely unlike Wen Yan’s usual practical, understated taste.
They belonged to Jin Zijin.
That realization made Wen Chen pause.
Looks like they were doing well for themselves; they’d even moved in together.
His mood immediately brightened as he followed Wen Yan into the living room.
This large flat in a prime location had originally been one of the wedding homes the Wang family had prepared for Wen Chen.
Back then, Wen Chen had disliked the old-fashioned decor. Later, when Wen Yan finished her doctorate and joined a top hospital, their parents had conveniently given it to Wen Yan instead.
Wen Yan had spent her own money and practically gutted the place for a full renovation, pouring in no less than four million before it became what it was now.
The last time Wen Chen had come over was when Wen Yan had just been promoted to attending physician.
The place had been newly renovated then; despite the refined design and complete furnishings, it still felt empty and cold, like a polished show suite lacking any human warmth.
But now...
His gaze slowly swept across the room.
On the solid wood coffee table in the center of the living room sat a sleek white porcelain vase, filled with a fresh bouquet of lily of the valley. The white blossoms looked like little bells, giving off a delicate, elegant fragrance.
By the corner stood an exquisitely designed cat tree and a soft cat bed, with several brightly colored cat toys scattered nearby.
On the kitchen island in the open-plan kitchen, cute cat stickers lined the side of the range hood.
The large side-by-side fridge was covered with all kinds of refrigerator magnets; there were landmarks from around the world, some adorably round little animals, and even a few sticky notes with messages written in two different handwritings.
The wine cabinet was no longer empty, either; it now held an orderly assortment of red wine, whiskey, and several conspicuous bottles of Maotai.
Every detail was soaked through with traces of another person’s life.
Busy, warm, full of the little noises and smoke of ordinary living.
Wen Chen watched as Wen Yan casually set the long wooden box he’d brought onto the sofa, then naturally scooped the Little Honey that had jumped onto the couch into her arms to comfort it.
The cat purred contentedly in her embrace.
As expected...
She really was suited to living with a woman.
Much more suited than their so-called home, which was forever filled with cold calculations and hypocritical politeness.
“Here.” Wen Chen walked over, lifted the long wooden box from the corner of the sofa, and handed it to Wen Yan. “Your birthday present. I’m giving it to you early; on Thursday I may be in some mountain ditch again.”
Wen Yan glanced at him and didn’t take it right away. First she poured herself a glass of water. “Let’s make one thing clear. I didn’t prepare a gift for you.”
“Tch.” Wen Chen shoved the box into her arms. “You’re so stingy. What could you even give me with that tiny salary of yours? I’m not counting on it.”
“As if your little job of crawling into mountains and digging up stones makes much money either,” Wen Yan shot back, but she still accepted the box.
“Fine, fine, I’m not arguing about that.” Wen Chen waved it off, already turning his attention toward the kitchen. “I’m starving. What’s in your fridge that I can eat? Hurry up and let me make do with something; I haven’t eaten a proper meal in two days.”
As he spoke, he walked familiarly to the huge, fully stocked fridge and yanked it open.
The refrigerator held neatly stacked fruits and vegetables in the chilled compartment, plus storage boxes containing sliced soy-braised beef, cold dishes, and wrapped wontons and dumplings.
The freezer was even more abundant: steaks, shrimp, frozen tofu... a dazzling array.
“Whoa!” Wen Chen’s eyes went wide. He rubbed his hands together excitedly. “Wen Yan, nice! You’re living the good life. This soy-braised beef smells amazing already!”
Without a hint of restraint, he took out the soy-braised beef, a box of pan-fried dumplings, and several eggs, then peered around again. “Got any noodles? Instant noodles are fine too!”
Wen Yan set the box he’d given her aside, holding the cat as she moved to the other side of the kitchen island. At his words, she said irritably, “Enough already. Are you some reincarnated famine ghost or something? Isn’t reheated food in the fridge enough for you?”
That said, she still bent down and took out a glaringly packaged bag of buldak noodles from the lower cabinet. “Only this. Spicy noodles. Want them or not?”
They were left by Jin Zijin; she’d have to restock them later.
“Yes, yes, anything’s fine as long as it’s noodles!” Wen Chen took it, saw the packaging, and grinned. “Hey, this is the extra-spicy kind!”
He simply pulled out the remaining four packs from the cabinet as well. “I’m starving. Four packs; cook them all together!”
Wen Yan: “...”
Too lazy to deal with him further, she put the cat down and started heating up dishes herself.
Little Honey followed her every step, occasionally glancing curiously at the unfamiliar man busy at the stove.
Wen Chen was quick with his hands; he boiled the noodles and fried the eggs with practiced ease.
Soon the kitchen was filled with the smell of food and the distinctive heat of spicy noodles.
“When did you get this cat? After you got married?” Wen Chen asked while stirring the noodles in the pot.
“Mm.”
“What’s its name?”
“Little Honey.”
“Cute name. Little Honey? Who named it? You?”
“Jin Zijin.”
Wen Chen paused and turned to look at her. “You picked the cat together?”
“Mm.”
Wen Chen suddenly smiled. There was something complicated in it, but more than that, it held relief and a bit of smugness. “Looks like... she’s not as frightening as I thought. At least she’s willing to raise a little thing with you and take on some responsibility.”
He pointed at himself with the spatula, his tone carrying his usual irritating teasing. “See? Your brother’s pretty good to you, right? By some stroke of fate, I even arranged what looks like a pretty decent marriage for you?”
Wen Yan was plating the soy-braised beef when she heard that and kicked his shin.
“Ah!” Wen Chen nearly knocked the pot over in surprise. “Can’t you use the other foot? This leg still hurts from where you kicked it before!”
“Sorry, no.” Wen Yan’s expression didn’t change. “And don’t put your own face on a pedestal. You were just trying to screw me over.”
“If you never planned to get married in the first place, why agree to the engagement back then? You gave them hopes they had no business having, then ran off at the last minute and dumped the whole mess on me.”
Wen Chen put the golden-fried eggs over the cooked noodles and turned off the heat. Carrying the pot, he turned and leaned against the counter.
The steam blurred his brows and eyes, and it also made his joking expression fade a little.
“Yeah, I admit it. What I did was pretty lousy, pretty selfish.” He scooped up a mouthful of noodles and blew on it, his voice lower. “But Wen Yan, you have to admit, this was good for both of us.”
“I ran, and in their eyes I became completely useless; no prospects, no ability to do anything.”
“From now on, no matter how much pressure there is, it won’t fall on me anymore. I’m completely free.”
“You’re the same.”
He took a bite of noodles and spoke around it, a little indistinct. “They even used the old sell-your-children trick; how can you still not understand? That family has nothing left worth holding onto.”
“If you don’t like Jin Zijin, or you don’t like this marriage, you can do what I did and walk away. Let the Wang family go bankrupt for all I care.”
“But if you think Jin Zijin is okay and you can accept this marriage, then the Wang family can catch a breath, and most importantly—”
He swallowed the food in his mouth and looked at Wen Yan, his gaze unusually clear. “After this, they’ve already used up their biggest bargaining chip. If they want to point fingers at your life again, they’ll have to think twice first.”
“No matter what you choose, it actually leads to the same result: freedom.”
“In that case, why can’t I take a gamble? Why not try it?”
Wen Yan brought the heated dishes to the dining table, then added food and water to Little Honey’s bowl before pulling out a chair and sitting down.
She looked at Wen Chen and said calmly, “You make it sound nice, but Wen Chen, from start to finish, you only ever thought about yourself.”
“You never asked me once whether I was willing. You didn’t even give me a hint.”
“You sold me out unilaterally. When it comes to ‘using your children to gain benefits,’ you and they are no different in essence.”
Wen Chen opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but for a moment he had nothing to say.
He stuffed a handful of noodles into his mouth and swallowed them down before hesitantly saying, “So what you mean is, you’ve started to resent me now?”
Wen Yan stared at him. Her gaze was clear, yet it was like a cold mirror, reflecting all of his calculations. “What’s the point of resenting you?”
“You’re not the sole cause of all this. At most, you’re a selfish accomplice who helped fan the flames.”
“And besides, if we siblings turn on each other and rip our faces off, that’s the very scene they’d be happiest to see.”
“When children are at odds, parents have a much easier time controlling them, don’t they?”
Wen Chen: ...
He said nothing. Wen Yan didn’t care about his mood and went on.
“I understand that you didn’t want to become a tool for them to continue the family line and support them in old age.”
Wen Yan continued, her tone as precise as a scalpel. “But you can’t just assume that because I understand your situation, you’re entitled to shove the pressure and cost you should have borne onto me.”
“Sacrificing me, screwing me over; should I still be grateful to you and thank you for your ‘fulfillment’?”
“Wen Chen, there’s a limit to how shameless a person can be.”
She was being far too blunt. Wen Chen set down the pot, suddenly unable to taste his food.
The kitchen fell quiet, with only Little Honey’s small sounds as it ate from its bowl.
After quite a while, Wen Chen finally said in a muffled voice, “...Sorry.”
Wen Yan picked up her chopsticks, took a small piece of soy-braised beef, and ate it slowly.
Only after swallowing did she say flatly, “An apology doesn’t work. I’m not planning to forgive you.”
Wen Chen looked up abruptly, his face showing a mixture of hurt and annoyance. “Then what do you want? I’ve been hit, I’ve been scolded, and I’m here now!”
Wen Yan set down her chopsticks and held out her hand to him, palm up, her eyes serious. “Ten million.”
“Compensation for emotional distress, plus labor fees for taking your place in the marriage agreement. I covered that enormous thunderbolt for you; asking for ten million isn’t too much, is it?”
Wen Chen sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes going round. “Fuck, Wen Yan, you’re robbing me! Ten million? Why don’t you just go rob a bank?”
Fuming, he picked up the pot and began slurping noodles in big mouthfuls, as if the noodles were his enemy. “Forget it, forget it. Pretend I never apologized.”
“After this meal, we go our separate ways!”
“We never contact each other again! Bye-bye to you, then!”
Wen Yan ignored him and kept eating on her own, occasionally looking down to stroke Little Honey, who had wandered close to her feet, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly.