Chloe and I fell in love. She was gentle and caring, incredibly devoted to me. Soon, we moved in together. One night, I was deep in sleep when a faint sound of running water woke me. I turned over and saw the bathroom light on in our bedroom. *Must be her*, I thought, and drifted back to sleep. But quickly, a cold sweat drenched me. *Why would a blind person turn on the light to use the bathroom at night…?* I lay still, my back to the bathroom, deliberately slowing my breathing. My heart hammered faster and faster. “Click.” It was the sound of the light switch. I felt her slide back into bed, wrapping her arms around me from behind. Her light breath brushed my neck, chillingly cold. The next morning, I was still reeling from the strange incident last night. She sat across from me, eating breakfast. There was no way she could see. I had seen her eyes before; they were like an ink wash painting, the black swirled within the iris as if bleeding in water, incredibly surreal. But why did she turn on the light last night? My mind heavy with worry, I needed to get out and clear my head. I wolfed down a few bites of toast, and even though it was early, I muttered something about being late and headed for the door. Just as I turned to leave, I thought I saw her glance up towards the wall clock. *A blind person… needs to check the time?* A day of frantic work left me exhausted, body and mind. After much thought, I figured I was just overthinking things. Maybe I was still getting used to living with a blind girl. Things would surely get better after we’d lived together for a while. I drove to Chloe’s workplace to pick her up. It was a music studio, where she taught the pipa. She was already packed up, waiting for me by the door. I walked over, took her hand, and she smiled knowingly. No words were needed between us; we understood each other. I took her bag, helped her into the back seat, placed her bag next to her, and carefully buckled her seatbelt. She always sat in the back; the spaciousness made it easier for her. The car passed an intersection when a child on a bike suddenly darted out. I slammed on the brakes, swerving the steering wheel hard. The car spun in a circle on the road. Thankfully, I didn’t hit the mischievous kid. She asked what happened. I said it was nothing, just a kid who popped out at the intersection. It was fine now. As we continued driving home, I saw her through the rearview mirror bending down. She picked up a small hair clip and put it into her bag. It must have fallen out when I braked suddenly. *But how did she know the hair clip had fallen out?* After dinner, I took her hand, and we walked to the park downstairs. This was something she loved to do, something she loved doing with me by her side. The park was lively, with many kids practicing rollerblading and elderly people dancing. She didn’t talk much, and I quietly held her hand. Her long, waterfall-like black hair gave off a faint, sweet scent. Ahead, a little girl on rollerblades stumbled and plunged headfirst into the roadside bushes, only her small legs flailing wildly. I was about to tell Chloe about the comical sight, but when I turned to face her, I saw a faint smile on her face. Not her usual gentle smile, but the kind of suppressed amusement when someone sees something truly funny. A growing unease settled in. Was this gentle, beautiful woman truly blind? Everything felt so strange, so illogical. Should I ask her directly? But would that make her think I was crazy? Girls like her often lacked a sense of security; would it hurt her? During lunch break, I told Liam, my best friend, about some of the strange things that had been happening. Liam found it hard to believe too. “If what you’re saying is true, she’s definitely got issues,” Liam said. “But why would she pretend to be blind and get close to me?” I asked. “First, we need solid proof that she’s faking, not truly blind,” Liam stated, confident in his words. “That’s hard. I don’t want to hurt her. What should I do?” I was caught in a dilemma. Finally, Liam offered a plan: First, I’d tell Chloe I had something to do that evening and couldn’t pick her up, so she should take a cab home. Later, Liam and I would go home together. Liam would go inside, and I’d wait outside. If she was truly blind, she’d just assume it was me coming home. Liam wouldn’t speak, so she wouldn’t notice anything unusual. If everything was normal, Liam would quietly slip out, and I’d go in, acting as if nothing happened. But if she was faking, and saw a strange man in the house, she’d surely be startled, revealing her deception. Then I’d rush in and demand the truth. “That’s a masterstroke, absolutely brilliant!” I exclaimed. The sky had already darkened, a blue shroud covering the earth. Liam and I exchanged glances in the hallway. Liam took out the keys, unlocked the door, and entered my apartment. The hallway was eerily silent. After the motion-sensor lights flickered off, only the dim blue light from outside the window illuminated everything before me. I anxiously clutched my phone, waiting for the results of the test. Three minutes later, the door opened, and Liam stepped out. “No one’s home,” Liam said. I quickly grabbed my phone and called Chloe. Chloe said it was too boring at home by herself, so she was sitting in the small park downstairs, getting some fresh air and waiting for me to get off work. My heart warmed. I deeply understood how important I was to this seemingly blind girl. Since I had chosen to be with her, it was natural that I would be her lifelong support. Liam and I went downstairs together. In the small park, we saw Chloe sitting on a bench, her simple white dress strikingly bright in the dim night. I said goodbye to Liam and walked over to sit beside Chloe. Hearing my voice, she naturally leaned her head on my shoulder. I squeezed her hand tightly. How could anyone not adore a girl like her? After sitting in the park for a while, I took her hand, and we walked back home. As we walked on the gravel path in the complex, a figure suddenly darted out of the greenery ahead. In the dim light, I couldn’t make out their face. As we got a little closer, I realized it was Liam! He hadn’t left after all. He gave me a shushing gesture, signaling me not to show any alarm. I said nothing more, just continued walking forward, holding Chloe’s hand. Liam stood directly in Chloe’s path ahead. If she didn’t dodge, she would collide right into him. Under the cover of night, our footsteps were remarkably clear. The early autumn breeze was refreshing, but it couldn’t wipe away the fine sweat on my forehead. Just as Chloe was about to collide with Liam, he swiftly stepped aside. Nothing happened. I dared not show any reaction, only glancing back. Liam made a phone gesture at me, then turned and left. After we got home, I made a simple dinner. Our life together was peaceful yet happy. She lay sleeping soundly on my arm, her soft snores carrying a hint of a woman’s unique charm. I remembered Liam’s departure and picked up my phone. The faint glow of the screen was a bit harsh. I opened the message Liam had sent; it only had two words: *Something’s wrong.* *What’s wrong?* I texted back. Soon, Liam’s reply came: *Can’t explain it. Talk tomorrow. Stay safe.* With that, Liam’s profile picture turned gray. He was offline. I put my phone down, and suddenly realized: Chloe’s soft snores in my arms had stopped. The phone’s light vanishing left me briefly blind in the darkness. I couldn’t make out Chloe’s face, wondering if, in the pitch black, she was now watching me… Soon, my eyes adjusted. Her eyes were tightly closed, and she was no longer snoring, her breathing even, her face serene. The next day, I arrived at work early. Liam was already waiting at my desk. “You said something was wrong last night. What was it?” I asked. Liam explained that he had lived with his grandmother in a senior community for a while, and many residents there, including his grandmother, were blind. He knew what it felt like to be around blind people—it was a deep, intuitive understanding that permeated every detail of life, almost like a subtle energy field. But yesterday, with Chloe, he hadn’t felt that sense, even though she genuinely appeared to be blind. I couldn’t quite grasp what he meant. I just chuckled and said maybe young people were different from old people. Liam didn’t seem convinced. He suggested inviting Chloe and me out for dinner, so he could observe her more closely. I agreed, but reminded him, “Don’t hurt her, and don’t go too far.” All day, I couldn’t focus on work. All sorts of thoughts swirled in my mind. Was she truly blind or not? If not, how could I explain her strange actions? If she was, why would she pretend to be blind? Did she see the message on my phone last night? But she hadn’t harmed me. What did she want? Liam had reserved a table at a boat restaurant on Lake Serenity. Such a fancy place was beyond my expectations. As I led Chloe onto the boat, the slight rocking of the gangplank on the water made her nervous. Once aboard, she clung tightly to my hand. I instinctively put my arm around her, comforting her softly. Entering the main hall, elegant orchestral music echoed around us. The hall was lively; this restaurant was packed every night. I inquired about our table with the hostess. As I turned, I noticed Chloe, standing beside me, was facing directly towards Liam’s table. *Had she recognized Liam? Recognized him as the one who tried to test her in the apartment complex?* Liam, however, showed no signs of alarm. Throughout dinner, his humorous conversation kept Chloe giggling. The harmonious atmosphere made me relax quite a bit. A server brought over three drinks. Liam thoughtfully took them and placed them in front of each of us. Chloe fumbled to pick up her glass, taking a small sip.
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