Finally reaching shore, the lake mist gradually dispersed.

Yan Xi said, “I gave you that painting, so will you be my background model in return?”

A-Heng nodded saying, “Sure, sure!” Her face reddened nervously as she thought, oh my, she must be pretty enough to be Yan Xi’s model.

But then Yan Xi said, “Just be background for the scenery, don’t be nervous, just act like an extra.”

“Oh.” A-Heng’s face fell.

She followed Yan Xi’s instructions and walked to the plum tree, feeling quite awkward. But when you accept someone’s gift, your hands naturally become soft.

“Take two more steps forward, stay further from the tree.” The young man held a black camera, eyes half-squinted looking through the viewfinder.

“Oh.” A-Heng sniffled and moved two steps to the side.

“Two more steps forward.”

Looking at the twisted, winding trunk and the delicate, pure flower petals of the newly bloomed plum tree beside her, A-Heng walked two steps forward.

She was a background for a tree.

“Take two more big steps forward.” The young man held his camera and continued commanding.

One big step, two big steps, A-Heng counted as she strode forward, somewhat like playing hopscotch as a child.

“Keep walking.” The young man’s voice was already somewhat distant.

She walked forward with her head down.

“Alright alright, stop!” His voice rippled faintly in the wind, but she couldn’t hear clearly.

“Don’t turn around,” he said.

“What did you say?” She turned back, looking confusedly at the young man’s moving lips in the distance.

That young man, standing in the wind, with black hair and red lips, smiled bright and beautiful.

“Click.”

Time froze.

January 13, 1999.

Many years later, a photo hung in the most inconspicuous corner of an exhibition hall.

An unadorned young woman in a gray coat, black eyes gazing tenderly and intently. She became the background for a room full of elegant and noble tones.

Many young photographers who came to admire the works saw this piece and sighed at its failure. Yan Xi was a natural genius all his life, yet he left such an aesthetically lacking work.

Yan Xi was already old then, smiling as he listened to the younger generation’s sincere suggestions. They wanted him to remove this failed piece, but he just shook his head.

“Why?” They were young, so they had much time to ask why.

“The person she’s looking at is me,” Yan Xi smiled, his features aged beyond recognition of past dust. Yet those eyes, deep and dim, “I can deny the whole world, but I cannot deny myself in her eyes.”

“Do you want to go to Wushui?” When Yan Xi casually asked A-Heng, she was hugging a mineral water bottle, gulping water.

Being a model was tiring, especially as an extra like her. Background for plum blossoms, paper umbrellas, sky, docks…

A-Heng was distracted, and when she realized what he’d said, she sprayed out a mouthful of water.

Yan Xi narrowed his bright black eyes and smiled: “You don’t want to go?”

A-Heng swallowed and carefully asked the young man: “Can I go?”

Yan Xi replied lightly: “Wen Heng, your ‘Wen’ is indeed the ‘Wen’ of the Wen family, but ‘Heng’ is the ‘Heng’ of the Yun family.”

No one had ever said such things to her before. They told her what clothes to wear, and what roles to play, but no one cared about her past or her future.

A-Heng’s eyes grew moist as she gazed into the distance, feeling somewhat lost.

A pink blur gently blocked her vision as the young man spoke lazily: “What can you see?”

She was speechless.

Yan Xi smiled: “How will you know if you don’t walk forward!” He didn’t turn back again, just kept walking forward, carrying a large travel bag, his back straight, like a true traveler walking into the finest branches of her life.

She and Yan Xi took another car ride, seeming like they’d spent two-thirds of their journey time on vehicles. Following the good Chinese tourist tradition—sleeping while riding and peeing while stopping—A-Heng fulfilled the first half, Yan Xi the second.

A-Heng slept the whole way, and when Yan Xi got off, he urgently pulled A-Heng to find a bathroom. All that talk of pink walls and black tiles, small bridges, and flowing water, willows swaying by noble homes—all just idle chatter from scholars! For Yan Xi right now, even combining all twenty-four bridges of West Lake on a moonlit night couldn’t match the attraction of a toilet.

“Yan Xi, Wushui Town here, doesn’t have, public toilets.” Her words were earnest, expressing deep sympathy.

“Then what do we do?!” The young man gesticulated wildly, looking exactly like a fierce little beast.

“Let’s go to my house, we have one.” A-Heng was very serious, very solemn as if discussing an academic topic.

“Where’s your house?” Yan Xi’s big eyes stared plaintively.

A-Heng sniffled grabbed Yan Xi’s hand and started running hard.

Yan Xi ran until his face turned green, that thing was… about to come out…

The town was small. When A-Heng and Yan Xi ran back to the Yun household breathlessly, Mother Yun was chatting with neighbor Granny Huang.

“Ma, quick, get toilet paper!” A-Heng whirled through like a tornado, hurriedly pushing Yan Xi into their outhouse.

Mother Yun was stunned: “Granny Huang, was that my girl just now?”

“Heaven help us, I thought I was the only one having visions!” Granny Huang pulled out her handkerchief to wipe nonexistent tears.

“Ma, toilet paper!” A-Heng shouted.

Yan Xi looked at the table full of exquisite dishes, smiling contentedly: “Mama Yun, you’re amazing!”

“Just homestyle food, nothing fancy.” Mother Yun spoke gently, “Yan Xi… right? Eat more.”

A-Heng grabbed her chopsticks wanting to get food, but was scolded by Mother Yun: “Young lady, where are your manners? How can you start before the guest?”

A-Heng sniffled, putting down her hand dejectedly.

Thus, with Yan Xi’s interference, her homecoming wasn’t touching or tear-jerking at all, instead felt more like returning home after visiting a neighbor.

“Mama Yun, you can call me A-Xi or Little Xi.” Yan Xi was very polite, smiling adorably—he hadn’t called the “Mother Killer” since childhood for nothing.

“You, understand?” A-Heng was somewhat curious about how Yan Xi could understand these local dialects.

“My grandfather taught me.” Yan Xi said simply.

A-Heng felt conflicted. She had been cleverly acting as Yan Xi’s translator before, while Yan Xi must have been laughing secretly, definitely finding it absurd.

But how did Grandfather Yan have connections to Wushui Town?

Mother Yun stared at Yan Xi for a long while, remembered something, her eyes growing complex as she looked at A-Heng and spoke softly: “A-Heng, go call your father back for dinner.”

Yan Xi smiled indifferently. He had probably guessed before coming that Wen Heng’s adoptive parents knew about that agreement from years ago.

A-Heng didn’t understand but nodded, got up, and easily found her way to the town’s medicine shop. “Pa!” A-Heng looked at the kind-faced man with graying temples measuring medicine for a patient, smiling joyfully.

Father Yun was startled and turned to see A-Heng, his eyes showing faint surprise.

A-Heng ran in front of the man, looking up at her father: “Pa.” Her voice sounded just like when she was little.

“A-Heng, when did you come back?” Father Yun put down the herbs in his hands and asked her kindly, “Did your grandfather come too?”

A-Heng’s eyes dropped down as she shook her head, not daring to look at her father’s face.

“You ran away to come back?” Father Yun frowned, his tone rising.

A-Heng didn’t make a sound, standing stock-still in front of the medicine shop. Passersby whispered, making her so embarrassed she didn’t know where to put her hands and feet.

Initially, it was heartache that made her recklessly follow Yan Xi back to Wushui Town. Now, thinking of the Wen family in B City, she secretly felt she had acted too thoughtlessly—they might have called the police by now, just like when Siwang disappeared!

“You girl!” Father Yun’s face turned blue with anger as he grabbed the medicine pestle from the counter, about to hit A-Heng.

A-Heng froze, thinking how could Pa still use this trick. She had returned home as a gold-rimmed capital city person, how could he still not give her face? But the pestle swung over mercilessly, and A-Heng swallowed hard, scared into running away.

“You stop right there, you little troublemaker!” Father Yun gave chase.

“Pa, don’t be angry with me, Ma says to come home for dinner!” A-Heng cried out as she ran, nearly in tears.

“Hah, I knew it. Those people living in government compounds wouldn’t fancy this dim-witted girl. Look, she’s been returned like defective goods!” The town head’s wife, who ran a cool tea shop in summer and a hot tea shop in winter, cracked melon seeds while watching the show and making snide remarks.

You’re the defective goods! A-Heng sniffled, feeling wronged in her heart. Seeing the medicine pestle about to strike, she ran like the wind.

One chasing, one fleeing, Wushui Town hadn’t been this lively in a long time.

Adults and children all broke into laughter.

Look, the Yun family’s girl is getting beaten again.

It had always been like this since she was little. Pa never saved her face when beating her, chasing her all over town while others followed to watch the show. Running with all her might, A-Heng finally made it back home, rushing into the main hall, crying out: “Ma, Pa’s beating me again!”

“I’ll show you running!” came the panting voice from behind.

Mother looked at her with a smile, patting her hand, and spoke to Father Yun: “Dear, the child came back out of filial piety, she just returned, don’t be angry with her, alright?”

Father Yun snorted, then noticed Yan Xi.

This child was watching the scene with obvious enjoyment, his big eyes curved in amusement.

“And who is this?” Father Yun set down the pestle, carefully examining Yan Xi.

Mother Yun spoke softly, her tone meaningful: “General Yan’s grandson, Yan Xi.”

The air grew somewhat stiff, and Father Yun’s face became increasingly solemn as he looked at Yan Xi and asked: “So it’s you?”

Yan Xi held his chopsticks with delicate fingers, smiling brightly: “It should be me. My younger brother is in America, much too young compared to Wen Heng.”

A-Heng felt confused, what were they talking about?

Father Yun pondered for a long while, then beckoned to Mother Yun: “Peiyun, come with me to the inner room.” Then he looked mildly at A-Heng and said, “Girl, take good care of our guest, if the food gets cold, heat it in the kitchen.”

Yan Xi picked up his chopsticks and lightly picked up a piece of meat, chewing it thoughtfully, his eyebrows rising as he smiled at Father Yun: “No need, the food is just right.”

Father Yun’s expression showed some displeasure, but he said nothing, striding into the inner room. Mother Yun gave Yan Xi a deep look, then followed.

A-Heng stood dumbfounded, covering her mouth as she whispered to Yan Xi: “What happened?”

Yan Xi, chewing on a rib bone with puffy cheeks, replied carelessly: “Probably, your Pa doesn’t like me.”

A-Heng secretly glanced at the young man, saying softly: “My Pa, doesn’t like me, either. Don’t be angry. He’s a doctor, only likes patients.”

The young man lightly spat out the bone and said quietly: “Ignorance is bliss.”

“Oh.” A-Heng nodded in confused agreement.

That evening, A-Heng insisted on sleeping in the same room as Mother Yun, who couldn’t refuse her.

Yan Xi slept in A-Heng’s old room. Father Yun slept in Yun Zai’s room, as Yun Zai was being treated at the Southern Military District Hospital.

“Ma, did you miss me?” In the darkness, A-Heng curled up in the blanket, her eyes full of longing.

“No.” Mother Yun gently stroked A-Heng’s head, speaking tenderly.

A-Heng felt hurt, looking at her mother disappointedly: “But, Ma, I missed you.” She snuggled into her mother’s embrace under the covers, that embrace so warm and peaceful.

“You’ve been crying under the covers at the Wen house again, haven’t you?” Mother Yun sighed.

“No.” A-Heng pressed her head against her mother’s chest, speaking in a muffled voice.

She wasn’t lying. At Wen’s house, except for crying on the day she arrived, she hadn’t cried since.

Mother Yun patted her back rhythmically, her voice carrying warmth and melancholy: “A-Heng, Ma is sorry.”

A-Heng’s back stiffened briefly, then she hugged her mother tightly: “Ma, it’s not your fault.”

Mother Yun felt heartache: “Ma returned you to the Wen family for Zai Zai’s sake, don’t you resent Ma?”

A-Heng shook her head fiercely. She couldn’t selfishly watch Yun Zai walk toward death.

The Yun family was the warmest, most beautiful destiny in her life.

When she was young, Father taught her to read and write. While other girls went to work early, she also wanted to earn money for Zai Zai’s treatment. When she told Pa, he beat her severely, saying that even if he worked himself to death, he wouldn’t let his daughter become someone’s servant.

Ma was the gentlest, always braiding her hair prettily, making beautiful dresses, telling lovely stories. Whenever Pa chased her to beat her, it was always Ma who protected her. When she was beaten and hurt, Ma cried even harder than she did.

As for Zai Zai, their relationship was even better. He always waited for her to return from school to share any treats he had. Sometimes when she stayed overnight on the mountain gathering herbs with Pa, Zai Zai would stay up all night waiting for her return.

During New Year, it was the only time Zai Zai was allowed to go out playing with her. He followed her to the fair, and though he wouldn’t buy things he liked for himself, he spent his long-saved New Year’s money to buy her a paper rabbit lantern. Just because she liked rabbits.

She wanted the Yun family to be well, she wanted Zai Zai to be healthy – what did it matter whether she was surnamed Yun or Wen?

“Ma, the people in the Wen family like me, don’t worry.” A-Heng looked up at her mother, chuckling, “The grandfather there scolds brother for my sake, the mother there plays beautiful piano pieces, and the brother there loves me so, so much.”

Mother Yun also smiled, though tears welled in her eyes: “Good, good! The girl I raised, so well-behaved, so good, who wouldn’t like her…”

“Ma, when I grow up and come back to see you, don’t send me away, alright?” A-Heng asked carefully.

“Alright. I’ll wait for my girl to earn money and show filial piety to me, Ma will wait.”

“Ma, Ma, let’s make a pinky promise, I won’t miss you, and you won’t miss me either, okay?” A-Heng sniffled, her eyes reddening.

Mother Yun choked up, speaking softly: “Ma won’t miss you, definitely won’t miss you.”

Meanwhile, Yan Xi wasn’t sleeping well either.

The people of Wushui Town were used to sleeping on bamboo beds, but Yan Xi, born and raised in the north, wasn’t accustomed to it, finding it uncomfortable and tossing and turning sleeplessly.

In the darkness, his eyes gradually adjusted to the room, a small room with nothing but a clean desk and a few books.

He found it hard to imagine that Wen Heng had grown up in such extreme poverty all these years. In comparison, Wen Si’er’s fate was a bit too good.

Yan Xi’s lips curved slightly, laughing silently, thick with mockery.

Suddenly, a faint light entered the room, and from the main hall came the sound of someone pacing anxiously.

Yan Xi figured since he couldn’t sleep anyway, he got up and walked out.

As expected, it was Father Yun.

“Uncle Yun, why haven’t you gone to sleep?” Yan Xi leaned lightly against the doorframe, his right leg casually crossed over his left, black hair falling over his forehead. In the moonlight, only the young man’s fair chin was visible.

Father Yun, like most Jiangnan men, smoked a water pipe, its bubbling sounds very clear in the silent room.

“Yan Xi, what do you plan to do about our A-Heng?” The man frowned, looking seriously at the young man.

“Naturally, what should be done will be done.” The young man smiled lightly. Though Wen Heng lived in poverty, she was better off than him – she had foster parents protecting her.

“Will you…” the man hesitated, gritted his teeth, and finally spoke, “Will you like A-Heng?”

The young man was stunned, and after a while, responded with mixed amusement and exasperation: “Uncle, you’re thinking too much.”

Father Yun grew somewhat angry and said: “Back then, it was your grandfather who told me that the Yan family owed A-Heng and that in the future, his grandson would marry A-Heng with full honors.”

The young man’s voice grew cold, but his tone carried sincerity: “Uncle Yun, no one can guarantee the future. But at least, as long as I, Yan Xi, am around, no one will bully Wen Heng. Until she determines her feelings, I will treat her like my own sister, please rest assured.”

“What if our A-Heng truly comes to like you?” Father Yun’s expression was serious.

The young man thought for a moment, then smiled calmly.

“Then I will marry her.”