In January 2005, winter’s severity first arrived. The teacher at the podium pushed up her glasses and said seriously: “Students, this year is your last year of third grade. Next semester when you come to school, you’ll already be students in the second half of third grade. The teacher hopes to see a completely new version of you all. Review well at home during the holiday. Our class seven has always been a model for all classes. I hope this year the teacher can receive news that all children have gotten into First, Third, or Sixth Middle Schools.”

The third-year students were encouraged. Everyone responded in unison: “Yes!”

“Well then, winter break is starting now. Everyone be safe. Don’t play near rivers or ponds. Wish everyone a happy New Year!”

“Happy New Year, Teacher Zeng!” Cheers gradually rose. Teacher Zeng smiled and shook her head. They were still a group of fourteen or fifteen-year-old teenagers.

Hua Ting carried her backpack, happily walking alongside Bei Yao: “Yaoyao, you’re so amazing—you got third place in our class.”

Bei Yao smiled. Pei Chuan was the most amazing. If she weren’t in the same class with him, she would never have known that Pei Chuan had always been first in their grade.

The two young girls parted at the fork in the road. Hua Ting waved her hand vigorously, putting both hands by her mouth in a megaphone shape: “See you next year!”

“See you next year!”

When Bei Yao went home, snow was falling from the sky again.

“Yaoyao, come in quickly. What are you looking at!”

“Mom.” Bei Yao turned back and saw Zhao Zhilan holding a child at the entrance of the rental house.

Little Bei Jun was only ten months old, his round eyes curiously looking everywhere. Seeing his sister, his little hands waved with joy.

Zhao Zhilan was hit in the face by his little hand. She wrapped him up, both crying and laughing: “You just like your sister, don’t you? You’re not even this excited seeing your own dad.”

Baby Bei Jun caught the word “sister” in his mother’s words and repeated it with baby talk: “Jie, Jiejie.”

Bei Yao nuzzled her nose against his warm cheek, smiling as she corrected: “It’s sister.”

“Jiejie.”

The first word little Bei Jun learned wasn’t “mom” or “dad,” but “sister.”

Zhao Zhilan said, “Tonight when we go home, pack the things you need to bring. This year we’re going to Grandma’s house for New Year.” After all, with this “illegal” second child, going to her mother’s side for New Year meant Bei Yao’s grandmother could help watch the child—no matter how you thought about it, this was the best choice.

As a minor, Bei Yao had no choice at all. She nodded. That evening she followed Bei Licai home to pack.

“Dad, I’m going downstairs for a bit.”

“Okay, come back early.”

“Mm.”

Bei Yao walked across the damp pavement. This January in City C, the snow hadn’t accumulated yet. Snow the size of half a fingernail was falling from the sky.

Bei Yao went downstairs and happened to encounter Pei Chuan going out.

The young man wore a dark blue down jacket with the zipper pulled up to his Adam’s apple, no expression on his face.

As soon as they met, both stopped in their tracks. Small snowflakes fell on her eyelashes. Bei Yao’s almond eyes were tinged with a smile: “Pei Chuan, why did you come out?”

“Helping my dad get a letter.”

The letter had been sent to the wrong address—to someone’s mailbox across the way. The postal carrier had just called to apologize.

Bei Yao followed behind him, watching him go across and take out the thick envelope.

Pei Chuan turned back and met her moist eyes. His steps paused: “Why are you following me?”

“This year I have to go to Grandma’s house for New Year. We won’t see each other again until next spring. Pei Chuan, Happy New Year!”

“Mm.” He said softly, “Happy New Year.”

“This is the first time I’ve been away from home this long.” Her toes anxiously kicked the edge of the flower bed. “And I won’t be able to see you for a long time. Pei Chuan, remember to drink more water. During New Year, definitely don’t stay cooped up at home. You can set off firecrackers with Chen Hu and them.”

Pei Chuan glanced at her and didn’t refute: “Mm.”

She smiled and stood on tiptoe. In the vast night and snow, her almond eyes were like a bright, pure crescent moon: “Pei Chuan, when I come back you’ll definitely be even taller. I’m so much shorter than you now.”

She gestured. The young girl had finally grown taller these past few years—now 163 cm. Bei Yao remembered she would eventually be 165 cm. Pei Chuan wore prosthetic limbs, and the prosthetics were adjusted according to the young man’s height and development. The current Pei Chuan appeared to be about 175 cm. His height would shoot up in high school. In Bei Yao’s memory, Pei Chuan with his prosthetic limbs was around 186 cm in high school.

He was supposed to grow quite tall.

Pei Chuan watched snowflakes fall on Bei Yao’s soft hair and asked her flatly: “When will you be back?”

“My mom said in February, probably before school starts. When I come back, I’ll bring you local specialties!” Her tone was gentle and crisp. Without knowing when, Bei Yao had shed her childish voice. Her voice had become what it was now—carrying a young girl’s sweetness, yet also like the gentle wind of March.

Pei Chuan was still in his voice-changing period. The young man’s voice was rough and unpleasant. He responded lowly. Bei Yao left, turning back to look every few steps.

As she walked up the stairs, she was still smiling and calling to him: “Wait for me to come back—”

Little did she know that when they met again, both of them would be in completely different circumstances.

~

Bei Yao sat at the wooden door entrance wearing a red scarf, with a little lamb beside her lowering its head and sniffing around everywhere.

She held little Bei Jun. The child stared fixedly at the little lamb. Bei Yao couldn’t help but smile. Bei Jun was easy to care for when he was small. When he grew up he’d be more mischievous. This child could often see an interesting thing and babble to himself while watching for ages.

The warm midday sun hung high, yet the snow on the mountaintop still hadn’t melted.

Several hens in the courtyard proudly paced back and forth.

Bei Yao’s grandmother’s home was in the countryside—a single-story house. The courtyard had chickens and a little lamb. In earlier years, Grandma had also raised pigs, but hadn’t these past two years. Zhao Family Village was the hometown of Zhao Zhilan and Zhao Xiu. Because the lingering charm of New Year remained, children would play with firecrackers by the mud pond.

They’d light the firecrackers and throw them in. Within two seconds there’d be a “bang,” and the mud and water from the pond would be blasted high up—full of New Year spirit.

In the morning, Zhao Zhilan and Bei Yao’s grandmother had gone to the market. Before long, they returned in the company of village women.

Seeing Bei Yao holding her little brother from far away, Zhao Zhilan’s expression softened.

Aunt Zhang said, “Is that your Yaoyao? I only saw her twice when she was little. She’s this big now? Oh my, she’s become so pretty I almost didn’t recognize her.”

Zhao Zhilan smiled: “Children do grow up fast.”

Among those walking with them was a young newlywed woman named Chen Lanlan. Chen Lanlan had originally thought this was the usual flattery, since the aunties here would tell everyone, “Your child’s become handsome,” or “Your girl’s become pretty.” So Chen Lanlan smiled on the surface but didn’t take it to heart.

Then Chen Lanlan looked up at the young girl standing by the Zhao family’s door and was stunned for a full minute. She had never seen a young girl who had blossomed this beautifully!

Mid-February was long past the Lantern Festival. That young girl wore a pink and white jacket with a red scarf around her neck. Her long hair cascaded down softly, slightly curled at the ends. Her complexion was fair, with dark brows and almond eyes, delicate cherry lips with a round, adorable Cupid’s bow. The young girl’s small face was flawless, her pupils like watery black grapes, carrying a moist shimmer. Because of her young age, she was especially pitiable and lovable.

Not to mention all the astonished women—even Bei Yao’s own mother Zhao Zhilan was momentarily stunned seeing her daughter after this growth spurt.

After coming to Grandma’s house, Bei Yao had suddenly started this growth spurt.

The Creator favored this young girl. Her face gradually shed childhood innocence and took on girlish purity. Her small waist was slender enough to encircle with one hand, yet her chest was full. After a heavy snowfall this winter, a delicate girl as beautiful as a painting, pure and moving, had been carved out.

Her Bei Yao had grown up.

Suddenly seeing Bei Yao like this one day, Zhao Zhilan couldn’t speak for a long while. She choked up for a moment, looking at her daughter who at such a young age already had stunning beauty. How had she never noticed before that Bei Yao would be this pretty when she grew up? After the growth spurt, the silliness was gone—she was exquisitely beautiful beyond words. She hardly seemed like a daughter Zhao Zhilan could have given birth to.

Zhao Zhilan suddenly felt that Zhao Xiu’s constant comparisons between Bei Yao and Fang Mingjun when they were young seemed somewhat laughable. If Zhao Xiu saw Bei Yao now, she probably wouldn’t even dare to compare. Fang Mingjun stood out by resembling Chang Xue’s features, while Bei Yao was naturally moving and could be painted.

Bei Yao’s grandmother carried a basket on her back, took the grandson from Bei Yao’s arms, and said to Bei Yao: “Go rest. Grandma and your mom will handle things here. We bought rice cakes to eat today.”

Bei Yao nodded with a smile.

Grandma turned back and said to Zhao Zhilan: “Do you think my cooking isn’t good? One winter has passed—how did Yaoyao suddenly lose so much weight?”

Zhao Zhilan wiped her hands. Not bothering with her young son, letting his grandmother hold him, she started dividing vegetables: “No, when girls grow up they have growth spurts. Didn’t I do the same when I was little? I suddenly slimmed down.”

Grandma said, “When you slimmed down, you didn’t seem like a completely different person.”

“…”

Grandma cheerfully said, “Yaoyao is so beautiful. I think she’s even prettier than those stars on TV.”

“Mom!” Zhao Zhilan quickly said, “Don’t be too ostentatious. Wasn’t Zhao Xiu’s Minmin’s situation lesson enough? Don’t compare children to stars. Whether they’re pretty or not, as long as they’re safe and healthy, it’s our family’s blessing.”

Thinking of Fang Mingjun, Grandma agreed in her heart. Although she thought this granddaughter was incredibly beautiful, she wouldn’t say it openly again.

Next month little Bei Jun would turn one. Zhao Zhilan said, “Licai said everything’s been handled over there. Tomorrow I’ll take the two children back.”

Grandma was somewhat reluctant, but knew Bei Yao had to go back to study. The young girl had the high school entrance exam this year—the family was quite nervous about it. But what made the family proud was that Bei Yao’s grades had always been very good.

“Bring more local products back—fried peanuts, dried tofu…” The old woman chattered on. Bei Yao also helped pack, remembering her promise to bring specialties for the neighborhood children and her good friends in class.

On the train ride home, people kept looking at Bei Yao.

The young girl appeared fourteen or fifteen, fresh and beautiful—the most eye-catching in the crowd. At Zhao Zhilan’s urging, she had changed her hairstyle. Zhao Zhilan had advanced fashion sense and had the hairdresser cut Bei Yao something like air bangs, instantly making her look even more pure.

Bei Yao’s eyelashes were long and curled, light as butterfly wings. When she blinked, her eyes were clear and spirited—extremely endearing.

Bei Yao wasn’t quite used to receiving such attention. She anxiously touched her hair: “Have I really changed that much? Is this weird?”

Looking at her daughter who was clearly like a little fairy yet doubting herself, Zhao Zhilan laughed until she nearly fell over: “You’ve grown up but you’re still silly.”

“Mom, do you think Pei Chuan and Hua Ting and them will still recognize me?”

“You really believe your grandma saying you’ve become a different person? At most the change is big, but they’ll recognize you.”

Bei Yao was inevitably nervous and anxious.

She still remembered in first year when she asked Pei Chuan if the English teacher was pretty, and Pei Chuan had coldly said no. In Bei Yao’s view, now she was also the pure and moving type. Did Pei Chuan dislike this kind of appearance?

His temperament was already strange. Could his aesthetic be strange too?

The train traveled all the way. That afternoon they arrived in City C.

Just at the neighborhood entrance, a chubby teenager rushed out from inside the neighborhood, laughing loudly as he ran forward. Toy firecrackers exploded behind him with crackling sounds.

That plump teenager nearly collided with them. Zhao Zhilan had just recognized it was Chen Hu from across the way.

She was protecting little Bei Jun and couldn’t dodge in time, but Bei Yao reacted quickly and grabbed Chen Hu’s jacket hood.

Chen Hu was the same height as Bei Yao. As soon as he looked up, he saw the beautiful young girl.

Chen Hu was stunned for quite a while, completely unable to process who this little fairy was. Until the little fairy smiled, pulled out a big bag of dried tofu from her bag, and greeted them with a smile: “Chen Hu, Li Da, Rongrong, this is dried tofu I brought for you from my hometown. It’s really delicious.”

Then the stunned teenagers extended from Chen Hu to everyone.

It was still Li Da who spoke in disbelief: “Bei—Bei Yao?”

Bei Yao said embarrassedly: “It’s me. Has the change really been that big?”

Chen Hu: “…” Holy crap! This this this…

It was simply a reversal story. Before, there were two little girls in the neighborhood—one pretty like a star, one ordinary and cute. Later they grew up. The pretty girl everyone pursued became ordinary-looking, while the ordinarily cute one suddenly became a little fairy one year, leaving a group of teenagers in disbelief with eyes wide.

Chen Hu’s ears turned red. He stammered, not daring to look at Bei Yao, instead apologizing to Zhao Zhilan: “Sorry, Aunt Zhao. I ran out without looking and didn’t see you. Did I bump into you?”

How could Zhao Zhilan fuss with these teenagers? She smiled and said it was fine.

“Yaoyao, put your things away first, then play with your friends.”

“Okay.”

After Bei Yao left with Zhao Zhilan, the group of young teenagers looked at each other.

Li Da coughed: “Chen Hu, your face is red.”

Chen Hu exploded: “Holy crap, you have the nerve to talk about me—your face is red too!”

Before long, Bei Yao came downstairs. She carried a bag in her hand, surprised to find the teenagers still playing in the same spot, not having left.

They all looked at her in unison. Bei Yao felt somewhat uncomfortable. Her voice was clear and gentle: “Do you know where Pei Chuan is?”

At these words, the teenagers’ expressions all became strange.

Bei Yao’s heart sank with an ominous feeling.

Clearly spring had already arrived, but because the snow hadn’t melted yet, it carried winter’s coldness.

Chen Hu furrowed his thick brows: “His dad and mom divorced. Everyone in the neighborhood knows.”

Li Da’s voice lowered to add: “Uncle Pei was injured on a mission during New Year. Pei Chuan is at the hospital taking care of him. He—he’ll be living with Uncle Pei from now on.”

In the early spring of 2005, Pei Chuan’s parents had finally divorced after all.

Pei Haobin’s life hung by a thread. While everyone was happily celebrating New Year, this young man first experienced his parents divorcing and living with his father afterward, then learned the news that his father might never wake up.