As soon as those words left her lips, Wang Feifei’s previously self-confident expression stiffened slightly.

The others also realized that the handsome young man before them was apparently not single, and the girls who had been working up the courage to ask about his relationship status were instantly taken aback, quietly abandoning their plans one by one.

Wang Feifei genuinely had a poor reputation in the class, and with the atmosphere turning a little awkward, no one said anything to smooth things over. In the end, she had no choice but to tuck her tail between her legs and slink back to her original seat.

Someone turned their attention to the earlier topic: “Xie Yichen, you have a girlfriend now?”

Xie Yichen raised an eyebrow slightly and gave the person a simple hum of acknowledgment.

It was about as definitive a confirmation as one could give.

A certain little coconut had already been shrinking in on herself beside him, pretending to sip from her cup.

If he said one more word, this girl might actually get annoyed with him.

“When did that happen?”

The one asking this time was a different person — Sun Xiaozhen.

She was sitting across the table at a slightly greater distance, the corners of her lips tugging upward as she laughed lightly: “How come you didn’t mention it when we met up last week, Mr. Chen?”

She paused, then probed: “Did you two just get together?”

She was barely more than a classmate working on a project together, so her familiar tone was immediately noticeable. Several people shot glances at Sun Xiaozhen, their expressions questioning.

Ning Sui kept her head down, staring at the water glass in front of her, and said nothing.

Xie Yichen leaned back against his chair unhurriedly and replied: “We’ve been together for a while. Aren’t you and Mr. Wen quite busy in the lab?”

Oh, research work — everyone suddenly understood.

Perhaps because the legend Xie Yichen had built for himself was so deeply ingrained in everyone’s minds, someone immediately followed up: “Is your girlfriend a classmate?”

Xie Yichen: “Mm.”

The person asked with interest: “So how did you two end up together? Did your girlfriend chase after you?”

Xie Yichen answered simply: “No, I pursued her.”

He paused, then added in an unhurried tone: “Took quite a long time before she finally came around.”

“……”

—

By around eight o’clock, the gathering had more or less come to an end.

The remaining group headed off to karaoke. When they invited Ning Sui, she politely declined, but Hu Ke’er had nothing else going on and went along with them.

Once everyone had left, Ning Sui and Xie Yichen made their way downstairs one after the other. He was carrying all of it — the birthday gifts from their classmates, bags big and small.

Winter nights fell early, and the streets of Huai’an were already draped in deep darkness, the streetlights casting an amber glow as streams of people wove in and out. The city’s greenery was well-maintained, with lush trees lining both sides of the road. Though the winter had stripped them of many leaves, the nearby commercial district still lent everything a luminous, bustling warmth.

The two of them quickly drew closer, walking shoulder to shoulder along the small path toward the lively part of the neighborhood.

Ning Sui was still turning over what had happened earlier, her thoughts moving slowly in circles. She was about to say something when her hand was suddenly seized, pulled closer, and tucked straight into his coat pocket.

He tilted his head down, his gaze fixed directly on her: “Why aren’t you more self-aware?”

Feeling her fingertips naturally enclosed in his warm palm, Ning Sui’s heart gave a little jump. She glanced sideways at him and stretched out the end of her syllable in a drawn-out “oh.”

Xie Yichen studied her closely, as if revisiting an earlier topic, his expression caught between smiling and not: “Just now —”

“Hmm?”

“Who was the one attracting swarms of bees and butterflies?”

Ning Sui curled her fingertips slightly, tilted her head back, and asked with forced composure: “Don’t you think you’re a little bit like that too?”

“And what about you?” Xie Yichen lowered his lashes, his dark gaze fixed sidelong on her. “That guy sitting next to you has feelings for you. He sat that close to you, handed you fruit twice, passed you a napkin once, refilled your water four times, and struck up conversation three times.”

“Is he a robot? What is this, an arithmetic progression?”

“……”

How did he remember all of that so precisely.

The person who had indeed been sitting on Ning Sui’s other side was someone who had once confessed to her — a boy wearing a plaid shirt and glasses, though she hadn’t paid him much attention.

Ning Sui pressed her lips into a slight curve and met Xie Yichen’s eyes.

In addition to the classmates’ gifts, he was also carrying a bag with a small cake ordered from a bakery, and another beautifully wrapped package — whether it was a gift for her, she wasn’t sure — while his dark, slightly disheveled hair fell loose across his forehead, giving him an especially lazy and unruly look.

She thought for a moment, then rose carefully on her tiptoes, reached out her hand, and gently smoothed his hair into place.

Smoothing ruffled fur, so to speak.

His hair had a somewhat stiff texture, completely different from hers. Ning Sui couldn’t help but let her mind wander and ran her fingers through it a few extra times.

Xie Yichen stopped walking, bent down slightly, and said in a languid tone: “Mm?”

Ning Sui tipped her head back, licked her lips: “Nothing. There was a leaf.”

“Oh.”

He gave her a meaningful look: “You’ve got a leaf too.”

“Where?” Ning Sui assumed it was in her hair, so she looked straight ahead at his throat and obediently said, “Can you get it for me?”

Xie Yichen looked down at her, his gaze fixed on her lips: “Sure, I’ll get it for you.”

Her lips were beautifully shaped — their outline clean, the cupid’s bow full, the whole form resembling a small leaf.

Xie Yichen hooked his hand around her jaw with the space between his thumb and forefinger. Ning Sui was forced to look up at him, and in an instant he leaned in and pressed a firm kiss to the corner of her mouth, his breath low with quiet laughter.

“Got it.”

“……”

—

Taking advantage of the time they still had, Xie Yichen brought Ning Sui to Gaohua Middle School.

— His alma mater. She had never been before, so it was a good chance to look around.

Because it was entirely open-access management, Gaohua was actually quite easy to slip into. Under the cover of night, while the security guard was dozing, the two of them walked straight in without any subterfuge at all.

Ning Sui swallowed, disappointed: “I actually thought we’d have to climb over the wall.”

Xie Yichen looked at her with an expression caught between amusement and exasperation.

He thought back to how, just moments ago, whoever it was had been sneaking furtive glances in every direction as they left, anxious about being found out — pressing close to him several times before finally working up some courage.

Watching her like that, Xie Yichen couldn’t help ruffling her head, deliberately teasing: “If you keep acting like this when we go into the classroom building, the academic affairs director will definitely catch you.”

Ning Sui stumbled over her words: “Ah — we’re going into the classroom building too?”

In fact, Xie Yichen had already given the year group’s head teacher a heads-up, but his girlfriend seemed to have gotten the impression that they’d sneaked in illegally. The way she looked was too adorable for him to have the heart to keep up the pretense, so he relented: “Don’t worry, I’ve already spoken to the teachers.”

At this hour, only the third-year senior students were present, in the middle of their evening self-study session.

So Xie Yichen brought Ning Sui to the sports field first, which was empty.

Right beside it stood the third-year classroom building, blazing with light — every classroom glowing — making it easy to call to mind the days leading up to the college entrance exams, the faint, rustling sounds of ballpoint pens scratching on paper and pages turning drifting through the air.

Familiar, and a little moving.

The ground was soft with young grass, and — perhaps because it had rained a couple of days before — it still held a faint, fresh dampness, exactly the kind of clean scent Ning Sui loved. After spreading out the picnic cloth they’d brought, the two of them sat down on the ground.

First: cake.

The large cake at the class reunion had been ordered by Xia Fanghui, but Xie Yichen had also bought one for her — avocado and strawberry flavour, which Ning Sui loved. It was a very small one, just the right size for her, enough to taste, enough to mark the occasion.

Xie Yichen took out a lighter, pressed the gold number-shaped candles into the cake, and told her to make a wish.

Click — the flame caught, and suddenly all the air around them was lit.

Half of Ning Sui’s face was touched by the swaying light. The two of them looked at each other through the soft, hazy glow, and she blinked, calling softly: “Xie Yichen.”

Xie Yichen had both legs bent, his arms resting casually on his knees: “Mm?”

12.9 and 1.29.

Their birthdays even shared the same digits. What a remarkable coincidence.

Ning Sui said quietly: “Can you move a little closer to me?”

He was already very close, but Xie Yichen’s brow and eyes relaxed into ease as he shifted toward her until he was right beside her.

Ning Sui was satisfied. Her eyes were bright: “This is the first birthday you’ve ever spent with me.”

The candlelight flickered in both of their eyes, and Xie Yichen felt his heart give a sudden, solid thud.

His girlfriend was so good at being endearing.

The night was a little chilly. Xie Yichen’s throat moved, and he pinched her cheek lightly, laughing softly: “Didn’t I also spend your birthday with you in our second year of high school.” As Nathan.

Ning Sui thought about it — that was true.

But this time was better. He was here with her in person.

The truth was, back then, Ning Sui had never once imagined she would have any further connection with him.

On the last day of the training camp, she had gathered her courage, wanting to say a few more words to him — and only then learned he had already left early.

So from beginning to end, she never learned his name.

Never knew he was called Xie Yichen.

Never knew he was Nathan.

And yet she had never been able to forget him.

That night — the young man who had sat with her on the narrow stairwell and explained problems to her in that gentle voice.

So on her birthday during that second year of high school, she had actually not made a wish at all. Instead, she had silently thought — if only she could know his name.

If only she could know his name.

Now, things had turned out this way — perhaps that long-held wish could be considered granted.

The candlelight traced a faint outline of Xie Yichen’s striking profile. He was impossibly handsome. Ning Sui gazed at him for a moment, then lowered her face slightly, tucking her lips out of sight inside her scarf.

She pressed her palms together, closed her eyes.

The candles had not yet burned out after she made her wish, but she was also very eager to taste the avocado strawberry cake, so she dug out a small piece from the edge and took a bite.

The cream melted sweetly on her tongue. It was so, so good. Ning Sui was just about to invite Xie Yichen to try some when, without warning, a beam from a flashlight swept toward them from somewhere nearby.

Then came the booming voice of a middle-aged man not far away: “You two over there — young lovebirds — what are you doing setting fires on the sports field?! Get over here right now!”

“……”

Before Xie Yichen could say a word, Ning Sui suddenly blew out the candles, leaped to her feet, scooped up all the bags and packages from the ground, and took off running toward the classroom building at full speed.

Xie Yichen was still slightly stunned, but there was no time to think too much. He picked up the piece of cake she had left behind on the grass and quickly followed after her.

The patrolling teacher from the academic affairs office apparently hadn’t expected these two students skipping evening self-study to be this bold. He took off after them with his flashlight.

And so an extremely bizarre scene unfolded.

The beam of the flashlight came swaying and bouncing from behind them, its owner calling as he shone it: “Why are you running?! Stop right there!”

Ning Sui twisted and turned through the campus, ducking into a darkened classroom building.

Xie Yichen followed close on her heels. The two of them pressed themselves against the wall beside the staircase and held their breath. A moment later, the stray beam of the flashlight cut across the space diagonally not far away — but because where they were hiding was in a visual blind spot, it never reached them.

Even so, Ning Sui’s heart was hammering in her chest. This was far more exhilarating than any escape room. She had tucked herself entirely behind Xie Yichen, her ears hot, not daring to breathe.

The patrolling teacher didn’t spot them. He called out several times, but received no response.

The flashlight swept once more across the blind area beyond where they stood, then finally moved away.

Once the teacher had gone, Xie Yichen could clearly feel the person in his arms go limp. He reached out and felt that Ning Sui’s palms had broken out in a fine, cold sweat. Looking exceedingly guilty, she buried her face against his chest.

Xie Yichen wrapped an arm around her and lifted her slightly, laughing: “Ning Coconut, what were you running for?”

Ning Sui was quiet for a moment, then said with complete sincerity: “I’ve never been in early love before.”

“?”

“I wanted to see what it felt like.”

“……”

—

The two of them walked a full circuit of the classroom buildings, then climbed up to the rooftop to look at the stars. Xie Yichen introduced her to all the different facilities at Gaohua, giving her a sense of what his high school environment had been like.

Ning Sui actually found this feeling remarkable — as though she had, in some other way, gotten a little closer to him.

At around ten o’clock, Fanfan sent a text message asking when she’d be back. Only then did Ning Sui realize she had already reached the time they’d agreed on. Afraid of being found out, and not wanting to push it too late, she headed straight home.

When she came through the door, Ning Deyan was sprawled on the sofa watching television. From the bathroom came the sound of rushing water. Ning Sui glanced in that direction and asked tentatively: “Is Mom showering?”

“Mm.” At that, her father stood up and, with a smile, produced a thick red envelope from behind his back. “Happy birthday, sweetheart!”

Ning Deyan was always like this — never picking out actual gifts. Whatever the occasion, he would just give her money. Straightforward to the point of laziness, really, but Ning Sui didn’t mind.

After all, who didn’t like money? She accepted it with a smile: “Thank you, Dad!”

As it turned out, there was a surprise. Ning Deyan paused, then pulled out another large red envelope: “And here’s yours! This one’s from your mom.”

Her mother had prepared a red envelope too?

In previous years, Fanfan would prepare not just a cake but a proper gift as well — pretty clothes, a necklace, always finding some new way to delight her.

These two had apparently coordinated today.

Ning Sui carried both red envelopes to the bathroom door and knocked: “Mom, I’m back!”

The water was flowing loudly. Xia Fanghui’s voice came from inside: “Don’t come in yet!”

Ning Sui paused: “Okay.”

Xia Fanghui said: “Teacher Yu told me your gathering ended at eight — how come you’re only back now?”

Ning Sui hadn’t expected her to have actually called Yu Zhiguo to verify, and instinctively felt her heart give a nervous flutter. It had been a long time since she’d lied, and the guilt of being caught out surged up all at once.

Fortunately, there was a door between them. Ning Sui bit her lip and kept her voice as natural as she could: “I just wandered around for a while with a friend.”

A few seconds passed. Xia Fanghui’s voice came through faintly beneath the sound of the water, raised slightly: “Which friend? How come you didn’t tell me?”

Xia Fanghui loved gathering this kind of information — she needed to know clearly who her daughter was spending time with, where she’d been, what she was doing, always wanting to keep track of her every movement. When Ning Sui was in middle and high school, she had more or less accepted it, but as she gradually grew older, she began to feel an instinctive discomfort whenever her private space was pried into.

Can’t you please just stop asking?

She had wanted to say those words countless times, but every time it felt as though something had seized her by the throat.

She didn’t dare. And so she had grown used to suppressing it.

The pleasant mood of the evening slowly faded, settling back down into her chest. Ning Sui said vaguely: “A classmate. You wouldn’t know them.”

“……Mm.”

The bathroom was right beside the living room. With one glance, she could see the gifts stacked at the entryway — some local specialties, some fruit.

Ning Sui knew her mother had taken those to the hospital again.

Hospital resources were always in short supply, and with her grandmother admitted, there were many people to manage and please. Even so, she was frequently turned away. Even bringing things directly to the doctors and forcing a smile, people still wouldn’t accept them.

Then she suddenly recalled something from when she was in primary school — her paternal grandmother’s hospitalization.

Back then, beds were scarce, and the doctors had wanted to send her grandmother home. Xia Fanghui had been running frantic laps up and down the hospital lobby with the billing slip in her hands, her phone still ringing incessantly with urgent calls from work.

Ning Sui had been small back then, and she watched as her mother carried those things through the door, smiled at the doctor over and over again, her back slightly bent, pleading for her grandmother’s bed to be kept.

Her fingertip curled inward, pressing into her palm. Ning Sui lowered her head.

Before she could say anything, Xia Fanghui’s voice came through louder from inside: “Ning Sui, happy birthday.”

Ning Sui pressed her lips together. There was a quiet, lightness settling into her chest — a small sigh of feeling she couldn’t quite put into words: “Thank you, Mom.”

Outside, the night was deep, and the wind rustled softly through the darkness.

Ning Sui went back to her room, and in the end decided to close her bedroom door carefully and lock it.

— She was actually very eager to see what Xie Yichen had given her. He had been mysteriously secretive about it on the way home, not letting her look, telling her to open it when she got back.

Ning Sui quickly retrieved the bag and unwrapped it. Inside was a small box — not too big, not too small, just the right size to hold in both palms.

The box was made using a cloisonné enamel technique, the exterior brilliantly coloured, pink and pale blue traced together in lines that were dreamlike and beautiful.

The box alone was already this lovely — what could be inside?

Ning Sui thought it might be a bracelet, the box glimmering before her. She widened her eyes slightly.

The opening was held shut by a magnetic clasp, and with a soft snap, it opened —

It was not a bracelet.

Nestled inside was an adorable little pumpkin carriage.

It was the one she had spent a long time gazing at through the window of the Jieyou Sundry Shop — a gorgeous enamel carriage with flowing iridescent colours, a princess’s very own coach.

The carriage doors could open and close freely, and every detail was fully realized: the wheels, the tassels, the curtains, the seats — all complete.

Opening the carriage’s little hinged door, she found inside a tiny drift bottle, rolled up with a small slip of paper inside.

The amber glow of the bedside lamp fell softly around her. With a fluttering heart, Ning Sui opened the drift bottle and held the small note up to the light.

Xie Yichen’s handwriting was clean and elegant, every stroke pressed firmly into the paper.

【May you flourish in every year ahead, and may all your wishes come true.】

【My 12/12 little coconut, happy birthday.】

The signature read: “Nathan.”

Outside the window, it had begun to rain at some point without her noticing, a quiet, soft drizzle.

Huai’an’s weather was always so unpredictable.

Inside, a dim amber nightlight cast its warm glow across the head of the bed, and across the small, delicate pumpkin carriage.

Ning Sui’s heart swayed like a little boat rocking gently on the water. She drifted into a brief reverie, and then the sweetness came surging up like the bubbles in a sparkling peach soda, irrepressible and effervescent.

The corners of her mouth curved upward ever so slightly. A few seconds later, the arc grew wider.

Even her eyes had curved into crescents.

Ning Sui turned the pumpkin carriage over in her hands, unable to put it down, tracing the delicate tassels beside the little curtains, when suddenly she thought back to what she had glimpsed just before they parted ways — a glance at Xie Yichen’s phone lock screen.

— It appeared to be a scene of snow falling on a winter night.

A girl wearing a fuzzy hat, bundled up in a thick, puffy scarf and coat, carrying a school bag, standing beneath the hazy amber glow of a streetlight, seeming to walk toward the camera.

The photo was a candid snapshot, and the distance wasn’t close enough to make out the girl’s face clearly.

All she could see was the snowflakes glittering transparently beneath the light.

She remembered that a few days earlier, when she had glanced at his phone, the lock screen had been something else entirely.

Ning Sui asked: “This photo…”

Xie Yichen had seemed to know what she was about to ask, and smiled: “Mm, I took it during the training camp.”

He had a habit of backing things up to the cloud, so it had stayed with him all this time.

Cars rumbled past on the road outside, and beside that sound, Ning Sui’s voice had grown a little smaller, murmuring: “…I never knew.”

Xie Yichen: “What?”

She blinked, and pressed the hidden curve of her lips deeper into her collar, her voice coming out a little muffled: “Nothing.”

Ning Sui remembered — after returning from Nanjing, there had been several nights when she’d dreamed of him. In those dreams she followed behind him, walking into a long and lightless corridor.

He carried a candle in his hand, illuminating the path ahead of them, but he never once turned around.

— Ning Sui had always assumed that from beginning to end, she was the only one watching his retreating figure.

She never knew.

The one she watched — had also turned to look back.

Quietly, he had taken her in.