“Isn’t this the same as before? Fine, you’re making things easy for me,” Sang Yan said leisurely. “Every time, the wish is something I want to do anyway.”
Remembering last year’s birthday wish, Wen Yifan couldn’t help but retort, “Last year, my wish was related to my work.”
“Hm? You’re mistaken,” Sang Yan shamelessly replied. “You said you wanted me to be your boyfriend.”
“…”
The two walked along the street.
Sang Yan continued to ask, “Anything else?”
“Are you giving me three wishes?” Wen Yifan didn’t have many wishes. She stared at his tall, broad back for a long time before saying, “Then carry me on your back.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Wen Yifan remembered that he had just had his stitches removed that morning. “Never mind, I’ll just—”
Before she could finish, Sang Yan had already halved down. “Get on.”
“…”
Wen Yifan stared at him for a moment before quickly climbing onto his back. “Just for a little while, then.”
Sang Yan stood up and started walking with her on his back. He asked again, “Anything else?”
Wen Yifan suddenly realized that he seemed willing to grant her many wishes. Looking at his profile, she smiled, feeling that being the birthday girl was truly something to look forward to. “Then smile for me.”
Sang Yan turned his head to glance at her.
Wen Yifan reached out and gently hooked his chin, her gesture reminiscent of teasing a respectable housewife. “I want to see your dimples.”
Sang Yan gave a forced smile. “I don’t have those.”
“Why won’t you admit you have them?” Puzzled by this, Wen Yifan poked at the spot where she remembered his dimples to be. “They’re so cute. I wish I had them too.”
“…”
Cute.
Sang Yan’s brow twitched as he reminded her, “Wen Shuangjiang, don’t use that word to describe me.”
Seeing his tough-guy act, Wen Yifan couldn’t help but laugh and started pinching his cheeks. Her touch was neither light nor heavy as if trying to bring out his dimples. “Sang Yan, I like your dimples.”
Like a bullied child, Sang Yan allowed her to pinch him, this time tacitly acknowledging that he indeed had dimples.
“Is there any part of me you don’t like?”
“You’re right,” Wen Yifan made another wish. “Then don’t let anyone else see your dimples.”
Sang Yan’s footsteps halted, and he suddenly found it amusing. “Wen Shuangjiang, how did you become so autocratic?”
Wen Yifan’s eyes curved into beautiful crescents, her speech slow but righteous. “Isn’t this what you asked me to do? Make wishes?”
“Alright,” Sang Yan was particularly agreeable today as if he had no bottom line, ready to fulfill all her demands. “From now on, these dimples will only appear for you.”
Wen Yifan smiled and withdrew her hand.
Sang Yan asked again, “Anything else?”
Wen Yifan pondered to herself.
They happened to pass by a milk tea shop.
Inside, a popular song was playing—S.H.E.’s “You Were Once Young.”
/Many years ago/You had a pair of clear eyes/
/When you ran/It was like a flash of lightning in spring/
…
/Falling in love with someone/Not afraid to give your whole life/
Wen Yifan’s eyelashes fluttered, and she suddenly looked up at the man before her.
He was looking ahead, with black hair and black eyes, his profile sharp and smooth, carrying a hint of sharpness. After so many years, his appearance had matured considerably, yet the youthful air around his eyes remained strong.
It instantly reminded Wen Yifan of the young boy who had once placed a basketball in her hands and then ran off to borrow money for her. Back then, he could swallow his pride to help her borrow money, and now, he was still the same, patiently asking about her birthday wishes one by one.
And fulfilling them one by one.
Wen Yifan gradually became lost in thought, her nose starting to tingle. She inexplicably looked back.
From this angle, Wen Yifan could still faintly see the corner of the coffee shop. It seemed to be disappearing from view.
Zhao Yuandong was nowhere to be seen.
At this moment, Wen Yifan’s negative emotions finally surfaced belatedly. Her heart felt a bit empty, truly feeling that she had bid farewell to the past.
It was as if something had been forcibly dug out of her heart.
On this day, her 25th birthday.
Turning back, Wen Yifan buried her face in Sang Yan’s neck.
Noticing her movement, Sang Yan looked over again. “What’s wrong? Haven’t decided yet?”
Wen Yifan realized that she wasn’t as indifferent as she had appeared. Her eyes gradually moistened, slowly dampening his neck with coolness. “Sang Yan.”
Sang Yan paused. “What is it?”
“Except for you,” Wen Yifan hooked her arms around his neck, holding back the tremor in her voice, “no one loves me anymore.”
“…”
At some point, the two had moved away from the bustling street.
Under the dim streetlights, Sang Yan stopped walking. Light and shadow intertwined, making his features less distinct, but he stared directly at Wen Yifan on his back, his eyes dark and unreadable.
His voice was very soft, barely audible as he said, “I only love you.”
From the heart flutter of youth, continuing until now, and into every moment of the future.
I will only love you.
“…”
Wen Yifan looked up, meeting his gaze through misty eyes.
“Wen Shuangjiang,” Sang Yan raised his eyebrows and smiled, tilting his head to kiss her chin, speaking slowly and earnestly, “Make another wish.”
Wen Yifan’s voice was still nasal. “What?”
Under the grand night sky, a warm wind blew along the street. The surroundings were utterly quiet, with no other people in sight. The world seemed to contain only the two of them.
They looked only at each other as if there was no room for anyone else.
Make another wish.
Besides me.
There will be many more people who love you.
–
After Frost’s Descent, as if taking the heat away with it, winter arrived in Nanwu City. As time passed, Sang Yan’s wound gradually healed, leaving only a faint scar.
Wen Yifan researched various scar removal methods, working on it for days before the scar faded a bit more.
Time flew by, and soon it was the end of the year.
One day, after returning to the station from an interview, Wen Yifan was called for a talk by Gan Hongyuan from the suburbs. It was about the upcoming annual party, and seeing that her resume mentioned ten years of dance experience, he wanted her to prepare a performance to bring glory to the “Convey” program group.
Wen Yifan was caught off guard. “Director, I danced for ten years, but it’s been almost ten years since I last danced.”
Gan Hongyuan smiled, sipping tea from his thermos. “It’s fine, having some experience is better than none. Besides, it’s all for fun. We don’t have many young ladies here, mostly old men, and no one likes to watch them perform.”
Wen Yifan tried to decline politely. “But I don’t have time to practice, and my basic skills are rusty. I also have a lot of follow-up reports to…”
Gan Hongyuan nodded, being very considerate. “You don’t need to report topics to me recently. Focus on preparing the performance. Don’t make it too festive; our group needs to stand out, you know? Do something more artistic.”
“…”
Wen Yifan made a few more attempts to refuse, but Gan Hongyuan rejected them all.
In the end, she was pushed into taking on this task.
Back at her desk, Su Tian curiously came over. “What did the director want? Was it about the annual party?”
Wen Yifan looked at her. “Were you asked too?”
“Yes, but I don’t have any special talents. I rejected every suggestion he made,” Su Tian really couldn’t handle this kind of thing and said with a grin, “Last year when Sister Lin was here, she volunteered to organize it. This year, with no one to take charge, the director must be worried. I saw him talking to several people just now. Looks like he’s settled on you.”
Wen Yifan felt a bit of a headache.
“It’s okay, just dance casually. You saw last year’s party; hardly any performances were worth watching. It’s just for fun,” Su Tian comforted her. “Plus, there are prizes and stuff. Oh, you could bring Sang Duck King along.”
Hearing this, Wen Yifan sat up a bit straighter.
Su Tian half-jokingly said, “He might want to see you dance.”
Wen Yifan looked at Su Tian as if remembering something. The previous frustration on her face disappeared. She rested her chin on her hand and lightly licked the corner of her lips. “Mm, I’ll think about it when I get home.”
…
When she got home, Sang Yan hadn’t returned yet. She first went to her room to take a shower. When she came out to the living room, she heard Sang Yan sending a voice message to someone: “Your brother here is a 90s kid, thank you very much.”
“…”
Hearing this, Wen Yifan immediately knew who was on the other end of the screen.
She went to the fridge to get a cup of yogurt and sat down next to Sang Yan. He sent another long, provocative voice message: “You’ve been beating around the bush without getting to the point. You should at least give me a reason why you don’t agree. If it’s about being old, I can’t do anything about that. After all, your boyfriend is a bit…”
Wen Yifan silently drank her yogurt.
She wondered how Sang Yan had managed to survive this long with his personality.
After he finished sending the voice message, Wen Yifan asked, “What’s wrong with Zhizhi?”
Sang Yan lazily said, “She wants to bring Duan Jiaxu home for the New Year, but says my parents don’t approve of them being together.”
“Ah?” Wen Yifan instantly felt a sense of empathy and stammered, “Why don’t they approve?”
Sang Yan didn’t seem to think it was a big deal. “Don’t know, probably because he’s too old.”
Wen Yifan felt even more alarmed. “Duan Jiaxu and I should be the same age, right?”
Sang Yan was quite self-assured. “We’re 90s kids.”
“…”
Wen Yifan couldn’t understand his standard for “old.”
Then, Sang Yan turned his head to look at her, using this as a segue to suddenly propose, “Wen Shuangjiang, want to come home with me for New Year this year?”
Having just heard about Sang Yan’s parents’ attitude towards Duan Jiaxu, Wen Yifan was particularly worried.
“What if your parents don’t approve of me either?”
Sang Yan raised an eyebrow. “You don’t need to worry about that.”
Wen Yifan asked, “Why?”
“They don’t have high standards for my partner,” Sang Yan didn’t seem to think this low standard was a problem, casually saying, “As long as it’s a girl, it’s fine.”
Wen Yifan felt that Sang Yan’s condition wasn’t so desperate, but his mother had seemed eager to set him up on blind dates before as if fearing he wouldn’t find a wife.
Wen Yifan wasn’t sure why this was the case.
But she didn’t ask further, seriously agreeing, “Then I’ll choose some gifts. Is there anything your parents like?”
“Hm? You don’t have to buy anything,” Sang Yan smiled, seeming to be in a good mood. “If you want to buy something, I’ll go with you.”
“Okay.” Wen Yifan felt relieved, hesitating about whether to mention the annual party to Sang Yan. But not knowing how well she’d be able to dance by then, she decided to just ask about his schedule. “By the way, are you free on the evening of the 22nd?”
“Not sure,” Sang Yan said. “Why?”
“Nothing, just the company’s annual party,” Wen Yifan lowered her eyes, not explaining too clearly. “Family members can come.”
Sang Yan immediately understood. “You have a performance?”
“…” Wen Yifan didn’t know how he guessed it, trying to appear calm. “Mm, I’m singing a song with Su Tian. You can come if you want to watch.”
Sang Yan didn’t think too much about it and casually said, “Alright.”
–
The day before the annual party, Wen Yifan happened to have a day off. She had planned to rest well for the night and practice dancing after waking up, but Sang Yan kept her up all night, and she didn’t fall asleep until dawn.
Wen Yifan didn’t want to move at all.
Half-asleep, she could hear Sang Yan’s phone ringing constantly.
Later, probably to avoid disturbing her, Sang Yan got up and left the room. Something seemed to be going on; she struggled to open her eyes and looked at him for a few seconds before being pulled back into sleep by drowsiness.
Not long after, Wen Yifan heard knocking at the front door.
She covered her ears with a pillow, waiting for Sang Yan to go open it.
But after half a minute, the knocking continued.
Wen Yifan’s morning anger reached its peak. Feeling extremely frustrated, she got up and left the room. She glanced around expressionlessly and heard the sound of a shower from the bathroom.
Wen Yifan walked to the front door and opened it, asking, “Who is it?”
The person outside was wearing a delivery uniform. “Your takeout.”
Wen Yifan’s brain couldn’t function at all; she just wanted to take the food and go back to sleep quickly. She accepted the takeout and closed the door. Without even looking at it, she put the bag on the dining table and went back to Sang Yan’s room to sleep.
Some time passed.
Wen Yifan heard Sang Yan finishing his shower. He opened the door and came in, his body carrying an overwhelming scent of sandalwood. He sat beside her and asked, “Who came just now?”
She pulled the blanket over her head, showing no intention of responding to him.
Not wanting to disturb her further, Sang Yan got up and left again, returning shortly after. Seeing something, he hugged her through the blanket and asked, “Hey, Wen Shuangjiang. Are you angry?”
Wen Yifan had almost reached her limit. She pulled down the blanket and said, “I want to sleep.”
“That thing was ordered by Duan Jiaxu—”
“Sang Yan,” Wen Yifan interrupted him, speaking seriously, “If you disturb my sleep again, I won’t talk to you for a week. Understand?”
“…”
Sang Yan paused for a few seconds, then raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Why are you talking like me now?”
Wen Yifan burrowed back into the blanket, turned over, and faced away from him.
“My sister is back in Nanwu. I’m going out to pick her up,” Sang Yan didn’t know why this girl’s morning temper could be so bad. His voice involuntarily lowered a bit. “We’ll go out for a meal later.”
As if she hadn’t heard anything, Wen Yifan completely ignored him.
Looking at her like this, Sang Yan inexplicably felt an itch in his hands. He chuckled softly, and in an especially provocative manner, grabbed her, pulled down the blanket, and without any hesitation, pulled her into his arms and kissed her forcefully.
Sensing that she was about to get angry again, Sang Yan quickly wrapped her back up in the blanket.
As if he hadn’t done anything at all.
Sang Yan looked completely innocent as he said nonchalantly, “Alright, sleep then. I’m heading out.”
…
After that, Wen Yifan tossed and turned for a while, unable to fall back asleep. Due to lack of sleep, her mood was particularly irritable. She got up and saw that Sang Yan had sent her a message: [Let me know when you’re awake.]
Wen Yifan didn’t want to respond to him at all, so she didn’t reply.
After washing up, Wen Yifan glanced at the takeout on the table and noticed the note on the receipt.
— My boyfriend has a fever and I haven’t been able to contact him for three days. I’m out of town and can’t get back. Please make sure to wake him up to eat. Thank you.
“…”
This takeout seemed to have been ordered by Sang Yan. What did he mean by this note?
Was he worried she wouldn’t wake up?
Wen Yifan didn’t think too much about it. She took the takeout to the sofa, casually turned on the TV, and found a popular drama to watch. She ate while watching, her phone occasionally making sounds.
She glanced at it, saw nothing important, and still didn’t reply.
Halfway through eating, there was suddenly a noise at the front door. She got up to open it and saw Sang Zhi outside. She was surprised. “Zhizhi, why are you here?”
“My brother told me to come up.” Noticing the receipt on the takeout, Sang Zhi pointed at it, looking a bit guilty. “Sister Yifan, are you angry with my brother because of this?”
Hearing this, Wen Yifan silently wondered if her anger was that obvious. She looked at the receipt again. After a while, she seemed confused. “No, I’m already eating it…”
Sang Zhi sighed in relief. “I thought you might misunderstand and think my brother was cheating.”
There was a moment of silence.
Wen Yifan suddenly realized that the content on the receipt did seem to imply that. She lowered her eyes and asked, a bit slow on the uptake, “Ah, is that what it means to cheat?”
“…”
After chatting with Sang Zhi for a bit more.
Seeing that it was lunchtime and worried the young girl might be hungry, Wen Yifan went to the kitchen to make her some noodles. Sang Zhi followed her and mentioned, “Sister Yifan, my brother asked you to go downstairs to eat together. Aren’t we going?”
Wen Yifan said gently, “I’ve already eaten. Do you want to eat out?”
Sang Zhi blinked. “I’d rather eat what you make.”
Not long after, there was another sound at the front door. Sang Zhi went to open it.
Sang Yan walked in from outside. He was wearing a black windbreaker jacket with matching long pants, making his shoulders look broad and his legs long, as cool as ever. Noticing his appearance, Wen Yifan was reminded of how he had incessantly disturbed her sleep this morning.
And that mischievous look on his face, not feeling like he had done anything wrong.
Wen Yifan pressed her lips together, not wanting to talk to him at all.
Seeing them both in the kitchen, Sang Yan casually asked, “What are you two doing?”
Sang Zhi replied, “Sister-in-law is making noodles for me.”
Hearing the term “sister-in-law,” Wen Yifan turned her head, her gaze meeting Sang Yan’s for two seconds. Then, she looked back at Sang Zhi, remembering the content on the receipt, and very deliberately reminded her, “Don’t call me that. Your brother is cheating.”
Sang Yan: “…”