The young man’s breath was clean and crisp, like deeply buried ice and snow. Long after Bei Yao ran out of the hospital, she covered her burning cheeks and let out a soft groan of embarrassment.

What on earth was she doing?

Although she didn’t experience those exaggerated emotions described online, her thumping heartbeat was still very flustering.

She ran far away, her face flushed completely red. She stood in the snow for two minutes. The heavy snow fell on her hair and long lashes, but couldn’t dispel that burning temperature. Bei Yao hugged her knees and crouched down, burying herself like a little ostrich.

After calming down for quite a while, Bei Yao suddenly felt like she had forgotten something.

“…” Her younger brother Bei Jun was still at the hospital!

She resignedly went back. Sigh, what should she do—today she didn’t even want this brother anymore.

Pei Chuan’s hospital room was right next to Bei Jun’s. She had run away but her brother was still there. Should she go back now? Bei Yao’s cheeks burned. She walked to the ground floor, hesitated for a while, then went back upstairs.

Bei Yao’s face was completely red, her footsteps light.

Bei Jun was in room 312. What she feared most was that Pei Chuan would also be there. Just thinking about it made her want to dig a hole and bury herself in it.

Bei Yao quietly peeked—Bei Jun was still there, dried tear tracks on his cheeks, sleeping soundly without a care. She breathed a sigh of relief, went over, pinched his cheek to wake him up.

“Sister…”

“Shh.” She put her finger to her lips and carried little Bei Jun downstairs.

Little Bei Jun didn’t understand why they had to be so quiet. “Are we going home?”

“Mm.”

“What about that big brother?”

Bei Yao’s cheeks flushed completely red. “Don’t ask today, okay? Another day sister will take you to thank him.”

Bei Jun had also been frightened by his uncle today, so he obediently shut his mouth.

Bei Yao carried her brother to catch the bus. At sixteen this year, filled with a young girl’s complete helplessness and inexperience, her innocence seemed to have been pried open at one corner. Her mind was in complete chaos.

She had walked for quite a while, yet Pei Chuan still couldn’t calm his heartbeat.

His whole body was stiff, his heart beating so violently he felt like he might die. When he finally recovered and went next door to look, the siblings had long since left.

The emotions Bei Yao hadn’t been able to fully verify were realized one by one in him.

He leaned against the cold wall, watching December’s heavy snow fall in flurries. After a long time, his fingers touched his right cheek. Clearly so much time had passed, yet it seemed like just a second ago.

Soft, light as a dragonfly touching water, landing on this place.

~

On the eve of Christmas, the snow still hadn’t stopped. C City’s snow scenery this year was particularly beautiful. It even made the news. After eating dinner, Bei Jun stayed home watching cartoons. This time, even when his little friends called him outside, he wouldn’t go.

After the incident with his uncle, the fearless little boy had finally learned to be afraid.

Zhao Zhilan felt relieved in her heart that her son was no longer running wild everywhere, yet she was truly afraid Zhao Xing had left psychological shadows on the siblings.

Zhao Xing was still being held at the police station. After examination, his body showed signs of drug injection. If he had managed to take Bei Jun away, the consequences would have been unthinkable. Fortunately, Zhao Xing couldn’t wait and had made his move on Bei Jun on the street. Otherwise, if he had waited until Bei Jun went to kindergarten, that would have been the worst scenario.

Bei Lican said, “We’re not hoping to get that money back anymore. A scumbag who would harm his own nephew—we should cut ties completely.”

Zhao Xing had been raised by Zhao Zhilan when he was little. The eldest sister was like a mother—to say there were no feelings would be false. But there wasn’t a single mother under heaven who dared to tolerate a brother at the expense of her own children’s safety. She resolutely called Bei Yao’s grandmother. “Mom, you can think I’m heartless or lacking compassion, but I’m disowning my brother Zhao Xing. The police can handle him however they see fit.”

The old woman on the other end covered her face and cried, making no demands. She had given all her family’s assets to her son. These past few years, Zhao Zhilan’s difficulties had all been because of Zhao Xing. No one was obligated to sacrifice for someone else their whole life. Although grandmother favored sons over daughters, she also knew that this time Zhao Xing had truly crossed Zhao Zhilan’s bottom line. Otherwise, Zhao Zhilan wouldn’t have said such words.

Zhao Zhilan asked Bei Yao, “Who saved you and your brother?”

Before Bei Yao could speak, Bei Jun said, “It was Brother Pei Chuan!” Pei Chuan had saved him twice—like a hero. Bei Jun wasn’t like the other teenagers or adults in the neighborhood who had grown up. He didn’t know that this fierce big brother had no legs.

Beating up bad guys with one hand and everything—that was really too amazing.

Zhao Zhilan frowned lightly. “Pei Chuan again…” The debt of gratitude was getting bigger and bigger.

Bei Yao said nothing. Her fingers interlocked. Her mind was still filled with shy and embarrassed emotions. That day’s light kiss made her heart beat so fast, so fast. She said she would take Bei Jun to thank him, but her shyness was like ivy climbing rocks, making her just want to cover her head with a blanket.

However, she was ultimately concerned about Pei Chuan’s injury. Her budding feelings hadn’t fully sprouted yet, so she could only ask her mother, “Should I take Bei Jun to thank him?”

Zhao Zhilan looked at Bei Yao, thinking of something. Finally, she said, “You and Bei Jun shouldn’t go. Your father and I will go.”

Bei Yao was stunned. “Why?”

Zhao Zhilan said, “Listen to your mother, understand? Your uncle has been locked up—there’s no danger recently. Final exams are coming up soon. Study hard and don’t worry about all these things. You said his hand was injured—if you go, can that make him better? Last time we already owed him a proper thank you. This time we really should go see him.”

Zhao Zhilan wasn’t a forceful person, yet in this matter, she was unusually resolute.

That night before bed, Bei Lican said, “Just let Yaoyao and Xiao Jun thank him. Pei Chuan doesn’t like to talk anyway—it’ll be so awkward if we go.”

Zhao Zhilan knew her husband didn’t like social interactions. Hearing this, she pinched him. “You’re just being lazy, and you want to let Yaoyao go! They’re not little children anymore. Pei Chuan is almost an adult, and your daughter will be seventeen after New Year’s. Do you think Pei Chuan has the kind of personality that likes to meddle in other people’s business? He’s saved Xiao Jun twice!”

Zhao Zhilan held up two fingers. Seeing her husband’s expression change slightly, Zhao Zhilan sighed. “Whether or not he has feelings for Yaoyao… in any case, we must repay this debt of gratitude. I—I’m not looking down on him, but Yaoyao cannot be with him.”

Bei Lican said, “Could you be overthinking this?”

Zhao Zhilan said, “Tell me yourself—when you were young, did you have the courage to block a knife for me? When we were going back home over the mountain pass, I asked you to carry me and you refused.”

Bei Lican’s old face turned red. He coughed. “That era—we couldn’t eat our fill. I was hungry and couldn’t carry you.”

However, putting it this way, Bei Lican understood.

This wasn’t a small matter like crossing a mountain pass. Twice—the young man had both times fought with his life on the line.

Silent and wordless, yet surpassing everything. Bei Lican was somewhat alarmed too.

As someone who had lived through it, he was naturally much more perceptive than the innocent and naive Bei Yao. Bei Lican said, “Tomorrow let’s withdraw all the money from the savings account.”

Zhao Zhilan’s heart ached.

Bei Lican said, “For our son and daughter, anything is worth it.” He only hoped that young man could truly give up those thoughts.

After the lights were turned off, Bei Lican sighed softly in his heart.

True feelings couldn’t withstand worldly concerns. Pei Chuan had done nothing wrong. He was only physically disabled.

Doing such a thing made Bei Lican and Zhao Zhilan feel uncomfortable, yet as parents, even if they had to walk through thorns and knife-covered mountains, how could they bear to let their daughter truly be with… someone like that?

~

At the end of 2007, all the money in the Zhao family’s savings account was only forty thousand yuan.

However, it wasn’t exactly a small sum either. The withdrawn money was heavy. They packed it carefully in a bag, like Zhao Zhilan and Bei Lican’s mood.

The gates of No. 3 High School were covered in ice and snow. The winter wind blowing on their faces was somewhat cold.

Zhao Zhilan had asked Cao Li about Pei Chuan’s class, then pulled Bei Lican to Class 9 of No. 3 High School.

Bei Yao’s final exams were approaching. Grade 11 coursework was much heavier than Grade 10. When Zhao Zhilan told her they would go thank him personally, Bei Yao assumed it was just to thank him.

However, Bei Yao didn’t know that forty thousand yuan—all the Bei family’s savings from these past few years—was included in this “gratitude.”

Pei Chuan had his head down working on problems. Jin Ziyang was brazenly smoking in the classroom. He held a cigarette in his mouth, smoking while playing games. The math class representative came down to hand out test papers.

Since they sat together, the class representative gave the papers to Ji Wei.

When the class representative flipped to Pei Chuan’s paper, his expression completely changed.

He looked at Pei Chuan hesitantly. Copied… copied?

Ji Wei took them. First he nervously closed his eyes. “Heaven help me—passing grade, passing grade, definitely must pass!”

When he moved his hand away, the bright red 69 on top pierced Ji Wei’s heart. He held back tears and slapped himself.

Jin Ziyang laughed loudly. “Alright, Brother Wei, stop torturing yourself. Every time papers are handed out you do this. Why bother? Just do better on the next test.”

Ji Wei passed out the other people’s papers.

When he flipped to the last paper—Pei Chuan’s—he thought he was seeing things!

Math was out of 150 points, 90 was passing. What did Pei Chuan get?

150!

Ji Wei’s hands trembled as he looked at the paper over and over. On the paper, the young man’s handwriting was strong and steady. The numbers were also written bold and open. That perfect score seemed to glow.

For over a year, none of them had ever scored above the passing line in math. This perfect score made Ji Wei suspect he was dreaming.

He turned back. “Chuan—Brother Chuan, your paper…”

Pei Chuan took it and glanced at it.

Jin Ziyang caught sight of it from the corner of his eye and was also dumbfounded. “No—no way, what score was it?”

Zheng Hang turned around, no longer playing his game. Several young men were all confused.

Pei Chuan got 150! That wasn’t 50—it was 150!

Just as Jin Ziyang was about to ask something, a middle-aged couple stood awkwardly at the back door.

Pei Chuan raised his eyes, his gaze slightly focused.

Zhao Zhilan nodded at him. Pei Chuan stood and walked out.

Zhao Zhilan was carrying a large bag of money. She gripped the bag tightly. “Xiao Chuan, Auntie has some things to say to you. Are you available now?”

Pei Chuan nodded silently. “Let’s go to the ginkgo grove. There’s no one there.”

Bei Lican deliberately looked at the young man a couple times. Pei Chuan was very polite and courteous. However, just now around his desk, several young men were smoking—it was smoky and hazy. Even when Pei Chuan came out, he carried a faint smell of smoke.

Blown by the wind, the smell dissipated, but Bei Lican’s worries couldn’t be blown away.

The three of them came to No. 3 High School’s ginkgo grove.

The ginkgo tree leaves had all fallen. A thick layer of snow was piled on the branches—it had its own unique scenery.

Bei Lican wasn’t good with words and felt somewhat awkward.

Zhao Zhilan said, “Aunt Zhao and Uncle Bei came to thank you for saving our Bei Yao and Bei Jun. Last time you saved Xiao Jun, we didn’t get a chance to thank you. We hope you’ll forgive uncle and auntie.”

Pei Chuan pressed his lips together. “No need to be polite.”

Snow fell on his head. His slightly warm body temperature immediately melted the snowflakes, bringing a bit of coolness.

Pei Chuan didn’t want to hear what they were going to say next.

But the conversation continued anyway.

Zhao Zhilan said, “This is our thank-you gift for you. We heard you’re living alone now—it must be very difficult. Auntie watched you grow up and knows you’re a very good child. Yaoyao, she—she’s also a very good child. She’s very grateful to you in her heart. In the future, if you have anything you need help with, feel free to come find auntie. Our family will help however we can. Zhao Xing is at the police station—Yaoyao and Bei Jun won’t have any more problems in the future.”

The melted snow was slightly cool.

Zhao Zhilan looked at the silent young man and stuffed the bag of money into his hands.

“We won’t delay your studies anymore. Keep the thank-you gift. Don’t dress so lightly in winter.”

The young man’s left hand wore black fingerless leather gloves. Forty thousand yuan—heavy and substantial.

After Zhao Zhilan finished saying these words, she felt uncomfortable inside too. She pulled Bei Lican toward the school gate.

He held that bag of money. His right hand clenched into a tight fist. The bandage broke open and blood flowed out again. That day, the young girl’s inexperienced kiss had made him unable to forget it these many days—savoring it endlessly, repeatedly imagining countless possibilities.

But now, someone was telling him clearly that it was all wishful thinking.

The snow this year was too heavy, blinding people’s eyes, making him actually harbor such extravagant hopes.

Pei Chuan said, “Wait.”

Zhao Zhilan turned back. Pei Chuan walked over and returned the bag. “I understand what you mean. I can’t accept the money. I’ve already received your thanks.”

His voice was slightly hoarse, like rough weapons scraping.

Pei Chuan returned the money and walked back toward the classroom with his back to them. How laughable, wasn’t it? Someone was willing to empty their family’s assets just to make him stay away from their precious one.

Outside it was an icy world of snow. Inside the classroom it was warm and cozy.

Jin Ziyang, Zheng Hang, and the others were still gathered around in amazement looking at that perfect math test paper. Ji Wei was the most excited. He looked at Pei Chuan with the gaze one would give a deity. “Brother Chuan, how did you score perfect marks? That’s amazing.”

Jin Ziyang said carelessly, “Brother Chuan’s not being loyal—you had the answers and didn’t say anything in advance. You could have sent them over on your phone.”

Zheng Hang said, “Brother Chuan, did you really cheat?”

Pei Chuan took the paper with his left hand, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it into the trash can at the back of the classroom. His right hand’s bleeding had already stopped. The bandage was completely red.

Hearing Zheng Hang ask this, he said lightly, “Yeah.”

What did a cripple’s efforts and sincerity amount to?