On the afternoon of January 2nd, Cen Jin fulfilled her promise and took Li Wu to watch the soccer match at the city stadium.

The venue was massive, its streamlined white structure making the tens of thousands of spectators appear as tiny as ants. They were all enclosed within an eggshell, clustered together.

The viewing guidelines required ticket checking an hour before the event. Cen Jin disliked rushing in at the last minute, and since this was a key part of Li Wu’s birthday celebration, they arrived early.

After waiting for fifteen minutes, the announcement for ticket checking came. She took Li Wu’s ID card to make final preparations before the security screening.

This was her first time seeing Li Wu’s ID card. The young man in the photo had neat black hair, looking at the camera expressionlessly, with pronounced features.

Cen Jin asked curiously: “When was this taken?”

Li Wu replied: “Not long after coming to Yi Zhong.”

Cen Jin looked at him: “Did the school arrange it?”

Li Wu nodded.

Cen Jin returned the ticket and ID: “Keep them safe, we’re about to go in.”

Li Wu took them with both hands.

Below the steps, the field stretched like a carpet, and the ticket-checking queue resembled a long, dense string of pearls, endless to the eye. There were two beads in the middle, moving slowly forward.

Cen Jin had nothing to do, lowering her brows to look at her phone.

Li Wu had nothing to do either, lowering his gaze to look at Cen Jin.

Suddenly, Cen Jin received a voice message on WeChat.

She opened it to find it was from Zhang Jue, but just as she connected, he hung up.

Zhang Jue switched to text: I think I see you.

He shared his location: City Stadium.

Cen Jin turned her head to look for him. Seeing her looking around, Li Wu quickly stepped aside, making space for her view.

Limited by height, all she could see were unfamiliar faces. Cen Jin found nothing and replied: Can’t see you.

Zhang Jue said: Turn around again.

Cen Jin turned again and finally saw a man waving in the crowd, only four or five people away from her.

Cen Jin’s eyebrows curved up as she waved back.

Li Wu noticed the woman’s expressions and movements and also turned to look.

It was a young man wearing a black turtleneck sweater, his coat draped over his arm. His smile was broad, making no effort to hide his delight at this chance encounter.

Cen Jin waved her ticket and called out: “You came to watch too?”

Zhang Jue’s voice was magnetic enough to penetrate through the crowd: “Yes, where are you sitting?”

“I’m…” Cen Jin lowered her eyes to check the ticket.

Li Wu looked away, subtly straightening his posture.

Cen Jin had just confirmed the row and seat number and was about to look up to answer when her view was blocked. Looking up a few more centimeters, she saw the young man’s serious face, his chin slightly rigid, appearing somewhat unmoved.

Cen Jin gave up, abandoning her long-distance conversation with her colleague, and sent Zhang Jue a photo instead.

The man replied with his seat number: One seat away from you.

Cen Jin typed: Should be my brother, I’m accompanying him.

Zhang Jue: No wonder, I thought you were interested in these events.

Right, it’s all for the kid. Cen Jin sighed inwardly, typing back: I’m not that interested.

An hour later, the woman who had claimed to have “really no interest” became the most passionate spectator within dozens of meters in Section A of the stands.

“Ah ah, so handsome ahhhh――”

“Oh my god, it’s a goal―― Huh? Oh… almost.”

“Pass to him! Pass! How did he not catch that? Can’t catch even one centimeter at such a short distance!”

…

She alternated between clenching her fists in praise and cursing under her breath, her voice breaking several times.

This was Li Wu’s first time watching such a major event. Looking around, people were everywhere, with fans’ cheers and slogans filling the air, overflowing with passion.

Being there, infected by the frenzied atmosphere, it was hard not to feel excited, but compared to Cen Jin, he was still an amateur. Most of the time, he watched the players competing on the field like an outsider, occasionally diverting his attention to observe Cen Jin’s animated reactions that were so different from her usual self, then occasionally smiling.

One soccer match, different thoughts for different people.

Zhang Jue also frequently glanced at Cen Jin, constantly laughing at her behavior.

Someone was selling drinks, and Zhang Jue bought three cups, wanting to hand one to Cen Jin first.

Amidst the noisy crowd, Cen Jin was completely focused, her eyes bright, not noticing him at all.

The paper cup hung in front of Li Wu for a long time. Li Wu looked down at it for a while, his brows tightening, then reached up to intercept the drink, pretending to be casual as he looked at him: “Want me to give it to her?”

The young man’s sideways glance was slightly unfriendly. Zhang Jue paused, withdrawing his hand: “You keep it.”

During halftime, the woman finally calmed down.

She became quiet as if she were a different person, taking Zhang Jue’s drink and sipping it slowly, seemingly exhausted from all the shouting.

Seeing her emotions settle and return to her usual elegant working-woman self, Zhang Jue rested his elbow on his knee, turning to tease her: “Sister Min, quite the seasoned fan…”

Cen Jin adjusted her straw, aware of her loss of composure, smirking awkwardly: “Stop teasing me, I now think soccer matches are good.”

“Yeah, the atmosphere here is great, easy to get caught up in,” Zhang Jue shifted his gaze to Li Wu, bringing him into the conversation: “Which team does your brother support?”

Li Wu remained silent.

Cen Jin answered for him: “He probably doesn’t particularly support any team. I brought him here today because it’s his birthday, Qi Qi gave me the tickets.”

Zhang Jue raised his eyebrows, offering birthday wishes with a smile: “Happy birthday, little brother.”

Li Wu looked at him and said thanks. He noticed this man possessed a kind of ease he had never experienced before; he could naturally chat and joke with anyone, and his attitude and tone were always perfectly appropriate. In contrast, he was always so awkward with words, like a block of wood.

Painful envy rose within him, twisting like a thread being pulled taut in his heart.

Seeing the young man remaining silent throughout, Zhang Jue observed him curiously while asking: “Is he your biological brother?”

Cen Jin replied: “No.”

Zhang Jue understood, complimenting: “I thought you didn’t look too alike, but he’s still very handsome. Your family genes are good.”

Cen Jin smiled faintly without saying a word, seemingly acquiescing to his conclusion.

The surroundings were bustling, flags waving, fans singing loudly. But Li Wu felt empty inside, unconsciously lowering his eyelids.

In the second half, Cen Jin reverted to her previous state, becoming even more uninhibited.

The situation on the field was tense, with players in white failing to score several times. Cen Jin’s throat was nearly hoarse when she accidentally knocked over half a cup of popcorn.

Li Wu’s lap was covered with it, popcorn bouncing everywhere. He quickly spread his legs and bent down to pick it up.

At that moment, another series of fluid passes occurred below, with a shot about to be taken. The whole stadium stood up, screaming at the top of their lungs.

Cen Jin happened to look down at Li Wu and found this kid still sitting there calmly picking up popcorn. She got frustrated and quickly grabbed his collar from behind, yanking him straight up: “Watch! Pick it up later!”

The woman’s warm, soft hand brushed past the young man’s nape, gone in an instant.

Li Wu froze, his heart racing uncontrollably.

Bang!

A header, the black and white blur cut through the air, overlooking the crowd, rapidly crashing into the net.

Beep――

The sharp ending whistle echoed throughout the stadium.

The audience’s cheers were like tsunamis, wave after wave, unstoppable.

Li Wu sat there stiffly with a red face, unable to move, feeling the thunder in his chest about to overpower all the stadium’s noise.

…

When the game ended, the three of them packed up their belongings and walked out of the stadium together.

Cen Jin and Zhang Jue chatted animatedly, still discussing the exciting moments from the game, while Li Wu followed silently.

At the exit, they were about to part ways. Zhang Jue offered to treat them to dinner, but Cen Jin shook her head and politely declined, saying they had other plans, thanking him for his kindness.

Zhang Jue didn’t insist and watched the two leave.

On the way to get the car, it was just the two of them again.

Li Wu’s mood lifted somewhat, and the air felt fresher and more pleasant. He carefully chose his words, speaking in a muffled voice: “Was that your friend just now?”

Cen Jin exhaled some of the fatigue from dealing with unnecessary social interaction: “Colleague.”

Li Wu asked: “Why didn’t you have dinner with him?”

Cen Jin countered: “Did you want to eat with him?”

Li Wu said: “No.”

“Then that’s that. I didn’t want to either,” Cen Jin agreed. Her thoughts returned to the soccer match and the stands, and when her delayed reaction caught up, she began to interrogate him: “Did you even watch properly? Still picking things up when there was a goal.”

Li Wu said: “I watched.”

Cen Jin tested him: “Then tell me, which numbers scored the three goals today?”

Li Wu: “…” He thought for a moment, then accurately reported the jersey numbers and names of the three players. He had researched beforehand and memorized them, so he had a strong impression of the entire team.

“Really――” Cen Jin looked up at him intently, half-believing.

Li Wu met her gaze, his confidence forcibly shaken by her stare, his next answer slightly hesitant: “Should be.”

Cen Jin couldn’t help but laugh, snorting and teasing him for being gullible: “Actually, I had no idea who was who, I was just asking for fun.”

Li Wu fell silent, then pressed his lips together to suppress a smile.

“How can you be so calm watching a soccer match,” Cen Jin looked back at the white stadium roof, dissatisfied: “Making it seem like I was today’s birthday person.” Li Wu asked: “Really?”

“Yes,” Cen Jin felt regretful and defeated: “I thought boys your age all liked this.”

Afraid she would fall into self-doubt, Li Wu quickly said: “I like it.”

Cen Jin put her hands in her pockets, feeling for her car keys: “But you weren’t excited at all.”

“I wasn’t excited…” the young man’s voice lowered, not knowing how to prove himself. Okay, it was his fault for not showing it enough, but he was really happy. No matter what they did, just being able to do it with her was precious to him, like something earned.

Cen Jin pressed the car lock, looking around for where they parked: “Good thing I reminded you, or you would have missed the last goal.”

The young man suddenly stiffened his back, the lingering sensation on his nape ignited and intensified by these words… His ears grew hot, and he finally uncomfortably touched the same spot before continuing to follow Cen Jin.

On the way home, Cen Jin went to the dessert shop to pick up the birthday cake she had ordered in advance.

It had a navy blue mirror glaze coating, with stars scattered on top that looked like they were scraped on with oil paint.

That night, they worked together to cook a pot of longevity noodles, sharing and eating while chatting casually about various things – memories of the past, hopes for the future, her work, his studies, and the days they had shared.

Cen Jin solemnly brought out the cake, and lit the candles, one “1” and one “7”.

She turned off the lights and hummed two lines of the birthday song in English, soft and gentle, like weak fireflies floating in the wilderness.

In the dancing candlelight, Li Wu experienced his first truly ceremonial birthday.

His seventeenth year.

Cen Jin urged him to make a wish. He felt inexplicably shy, his face reddened by the firelight. After much hesitation, Li Wu finally closed his eyes.

Cen Jin watched him; in the candlelight, the young man’s face was serene, as if in meditation, to the point of having a divine quality.

When he opened his eyes, Cen Jin didn’t ask about his wish, only asked: “Li Wu, why was the character ‘wu’ (fog) chosen for your name?”

Li Wu looked at her: “Because there was heavy fog outside when I was born, that’s what my grandfather said.”

Cen Jin said: “But you’re not like fog.”

Li Wu was stunned: “What am I like?”

“Like…” Cen Jin paused, then lied: “I can’t think of it right now.”

No, she could imagine.

He was like the pure tranquility distilled from mountain valleys and vegetation, like an unpolluted stream in a deep valley, like sturdy, lush vines, like a ridge that still retained its peaks.

So while he was making his wish, Cen Jin also took the chance to make one, hoping this child would always stay this way, forever maintaining his clarity.

―

After the New Year’s holiday, Yi Zhong’s final exams followed immediately.

The class atmosphere became tense and anxious, while also stirring with anticipation for the long holiday ahead.

Focused on exam preparation, Li Wu obtained Cen Jin’s permission and stayed at school for two consecutive weeks, studying tirelessly day and night.

His three new dormitory roommates shared his interests, all being oddities who treated studying as relaxation. He was no longer seen as an outsider.

On the thirteenth, he finished the comprehensive science exam.

Li Wu caught the subway and rushed home.

The house was empty except for him; Cen Jin hadn’t returned from work. But he wasn’t disappointed by this. After sitting quietly in the study for a moment, he couldn’t resist sending Cen Jin a message: I finished my exams.

Three minutes later, the woman replied: How did it go?

Li Wu: Pretty good.

Cen Jin: When you remove the word ‘pretty’, I’ll be satisfied.

Li Wu: …

Li Wu silently stared at this line for a while, then changed his response and sent just one word: Good.

Cen Jin confirmed: Is this ‘good’ answering the first question or the second?

Li Wu: Both.

Cen Jin: You said it.

Li Wu: Mm.

Cen Jin: If you’re not in the top thirty of your grade, I’m going to take action.

Li Wu: …

Seeing his silence, she became even more outrageous, directly sending a threatening emoji of someone holding a brick.

Li Wu curved his lips, tilting his head to look at the study’s filtered light through the window, trying hard to calm down but still unable to stop smiling. Finally, he had to change the subject: I’m already home.

There was no movement from the other end.

After a while, the woman sent a screenshot of a food order, business as usual: Remember to eat.

Li Wu: “…”

He asked: Have you eaten?

Cen Jin: About to.

Li Wu: What time do you get off work?

Cen Jin: Don’t know, very busy today.

Not having seen her for half a month, and now having to endure this torturous wait of uncertainty. The young man anxiously rubbed the back of his head, outwardly calm as he replied “mm”, then flipped his phone face down and bent down to take out his winter holiday practice materials and pencil case from his backpack.

Just as he was about to take out a pen, his fingers paused, and instead, he took out the two-inch photo from the inner compartment.

He gazed at her intently, his heart calming, his lips curving upward, every time like this.

A few minutes later, he carefully put it back, sealing it away securely.

His birthday wish was both abstract and concrete: for Cen Jin to always be happy, just like in the photo.