On a night in November 2012, Luo Ying sat alone by the window.

Her left hand propped up her forehead, and her right hand flipped through a novel.

The novel was called “Intimate Touches of the Finger Artisan,” depicting a love story between a young lady and her maid.

When she read the part where the maid undressed her mistress, she felt as if she were there, seeing through the flickering candlelight the gradually approaching souls of two girls.

Her fingers became numb, and the pages she touched felt like air. She heard the pitter-patter of falling rain, countless raindrops like pearls, sprinkling on her heart, slowly sliding along unknown tracks.

Just then, a message appeared on her phone screen: “Senior, I’m working on a quantum programming platform. Would you be interested in joining our research group?”

Luo Ying absentmindedly said: “Sure.”

Lin Zhixia replied instantly: “Thank you, senior!”

Luo Ying asked her: “How have you been lately?”

“Pretty good,” Lin Zhixia asked in return, “And you?”

Luo Ying answered irrelevantly: “I’m reading a novel.”

Lin Zhixia was naturally curious: “What type of novel?”

Luo Ying described it vaguely and briefly: “A romance.”

Lin Zhixia told her, “What a coincidence, I watched a romantic movie last night called ‘Stealing Hearts.'”

Stealing hearts?

Whose heart was stolen?

Luo Ying continued asking: “What was the movie about?”

Lin Zhixia typed out a long passage: “The male lead’s wife is the female lead, the male lead falls in love with the second female lead, who marries the second male lead, who is interested in the female lead, and the male lead cheats on his wife with the second female lead. In the end, the second female lead reconciles with the second male lead. The female lead is pressed by the male lead about whether she slept with the second male lead, and she finally realizes the male lead neither loves nor trusts her, so she dumps him. How about that, isn’t the ending interesting?”

Luo Ying only felt that her tone was lively and vivid, softening all the emotional entanglements in the movie.

Luo Ying said, “Wow, that’s interesting.”

Whenever Luo Ying chatted with Lin Zhixia, the corners of her mouth would always curl up slightly. She could put aside all her work and derive immense joy from their brief chat logs.

Lin Zhixia was intelligent, optimistic, lively, cheerful, knowledgeable, talented, and a good listener… Luo Ying could easily list countless good qualities, but none of them could explain her unusual state of mind at this moment.

She asked Lin Zhixia: “Do you believe in love?”

Lin Zhixia quickly replied: “I believe humans have rich emotions.”

Luo Ying thought for a moment, slowly typing a line: “You’re still very rational.”

Lin Zhixia elaborated: “Not rational. To be honest, love isn’t that important. It’s not a stable, lasting state; it changes with time.”

The delicate strands of romance in Luo Ying’s heart vanished in that instant. And she couldn’t even tell if Lin Zhixia had done this intentionally or unintentionally.

She picked up her teacup, took a sip of hot tea, and said: “Let’s talk about your research group.”

“Sure, senior!” Lin Zhixia agreed cheerfully.

From that day on, Luo Ying officially joined Lin Zhixia’s team—the best research team Luo Ying had ever seen in terms of atmosphere. They respected each other, got along well, and could communicate calmly even when they had different opinions.

Lin Zhixia was the technical leader of the team, while Jiang Yubai was responsible for coordinating and expanding the team. He was very thoughtful in his dealings with people, with good temperament and cultivation—he was probably Lin Zhixia’s most capable partner.

Luo Ying was willing to join Lin Zhixia’s company not only because she admired Lin Zhixia’s abilities, but also because she trusted the entire startup team.

After working back in China for a year, Luo Ying became increasingly adapted to her office life and could derive pleasure and satisfaction from work. The only drawback was that her parents frequently urged her to find a boyfriend.

She was almost thirty.

Her parents wanted to arrange blind dates for her.

Without consulting Luo Ying, her mother had already shared her WeChat contact with a wealthy, handsome young man.

Her mother earnestly said: “Aying, take a look. Mom has carefully selected this young man for you. He returned from studying in the United States, is 185 cm tall, comes from a good family, is five years younger than you, and would be compatible with you, with common topics to talk about.”

Luo Ying was startled.

Because Lin Zhixia was also five years younger than Luo Ying.

That night, the young man messaged Luo Ying on WeChat: “Sister, are you still awake?”

Luo Ying maintained a polite attitude: “About to sleep. Good night.”

The young man said, “The pinyin for ‘good night’ is ‘wanan,’ and the first letters of ‘I love you, I love you’ in pinyin are also ‘wanan,’ hehe.”

Luo Ying didn’t reply.

The young man hurriedly asked: “Sister, what are you thinking about?”

Luo Ying answered: “Thinking about women.”

The young man: “What the hell?”

Luo Ying asked back: “Do you understand now?”

The young man: “Hehe, I can wear women’s clothes for you, sister.”

Luo Ying stared at the pitch-black ceiling, suddenly making up her mind. She was almost thirty, and the ancients often said, “establish oneself at thirty.” She should take complete control of her life; no one could control her will. Whatever the consequences, she would willingly bear them.

After figuring this out, Luo Ying reiterated: “I like girls.”

The young man remained silent.

Luo Ying clarified her position: “‘Good night’ is just a polite phrase, just like ‘goodbye.'”—This message wasn’t sent because the young man had already deleted her.

She was very happy and slept well that night.

*

The next morning, Luo Ying’s home was in an uproar.

It turned out that the young man had taken screenshots of their chat and sent them to Luo Ying’s mother.

Her parents confronted Luo Ying as if facing a great enemy, demanding to know what she meant by “I like girls.”

Luo Ying, properly dressed, sat upright on the living room sofa, answering sincerely and seriously: “You might not be able to accept it. But you are my closest family; if you don’t accept me, where can I find acceptance? I do like girls, very much. I want to find a girlfriend.”

Her mother was too shocked to speak, and her father held his head in his hands, trying to stay calm for a long while.

Luo Ying remained composed: “You’re always urging me to go on blind dates, wasting both your time and those men’s time.”

Her father, with a last glimmer of hope, asked her: “You don’t want to go on blind dates, so you made up an excuse? Dad and Mom won’t force you…”

“Dad,” Luo Ying interrupted him, “look at me. Do I look like I’m lying? I’m very serious, you can tell, right?”

Her father was speechless.

Her mother patted her father’s back. With her other hand, she grabbed Luo Ying’s wrist. Although her mother didn’t say a word, Luo Ying saw understanding and support in her mother’s eyes—at this moment, Luo Ying’s eyes moistened. She was grateful for her mother’s understanding. However, what her mother did for her was far more than just this.

A few days later, her mother told Luo Ying on WeChat, “Mom has been looking for a girlfriend for you lately.”

Luo Ying: “?”

Mother: “You need a partner, even a female one is fine, Mom agrees.”

Luo Ying: “Let it happen naturally, I’m not in a hurry.”

“That won’t do,” her mother said, “if you wait too long, all the good ones will be taken, and you’ll be very lonely in the future.”

Luo Ying copied and pasted what Lin Zhixia had said to her before: “Love isn’t that important. It’s not a stable, lasting state; it changes with time.”

After a while, her mother finally answered: “Oh, just let it happen naturally then.”

Luo Ying lay on her bed, casually posting a Moments update with just two words: “Let fate decide”—she rarely posted on Moments; this was her first update in half a year.

Almost immediately, Meng Liansi asked her via WeChat: “Is becoming lovers considered good karma?”

Luo Ying sat up, half-leaning against the headboard.

Luo Ying had a distinct impression of Meng Liansi.

Meng Liansi was a young associate professor and a colleague of Lin Zhixia’s. Six months ago, she had added Luo Ying on WeChat, and since then, she often chatted with Luo Ying, but their conversations were limited to work topics.

Now, with Meng Liansi suddenly asking such a question, Luo Ying could only go along with her and say: “Yes, it is.”

Meng Liansi asked again: “Do you want to cultivate good karma?”

After beating around the bush, she was essentially asking Luo Ying: “Do you want to date?”

Luo Ying replied subtly: “A little bit.”

Meng Liansi invited her to meet on Saturday.

Saturday was tomorrow.

Luo Ying agreed.

Afterward, when Luo Ying refreshed her Moments feed, she saw that Meng Liansi had posted a series of selfies. In the photos, Meng Liansi had black hair, fair skin, red lips, and white teeth. Her eyes stared directly at her, causing Luo Ying’s fingers to pause.

Meng Liansi had added a line of text: “I just made a date with the person I have a crush on.”

Luo Ying slowly hugged her pillow.

The next morning, Luo Ying got up at eight to put on makeup. She dressed up nicely and arrived at the destination ten minutes early, only to find that Meng Liansi was already there.

Meng Liansi slowly approached Luo Ying and handed her a bouquet of gorgeous roses. The deep red petals bloomed splendidly, just like the smile on Meng Liansi’s lips.

Luo Ying accepted her flowers and said softly, “What a beautiful bouquet of roses, so fragrant, thank you.”

Meng Liansi smiled gently. She raised her hand, tucking her black hair behind her ear, and Luo Ying noticed her earrings—a pair of delicate pink cherry blossom earrings.

Luo Ying’s gaze lingered for two or three seconds, then Meng Liansi let her hair down. They walked into a coffee shop at the corner of the street and sat in a dimly lit corner.

Luo Ying opened the menu and asked gently: “Professor Meng, what do you like to eat? Order whatever you want, it’s my treat.”

Meng Liansi said, “Only students call me Professor Meng, and you’re not my student.”

Luo Ying placed the roses on her lap: “What’s your nickname?”

Meng Liansi lowered her head in silence, and Luo Ying guessed: “Sisi?”

Luo Ying’s tone was melodious and pleasant, with a rising inflection at the end, containing a hint of laughter. She only said “Sisi” once, but it made Meng Liansi take a sip of iced lemon water to quench the ardent flame in her heart.

Luo Ying no longer called her by her nickname.

Meng Liansi used the excuse of going to the bathroom, grabbing her phone, and heading to the restroom. She secretly sent a message to Lin Zhixia: “Professor Lin, for your company’s team-building activity next week, will your senior be there?”

Lin Zhixia asked back: “I have many seniors, which one are you referring to?”

“The one you know,” Meng Liansi said ambiguously.

Lin Zhixia enthusiastically encouraged her: “Professor Meng! Just ask Senior Luo Ying directly! Don’t be afraid! Move forward boldly! I believe you can do it! You’re an important member of our four-school research group! I warmly welcome you and my senior to join our company’s team-building activity!”

This was the first time Meng Liansi had seen Lin Zhixia use so many exclamation marks.

She suspected that Lin Zhixia had already seen through everything.

She decided to take Lin Zhixia’s advice.

She washed her hands, sprayed some perfume, checked herself in the mirror, and then returned to Luo Ying’s side.

Luo Ying was stirring a cup of coffee. She held a small silver spoon, her fingertips pausing slightly: “Do you like living in big cities? Like Beijing, New York, and such.”

Meng Liansi was a bit surprised. She looked at Luo Ying and suddenly said, “I went with my advisor to give a presentation at New York University when you were doing your PhD in New York.”

“I see,” Luo Ying mused, “I always felt like I’d met you a few years ago.”

Meng Liansi changed the subject: “Are you joining the company’s team-building activity next week?”

“Is Professor Meng busy next week?” Luo Ying asked irrelevantly.

Meng Liansi took Luo Ying’s question as a subtle invitation. She answered almost without thinking: “I’m not busy at all. I don’t have any classes this semester, so I can take leave next week.”

After saying this, she realized she seemed too eager.

She gently moved the flower vase on the table, using a few deep red artificial flowers to hide her face. Through the gaps in the lush leaves, she and Luo Ying looked at each other for a few seconds, and Luo Ying smiled: “Let’s go on a trip together.”

Luo Ying plucked a rose and placed it on her empty plate.

She said: “Sure.” She added: “I do photography. I’ll take pictures for you.”

Luo Ying praised her: “Professor Meng is truly talented.”

This “Professor Meng” sounded even more enchanting than “Sisi.” Meng Liansi twisted her skirt hem with her left hand, took off a cherry blossom earring with her right hand, and hung it at the stem of the rose in the plate, returning this rose to Luo Ying.

*

After that day, Meng Liansi and Luo Ying chatted for at least two hours every day.

Their chat topics were diverse, covering all sorts of random information. Luo Ying found that Meng Liansi was smarter and cuter than she had imagined.

Luo Ying had originally thought that Meng Liansi was the type of organized, self-disciplined strong woman, but the reality was exactly the opposite of Luo Ying’s assumptions—Meng Liansi was quite a homebody and loved sleeping in. She could spend a whole day reading a book, forgetting to eat during that time, and when tired, she would sprawl on the sofa watching movies. Her favorite fruit was oranges, her most passionate indulgence was chocolate, and her favorite type of movies were heartwarming animations like “Zootopia,” “Coco,” and “Natsume’s Book of Friends.”

So, the night before the company’s team-building activity, Luo Ying stuffed two large boxes of chocolates into her suitcase, an action that was noticed by her mother.

Her mother tactfully probed: “Aying, do you have something going on? Why don’t you tell Mom about it? Share it so your dad and I can be happy for you. Your dad had a very successful investment in the first half of this year. If you’ve found someone, it would be joy upon joy for our family.”

Luo Ying said, “We haven’t reached that stage yet.”

Her mother advised: “Let Mom tell you, take it slow. First, give her chocolates and plush toys, then after two or three months, give her a phone, necklace, diamond ring, and that’s how it’s done, right?”

Luo Ying pressed her hands on the suitcase, almost feeling the outline of the chocolate boxes inside.

Luo Ying’s mindset was peculiar.

She didn’t have thoughts like “I need to date quickly” or “I need to win her over.” She just wanted to understand and get to know Meng Liansi better before considering the next step.

*

The next morning, Luo Ying got up before dawn.

She applied elegant makeup, wore a dress and coat, put on pearl earrings, and used a bit of perfume with a mix of kumquat, tangerine, and lemon scents—she guessed Meng Liansi would probably like this fragrance.

Luo Ying guessed correctly.

On the way to the airport, Meng Liansi and Luo Ying sat in the same row.

When Meng Liansi smelled the fragrance on Luo Ying, she sat up straight. However, no matter how straight Meng Liansi sat, her heart was curved; how could she hide it?

During the two-hour drive from the company to the airport, Meng Liansi was initially a bit nervous, but gradually relaxed. Additionally, she had woken up early today and was tired, so she fell asleep without realizing it.

She had a dream.

She dreamed that Luo Ying was stroking her hair, wrapping the black strands around her fingertips, twisting them into the shape of a ring. She was holding Luo Ying’s hand, heading home, and just as they were about to step through the doorway, a wine bottle fell from the sky, hitting her on the head, making her see stars.

Meng Liansi opened her eyes.

The real world was still calm and peaceful.

Luo Ying was listening to music.

“What are you listening to?” Meng Liansi asked.

Luo Ying removed one earbud with her left hand. She gently placed the earbud on Meng Liansi’s right ear, her movements gentle, her attitude intimate. Meng Liansi heard a soothing piano piece. She asked again: “What’s the name of the piece?”

“To a Wild Rose,” Luo Ying told her.

To a Wild Rose—that was the name of the piano piece.

The mid-spring sunlight was brilliant and warm. The light shone through the window, falling on Luo Ying’s neck and shoulders. Her skin was somewhat pale, and the warm-toned light added much color to her, making her look like a beauty who had stepped out of a painting.

Meng Liansi gazed at her intently, and she smiled again, removing her other earbud and gently placing it in Meng Liansi’s other ear.

This time, her fingertips briefly touched Meng Liansi’s ear tip.

She seemed to casually scratch it.

Meng Liansi raised her left hand, covering her cheek—she felt both ticklish and delighted, as if she had just been tickled all over by a feather, then fallen into a rippling hot spring. Those complex and unfamiliar sensations intertwined, making her unconsciously bite her lip.

*

After the tour bus arrived at the airport, everyone got off. They boarded a large passenger plane, heading directly to their destination, “Mount Penglai,” a place renowned worldwide for its magnificent mountains and waters, with steep peaks, dense shade covering the sky, and crystal-clear lakes—truly a place of boundless beauty.

Lin Zhixia took the employees to stay at a local hotel.

The hotel was called “Mountain Rose Residence,” with an extremely elegant and serene environment. There was a fountain in the center of the lobby surrounded by a circle of gorgeous roses. Meng Liansi bent down to admire the roses, and as Luo Ying walked past her, she said: “The roses are beautiful.”

Luo Ying didn’t turn around.

But she replied: “So are you.”

She meant—You are beautiful too.

Meng Liansi’s mood became more chaotic.

She watched Luo Ying walk toward Lin Zhixia.

Lin Zhixia said a few words to Luo Ying, and a smile appeared in Luo Ying’s eyes.

Lin Zhixia also helped Luo Ying get her room key. She handed the key card to Luo Ying, their gazes meeting, and she patted Luo Ying’s shoulder like a brother would. Jiang Yubai suddenly appeared behind Lin Zhixia, subtly leading her away, leaving Luo Ying standing alone.

Luo Ying looked down, checking the key card.

Her long, wavy hair covered her profile, and Meng Liansi couldn’t see her expression at all.

What was she doing?

What was she thinking?

The endless questions about her were like a swarm of deadly ants, gnawing away at Meng Liansi’s good mood—this wouldn’t do. Meng Liansi turned her head, changing her perspective, looking at the blue sky and white clouds outside the window.

A minute later, Luo Ying’s voice was right by her ear: “Professor Meng, you’re sharing a room with me.”

Professor Meng still sat ramrod straight.

Luo Ying continued: “I just asked Lin Zhixia. If you don’t want to stay with me, the hotel still has vacant rooms. Our company has booked the entire hotel.”

Meng Liansi stood up. She picked up her suitcase, following Luo Ying’s footsteps toward their bedroom.

Only after entering the room did Meng Liansi say: “Luo, Luo Ying.”

Luo Ying said, “When you call me by my full name, I get nervous.”

Meng Liansi hurriedly said, “Ying Ying.”

Luo Ying smiled charmingly: “Is your next line ‘ying ying ying’ (whimpering)?”

Meng Liansi opened her suitcase and took out a set of skincare gift boxes. Knowing that Luo Ying loved roses, she had spent over two thousand yuan at a department store in the provincial capital to buy a set of rose essence skincare products. She quietly placed the gift box on the sofa, without saying a word or making a sound, yet Luo Ying looked at her with a slightly surprised expression.

Meng Liansi’s peripheral vision swept over Luo Ying’s half-open suitcase, suddenly noticing several glass bottles stuffed in the corner of the suitcase—she recognized the brand, which was completely beyond her purchasing power.

She belatedly realized that the gift she had bought for Luo Ying wasn’t appropriate.

In her urgency, she explained: “Don’t touch them, I’ll use them all up.”

Luo Ying sighed softly: “I thought this was a gift for me.”

Meng Liansi only responded with a smile.

A moment later, Luo Ying went to take a shower.

Meng Liansi took out her phone and sincerely consulted Lin Zhixia: “Professor Lin, I have a friend with a stable job and an after-tax annual salary of about 400,000 yuan. My friend likes a girl from a very wealthy family…”

Before Meng Liansi could finish, Lin Zhixia started typing a message: “It doesn’t matter, Professor Meng. Don’t worry about these things. Your friend isn’t interested in money, only in people, so ignore the money issue and focus on building a good relationship between people. Money is secondary, people are primary. The main problem requires the main solution.”

After typing this, Lin Zhixia nodded, thinking: This only applies to Luo Ying and Meng Liansi’s situation.

She pressed send and waited patiently for a response, like the matchmaker Red Maid in “The Romance of the Western Chamber.”

She waited for a long time, but Meng Liansi didn’t speak.

What was going on?

Could Professor Meng still be shy?

Lin Zhixia lay on the bed, flipping her phone over, while Jiang Yubai was still diligently organizing the luggage next to her. The sight of him working so hard attracted Lin Zhixia’s attention, and she vigorously patted the bed, trying to make him turn around and look at her.

Not only did Jiang Yubai not turn around, but he also walked backward a few steps, bumped into the edge of the bed, and fell onto the soft, large bed.

Lin Zhixia laughed out loud. She eagerly spread her arms to pounce on him, but he easily avoided her. They started playing a cat-and-mouse game on the spacious bed, with Lin Zhixia playing the role of the “cat.”

Lin Zhixia’s physical strength couldn’t match Jiang Yubai’s, so chasing him around wasn’t a solution. To catch Jiang Yubai quickly, Lin Zhixia picked up the soft blanket and threw it over him like a net. However, Jiang Yubai followed the blanket, and the roles in the “cat-mouse game” were instantly reversed. Lin Zhixia lifted the blanket, too late to escape, and could only say: “You’re cheating. You didn’t run when you saw me.”

Jiang Yubai, with his palms firmly on her waist, laughed and bent down to kiss her: “We just started playing and hadn’t set the rules yet, how can you say I’m cheating?”

Jiang Yubai’s words made sense. And Lin Zhixia was always a reasonable person. She said: “Then I’ll establish the game rules now.”

Jiang Yubai looked straight at her. She moved a bit toward the headboard, but he sat still, remaining unmoved by the changing situation.

Lin Zhixia glanced at the ceiling, where a rose-shaped chandelier hung in the bedroom, and casually said: “I just remembered a… poem from Europe seven hundred years ago.”

Lin Zhixia hadn’t yet announced the game rules before changing the topic to a seven-hundred-year-old poem, but fortunately, Jiang Yubai was already accustomed to her free-flowing thought process.

Jiang Yubai took off his jacket, reaching out to catch her. Following her gaze upward, he saw a rose chandelier. With understanding, he recited a line from one of Shakespeare’s sonnets: “From fairest creatures we desire increase, that thereby beauty’s rose might never die…”

As he recited “fairest creatures,” his hand slipped inside her collar.

Lin Zhixia’s breath hitched. She gripped his wrist.

Jiang Yubai persisted. He pressed against her ear and called out: “Professor Lin.”

Lin Zhixia calmly concluded: “You often use this voice to entice me.”

Jiang Yubai gently bit her earlobe and said: “I was on a business trip last week and didn’t see you for six days.” His words carried the implication that their marital relationship urgently needed repair. His right hand became a repairer’s hand, feeling her back through her clothes.

He didn’t spend much time; Lin Zhixia was about to take the bait, but then he asked: “Which poem were you thinking of just now?”

Lin Zhixia honestly said: “An English poem, translated as ‘All Night by the Rose.'”

She recited the verse completely: “All night by the rose, all night I lay by the rose, I dare not steal the rose, but I plucked this flower[1].”

Then she moved to Jiang Yubai’s ear: “I just remembered a word: deflower.”

Generally, in English, the prefix “de” can denote “remove, negate, take away, leave,” etc. And “flower” means blossom. However, “deflower” can also imply “defile.”

The single word “deflower” led Jiang Yubai astray. He examined Lin Zhixia with a very complex expression, and she immediately shook out the blanket, covering him, saying: “You should appreciate that poem from a literary perspective.”

Jiang Yubai said from under the blanket: “I just want to pluck a flower, Professor Lin.”

Lin Zhixia quickly assumed the role: “No, that would be misbehaving.”

Jiang Yubai casually lifted the blanket: “Being well-behaved doesn’t earn any rewards.”

Lin Zhixia slightly raised herself, kissing the corner of his lips. He wrapped his arm around her waist and fell back onto the bed, causing the phone by the pillow to slide off. Lin Zhixia heard the phone hit the soft carpet with a light “thud.”

*

Meanwhile, Luo Ying and Meng Liansi had gone out together.

They wore dresses of similar colors, walking on the green-shaded mountain path.

The mountain road was winding and rugged, and Meng Liansi was carrying a DSLR camera. She raised her camera, taking photos all around, with Luo Ying occasionally entering the frame. Under the lens, Luo Ying appeared even more gentle and beautiful in the intertwined light and shadows, leaving Meng Liansi almost dazed.

“Be careful,” Luo Ying reminded her, “the steps are steep.”

Meng Liansi hurriedly said: “Okay, you be careful too.”

She unconsciously extended her hand, and Luo Ying held onto it.

She never let go after that.

They walked to the halfway point of the mountain and came across a small market.

The thin white mist had not yet dispersed, the wind rustling the leaves, and Meng Liansi felt as if she were in a fairyland, with the market before her arranged by celestial beings to make travelers forget all the troubles of life—Meng Liansi had almost forgotten about the paper she had published last week.

Luo Ying led Meng Liansi to sit at a wonton stall.

The stall owner was an elderly lady in her seventies, with graying temples, a kind face and eyes, and although she showed signs of age, she worked very quickly. In no time, she placed two steaming bowls of wontons on the table in front of Luo Ying and Meng Liansi.

Luo Ying split the bamboo chopsticks and inhaled the aroma of the wontons. It had been a long time since she had such a good appetite. The wontons were filled with pork, and the soup contained seaweed, bean sprouts, and dried shrimp, emitting a deliciously savory aroma.

Luo Ying picked up a wonton, and after just one bite, her tongue was almost scalded numb. Her eyes filled with tears, and Meng Liansi immediately handed her mineral water: “Spit out the wonton and drink some water.”

Luo Ying recovered after a few minutes, drinking half a bottle of mineral water, and self-deprecatingly said: “I can’t even eat properly anymore.”

“I brought vitamin E,” Meng Liansi was still concerned about her injury, “take some vitamin E these days, it helps your tongue heal faster.”

The mountain breeze was cool, and the hot soup was also cooled. Luo Ying lowered her head and continued eating wontons, casually saying: “I brought chocolate, for you.”

Meng Liansi stopped her chopsticks: “Specifically for me?”

“Yes,” Luo Ying said, “red wine filling, your favorite.”

The wonton that Meng Liansi had half-picked up fell back into the bowl.

An old man with a cane walked along the shaded path. He carried a straw hat on his back, wore a loose shirt and pants, and held a plastic lunch box. He handed the lunch box to the elderly lady at the stall and helped her; the old lady took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat—these two were clearly a married couple.

Meng Liansi watched for a while and absentmindedly asked: “Have you ever liked someone before?”

Luo Ying took a sip of soup before saying: “Yes, I have.”

Meng Liansi felt a slight sourness in her heart and couldn’t help asking: “Who was it?”

Luo Ying asked her back: “Have you ever liked someone before?”

Meng Liansi didn’t have Luo Ying’s openness.

She switched hands to hold her chopsticks, and Luo Ying noticed that she could skillfully use both her left and right hands; she was neither left-handed nor right-handed.

Just as Luo Ying was about to express her admiration, Meng Liansi said: “I also liked a girl before…”

She deliberately emphasized the word “girl,” then looked up at Luo Ying. If Luo Ying’s expression was off, it would mean she had been misunderstanding all along, and Luo Ying only wanted to be ordinary same-sex friends—this assumption made her anxious, so she looked up quickly. Fortunately, Luo Ying’s expression showed no signs of discomfort. She continued to gaze attentively at Meng Liansi.

Meng Liansi then continued: “At that time, I was a freshman in college and joined a school club. My roommate and I worked until dawn; she drank coffee and beer, kissed me twice, and asked me to be her girlfriend.”

“Did you agree?” Luo Ying asked.

Meng Liansi suddenly smiled: “Over the weekend, I went home and told my parents that I wanted to be a girl’s girlfriend…”

Luo Ying, using her own family as a reference, guessed: “Did your parents agree?”

Meng Liansi’s tone was still gentle: “My father kicked me, saying I was abnormal, that I had disgraced the whole family, making everyone lose face. The female classmate also told me she was joking, and that I took it seriously scared her.”

Luo Ying let out a long sigh.

Meng Liansi ate another wonton: “Later, I pursued my master’s and doctoral degrees, published papers, and applied for patents. I wasn’t very sociable and always curled up at home. My parents arranged blind dates for me, but I had no interest. What could come from blind dates? I always told my blind dates that my family was in debt and my job wasn’t a formal position. After repeating these lies several times, no one wanted to meet me anymore.”

Luo Ying tried to lighten the mood: “You’re quite clever.”

Meng Liansi smiled: “What about your first dating experience?”

After a brief consideration, Luo Ying revealed: “I’ve never dated anyone, I’ve only had unrequited crushes.”

Meng Liansi hadn’t expected that a woman like Luo Ying had also tasted the bitterness of unrequited love—probably falling for a straight woman.

Sure enough, Luo Ying briefly described: “My previous unrequited crush was on a very pretty and cute girl. Her boyfriend was also nice, and they made a good couple. Later, I just moved on.”

But Meng Liansi said: “I’m a bit envious.”

“Hmm?” Luo Ying looked up.

Meng Liansi changed the subject: “These wontons are really delicious.”

Luo Ying lowered her head again.

That day, Luo Ying kept remembering what Meng Liansi had quoted her family saying: “You’re abnormal, you’ve disgraced the whole family, making everyone lose face.”

Meng Liansi and Luo Ying were about the same age. Their parents were born in the 50s and 60s, with conservative views and old-fashioned ways, which was understandable.

But parents’ unsparing criticism and curses always hurt their children. Parents knew this, so why would they willfully humiliate their own children? This was hard to understand.

*

The company’s team-building activity lasted four days.

During these four days, Luo Ying and Meng Liansi were inseparable and got along well.

Meng Liansi took many photos. After returning to the provincial capital, she developed some of the photos, placed them one by one into a beautiful album, and gave the album to Luo Ying as a gift.

Upon receiving the album, Luo Ying felt she could glimpse Meng Liansi’s delicate and rich emotions through the photos.

As spring gave way to summer and temperatures rose, Luo Ying and Meng Liansi met more and more frequently and grew increasingly close.

Six months into their relationship, Luo Ying bought a house near the university town. Both she and Meng Liansi moved into the new home and even adopted two cats together. However, they were both very low-key, and hardly anyone knew about their true relationship except for their close friends and family.

Luo Ying’s parents had long accepted Meng Liansi, treating her as another daughter.

However, Meng Liansi’s family situation was more complicated. Her parents—especially her father—had very traditional views. When he heard that Meng Liansi was dating a woman, he was furious and unilaterally cut off contact with Meng Liansi. He wouldn’t answer her calls or reply to her messages, only saying: “When you get back on the right track, I’ll talk to you properly. Aren’t you afraid of what your colleagues and students will think? You’re a teacher! People will gossip about you behind your back! Everyone will break your backbone!”

In short, her father described the consequences as extremely serious.

Luo Ying wanted to visit Meng Liansi’s family with her, but Meng Liansi absolutely refused.

Meng Liansi was afraid that if the elders said unpleasant things, it would leave a shadow on Luo Ying.

So Luo Ying didn’t insist. She sat side by side with Meng Liansi on the long bench on the balcony, watching the sunset. The two cats in their home lay on their laps. As the evening glow filled the sky, Luo Ying picked up her teacup and gently clinked it against Meng Liansi’s.

“My father…” Meng Liansi hesitated.

“It’s okay,” Luo Ying said, “whenever your father is ready to talk to us, we’ll have a good chat with him.”

Meng Liansi took a sip of rose tea, the fragrance of which was refreshing. She also relaxed, gazing at the distant view while saying: “I’m living very well now, the kind of well-being I never dared to imagine before. It doesn’t matter if my father can’t understand; I made up my mind long ago…”

Luo Ying grasped the back of her hand, and they gazed at each other in the lingering light of the sunset. Without needing any more words, they interlocked their fingers, smiling at each other with perfect understanding.

Luo Ying also remembered how Meng Liansi’s father had said his daughter “defiled” the family’s reputation.

The word “defile” was too harsh; her heart was pure and unblemished, as was her love. Even if past experiences had left a slight shadow in her heart, within that shadow bloomed a rose in full blossom.