Ah Heng had met with the Lu family’s young master several times alone, and Yun Zai’s face grew darker day by day.

Ah Heng was too slow to notice, but Si Er, seeing this situation, vaguely recalled someone’s threat and consciously kept some distance from Yun Zai.

One time, Ah Heng went out for tea with Lu Mojun.

On the second floor of the teahouse, by the window with bamboo blinds, the atmosphere was classically elegant. Buddhist incense burned, its fragrance subtle and pleasing. Ah Heng felt quite peaceful. The two discussed interesting matters, finding they shared similar interests. Time passed quickly, and dusk approached.

The weather forecast predicted snow for B City that evening.

Ah Heng checked the time, just about to make some concluding remarks and take leave, when Lu Mojun, staring out the window, suddenly smiled at something and made an inexplicably scornful, disdainful comment: “Does Ah Heng know the Yan family’s dragon son?”

Ah Heng glanced outside at the vast sea of people, something distant becoming indistinct in the frosty air. She lowered her bamboo blind and smiled, asking: “The Yan family’s dragon son? Who is that, what’s the explanation?”

Lu Mojun smiled: “You should know him. He’s even considered a good friend of your brother, though nowadays, everyone’s ashamed to associate with him. You probably rarely hear about him from your brother.”

“He…”

“The eldest grandson of General Yan, an elder in the military, a famous prince of the military faction. Because of his deviant dragon tendencies, everyone gave him the nickname ‘Yan Dragon Son’ – quite fitting for him.”

“Oh.”

Ah Heng patiently drank a few more cups of tea, touched the pot – still warm but the sweetness had evaporated – then smiled and said: “Mr. Lu, it’s getting late. They’ve probably prepared dinner at home. I should head back.”

Lu Mojun laughed: “We’re friends after all, no need to keep being so formal calling me Mr. Lu.”

Ah Heng nodded, smiled faintly like a landscape painting, and said: “Alright then, Lu Mojun, goodbye.”

Outside, the wind grew fierce, and snowflakes began to fall.

Ah Heng turned and went downstairs, opened an umbrella at the teahouse steps, and walked alone into the snow.

From that day on, she no longer associated with Lu Mojun.

When Si Wan asked why, Ah Heng only said one thing: “Every time he invites me for tea, he makes my teeth fall out but never offers any snacks.”

I said, “Young Master Lu, children just have this one love – they like sweet things. If you won’t even fulfill this small request before marriage, how can you expect the child to dare marry you to farm, bear children, and continue your family line, don’t you think?”

Si Wan thought about it and agreed, complaining: “I’m saying, Lu Mojun, you’re too stingy. How much would it cost you to buy my sister a basket of sweet buns?”

Lu Mojun was greatly embarrassed, tearfully saying: “I thought she was an elegant person, naturally detached from such things.”

Si Wan said: “Come on, my sister’s been able to put on an act for more than just a day or two, how could you not see through that? Besides, aren’t elegant people still people? Don’t elegant people still need to eat, drink, and relieve themselves?”

And so, this matchmaking attempt by Si Wan wasn’t particularly successful. She continued introducing several talented young men, but each time they had a date, Yun fellow at home would clutch his chest like Xi Shi, with heart pain that moved one to pity.

Before Ah Heng could even leave, he would faint, and as soon as Ah Heng declined, he would gradually regain consciousness, staring confusedly with cloud-like eyes while holding his hand, incredibly gentle: “Brother Si Wan, am I too sick? Am I causing trouble for your plans?”

Si Wan held back blood, thinking: You faint eight times a day and each time fall into Ah Heng’s arms, and you’re asking me? But through gritted teeth, he said: “It’s fine, one of these days, brother will take you for a proper medical checkup!”

Yun Zai smiled, his teeth like fine grains of rice, saying: “This is an illness I was born with. The last time after surgery, it was ninety percent better, but just ten percent remains, acting up unpredictably. Hospitals can’t detect it.”

Si Er stood aside giggling, seeing her brother’s face turn blue, his dimples gone and pulled him away.

Ah Heng had long seen through this act and pinched Yun Zai’s cheeks like dough, smiling without mirth: “Yun Zai, what are you up to? Putting on eight shows a day, aren’t you tired?”

Yun Zai was very serious: “Wen Heng, I’m telling you I love you. Why don’t I marry you?”

Ah Heng was also very serious: “Yun Zai, if you dare act out another three hundred thousand worth of drama, want to bet whether I’ll beat you to death with my slippers?”

She held that three hundred thousand grudge for many years.

Yun Zai: “How am I acting? Which eye of yours saw me acting? I’m a disciple of the City God Temple, monks never tell lies.”

Si Er poked his head in, sneering: “Monk if you fight me for lamb slices again tonight, I’ll pinch you to death.”

Yun Zai: “Benefactor, heaven values all life. This humble monk has long been plagued by illness; without meat, I’ll die.”

Si Er rolled his eyes, spat, and gracefully floated away.

Yun Zai still clung to Ah Heng’s embrace, like when he was little, saying: “Ah Heng, let me marry you, or if you prefer, you can marry me.”

Ah Heng said: “Hey hey, don’t move, don’t move, an eyelash fell in your eye.”

She helped him remove the eyelash, extremely serious and calm.

He grew lazy, too lazy to speak, nestled into her embrace, simply sleeping until everything turned dark.

One good sleep and dawn flowers bloomed.

Years passed, and one day Ah Heng ran into Sun Peng.

Old friends catching up on recent news, she learned he was working in stocks, willing to invest capital, and had earned quite a bit.

He turned his peach blossom eyes: “Ah Heng, your cheeks are rosy and your eyes hold joy – could good news be approaching?”

Ah Heng smiled: “Yes, yes, thank you for the blessing. Tomorrow engagement, day after tomorrow marriage.”

Sun Peng leaned against a tree, also smiling: “Wen Heng, can I ask you something?”

“Ask away.”

“Hypothetically, I’m saying hypothetically, if you were to raise a pig, would you prefer one without fur and illness, or one with defects, um, like blind in one eye, deaf in one ear, and both legs useless?”

“…What do you think?”

“Ah, no, shouldn’t ask like that. I mean, if you were given a defective pig, would you be willing to raise it?”

“Does it eat a lot?”

“Yes.”

“Does it have fat?”

“Probably… no.”

“Is it troublesome?”

“Yes.”

“Does it have a good temperament?”

“Extremely terrible.”

“Why would I raise it? Am I sick?”

“Oh… right, normal people, only those who are sick, would want it.”

Sun Peng seemed lost in thought, smiled, and just as he was about to leave, suddenly turned back to Ah Heng: “One day, I’ll send Miss Wen a grand gift. Even if you don’t like it, you must not give up.”

Then he left, his back straight as a tree trunk.

Counting the time, after the Lantern Festival, there were two days until school started. Mother Wen had booked plane tickets in advance for Ah Heng and Yun Zai.

Taking advantage of the warming spring weather, Ah Heng bought a bag of seeds from the flower market and spent several nights planting them all. She asked the old gardener who trimmed branches in the courtyard to look after them, hoping the poor seedlings could survive long enough to get a drink of water when the time was right – whether they lived or died was up to fate.

The old gardener laughed loudly: “Miss, no one has lived there for a year already!”

Ah Heng also laughed: “I know.”

The old gardener loved flowers, so Ah Heng bought him several pots of magnolia as a favor, saying: “Thank you for your trouble, I’ll come back when I can.”

Si Wan, under pressure from his mother, found a girlfriend. She was very beautiful, and surprisingly, her eyes resembled Si Er’s, though she was very shy, quiet around people, and didn’t like to smile.

However, Mother Wen treated this future daughter-in-law like a treasure, calling her “precious” and “darling” all day, looking at the girl with such loving eyes, as if she were a lifesaving straw.

Si Wan was also very satisfied with his girlfriend, daring to be affectionate in front of his two sisters, making them so disgusted their skin crawled.

The only flaw was her ordinary family background. Old Wen frowned in disapproval, but unfortunately, with one vote against four, the younger generation wouldn’t budge, and he could only retreat in frustration.

Ah Heng and Yun Zai packed their luggage, as they had to catch their flight the next day.

Si Wan and Si Er discussed: “Let’s go out, stay up all night eating and singing karaoke. Once you leave, we might not see each other for half a year.”

Si Wan called to invite Da Yi and Chen Juan. These two had recently started a construction company that was flourishing, living the sweet life while keeping it from Old Xin.

However, after waiting for ages, three rounds of drinks in, only Chen Juan showed up alone, stammering that Da Yi had something to attend to.

Si Wan, having had a few drinks, was somewhat drunk: “Has Xin Da Yi gotten too big for his britches? Can’t even get him to accept my invitation now?”

Chen Juan forced a laugh: “He had something he couldn’t get away from. I’ll punish myself with three drinks to apologize to you, ah, and to Ah Heng and Yun Zai too.”

After speaking, he poured three full cups, steadily drank them all, and smiled at everyone, quite brilliantly.

Si Wan couldn’t say anything more, added a seat, and ordered more food and drinks, inviting Chen Juan to join. Chen Juan sat next to Ah Heng, thinking to himself that although he had known Si Wan first, he was closest to Ah Heng.

Everyone chatted and laughed at the table. Chen Juan, being naturally clever, told several jokes, and then everyone laughed themselves to death.

Si Wan laughed himself to death.

Si Er laughed herself to death.

Ah Heng laughed herself to death.

Yun Zai nestled in Ah Heng’s embrace and laughed himself to death.

Chen Juan felt somewhat uncomfortable. Recalling certain familiar scenes, he sighed – just because the actor had changed, why couldn’t he bear to watch anymore? Yet his face still maintained that brilliant smile, showing no hesitation.

The waiter brought a plate of tomato-stewed ribs. Si Wan, sitting diagonally from Ah Heng, hurriedly called the waiter to place it on his side, looking somewhat awkwardly at Ah Heng.

Ah Heng was puzzled but amused inside. She stood up, picked up the largest rib, and put it in her mouth, chewing.

The meat was tender and the soup flavorful – mm, very delicious.

Everyone’s suspended hearts returned to their places.

Yun Zai smiled: “What’s wrong? Is there something wrong with the ribs I ordered?”

Everyone quickly said there was no problem. Ah Heng smiled and scooped up several ribs for Yun Zai, saying: “Eat more, don’t go back and complain about being hungry again.”

They took taxis to the KTV – Si Wan and Si Er in one car, Ah Heng, Yun Zai, and Chen Juan in another.

Chen Juan sat in the front passenger seat. Halfway through the journey, he received a phone call, seemingly speaking to Da Yi, fragments carried by the wind, unclear to Ah Heng’s ears.

“Mm… they’re not angry with you… just take good care of him… what… the medicine expired… oh… I understand… I’ll buy new ones and bring them over…”

Chen Juan turned his head, apologetically looking at the two: “Before we go to KTV, we might need to take a detour. I need to buy some medicine.”

Ah Heng asked: “What’s wrong, is Da Yi sick?”

Chen Juan smiled stiffly: “No, a friend has had a fever for two days that won’t break, and there’s no one at home, so Da Yi went to look after them.”

Ah Heng and Yun Zai nodded, and Chen Juan had the driver head to the state-run pharmacy.

When getting out of the car, Ah Heng also got out to help him choose medicine.

She said: “Doctor, ciprofloxacin, and cefuroxime tablets, three days’ worth of each. Three ibuprofen, not tablets, capsules.”

After paying, Ah Heng handed the plastic bag of medicine to Chen Juan, pointing at the medicine while instructing: “Cipro and cefuroxime are antibiotics, take them half an hour after meals; ibuprofen isn’t tablets, it’s not bitter, one capsule per day, after the fever breaks, don’t let… he take anymore.”

Chen Juan nodded, smiling more painfully than crying, saying: “I know, I’ll remember.”

Ah Heng looked up, her usually gentle smiling face showing some surprise: “Why are your eyes red?”

But Chen Juan turned away, not looking at her: “Young miss, you didn’t see, the night wind is strong, got in my eyes.”

She nodded and said: “We’ll wait for you.” Looking around at the high-end residential area, she said, “It’s here, right? Go quickly and come back quickly.”

She turned, blocking the wind, walking toward the car.

His steps were swift, walking to somewhere, finally unable to hold back, tears covering his face.

In February 2005, Wen Heng and Yun Zai flew back to H City.

March, the profligate Yan Dragon Son attended Lu Corporation’s New Year spring fashion show, sitting and chatting intimately with Lu’s grandson, their relationship close, drawing public criticism.