During the winter break of 2005, A Heng brought home a guest through the snow.

Yun Zai.

He was fond of wearing glasses while reading, had pale fingers, and was skilled at programming—the elegant and refined Yun Zai.

Mother Wen’s mind started working, and she asked A Heng: “Has your father arranged his marriage yet?”

A Heng paused slightly, saying: “No, he hasn’t.”

Mother Wen pulled her daughter aside and asked with a smile: “What do you think about Si Er?”

A Heng turned around. Si Er was playing a game under Yun Zai’s guidance. Sitting together, one fair and one golden-skinned, one gentle and one vivacious, they matched quite well.

A Heng thought for a moment, then burst out laughing: “Mom, don’t let Yun Zai’s maturity fool you—he’s two years younger than Er Er.”

Mother Wen tapped her forehead affectionately: “What era are we in? Your mom isn’t that old-fashioned, so how did she end up with such a traditional daughter?”

A Heng blushed slightly, her mind working. If Yun Zai married Er Er, they’d become even closer relatives. When Zai settled in B City, Father and Mother would surely follow. Wouldn’t that make fulfilling her filial duties easier? Finding the idea appealing, she nodded to her mother with a smile: “Mom, I’ll try. If they’re interested, that would be good. If not…”

Mother Wen nodded, saying: “If not, it’s fine too. It was just a passing thought—the children have their ideas.”

The Wen family had withdrawn their shares from the Lu Corporation six months ago, earning substantial profits. Si Wan seized the opportunity to register a new company. Mother Wen appeared a hundred times more relaxed, her outlook completely changed. When not organizing concerts with old friends from the music world, she busied herself matchmaking, delighting in pairing up the third generation. Dayi and Sun Peng didn’t dare face Aunt Wen, running faster than rabbits at the sight of her.

Si Er often patted A Heng’s face, full of sympathy: “Poor child, the past is all smoke and clouds. That beating you took was for nothing, and you even got thrown out of the house. Tsk tsk, I bet Mom and Brother were ready to act out some third-rate 8 PM drama script, willing to do anything to preserve family bonds. In the end, except for your tragic play, their mother-son duo turned it into a happy comedy.”

A Heng smiled without humor: “Do you have amnesia? When I was thrown out, you seemed to throw quite a few stones down the well.”

Si Er waved her sleeve, serious: “As an enemy, how could I have any sympathy? Wen Heng, what kind of person do you take me for? I have principles.”

A Heng smiled: “There were several times I wanted to bite you to death.”

Si Er rolled up her sleeve, her smile radiant as peach blossoms: “Go ahead, bite me.”

A Heng pulled down her clothes, laughing: “Enough, you annoying girl. If you catch a cold, you’ll blame it on me.” Suddenly remembering her mother’s words, she spoke softly, “What do you think of Yun Zai?”

Si Er’s eyes darted around, highly defensive: “What about him? What scheme has Mom cooked up now? Last time she tried to make me develop feelings for Zhang Ruo—we had three meals together and fought three times, ruining three of my Chanel dresses!”

A Heng suppressed a laugh: “Didn’t you tear up his three Armani suits too? Even his pants. Besides, last time wasn’t Mom’s fault. Zhang Ruo’s mother had taken a liking to you and insisted Mom create opportunities for you two to be alone. Mom saw you weren’t dating anyone and got worried, thinking maybe you two might hit it off.”

Si Er spat: “His son gets dumped by some little singer and then sets his sights on me? And Mom—those turtle eyes only match with mung beans. Do I look like a mung bean?”

A Heng chuckled: “So what about Yun Zai? How is he?”

Si Er turned her face toward the frosted window, deliberately changing the subject: “Didn’t you tell me earlier that you and your brother had fallen out? Why did he come back with you this year?”

A Heng smiled at her: “When returning to school last spring, he kept apologizing to me, looking so pitiful. I thought, as his sister, what’s there to forgive or not forgive? So we made up.”

Si Er made a sound of acknowledgment and drew patterns in the window’s condensation, falling silent.

A Heng curved her eyebrows: “My brother is quite good, just as nice as me. I guarantee he won’t bully you.”

Si Er twisted her mouth: “Please, if he’s like you, wouldn’t that make him completely stupid…”

A Heng looked at her gently, unbothered. After thinking, she smiled: “Fine, I’ll sound out Yun Zai’s feelings first, then get back to you.”

Yun Zai was programming in A Heng’s room. Though he had been given a spacious room, the child rarely went there except to sleep, preferring to nest in A Heng’s room.

When A Heng entered, Yun Zai turned around, stretched, and smiled at her: “Sis, I’m hungry.”

A Heng’s planned words died in her throat, and she only asked what he wanted to eat.

Yun Zai said: “Mm, anything. Instant noodles are fine.”

A Heng nodded and went to the kitchen to cook a bowl of noodles, also cutting a small plate of pickled mustard greens. Unexpectedly, Si Wan came home through the snow, looking at A Heng like a lifesaver, eyes bright: “A Heng, is there food? I’m starving!”

Seeing there were still noodles in the pot, A Heng served him a bowl. Watching him wolf it down, still smelling of alcohol, she shook her head: “Why are you home so late? It’s the middle of the night—Mom fell asleep waiting for you.”

Si Wan slurped his noodles: “You think I didn’t want to come home for dinner? The company’s just started, not yet on track. Everything needs oversight.”

A Heng smiled, saying: “Drink less alcohol. Too much is bad for you.”

Si Wan shook his head: “You call this drinking much? You haven’t seen truly reckless drinking. Before… uh, when drinking, a glass meant for beer would be half-filled with baijiu mixed with beer.”

A Heng smiled and was about to head upstairs with the bowl when Si Wan called out: “A Heng, are you free tomorrow?”

A Heng turned: “Yes, why?”

“Um, would you… join me for a meal?”

“Me? What for?”

“Director Lu from First City Hospital is Dad’s old friend. I met his son recently—his appearance, speech, and manner are all quite distinguished. Um, you’re not getting any younger. I thought I’d introduce you, and let you make a friend.”

A Heng froze as if she hadn’t heard. After climbing a few stairs, she paused and softly said: “Alright.”

Si Wan said: “Tomorrow’s your birthday, right?”

A Heng responded: “Mm, twenty-two.”

Indeed, not young anymore.

Before the appointment the next day, Si Wan specially took A Heng shopping for clothes and had her hair done.

The Lu family’s son was a bright, tall, and handsome man. He hadn’t followed his father into medicine, instead studying finance in America for several years and starting his own company. He and Si Wan were compatible friends.

He had been greeting Si Wan but smiled broadly upon seeing A Heng: “The reality exceeds the reputation. Hello, Miss Wen. I’m Lu Mojun.”

A Heng glanced at Si Wan, who gave an encouraging look. Following his lead, she said: “Nice to meet you, I’m Wen Heng.”

Lu Mojun smiled, his teeth gleaming white like a toothpaste commercial. He said: “I know the Wen family has two young ladies, and I know of Wen Si Er’s famous beauty. When Si Wan said yesterday he’d introduce me to his sister Wen Heng, I was initially disappointed it wasn’t Wen Si Er. Now I see my vision was too narrow.”

A Heng’s face reddened slightly, somewhat uncomfortable: “You’re too kind.”

Si Wan smiled proudly: “Both my sisters are wonderful. This one is Mother’s favorite—if she weren’t usually so quiet, how would it fall to me as her brother to worry about such things?”

When the appetizer wine was served, Si Wan checked his watch—it was nearly the exact time of A Heng’s birth.

He pulled out a silver box tied with a blue ribbon from his pocket, coughing lightly, apologetically telling Lu Mojun: “Mother dotes on A Heng and insisted I give her birthday gift at the exact time. Excuse us.”

Opening the box revealed a dazzling, exquisite, and noble diamond necklace, with a purple diamond plum blossom pendant.

A Heng was stunned, looking at the necklace, somewhat at a loss.

Lu Mojun stared at the necklace, amazed: “Isn’t this… isn’t this the Purple Plum Seal that was auctioned at the S City charity gala a few days ago? They said a mysterious person won it for three million yuan… that was you…”

Si Wan smiled casually: “I wasn’t there personally, but I had someone attend the gala to bid for it.”

A Heng was also shocked. Si Wan lifted her hair to fasten the necklace around her fair neck. Across the table, the Lu gentleman’s gaze fixed intensely on A Heng.

A Heng smiled bitterly—what kind of display of wealth was Si Wan putting on?

When they returned home, Yun Zai was reading. He looked up to see A Heng and the… necklace at her throat. His cloud-like eyes seemed to mist over, but he smiled and said: “Sis, how was your blind date?”

A Heng felt uncomfortable, removing her hair accessories to brush her hair. She frowned slightly and said softly: “It was fine.”

The youth laid his head on A Heng’s knee, holding her waist, asking: “Sis, are you getting married soon?”

A Heng laughed, gently stroking his face: “What nonsense. Sister’s medical degree takes seven years, this is only the fourth year. There’s still time.”

“Then, after three years, will you get married?”

A Heng nodded: “Naturally, girls should marry when they come of age.”

The youth pretended to doze, asking: “What about me when you’re married? We finally, finally…”

A Heng laughed: “Silly child, even if Sister marries, I’m still your sister. Nothing will change.”

Yun Zai said: “If you marry, you won’t have much time for me anymore.”

A Heng laughed heartily: “Yun Zai, do you plan to stay in my arms forever, never growing up, never marrying or having children?”

Yun Zai closed his eyes, inhaling A Heng’s fresh, gentle pine scent, smiled faintly, and sighed softly: “That’s what I think, and I don’t see anything wrong with it.”

A Heng was about to say something when her phone rang.

“Hello, yes…”

“Oh, it’s me, Mr. Lu. What can I help you with?”

“Tomorrow? Tomorrow won’t work, I promised to go shopping with Si Er…”

“The day after… that won’t work either… um, I’m not making excuses… and I don’t dislike you…”

“The weekend… okay… alright.”

A Heng hung up the phone.

Yun Zai opened his eyes, his cloud-like pupils neither shallow nor deep, playing with A Heng’s hanging hair, gentle yet thoughtful.

In the same city, a man wearing headphones lay on a luxurious carpet, quietly listening to earsplitting rock music.

Another man stood behind him, tall and graceful, his ears somewhat translucent in the yellow, ambiguous light.

This man said: “What are you thinking now… I can’t seem to read you at all… Why are you so irritable today… Who upset you… My office… you’ve left it in chaos… tore up all the New Year’s plans… Yan Xi what the hell are you doing…”

He sat beside Yan Xi, coldly looking into his eyes, saying: “I hate you like this… always disregarding my feelings… knowing I’m the one who loves you… yet selfishly sinking into your own emotions… not leaving yourself or others any way out… Do you know how many secretaries I had to fire today because of your temper… I know you’re tired of seeing Secretary Chen… but that person can’t disappear… he knows too much about me… at least can’t disappear suddenly…”

Yan Xi stared at the ceiling, still quietly listening to music.

“At least say something… what do you want… or what are you upset about… I’ve completely let go of the Wen family… except for the most original things… in the old man’s hands… I can’t get them for now… but that’s no reason for your anger… Yan Xi!”

The man looked at him for a long while, suddenly smiled, looking at his headphones and speaking softly: “Sorry, I forgot, you can’t hear.”

The man removed his headphones, lifted Yan Xi by the waist, and walked into the elaborately decorated bedroom.

Yan Xi didn’t resist.

For the first time, he didn’t resist.

He kissed his eyes, kissed his nose, kissed his lips. Although this person’s expression showed little change, all of this was enough to make him feel that twenty-some years of patience had been worth it.

He lost control, tearing open the large-eyed man’s nightclothes, the clear white texture of his skin, inch by inch, could only belong to him.

He kissed downward, but suddenly the thin man’s body arched, clutching the sheets, and began to vomit.