In Zhao Nanshuang’s memory, Cheng Wanyue was a bright sunflower. Seeing her this time, various emotions intertwined within her heart.

Life is both resilient and fragile.

Wanyue dressed simply, as if she had just casually taken a comfortable dress from her wardrobe after getting up. Perhaps she had risen too early—she was still yawning when getting out of the car, so drowsy that she could fall asleep just by leaning into Qing Hang’s embrace.

Zhao Nanshuang had photographed wedding dresses before, but never like this.

Only the veil had any connection to wedding photos.

Zhao Nanshuang had come alone, without an assistant or makeup artist, bringing only a camera.

The plane trees along both sides of the road were extremely lush, blocking out the sky. Qing Hang and Cheng Wanyue strolled along the roadside. When the wind rose, she held the veil casually in her hand; when the wind stopped, Qing Hang would quietly place the veil over her head. She would chase after him, while Zhao Nanshuang photographed them along the way, taking over two hundred photos in more than half an hour.

After lunch, as Zhao Nanshuang checked her camera, she felt for the first time that not a single one of these photos was wasted.

Zhao Nanshuang selected her favorite photos to show Cheng Wanyue. “When you have your wedding ceremony, I’ll come and photograph it.”

With Qing Hang not present, Cheng Wanyue didn’t need to be so cautious. “Although I’m very happy, there probably won’t be a wedding.”

Zhao Nanshuang thought they had already registered their marriage.

Cheng Wanyue lowered her head. “The probability of not being cured is very high. When I’m dead, I won’t feel pain or heartbreak, I won’t get angry or jealous, and I won’t be sad. I won’t feel anything. But what about him? He has no family left, but he still has to continue living, still has a long life ahead. A second marriage… that doesn’t sound good. I’m so young, and people might mistakenly think I bring bad luck to my wives. How will he find someone in the future? Even if he finds someone who doesn’t mind that he’s been married before, and he likes her too, if they argue one day and I’m brought up, should he defend me or pacify her? Neither is good. I don’t want to get married.”

Zhao Nanshuang looked at Qing Hang standing in the distance. He had clearly heard these words, the sadness in his eyes disappearing in an instant as he naturally walked over to sit beside Cheng Wanyue, looking at the photos with her.

That afternoon, as Zhao Nanshuang was organizing the photos in her hotel, Zhou Chiyi called her.

After just a few words, Zhou Chiyi sensed her bad mood. “What’s wrong? Did the shoot not go well?”

Zhao Nanshuang was downcast. “No, I just feel a bit upset.”

No matter how much he asked, he couldn’t get the reason. Zhou Chiyi decided to go find her.

Zhou Chiyi owned a racing team, and today, someone in the team was celebrating a birthday. “You all eat. I need to go win over your future boss’s wife.”

His friends teased him for prioritizing romance over friendship as he was about to leave right after arriving. “Is there still someone you can’t win over?”

Zhou Chiyi was already booking a flight. “Yes, she’s very proud. So I need to seize every moment when she’s vulnerable, can’t miss a single one, and definitely can’t give other men a chance to take advantage.”

The call hadn’t been hung up, so Zhao Nanshuang could hear everything they said. On her computer screen was her WeChat conversation with Cheng Wanyue. Suddenly, she felt at peace with everything from the past.

…

Zhou Yu’s due date was in mid-August, and she was admitted to the hospital a few days early.

Cheng Wanyue very much wanted to visit Zhou Yu, but she had a fever. During the day, she was in a daze without any strength; at night, her consciousness was unclear. When the doctor called her, she had no response at all. This was the closest she had come to death since being hospitalized.

The next day, Qing Hang kept watch by her bedside, waiting for her to wake up to tell her that little Moon had been born.

Her mind was unclear, and she asked in confusion, “Who is little Moon?”

Qing Hang knew this was a medication reaction and explained to her slowly, “She’s your little niece.”

After a long while, Cheng Wanyue’s confused state improved slightly. She could see Qing Hang’s face clearly, and she also saw her parents’ tears. “I’m an aunt now. Have you been to see her?”

The IV needle was inserted in the back of her foot. Qing Hang, worried she might move carelessly, sat at the foot of the bed the entire time. “Mom and Dad have been. I haven’t yet. I’m waiting to go with you.”

Cheng Wanyue even took a moment to react when drinking water, let alone notice that Qing Hang was calling Cheng Guo’an “Dad” and Yang Huimin “Mom.”

Cheng Yuzhou came to see Cheng Wanyue after Zhou Yu fell asleep. He had taken photos of little Moon. Cheng Wanyue’s expression grew increasingly melancholic. “Why is she so wrinkly…”

Qing Hang couldn’t help but laugh. “All newborns are like that.”

“How long have you gone without sleep?”

“I just woke up.”

“You’re lying.”

“However long you slept, that’s how long I slept. Princess Rapunzel, I need to go to work now. Wait for me to come back.”

Cheng Wanyue agreed. As Qing Hang reached the door, she called him back. “Has your patient been discharged?”

Qing Hang knew who she was asking about. She had been concerned about the family that had caused a scene before. “Yes, the family even gave me a banner of appreciation.”

There was visible happiness on Cheng Wanyue’s face. “That’s wonderful.”

Cheng Yuzhou followed Qing Hang out the door and put his hand on his shoulder, feeling that his clothes were wet. When Cheng Wanyue suddenly took a turn for the worse, he had broken out in a cold sweat and still hadn’t calmed down.

A few days later, Zhou Yu went to the postpartum care center. Cheng Wanyue video-called with her. Zhou Yu gently rocked the cradle, talking to her daughter: “Moon, Moon, this is your aunt, and next to her is your uncle.”

Cheng Wanyue thought that “uncle” wasn’t as easy to say as “aunt,” so Moon would learn to say “aunt” first.

“At what age do children start talking?”

“Generally between one and two years old, but they start making some cooing sounds when they’re a few months old.”

Cheng Wanyue thought to herself that it would be a long wait. She found two more white hairs on Qing Hang’s head. The day she had fainted had frightened the whole family. At that time, Qing Hang had been in the operating room.

There was no one else in the hospital room. Cheng Wanyue’s whole body ached, but talking could divert her attention. “Qing Hang, if… if I’m gone, how will you live afterward?”

The weather was good today, and the sunlight made the area near the window extremely bright.

“Normally. Besides work, I’ll travel in my spare time, see landscapes I haven’t seen before. I’ll meet many people, and after a long time, I should forget about you.”

“And then?”

“Then… then… then…” He thought for a long time. “Then I’ll marry someone suitable, deal with household matters, worry about children, and live an ordinary life like most people, passing through this life.”

Cheng Wanyue felt that this wasn’t ordinary at all. “You’re so smart, so studious. Don’t be a fool. Even if you think about me your whole life, I won’t know anything. Just think of me when the moon is full—that’s enough.”

“I won’t,” Qing Hang turned around, not letting Cheng Wanyue see his expression. “I’m very realistic, not as sentimental as you think.”

“Qing Hang, you must do as you say.”

“Mm.”

“Qing Hang, do you think it will snow in Nanjing this winter?”

“You guess first.”

“Probably not. Nanjing rarely gets snow. The probability of snow in Baicheng is higher. The apricot tree at A’Yu’s house doesn’t bear fruit anymore. What a pity. In the past, we couldn’t eat all of them every year. The branches have even broken under the weight of the apricots. Qing Hang, I want to go home…”

She had just been talking, but when Qing Hang didn’t respond for a moment, she fell asleep.

Cheng Yanqing stayed at the hospital for the night. In the early hours, he suddenly woke up with a sense of unease and hurried to check on Cheng Wanyue. No lights were on in the hospital room; only the equipment emitted a faint glow.

Thinking Qing Hang wasn’t there, he walked in a few steps, but upon seeing Qing Hang sitting by the bed, silently crying while biting the back of his hand, he retreated from the room, gently closing the door.

Before dawn, he had smoked half a pack of cigarettes.

In the morning, he went home to wash up and change clothes, making sure there was no smell of smoke before returning to the hospital. Qing Hang went to work as usual, and he talked more than Qing Hang did, with Cheng Wanyue occasionally joining the conversation.

He had many videos of Meiqiu stored on his phone that Cheng Wanyue could watch repeatedly. “Brother, you’ve been smoking again.”

Cheng Yanqing instinctively lowered his head to smell his clothes. “No, I’ve quit a long time ago.”

“You’ve all shed so many tears for me. I’m the happiest child in the Cheng family. Don’t always worry about me.”

He looked away. “What are you writing?”

“Letters. Every year before Qing Hang’s birthday, you help me mail them to him.”

Cheng Wanyue had already written several lines, but Cheng Yanqing remained silent.

“Are you angry again? I have other things to ask of you. Wait until I finish before getting angry. If I don’t make it, find an excuse to send Qing Hang away beforehand. If he watches me leave with his own eyes, he’ll never forget it. I’m A’Yu’s only family member; she’ll be very sad. I heard from a friend that it’s easy to get postpartum depression right after giving birth. You all must pay close attention. Mom and Dad’s health isn’t good. You and Zhi Zhi should visit them more often. Also, I’ve consulted about donating my remains…”

“Cheng Wanyue, are you asking to be scolded?!” He couldn’t bear to hear another word.

When she brought up this matter, her tone remained light. “I don’t want to become a box.”

Cheng Yanqing stood by the window, and after a long while, he finally said, “Okay.”

A drop of blood fell onto the letter paper. Cheng Wanyue touched her nose—she was having a nosebleed. Cheng Yanqing hurriedly pressed the button to call the doctor. Soon, people surrounded her bed.

Cheng Wanyue had a very long dream. She dreamed of her grandmother, who was braiding her hair and praising her for having such beautiful black hair.

When she woke up, her head ached severely. Qing Hang was talking to her, but she heard him unclearly. In her dream, he had avoided everyone to slip her a note, whispering, “I’ll wait for you after class.”

She had no strength. Qing Hang bent down, his ear close to her, and finally heard what she said: “Don’t wait for me.”

Qing Hang nodded in agreement. “Okay, I’ll go see Moon in a while. Zhou Yu says she’s especially well-behaved. Put her in the cradle, and she can play by herself. After eating, she sleeps, and when she wakes up, she doesn’t fuss.”

Everyone was in the hallway. Cheng Yanqing returned from the doctor’s office and suddenly seemed to remember something. “Moon has been talking about wanting to eat plum blossom cake, but I forgot to buy it. Qing Hang, can you bring one for her on your way?”

Cheng Guo’an had left his phone at home and also asked Qing Hang to bring it for him.

The Cheng family’s nanny was a local from Nanjing. Moon was awake, and the nanny wasn’t sleeping either, so Qing Hang went to the Cheng house first.

Cheng Wanyue was pushed into the emergency room—infection plus intracranial hemorrhage.

It was already the middle of the night. Where could he buy plum blossom cake? Qing Hang searched shop after shop. As time passed, he couldn’t find the plum blossom cake, so he bought a bouquet of roses instead.

Like the plum blossom cake, she couldn’t eat it, only smell its fragrance. Fresh flowers weren’t allowed in the hospital room either, but he could let her see them from outside the door.

At 3:25 AM, Qing Hang’s heart beat rapidly, and his abdomen experienced a sinking pain. He bent over to ease it, and in that moment, he suddenly sensed something.

Those 47 seconds at the traffic light felt incredibly long to him. Though there was no one beside him, he felt anxious and restless.

Cheng Wanyue, wait for me.

Look, the flower shop stayed open until 3 AM for you, the sky started snowing for you, the plane tree leaves fell all over the ground for you, and even the traffic light was 0.001 seconds faster for you.

Cheng Wanyue, wait for me a little longer.

When Qing Hang arrived at the hospital, he bumped into a busy nurse in the elevator. The nurse told him, “Patient Cheng Wanyue’s time of death was 3:25 AM.”

Autumn wasn’t over yet, but the coolness on the back of his hand was his tears.

The plane trees along the street hadn’t yet reached the season for shedding leaves. What he stepped on beneath his feet were fallen rose petals.

People cannot perceive a difference of 0.001 seconds. 0.001 seconds was the brief pause of his heartbeat.