First Frost

After applying the ointment and returning to her room, Wen Yifan let her thoughts wander for a while.

At that moment, she truly felt the reality of being in a relationship with Sang Yan. The sense of unreality that had lingered since his arrival in Beiyu finally seemed to settle.

Before falling asleep, Wen Yifan hazily recalled the words Sang Yan had said during dinner. She became slightly more awake, but before she could ponder further, sleep pulled her back into dreams.

—"You're the first."

Not a kiss—

After this business trip, combined with her previous days off and the New Year holiday, the station granted Wen Yifan a three-day break.

Wen Yifan had initially planned to meet up with Zhong Siqiao during this time, but with so many family matters, she couldn't find the opportunity. Neither was in a hurry, so they decided to reschedule.

Zhong Siqiao wasn’t surprised for long about Wen Yifan and Sang Yan being together, soon concluding it was only natural. After expressing her happiness for Wen Yifan, she simply mentioned that since Wen Yifan was no longer single, she’d have to treat her to a meal.

Wen Yifan agreed with a smile.

The brief three-day holiday passed in the blink of an eye.

The continuous heavy rains since the start of the year had dropped Nanwu's temperatures to single digits. The already chilly air, now laden with moisture, doubled the cold, making bones shiver.

After spending most of the afternoon in the editing room, Wen Yifan returned to her office. She turned on her computer and skimmed through the documents on her desk, planning to finalize the outline she’d written that morning before heading home.

Just then, Su Tian came back from outside.

Noticing her out of the corner of her eye, Wen Yifan looked up and greeted her.

It had been nearly a month since they last saw each other.

On the day Wen Yifan returned from Beiyu, Su Tian happened to be sent on a business trip to a neighboring town. With so much going on lately, their overlapping time in the office had been scarce, let alone chances to chat.

Su Tian slumped onto her desk with a weary sigh. "My boyfriend is mad at me."

Wen Yifan turned to her, concerned. "What happened?"

Su Tian: "You know the new commercial district in Tongxi area that just opened? Nanwu’s first Ferris wheel. My boyfriend had already made plans with me to ride it, and I agreed."

"And then?"

"And then! It’s all because of this damn job! I stood him up again!" Su Tian grew more agitated as she spoke. "It’s always like this! The moment I’m about to leave, someone falls into a ditch nearby!"

"..."

Su Tian: "He’s been giving me the cold shoulder for days now. I swear, one more time and he’ll probably break up with me."

Wen Yifan found it somewhat amusing. "Explain it to him. It’s work—there’s nothing you can do. He should understand."

"Once or twice, sure." Su Tian looked troubled and frustrated. "But after so many times, it’s impossible. He even wants me to quit and find another job. Unbelievable."

Hearing this, Wen Yifan paused, thinking about her and Sang Yan’s jobs.

Both were quite busy.

Fortunately, since they lived together, unless they were too swamped to even go home, they still managed to see each other almost every day.

A small respite amidst the chaos.

After venting, Su Tian suddenly remembered to ask about progress. "Oh, right, how’s it going with your King of Ducks?"The topic suddenly turned to her, and it was a very familiar question. Wen Yifan almost instinctively blurted out the usual "Still working on it." She didn’t speak, merely curling her lips slightly, but her expression conveyed the answer clearly enough.

Seeing her like this, Su Tian immediately understood. "So you’ve become the Queen of Male Escorts?"

"..." Wen Yifan nearly choked. "What kind of phrasing is that?"

"What do you mean? Doesn’t a king naturally pair with a queen?" Su Tian grinned, genuinely happy for her. "When did you two get together? I never doubted you’d succeed, but I didn’t expect you to move so fast."

Wen Yifan answered honestly, "On the 2nd."

"The 2nd?" Su Tian asked. "Wasn’t that the day you returned to Nanwu from Beiyu?"

"Right."

"So you went on a date with him right after your business trip?"

Wen Yifan didn’t explain further, simply nodding with a smile.

"Bring him to meet me sometime!" Su Tian was extremely curious about what kind of man could earn the title "King of Ducks" from someone as stunning as Wen Yifan. "I want to see this handsome guy too."

Wen Yifan agreed, "Sure, if there’s a chance."

At the same time, Wen Yifan’s phone buzzed.

She glanced down.

Sang Yan: 【How much longer at work?】

She didn’t have much left to do, so she replied: 【Almost done.】

Wen Yifan: 【What about you?】

Sang Yan: 【Working overtime】

A few seconds later, perhaps realizing the ambiguity, he added two more words: 【At the bar】

"..."

Wen Yifan asked: 【You don’t have overtime today?】

Sang Yan: 【Just got off】

The next moment, Sang Yan sent a voice message: "Let me know when you’re about done. It’s cold outside—wear your scarf before coming down. Wait till I’m at your building before heading out."

Wen Yifan: 【Okay.】

Putting her phone away, Wen Yifan didn’t linger in small talk with Su Tian. She turned back to her computer, pausing briefly before her fingers flew across the keyboard, instantly shifting into work mode.

Su Tian looked away just as Mu Chengyun returned.

He was carrying equipment, as if he’d just come back from an outdoor interview. Passing by them, he didn’t glance conspicuously in Wen Yifan’s direction as he usually did.

Noticing this, Su Tian leaned closer to Wen Yifan again. "Hey, does that little puppy know you’re taken now?"

Not wanting to keep Sang Yan waiting, Wen Yifan replied absentmindedly, "Yeah."

"No wonder," Su Tian sighed. "He might as well have 'heartbroken' written all over his face."

......

On the other side.

Sang Yan put away his phone and took another sip of ice water.

Beside him, Su Haoan was bragging to Yu Zhuo about his vast romantic experience. As a seasoned player in the dating scene, he was brimming with arrogance, speaking as if he were looking down on everyone from his high horse. "Impressive, right? In all my years, I, Su Haoan, have never met a girl I couldn’t charm."

Yu Zhuo, ever the supportive employee, gave a thumbs-up. "Hao An, you’re the man!"

"It’s nothing, really. What draws people to me isn’t just because I’m tall, rich, and handsome. The reason is simple," Su Haoan emphasized with a smirk, "It’s purely because my personality is exceptionally magnetic."

"..."

"Sure, sure," Sang Yan scoffed, unable to stand his antics. "That’s why you either get cheated on or dumped.""..." Su Haoan exploded, pointing at his nose and cursing, "Bullshit! It's me who didn't want the relationships to last too long, okay? Those were all breakups I orchestrated! That's my unique brand of gentlemanly charm!"

Sang Yan couldn't be bothered to deal with him, pulling on a nearby overcoat.

"Ah, speaking of which, my favorite was still my twelfth girlfriend," Su Haoan took a sip of alcohol and sighed. "She was an adorable college student, spoke so sweetly, like cotton candy. Not long after I pursued her, I couldn't resist kissing her."

Sang Yan adjusted his clothes.

Su Haoan added, "With tongue."

"..."

"Then, she broke up with me that same day." Perhaps genuinely hurt, Su Haoan's voice lowered. "Called me a scumbag, said I was outrageously frivolous for using tongue on the first kiss, must have tons of experience."

Yu Zhuo instinctively remarked, "Well, she wasn't wrong. You were indeed on your twelfth relationship by then."

Su Haoan choked, glaring at him expressionlessly: "Get lost, go do your work."

Then, Su Haoan turned to Sang Yan. Noticing his camel-colored overcoat, he couldn't help but mock, "What's up with that coat? Looks girly as hell."

Hearing this, Yu Zhuo also looked over: "Looks cool though."

Having his taunt countered, Su Haoan flew into a rage, throwing an empty cigarette box at him: "You little brat, aren't you going to work?!"

Yu Zhuo immediately fled: "Alright, alright! I'm going!"

"Your sister-in-law bought it," Sang Yan finally replied slowly, his tone deliberately provoking. "The lady wanted to see me wear this color."

"..."

"Leaving." Sang Yan checked his phone. "Keep bragging to yourself here."

Su Haoan called after him: "Hey, what's the progress with your girlfriend?"

Sang Yan didn't answer.

"Old virgin, did you hear my tragic experience? Take it slow," Su Haoan said with a mocking tone. "Don't scare away the only person who can tolerate your dog-like temper."

"Oh, thanks." Sang Yan smirked. "But—"

"?"

"I have no intention of taking your utterly useless advice."

Su Haoan was speechless: "When are you bringing your girlfriend around? It's been days, no need to hide her so much. Lacking confidence? Afraid she'll fall for me instead?"

Hearing this, Sang Yan stopped and gave him a once-over before leisurely commenting.

"All you're good at is empty boasting."

"..."

Finishing the last bit of work, Wen Yifan shut her computer and left the office. Remembering Sang Yan's words, she took out a scarf from her bag and wrapped it around herself. Reaching the first floor, her phone vibrated.

Sang Yan: [Here.]

Wen Yifan replied "Okay" and hurried out of the building without delay. Scanning the surroundings, she didn't see Sang Yan's car or him anywhere, so she checked her phone again.

At that moment, a shadow fell behind her.

Sang Yan suddenly appeared beside her, asking casually, "Looking for something?"

Wen Yifan instinctively looked up.

There stood Sang Yan wearing the camel-colored overcoat she'd gifted him. To speak to her, he leaned slightly forward, his expression cool, his sharp and handsome features strikingly clear against the soft hue.

When she bought it, Wen Yifan had thought it was such a gentle color.I thought it might tone down his somewhat overbearing demeanor. But while most people rely on clothes to enhance their appearance, he made the clothes look cooler just by wearing them.

Wen Yifan's gaze lingered on him, feeling that her choice of clothing was exceptionally good. A sense of accomplishment surged within her, and she even inexplicably developed the urge to work hard and earn money just to buy him more clothes to wear.

"What?" Noticing her expression, Sang Yan raised an eyebrow. "Stunned by how handsome your boyfriend is?"

Wen Yifan snapped out of her daze and smiled. "Yeah, stunned by how handsome my boyfriend is."

"..."

Hearing this, Sang Yan paused briefly, looking down at her with a smile. After a moment, he also curved his lips. He reached out to adjust her scarf and said leisurely, "Then take a few more looks."

Wen Yifan stood still, tilting her head slightly to look at him. "Did you come straight from overtime?"

Sang Yan hummed in agreement.

"If you want to hang out with your friends in the future, you don’t have to come pick me up," Wen Yifan said earnestly, her goal being the epitome of an understanding girlfriend. "I can go back on my own."

Sang Yan replied lazily, "What’s fun about hanging out with those guys?"

"..."

Sang Yan’s car was parked across the street.

The two walked side by side toward it, leaving about twenty centimeters of space between them—enough to fit another person. When they reached the roadside, they stopped, waiting for the traffic light.

Wen Yifan glanced in his direction, her gaze drifting down to his exposed hand.

She looked away, adjusting her scarf as if to cover up her thoughts.

Crossing the street.

It seemed like the most natural moment to hold hands.

Wen Yifan watched the countdown on the traffic light, though her attention wasn’t fully on it. When only three seconds remained, she lowered her eyes again, mentally preparing herself.

Three.

Two.

—Only one second left.

But before Wen Yifan could make her move.

Sang Yan suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist. He didn’t look at her, his gaze fixed ahead, as if he just wanted to guide her across the street. His grip was loose.

Wen Yifan’s steps were smaller than his, so she followed behind. Staring at her wrist in his grasp, she thought this was nice too—until she noticed his fingers slowly sliding down, inch by inch, until they brushed against her palm.

Then, Sang Yan naturally interlaced their fingers.

His palm was broad and warm, as if carrying an electric current, enveloping her hand completely.

Wen Yifan’s heartbeat gradually quickened, all her focus now on her left hand. His action left her mind momentarily blank.

Her first thought was:

He beat her to it.

By just one second.

...

Once they got into the car, Wen Yifan fastened her seatbelt. "Are we heading back now?"

Sang Yan glanced at his watch. "Let’s grab dinner first."

Wen Yifan: "Okay."

Sang Yan started the car. "What do you want to eat?"

Wen Yifan: "Anything’s fine."

Sang Yan: "Then let’s head to a shopping district first."

Hearing this, Wen Yifan suddenly remembered Su Tian’s words. She glanced at Sang Yan and hesitantly suggested, "How about the new shopping district in Tongxi District?"

Without asking why, Sang Yan simply hummed in agreement.

Wen Yifan peeked at him and calmly added, "We can go on a date while we’re at it."

"..."

After saying this, Wen Yifan turned to look out the window, pretending she hadn’t said anything at all.

A moment later.She heard Sang Yan let out a faint chuckle on the other end.

The car ride took about half an hour.

This commercial district had been under construction for several years and had only recently officially opened. Located away from the city center and with minimal publicity, the foot traffic wasn't particularly heavy. As it was nearing dinner time, there weren't many people around in the district.

The sky had completely darkened. The shopping mall had six floors, and from the outside, one could see a large Ferris wheel on the top floor, illuminated with colorful lights that changed hues intermittently, making it exceptionally beautiful.

This was the first Ferris wheel in Nanwu, and it was likely to become the district's main attraction to draw crowds.

Wen Yifan stared at it. She had never ridden such an amusement ride before and was wondering if Sang Yan would be willing to try it when, the next moment, her hand was grasped by his again, interrupting her thoughts.

Sang Yan turned his head, his expression unchanged. "What do you want to eat?"

Wen Yifan paused, feeling her heartbeat quicken slightly. She lowered her eyes and gently returned his grasp. Then, she felt his grip tighten a little more.

After a moment, Wen Yifan replied softly, "Something light."

The corners of Sang Yan's lips lifted slightly as he led her forward. "Sure."

In the end, the two chose a homestyle restaurant on the second floor of the district.

Sang Yan, sitting across from her, pushed the menu toward her casually. "See what you'd like to eat?"

Wen Yifan took it and flipped through a few pages. "What about you?"

"Anything's fine."

"Don't you have," Wen Yifan suddenly recalled his words when she had wanted to treat him to a meal to return a favor, and holding a pen, she asked offhandedly, "a lot of dietary restrictions?"

Sang Yan replied leisurely, "Oh, not anymore."

Wen Yifan looked up at him, tempted to ask why he had pretended not to recognize her during their first meeting at "Overtime." But after some thought, she could probably guess the reason.

They had already been living together for a year now.

Wen Yifan ordered a few dishes according to Sang Yan's preferences and handed the menu back to him.

Sang Yan glanced at it, then raised his eyes to look at Wen Yifan, his brows lifting slightly. Soon after, he picked up the pen and marked two more dishes before calling the waiter over.

The first dish served wasn't one Wen Yifan had ordered, but it was something she liked to eat.

Wen Yifan blinked.

After dinner, the two weren't in a hurry to leave.

They simply held hands, chatting idly as they strolled around the mall. They wandered floor by floor, moving upward until, without realizing it, they reached the top floor.

Pushing open the glass door at the top, they stepped onto a large open-air platform.

It was as if the door separated two worlds. Unlike the floors below, the top level was noticeably more crowded, bustling with people who seemed to have come solely for the Ferris wheel.

The line at the ticket booth was long, stretching all the way to the back and looping around. Seeing this, Wen Yifan couldn't help but ask, "Should we go for a ride too?"

Sang Yan hummed in agreement and immediately led her over.

Though the line was long, the ticket seller worked efficiently, and it wasn't long before it was their turn. After buying the tickets, they walked to the boarding area, handed their tickets to the staff, and entered a small cabin one after the other.

Only after the door closed did Wen Yifan think to ask, "Are you afraid of heights?"

Sang Yan replied lazily, "That word doesn't exist in my dictionary."Wen Yifan: "Aren't you afraid of ghosts?"

Hearing this, Sang Yan seemed to recall something and inexplicably chuckled. Then, leaning back in his seat, he slowly corrected himself: "Yeah, what I meant was, there's no such thing as 'fear of heights.'"

"..."

The Ferris wheel moved slowly, and within the confined space, a love song played fittingly in the background. As the wheel ascended, the surrounding structure emitted creaking sounds. The figures below gradually shrank, and the distant scenery became increasingly expansive.

The entire cityscape could be captured within their field of vision.

The two sat facing each other, chatting intermittently.

As they were about to reach the top.

"Feels like this base," Wen Yifan murmured to herself, looking down, "if it were made transparent, wouldn't it attract more people to ride..."

As she spoke, she lifted her head and happened to meet Sang Yan's dark eyes.

Only then did Wen Yifan notice that he had stopped talking at some point.

As if the atmosphere had reached its peak, the love song in the background acted as a catalyst. Sang Yan's Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he lowered his gaze and leaned toward her, his movements seemingly slowed by the enclosed space shared only by the two of them.

With each movement, the man's face became clearer before her, carrying an unmistakable hint and omen.

The words "What's wrong?" stuck in Wen Yifan's throat. Subconsciously gripping the hem of her clothes, she stared at him unblinkingly, her gaze fixed straight ahead.

Waiting for his impending, closer approach.

But before anything could develop further.

At that moment, Sang Yan's phone rang.

"..."

His movements halted.

The atmosphere instantly deflated.

Sang Yan's lips pressed into a straight line, his expression seemingly displeased. He continued to stare at Wen Yifan's lips for a moment before sitting back, pulling out his phone, and answering on speaker.

Wen Yifan glanced at the caller ID.

It was Qian Fei.

"Sang Yan, I've made up my mind," Qian Fei's boisterous voice came through as soon as the call connected. "I'm holding the banquet on the eighth day of the new year. What do you think? It's an auspicious date chosen by a master—a perfect alignment of time, place, and harmony. After hearing his analysis, I'm extremely satisfied."

Without waiting for a response, Qian Fei added, "So, even if you don't think much of it, it doesn't matter."

"..."

Wen Yifan was still somewhat distracted.

She touched the back of her ear, where she could still feel the faint ridge of a wound from some time ago. Her expression was slightly uneasy, unsure whether she had misunderstood earlier or if Sang Yan had indeed intended what she thought.

"None of my damn business," Sang Yan said irritably. "Are you out of your mind?"

"..."

"You're not discussing this with your partner," Sang Yan continued, "but with me?"

Qian Fei: "Isn't it because you're the only one free?"

Seemingly unwilling to engage further, Sang Yan suddenly glanced at Wen Yifan and handed her the phone.

"Hang up for me."

"..."

Wen Yifan was puzzled as to why he couldn't do it himself but took the phone anyway.

Qian Fei immediately exclaimed from the other end, "What do you mean 'hang up'?" The moment the words left his mouth, he realized, "Damn, you're going to hang up on me! Are you even human? And who's with you? Who dares to hang up on Brother Qian?"

Wen Yifan froze: "Should I still hang up?"

"..."

Qian Fei instantly fell silent.As if he had achieved his goal, Sang Yan curled his lips and said leisurely, "Hang up."

After the call ended, Qian Fei didn't call back again.

The cabin fell silent for a while. Wen Yifan tried to recall who Qian Fei was and gradually matched him with a chubby man in her memory. Thinking of this, she asked, "Is Qian Fei getting married?"

Sang Yan gave an affirmative hum, his tone casual. "He proposed on New Year's Eve. After she said yes, he dragged me out drinking on New Year's Day."

Wen Yifan's attention was immediately diverted. "Did you drink too much then?"

Sang Yan: "A little."

Wen Yifan: "Are you going to drink during 'Overtime'?"

Hearing this, Sang Yan glanced at her and smiled: "Are you checking up on me?"

Wen Yifan was about to explain.

Sang Yan added: "Don't worry, there are no other women around me, just a bunch of guys."

"..."

"Though," Sang Yan leisurely continued, "whether these guys have any interest in me, I'm not too sure."

"..."

One full rotation of the Ferris wheel took about fifteen minutes.

In the blink of an eye, it was over.

The two stepped off the Ferris wheel.

Wen Yifan tugged him forward, her thoughts still entirely consumed by Sang Yan's sudden closeness before the phone call had interrupted them. Staring ahead, she inexplicably rubbed her cheek with her palm.

She glanced sideways at Sang Yan, who now wore an expressionless face, seemingly completely unaffected.

That fleeting moment earlier.

Seemed to be nothing more than Wen Yifan's own illusion.

Wen Yifan forced herself to refocus and checked the time on her phone. It was just past nine, probably still enough time to catch a movie. With that in mind, she opened an app to see what was currently playing.

They walked on in silence.

As they passed a couple nearby, Wen Yifan suddenly overheard the girl saying: "I heard couples who kiss at the very top of the Ferris wheel will stay together forever. Let's kiss later too!"

The boy laughed but teased: "Where did you hear that? So childish."

Wen Yifan's gaze shifted from her screen to glance at the couple.

She hadn't heard of such a rumor before, but the words brought back the earlier scene. Her cheeks warmed again, and as she turned, considering whether to mention it to Sang Yan, she noticed him thoughtfully watching the couple.

After a few seconds, Sang Yan looked away and met her eyes.

"Let's go."

His reaction clearly showed he hadn't taken the couple's words to heart.

Wen Yifan nodded, unsure whether she felt disappointed or relieved. She handed him her phone and cheerfully suggested: "Then let's go watch a mov—"

Before she could finish.

Sang Yan lazily tilted his chin up and said straightforwardly: "Let's ride it again."

"..."