In the winter of 2003, snow blanketed the entire residential complex, turning the green mountains white in an instant.
All kinds of news about Chang Xue dominated the headlines on television.
"The former 'Jade Girl' turned out to be a mistress, as a Hong Kong tycoon abandoned his wife for her."
"Chang Xue falls from grace, her aloof image shattered."
"Chang Xue's new film faces a box office crisis."
...
The widespread negative news had a significant impact. After finishing dinner, people gathered around their TVs to watch such reports. Chang Xue's fans couldn't believe the news and were still trying to clear her name, while Chang Xue herself had not made any public appearances.
It was unclear who was targeting Chang Xue, but the public relations efforts ultimately failed to contain the situation. Like a volcanic eruption, the news of Chang Xue being a mistress spread through every street and alley. Nearly a decade of her "Jade Girl" persona vanished overnight, and from then on, Chang Xue withdrew from the Hong Kong entertainment scene.
Zhao Zhilan stared wide-eyed at the overwhelming news coverage and various newspapers, unable to hold back a sigh. "Fate," she remarked, "is truly unpredictable at times."
Chang Xue's downfall meant that Zhao Xiu's proudest asset was gone. Instead, it created a strangely awkward contrast.
Zhao Xiu had always been molding Fang Minjun in the image of Chang Xue. Now that Chang Xue had been forced out of the entertainment industry, it was likely that Zhao Xiu would no longer want Fang Minjun to be associated with her.
Bei Yao frowned thoughtfully as she read the news. If Fang Minjun didn't end up looking so much like Chang Xue, it might not be a bad thing for her.
But Fang Minjun had already moved out of the residential complex, and with it being winter break, Bei Yao had no idea how Fang Minjun was doing.
She felt concerned about her. Although Fang Minjun was somewhat aloof, she wasn't an irredeemable villain. Bei Yao remembered that Pei Chuan's family had a mobile phone and a landline.
Outside, heavy snow was falling. Clutching her winter break homework, Bei Yao headed to Pei Chuan's house.
Pei Haobin opened the door, his expression relaxed. "It's Bei Yao. It's cold outside, come in quickly."
"Thank you, Uncle Pei."
"Xiao Chuan is in his room. I'll call him. Aunt Jiang isn't home, so make yourself comfortable, Bei Yao."
Bei Yao thanked him repeatedly.
Pei Chuan's home was clean and tidy. Pei Haobin, having served in the military, kept everything in the house neatly arranged. This was only the second time since childhood that Bei Yao had visited the Pei household.
Pei Chuan disliked intrusions into his personal space, so Bei Yao had always respected his boundaries.
Pei Haobin, being somewhat oblivious, didn't think much of it. The innermost door was abruptly opened by Pei Haobin, and when Bei Yao turned her head, she saw a version of Pei Chuan she had forgotten for many years.
Outside the window, heavy snow drifted down. He was seated at his desk, assembling a strange instrument she couldn't understand.
The boy's frame was still somewhat slender. He sat in a wheelchair, a long black blanket draped over his legs.
He turned his head and saw Bei Yao holding her books.
The air grew still for a moment.
It was the first time Bei Yao realized that he didn't wear his prosthetic leg at home. In public, Pei Chuan always wore his prosthetic leg, making it easy to forget that he had never truly recovered.
The sensor in Pei Chuan's hand beeped twice. He lowered his gaze, and with a flick of his slender, well-defined fingers, it shattered.
Pei Haobin said, "Xiao Chuan, Bei Yao is here. You two play together. Dad has to go out for something."
Without even changing his clothes, Pei Haobin hurried out the door.
"What are you standing there for? Come here."
Bei Yao felt extremely awkward. As nervous as she had been in childhood, she entered his room and couldn't help but soften her breathing.
"Stuck on your homework?""No." Bei Yao hugged her "Winter Vacation Homework" tightly and asked him, "Can you get in touch with Fang Minjun?"
Pei Chuan looked up, his words icy: "Mind your own business."
"She grew up with us. Aren't you worried about her?"
Pei Chuan paused, finding it somewhat amusing. Bei Yao thought too highly of him—who was Fang Minjun, and why should he care about her well-being? Yet under her earnest gaze, he instinctively felt these words shouldn't be spoken to her.
"Do you have her phone number?"
"No."
"Her address then?"
Bei Yao lowered her head, her face slightly flushed: "No."
Pei Chuan glanced at her; she resembled a little quail, so embarrassed she wished she could bury herself.
He wheeled his chair to the landline in the living room.
Bei Yao followed closely behind him.
The boy pressed several numbers on the landline keypad, then met her large, expectant eyes as she crouched looking up at him. He averted his gaze and said softly, "Hello, Teacher Li, this is Pei Chuan. Could you give me Fang Minjun's home phone number?"
"Hmm, the reason? Her family left something at my place when they moved last time. I need to notify her to come get it."
"Okay, thank you, teacher. I've written it down."
He hung up, dialed another series of numbers, then handed the receiver to Bei Yao.
Bei Yao took the phone, and the call connected quickly. It was Zhao Xiu's voice: "Hello? Who is this?"
"Auntie Xiu, it's Bei Yao. May I speak with Minmin?"
"Wait a moment, I'll go get her."
After a long while, just as Bei Yao was growing uneasy, a girl's hoarse voice came through: "Hello."
"Minmin, it's Bei Yao."
Pei Chuan watched the young girl on the phone with dark eyes.
Her slightly curly long hair cascaded down her back, and she wore a light blue padded coat. She fiddled nervously with the small clasp on her hem. Pei Chuan heard her say: "Minmin, the wintersweet tree in our neighborhood bloomed this year—it smells wonderful. My mom made delicious sausages; I'll bring some for you when school starts, okay?"
"...Let's go to the amusement park together sometime. I heard a big new one opened in City C. I've never been to an amusement park in my life—will you come with me?"
"Don't cry," she said gently. "You're Fang Minjun, not Chang Xue."
On the other end, the girl's initially cold face now contorted with hysterical sobs. Hidden in her pocket was a fruit knife—when Bei Yao called, she had been moments from cutting herself.
The name Fang Minjun had been tied to Chang Xue for over a decade, through both honor and shame. Now that her faith had crumbled, Fang Minjun could barely breathe from the pain.
But this phone call allowed her to cry freely.
Yes—she was only twelve. She hadn't visited the new amusement park yet, hadn't seen the wintersweet tree at the neighborhood entrance finally bloom. She was afraid of pain, reluctant to die. She had desperately hoped someone would save her, but she never imagined it would be Bei Yao—the same Bei Yao she had always overshadowed because of Chang Xue since childhood.
Fang Minjun gradually calmed down.
After hanging up, Bei Yao noticed Pei Chuan's eyes were colder than ever before.
She fumbled in her pocket and said softly, "Sorry for using your phone for so long. Let me pay you."
She pulled out a fifty-yuan bill—nearly all her savings.
Pei Chuan sneered coldly: "How generous of you."He took the fifty-yuan bill and toyed with it: "What is Fang Minjun to you? Is this all your money? Or do you treat everyone this way?"
Bei Yao found it baffling.
Fang Minjun wasn't anyone special to her, but she had thought it over—if she were in Fang Minjun's shoes, she'd be just as distraught. If this matter escalated, it could turn serious. And if it weren't serious, Bei Yao naturally wouldn't bother with Fang Minjun, who had never gotten along with her.
Pei Chuan pinched the bill between two fingers and applied a gentle force. It landed in the trash can.
Bei Yao instinctively gasped and crouched to retrieve it. The moody teenager had already wheeled his chair toward his room.
"Pei Chuan, Pei Chuan..."
The door slammed shut right before her eyes.
Staring at the closed door, Bei Yao felt a twinge of grievance for the first time. After all, she was only twelve, still at an age where she needed comforting. She often couldn't understand why Pei Chuan got angry, just as she didn't know how to cheer up this brooding boy.
Bei Yao tried her best to accommodate him, offering everything she thought was good. But perhaps these things were like that banknote—if he scorned them, he'd toss them into the trash without a second thought.
She blinked back tears but ultimately didn't knock on his door. She left the Pei residence, quietly closing the front door behind her.
Bei Yao stepped into the snow, leaving behind small, delicate footprints with each stride.
Behind the fourth-floor curtains, Pei Chuan watched her with lowered eyes.
Was she already losing patience with him?
So, whether it was him, Fang Minjun, Chen Hu, or Li Da—they were all the same in Bei Yao's heart.
Pei Chuan had heard her comforting Fang Minjun. Heaven had gifted her a soft, sweet voice that could melt hearts when she spoke gently. The way she had once comforted him was the same way she comforted Fang Minjun today—and perhaps tomorrow it would be Chen Hu, Li Da, or anyone else.
He knew his anger was unreasonable, even neurotic, but he couldn't suppress the mockery rising from the depths of his heart.
It was as if someone were saying, "Look, Pei Chuan, in her eyes, you're just a pitiful child in need of help."
Pei Chuan knew he shouldn't be angry. He was just a cripple who was never meant to have friends. But that day, overhearing Chen Hu and Li Da's conversation at the corner, a seed had been silently planted in his heart.
Boys usually matured later than girls, yet before even entering eighth grade, Pei Chuan vaguely and awkwardly realized that his feelings toward Bei Yao were different.
And she didn't know. She knew nothing.
He watched the small footprints in the snow grow distant, his pale fingers gripping the wheelchair's armrests tightly.
~
Bei Yao opened her little notebook, which held secrets she had kept since childhood—things she could never share with anyone.
Her future self hoped she would be kinder to Pei Chuan, even kinder. Bei Yao understood the importance of repaying kindness. She locked the notebook in a brand-new box so no one could open it.
Spring arrived soon after. In City C, the cold retreated as quickly as it had come. Bei Yao swiftly swapped her heavy winter coat for lightweight spring attire.
No one was happier about spring than Hua Ting. She was surprised to find that all the girls in class were developing just like her. As if gently breathed upon by the spring breeze, their chests gradually swelled. She was no longer the only special one. Now, even without Bei Yao's advice, Hua Ting walked with her spine straight.Bei Yao was just beginning to develop, and her small buds often felt a bit sore. She was very careful not to bump them.
Hua Ting, her cheeks flushed, whispered in her ear, "Yao Yao, have you gotten your period yet?"
"No."
"Oh, when I got mine a while ago, I was so scared I almost cried. I thought I had a terminal illness."
"Don't worry, it just means you're growing up."
Hua Ting asked her, "What are you doing? Stringing so many beads?"
"Making a peace knot." The girl's innocent eyes were gentle as she smiled and said, "Pei Chuan's birthday is coming up."
Pei Chuan's birthday was at the end of spring. Although he had been acting strangely lately—no longer willing to walk home with her after school and not making up after his last outburst—she wasn't angry with him.
"Unhappy Pei" was already so "petty." If she were petty too, that would be terrible!
Hua Ting snorted, "Why are you so nice to him? He's not nice to you at all." She hadn't seen Pei Chuan treat Yao Yao particularly well.
Bei Yao finished stringing the beads. "He'll be better when he grows up."
"You say that as if you know."
She didn't know, but that didn't stop her from being good to him.
The girls in their class were all changing in their own ways, but Fang Minjun had suddenly grown thin. Now, Fang Minjun's appearance overlapped with the person in her memories—thin, with high cheekbones. In just one winter, Fang Minjun no longer resembled Chang Xue.
She wasn't pretty anymore and carried a despondent air, but it made her seem more human.
The atmosphere around Fang Minjun was awkward at times, but Fang Minjun herself pretended not to care.
Hua Ting propped her chin on her hand. "I didn't like her before, but now she's kind of pitiful. Chang Xue did something wrong, but Fang Minjun didn't."
Bei Yao nodded in agreement.
"You know, people used to debate whether Fang Minjun or Shang Mengxian was the school belle. This semester, as soon as Fang Minjun came back, everyone agreed it's definitely Shang Mengxian. Fang Minjun doesn't look like a school belle at all anymore."
Shang Mengxian? Bei Yao found the name very familiar.
Bei Yao had started school a year early, so many people and events around her were different. She racked her brains to recall distant memories and realized there was indeed such a person.
In her previous life, she had been two grades below Shang Mengxian.
By the time Bei Yao had fully blossomed in her third year of junior high, someone had quietly told her, "If you had looked like this back then, the title of school belle would never have gone to Shang Mengxian. You're countless times prettier than her!"
But Bei Yao, her face still bearing the childish softness of a young girl, sighed. Whether she was pretty or not didn't matter; she needed to focus on celebrating Unhappy Pei's birthday first.
~
At the turn of spring and summer, Shang Mengxian, in her second year of junior high, earned the title of school belle.
The fourteen-year-old girl had a delicate and charming appearance, with a touch of allure that set her apart from her peers. Fang Minjun's decline benefited Shang Mengxian the most; recently, her desk had been filled with stacks of love letters.
"Shang Mengxian, I told you, what does that Fang Minjun amount to? She just looked a bit like a celebrity. Now that the 'celebrity' has fallen, Fang Minjun is so skinny she's just skin and bones—utterly ugly. That Ge Bo who used to like her now pretends not to know her. Haha, you have no idea how funny it is."
Shang Mengxian put down her mirror and smiled.
"But," her friend continued, "Ge Bo told me that back in their first-year Class Seven, everyone liked Fang Minjun, but there was one person who never even glanced at her and always kept a cold face."
Shang Mengxian became intrigued. "Oh? Who was it?""In Pei Chuan's class, I heard that boy has no legs - his lower legs are prosthetic. Do you know what prosthetic legs are? They're made to look like real legs, and you can walk with them attached."
Shang Mengxian's expression revealed a hint of disgust.
"But this cripple actually looks down on Fang Minjun. Isn't that ridiculous? Do you think he genuinely disdains her or is he just too afraid to like her?"
At this age, girls' interests had gradually shifted from snacks and games to topics of who liked whom and who had feelings for whom.
Shang Mengxian said disdainfully, "Most likely because Fang Minjun isn't charming enough, yet she acts so arrogant all day. Want to bet I can make that Pei Chuan confess his feelings to me?"
Her friend covered her mouth while laughing. "Of course I believe you, you're so pretty. But what if that disabled boy becomes desperately infatuated with you later?"
Shang Mengxian laughed too. That afternoon after school, instead of going home directly, she waited on the route Pei Chuan usually took home.
Walking past the blooming pomegranate flowers on campus, Pei Chuan instinctively glanced at the rock where Bei Yao often sat.
Amidst the summer wildflowers blooming around, he noticed a shadow behind the flower bushes.
Pei Chuan slowed his pace, walking past that spot while waiting for the girl to catch up.
"You're Pei Chuan, right?" A light, playful voice came from beside him.
His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly as he realized it was an unfamiliar girl.
Shang Mengxian caught up with him, her gaze subtly sweeping over Pei Chuan's calves before concealing her expression.
"I'm Shang Mengxian from Class 1, Grade 8. I heard they're building a small park near your place, right? Could you take me to see it?"
"No."
Shang Mengxian's smile stiffened for a second. Though disdain flashed in her eyes, the thought of making someone who scorned Fang Minjun eventually fawn over her like a lapdog made her suppress her impatience.
"That's fine, I can go by myself too." She intentionally or unintentionally walked ahead of him.
She wore an ultra-short skirt that summer, revealing her long, beautiful legs.
Her vibrant rose-red short-sleeved top exposed one shoulder, giving her a charm uncommon among girls her age. Confident he would be attracted to her, Shang Mengxian walked with elegant nonchalance.
A faint trace of mockery appeared on Pei Chuan's expressionless face.
~
Bei Yao went to the school convenience store first after school. The red bead peace knot she made was beautiful, but giving it as is didn't seem quite right. After much thought, she spent three yuan on a gift bag and carefully placed the peace knot inside.
Hurrying along, Bei Yao jogged to the pomegranate flowers, but Pei Chuan was already gone.
"Still not waiting for me," she sighed softly, adjusted her backpack, and quickened her pace along the way home. The route from middle school to home was currently under construction for a new park. Rumor had it it would take two more years to complete, much to the children's frustration - it was one of those regrets where "schools always get renovated right after we graduate," and the same applied to parks.
By the time the park was finished, these teenagers would already be in high school.
Wildflowers bloomed abundantly along the path under the summer sun. Bei Yao fanned herself with her small hand as she hurried along. Before long, she looked up and spotted Pei Chuan's back.
His spine was ramrod straight, and his unhurried pace gave him an air of composure.The youth was handsome and aloof, yet a girl walked beside him. Bei Yao froze for a moment, hugging her gift as she came to a halt. Cicadas chirped noisily in the trees. Wiping the thin sheen of sweat from her forehead, she sat down on a stone beneath a cypress tree.
She watched them walk away.
Clutching the peace knot close to her chest, Bei Yao wondered for the first time whether the words in that small notebook were true.
Could this icy Pei Chuan, as the notes claimed, cherish someone as dearly as his own heart? Though she now had the mind of a twelve-year-old and a few years of memories, she was not yet at the age of budding romance. Seeing that Pei Chuan had made a new friend—and such a pretty girl at that—she felt genuinely happy for him.
Only after resting enough did Bei Yao slowly make her way back along the road.
Pei Chuan had no idea Bei Yao was behind him; he thought she had long since returned home.
Beside him, Shang Mengxian was chattering, "Does your teacher Zhang speak with an accent? Does his tone rise at the end of sentences?"
Pei Chuan glanced at the old residential building not far away and replied indifferently with an "Mm."
His fingers unconsciously fiddled with the latch of the nearby iron gate, which opened easily with a jingling sound.
He had remained silent the entire way, so when he suddenly responded, Shang Mengxian was overjoyed, failing to notice his action. Smugly, she thought, So he’s finally paying attention to me? What’s with the aloof act? He must have been sneaking glances at me all along. Just as she smiled and was about to speak, a fierce, mangy mutt came charging out of the neighborhood, barking wildly.
The dog dashed recklessly and in an instant reached the iron gate.
If the gate had been closed, it would have been fine, but unfortunately, Pei Chuan had "unconsciously" unlatched it. The dog burst out, barking fiercely with its head raised.
Shang Mengxian shrieked in terror, "Get away, you stupid dog! Scram!"
Screaming, she hid behind Pei Chuan, trying to push him forward to deal with the mangy dog.
A cold glint flashed in Pei Chuan’s eyes. He was about to step aside when he spotted Bei Yao in the distance, still holding her gift bag.
His body stiffened abruptly.
This road was the one he and Bei Yao took home. Bei Yao had always been somewhat afraid of this aggressive mutt from Granny Zhou’s house. Out of affection for Bei Yao, Granny Zhou had specially installed the iron gate.
The elderly woman had repeatedly warned the children in their neighborhood not to unlatch the gate, as her dog was fierce and could bite.
But Pei Chuan had just opened it.
He didn’t know how much Bei Yao had seen, but a chill crept up from the soles of his feet. Pei Chuan tried to conceal his wretchedness, yet he had to admit that from a very young age, he had long lost any semblance of kindness.
His father’s kindness and righteousness had cost him both his legs.
The dog barked twice and was about to lunge. Shang Mengxian’s panicked screams were piercing. Though it was early summer in May, he felt as if frozen in place, powerless to move.
Bei Yao ran toward them.
She didn’t even care about her gift anymore, picking up stones from the ground and throwing them at the dog. "Get away! Don’t you dare bite anyone!"
Her hands trembled as she struck the dog. The mutt yelped, then turned and barked furiously at her.
Grabbing a handful of stones, Bei Yao hurled them desperately at the dog, not caring about her aim.
Standing in front of him, she shouted shakily at the dog, "If you don’t leave, I’ll hit you!"
Finally, the dog tucked its tail between its legs and scurried back through the iron gate.
Bei Yao wasn’t as tall as Pei Chuan, so she stood on her tiptoes to fasten the latch securely.
"Pei Chuan," the girl’s voice was anxious, "did it bite you? Are you hurt anywhere?"Pei Chuan’s dark eyes were fixed intently on her. After a long silence, he murmured softly, "No."
Bei Yao frowned at the girl behind him who was older than her. She looked somewhat familiar—was that Shang Mengxian from eighth grade? Bei Yao felt angry. When she walked over, she had seen Shang Mengxian push Pei Chuan out. Although she understood Shang Mengxian's fear, Bei Yao couldn't forgive her for doing that.
Shang Mengxian was on the verge of collapse herself. She had only intended to lead on this cripple and then dump him, but who could have expected a dog to charge out on the road? Thinking about her earlier screaming image, Shang Mengxian felt like banging her head against a wall.
She quickly said, "I'm going home first today."
Bei Yao and Pei Chuan walked home together. She was unhappy, her almond-shaped eyes drooping listlessly. Pei Chuan lowered his gaze to look at the things she was carrying and asked her, "What are you holding?"
"This? It's your birthday gift. Pei Chuan, happy birthday! Congratulations on growing another year older!"
He took it and, seeing her expression unchanged, understood that she hadn't seen anything.
Bei Yao hesitated, "Pei Chuan, that new friend of yours is no good at all. She wanted to push you out."
He responded noncommittally, "Hmm."
"Can you not play with her anymore?" When she said this, she felt very anxious. After all, Shang Mengxian was the school beauty acknowledged by all the boys. Although in another year or two, she might become even prettier than Shang Mengxian, right now she was just a little girl with baby fat.
Pei Chuan said softly, "Okay."
Thinking she had "won him over," she coughed lightly with a hint of shyness.
The setting sun stretched her warm shadow long, and she childishly stepped on the tree shadows.
Pei Chuan shoved his hands in his pockets, watching her retreating figure.
If he didn't tell her, she would never know in her lifetime that he was a venomous snake, not a lamb. She despised people with malicious intentions so much—what would she do if one day she found out he was no different from Shang Mengxian, or even more malicious?
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