When Ye Sibei and Qin Nan first arrived in the provincial capital, they lived in a very cramped rental apartment. The unit had poor lighting and was just over 30 square meters, yet the rent was 1,600 yuan per month—solely because it was located in a neighborhood with excellent security.
This was the smallest unit type in the complex, but the neighborhood itself was massive. On their first day in Nancheng, they went out together to buy groceries. It took them twenty minutes just to walk from their apartment to the neighborhood entrance. Along the way, they passed garden paths and even an artificial koi pond. When they finally reached the gate, the security guard saluted them.
As the guard raised his hand, Qin Nan immediately tensed up. Ye Sibei quietly grasped his hand and whispered, "1,600."
Qin Nan instantly felt more confident. He nodded silently and walked out of the neighborhood with Ye Sibei to buy groceries at the supermarket by the entrance.
The prices at the supermarket near their building were steep. As she picked through the produce, Ye Sibei sighed, "The small melons in Nancheng are only 2.7 yuan per jin, but here they're almost 5 yuan. Our salaries haven't gone up, but the cost of living has. I need to pass the Certified Public Accountant exam soon..."
Noticing Qin Nan hadn't responded, she turned to look at him and saw him staring at his phone. She couldn't help but ask, "What are you looking at?"
"Nothing."
Qin Nan put away his phone and glanced at the groceries in the cart. "Let's just get these for now. We'll manage for the next few days."
After buying the groceries, they headed home together. Ye Sibei spotted an elderly woman returning with her own groceries from another direction and wanted to ask her where to find cheaper produce, but she hesitated, lacking the courage.
Qin Nan noticed her staring intently in one direction and guessed her intentions. He offered, "What do you want to ask? I'll go."
Hearing this, Ye Sibei found some courage. She handed the groceries to Qin Nan, clenched her fists, and stepped forward. "I'll do it."
She approached the elderly woman and stopped one of them, stammering, "Auntie, um, I wanted to ask, where nearby can I buy groceries..."
"Little girl," the elderly woman interjected kindly, noticing her stutter, "are you new here? Want to know where to find cheaper groceries?"
Ye Sibei nodded eagerly. The woman enthusiastically told her several places and then added, "Little girl, stuttering can be treated. My grandson used to stutter too, but his mother sent him to special classes—"
"Auntie," Qin Nan, who had been waiting nearby, saw Ye Sibei's frozen smile and couldn't help but laugh. He stepped in to explain, "My wife doesn't stutter. She just gets nervous talking to people."
"Oh?" The elderly woman blinked, then looked embarrassed. "Oh, I'm sorry."
"It's fine, it's fine," Ye Sibei quickly waved her hands. "Thank you."
After thanking the woman, the two walked away together.
Qin Nan glanced at Ye Sibei with a smile. "Little stutterer?"
Her face flushed red, and she gritted her teeth. "If I practice more, I won't stutter."
They cooked dinner together with the groceries they'd bought. That night, as they lay in bed, Qin Nan whispered to her, "Sibei."
"Hmm?"
"The housing prices here are 12,000 yuan per square meter. A 72-square-meter unit comes with a balcony. The down payment can be as low as 30%, just over 300,000 yuan. With a monthly mortgage of around 4,000, we could buy our own place."Hearing about buying a house, Ye Sibei was momentarily stunned. Qin Nan said quietly in the dark, "We sold the house back home, plus the money from transferring the shop earlier. If we borrow a bit more, it'll be enough."
"So soon? We're buying a house already?"
Ye Sibei hesitated slightly. Qin Nan raised his eyes to look at her in the darkness: "I want us to settle down sooner."
After some thought, Ye Sibei leaned against Qin Nan's arm, gazing at the ceiling: "Alright then. Let's start looking around. We'll buy a small one first, and in a couple years when my salary increases, we can upgrade to a bigger one."
"How big do you want it?"
Listening to her excitedly talk about the future, Qin Nan rested his other arm behind his head and turned to look at her. Ye Sibei thought for a moment, then lifted her fingers like a child counting: "I want a bed at least 1.8 meters wide so I can sleep sideways right away. I want a bathtub, a study room, a treadmill, and a big balcony for growing vegetables. At least three bedrooms—two for the kids and one as a guest room..."
After listing her wishes, she finally declared: "Three hundred square meters should barely be enough."
Hearing this ambitious plan, Qin Nan burst out laughing: "How much do you think you'll need to earn for that?"
"I think I can earn it."
Ye Sibei looked up at Qin Nan: "Don't you think so?"
Qin Nan met her gaze, reaching up to gently stroke her hair: "You can do anything."
You've already overcome such an embarrassing fate—there's nothing you can't surpass.
Ye Sibei smiled brightly, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head against his chest as she closed her eyes.
The next day, they both went to their respective new jobs.
Ye Sibei joined a local accounting firm as an auditor, while Qin Nan returned to his old profession.
Only a few months had passed since the incident, so some people still recognized who they were. But everyone kept it to themselves, at most stealing glances, not daring to say much.
Ye Sibei and Qin Nan had grown accustomed to such looks. As long as no one confronted them directly, they pretended not to notice.
Until one day, while working, Ye Sibei noticed the client across from her kept sneaking glances at her. She looked up calmly and asked, "Mr. Chen, is there something you'd like to ask?"
Her gaze was frank and open. The man being questioned froze, then awkwardly turned away: "Oh, nothing."
When she got home, she and Qin Nan sat at their small table eating dinner as she recounted what happened. Qin Nan listened, nodded, and simply said: "Well done."
The next day at work, Qin Nan noticed a customer eyeing him.
Without hesitation, he picked up a wrench and walked over to the middle-aged man who was a head shorter than him. Mimicking Ye Sibei's words, he asked: "Boss, you've been staring at me—is there something you need help with?"
His tone was calm, but the man immediately grew nervous and stammered: "N-no, I was just looking at the car... yeah, checking out the car."
"Oh."
Qin Nan nodded and walked back to the vehicle.
As a seasoned mechanic, Qin Nan earned a monthly salary of 8,000 yuan plus sales commissions. His hours were 9 AM to 10 PM with only one day off per week.
Ye Sibei's monthly salary was just 4,000 yuan. Though her job was advertised as having flexible hours, in reality it meant flexible overtime—sometimes leaving as early as 7 PM, but during busy periods working until midnight wasn't uncommon.When Ye Sibei wasn't traveling for work, Qin Nan would come to her office every day after his shift to wait for her. If she worked overtime, he'd sleep in the car until she finished. When her workday ended, he'd drive while keeping her on the phone, ensuring they stayed connected throughout.
Auditing work often required business trips, and Ye Sibei was terrified before her first one. The night before departure, she nearly considered resigning.
Qin Nan noticed her unease and brought her tea. "What's wrong?"
"I have a business trip," Ye Sibei stared at her computer, dejected. "I'm scared."
Sitting across from her, Qin Nan hesitated before saying, "I'll take leave and go with you."
"But you can't keep taking leave like this?"
Ye Sibei shook her head.
They sat in silence until Qin Nan finally spoke: "Actually, when you mentioned this trip days ago, I've been worried. I wanted to tell you not to go—to quit if necessary. I could support you."
He looked up at Ye Sibei. "But then I realized it's not just this trip. There are too many things about you that worry me."
Ye Sibei met his gaze, confused. After some thought, Qin Nan admitted: "Truthfully, ever since learning what happened to you, I've blamed myself. I keep thinking I failed you that day—I should have picked you up. I'm terrified history might repeat itself, so I'm always anxious about you."
"I worry when you travel, when you work late, when you attend drinking parties or karaoke. Sometimes, even in broad daylight—whether you're taking a cab or home alone—I fear the driver might have ill intentions or that someone might break in."
"So I've realized the only way to keep you safe is to treat you like a child, keeping you by my side at all times. Otherwise, you'll always be in danger."
"Qin Nan..."
She'd never imagined his anxiety ran so deep. Hesitantly, she reached out and took his hand.
"The world isn't that dangerous."
"I don't know." Qin Nan shook his head. "Danger happens every day. What if it's you?"
"But with over six billion people on Earth, statistically, the odds are slim."
As the words left her mouth, Ye Sibei suddenly understood: living itself was inherently risky.
She couldn't keep resigning—quitting over business trips today, sexual harassment tomorrow, overtime the day after...
She couldn't keep surrendering life's opportunities because of these troubles. To do so would mean relinquishing the power to improve her circumstances.
Every position and chance she abandoned would be taken by others—and were they immune to risk?
After consideration, Ye Sibei reasoned quietly: "I'm traveling with a female supervisor. It's fine. I'll be back in a few days."
Qin Nan wavered before finally nodding.
The female supervisor accompanying Ye Sibei was the same person who'd hired her—Zhang Lin, an only child from the provincial capital who'd founded the accounting firm.
On the plane, Ye Sibei sat nervously beside her during her first flight. Noticing her tension, Zhang Lin asked casually: "Settling in at the firm?"
Ye Sibei nodded stiffly. Zhang Lin smiled. "First time flying?"
"Yes." Ye Sibei forced a smile. "Never traveled this far before."
"You'll get used to it."Zhang Lin spoke, then suddenly remembered something. After hesitating for a moment, she reminded Ye Sibei: "There might be drinking sessions when we get there. Just remember, if you don’t want to drink, don’t force yourself."
"Would that offend the clients?" Ye Sibei asked worriedly. Zhang Lin thought for a second and replied, "Whether it offends them or not depends on how you handle it."
Ye Sibei froze. Zhang Lin pondered before continuing, "Actually, the same intention expressed differently can have very different effects. If someone pressures you to drink and you bluntly refuse, they’ll lose face and get upset. But if they don’t have ill intentions, just decline politely with a lighthearted tone—give them an out. People rarely hit someone who smiles. Let them be the ones to show a cold face if they insist."
"What if they absolutely demand I drink?" This was the first time anyone had taught Ye Sibei about social navigation. Zhang Lin chuckled at the question. "If they’re shameless enough to force you, take a sip, pretend to gag, then quietly slip away."
"Sibei, remember this—clients don’t decide major deals based solely on whether you drink or not. Most businesses care about profitability. Cost-effectiveness and core service quality matter most. Sure, there are other... complexities, but those aren’t things you have to engage with if you don’t want to. They’re not worth it anyway."
"The hardest thing in life isn’t passing exams or reading books—it’s learning how to be a person. If you don’t know how," Zhang Lin smiled, "find someone around you whom you admire, and observe how they live. Learn from them like a child learns from parents—how to be, how to speak, how to make choices."
These were lessons no one had ever taught her, yet Ye Sibei understood they were vital for life.
"Director Zhang..." Ye Sibei pressed her lips together. "You’ve... you’ve been so kind to me."
"Kindness?" Zhang Lin laughed, her gaze warm with approval. "You’ve had it tough. I’m just giving you a hand where I can."
"But that hand," Ye Sibei said earnestly, "means everything to me."
During that business trip, Ye Sibei shadowed Zhang Lin closely, studying her speech and conduct. When they returned and she saw Qin Nan waiting at the airport exit—his face drawn with exhaustion—she suddenly realized how simple it all was.
Not so terrifying after all. There might be risks, but where in life were there none?
From that day on, Ye Sibei began reclaiming normalcy. She no longer needed Qin Nan to escort her home, no longer feared drinking sessions or business trips. Eventually, she even joined friends for karaoke nights. She scoured the internet for advice on living well, started observing herself, structuring her days.
At 5 a.m. each morning, she rose to study for her Certified Public Accountant exams while Qin Nan prepared their lunchboxes and tidied their home. At twenty-eight, Ye Sibei felt her life was finally beginning. She came to understand that balance and moderation mattered most in this world—not the black-and-white absolutes she’d believed in as a girl.Throughout the entire process, Qin Nan remained a quiet guardian. He accompanied her, supported her. While she studied and worked, he took on all the household chores, filling her with courage to push forward.
In their free time, they would go to the movies together. Ye Sibei preferred art films, while Qin Nan enjoyed action-packed popcorn flicks.
Apart from watching movies, they had no other leisure activities because Ye Sibei was either working overtime or preparing for exams.
At the age of twenty-nine, Qin Nan saved enough money to buy their first home—an 83-square-meter, two-bedroom apartment in the neighboring community. One room became Ye Sibei’s study, the other their bedroom.
By thirty, Ye Sibei was capable of independently leading projects. During internal conflicts at the firm, she firmly stood by Zhang Lin’s side. When Zhang Lin emerged victorious, Ye Sibei was exceptionally promoted. That same year, Zhao Chuchu and Ye Nianwen bought a house and got married. Ye Sibei and Qin Nan attended the wedding together, with Ye Sibei sitting among the relatives and friends, watching Ye Nianwen and Zhao Chuchu stand side by side.
Her younger brother had grown into an adult, appearing much more composed.
The next day, due to work commitments, Ye Sibei and Qin Nan had to leave early. Before their departure, Ye Nianwen came to see them off. The siblings stood by the car in silence for a long while before Ye Sibei finally spoke: "I’m leaving."
Ye Nianwen nodded and simply said, "Sis, if you ever need any help, don’t hesitate to ask."
"You too."
With that, Ye Sibei got into the car. As they drove off, Qin Nan glanced at Ye Nianwen through the rearview mirror and couldn’t help but smile. "He looks just like I did when I was a kid, watching my parents leave for work."
Hearing this, Ye Sibei thought for a moment, then leaned out the window and called out to Ye Nianwen, who was walking away: "Nian Wen!"
Ye Nianwen turned around. Ye Sibei smiled and said, "Come visit the provincial capital sometime. Don’t just stay cooped up in Nancheng."
Ye Nianwen paused, then happily waved back. "Sure, I’ll bring my little nephew along next time."
At thirty-two, Qin Nan partnered with a friend to open his own shop. He handled the technical and managerial aspects, contributing part of the capital while his friend covered the rest. By the end of that year, Ye Sibei was pregnant.
The arrival of this child left Ye Sibei somewhat bewildered. After a night of contemplation, she went to see Zhang Lin the next day.
The two sat in the office in silence for a long time before Zhang Lin finally spoke softly, "If you leave now, it’ll be hard to come back."
Ye Sibei thought for a moment and replied, "A person’s life isn’t defined by just a year or two."
Zhang Lin looked up at her.
Dressed in a dress, sitting upright, her gaze steady and composed—she was a far cry from the timid girl who had first arrived in the provincial capital from a small town four years ago.
She exuded a quiet strength, both powerful and gentle.
No one would have guessed this was the same person who once couldn’t even say "no," only ever apologizing.
"As long as you’ve thought it through."
At thirty-three, Ye Sibei had her first daughter, Ye Nuannuan.
The decision for the child to take Ye Sibei’s surname was Qin Nan’s. Initially, Ye Sibei disagreed, worried about the social pressure Qin Nan would face. But Qin Nan, holding their daughter, looked up at her and said, "What if one day our daughter wants her own child to take her surname?"Ye Sibei was taken aback for a moment when Qin Nan reminded her, "When the time comes, her husband will also tell her that societal pressures are great and she needs to compromise. But I hope Nuannuan can have everything she deserves. As for the heavy societal pressures," Qin Nan lifted the child up, the baby waving its arms and legs in the sunlight. Watching the child's smile, Qin Nan couldn't help but laugh, "Let her father change for her."
"I want to give her a wonderful world," Qin Nan turned to look at Ye Sibei, "a fair world where she doesn't have to endure the hardships you've experienced."
Ye Sibei didn't respond. She watched the child smiling at her, dressed in beautiful clothes, beaming under the sun's warm glow.
At that moment, she seemed to see a bright and promising future.
Perhaps she wouldn't live to see such an era, but she would be the best mother she could be, fighting bravely for Xixi, pushing that era forward, running towards Ye Nuannuan.
She wouldn't feel jealous, nor would she lament or hold back.
She would only tell her daughter:
Ye Nuannuan, Mommy loves you. Go for it.
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