Her brows instinctively furrowed as she stared out the window.
Such heavy snow...
He should have left by now.
"Time to eat, time to eat!" Li Sitong called out, placing dishes on the table and waving them over.
Cheng Shuo walked over, but Xue Jiao remained standing where she was. He turned back: "Jiao Jiao? What's wrong? Come eat."
"Okay..." Xue Jiao snapped out of her daze, frowning as she walked to the table and sat down, listlessly picking up her bowl.
Cheng Shuo glanced at the distracted Xue Jiao and calmly remarked, "The snow outside is getting heavier."
Li Sitong took it as small talk and responded, "Indeed. When we lived in City C, we never saw snow this heavy. It piles up if you don't clear it right away—can't even step outside."
"Well, this is the north," Cheng Mingze replied while checking his phone.
"Mingze, no work during meals," Li Sitong said worriedly.
They had apparently developed some software installed on their phones, allowing Cheng Mingze to run programs when he couldn't access his computer.
Day and night, he was either glued to his laptop or his phone. Even during holidays at home, it never felt like a break.
Swallowing his food, he smiled. "It's fine, it's just running in the background. I'm only checking."
Li Sitong nodded and dropped the subject, serving dishes to both Cheng Mingze and Xue Jiao.
"Jiao Jiao, eat up. What's on your mind?" Li Sitong lightly tapped her bowl with chopsticks.
Xue Jiao, lost in thought, snapped back to reality and shook her head absentmindedly—clearly still distracted.
Is... is he still out there?
"By the way, there's something important to discuss," Cheng Shuo suddenly said with a serious expression.
"What is it?" Cheng Mingze looked up.
Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong exchanged a glance before Li Sitong spoke: "We've bought a new house—a small villa, more spacious. We'll also hire an auntie to help out. My cooking... isn't exactly the best."
Cheng Shuo nodded. "Our toughest days are behind us. Pengcheng has established itself in Beijing, and neither of you kids spends much. We can afford better living conditions now. It's not too far from your schools, though you'll need to commute. What do you think? If all goes well, we'll move in on New Year's Eve."
Cheng Mingze chuckled. "No objections here, as long as Dad can afford it."
"What about you, Jiao Jiao?" Li Sitong turned to Xue Jiao.
She had always thought such major decisions should be made by the adults, but Cheng Shuo insisted the children should have a say—they were grown-ups now, after all.
Li Sitong figured he was right. She wasn't as good at parenting as Cheng Shuo, so following his lead was the safest bet.
Xue Jiao blinked, startled. "Huh?"
Li Sitong frowned. "What's gotten into you? You've been spacing out this whole meal. Do you agree to us moving?"
"Sure..." Xue Jiao mumbled, nodding vaguely before lowering her head to eat, feigning focus.
He must have gone back by now... no need to worry...
"Then it's settled. We'll move in on New Year's Eve. They're still installing the alarm system—the house is a bit low, so security is a priority," Cheng Shuo concluded.
"Mm." Cheng Mingze and Li Sitong nodded in agreement, while Xue Jiao gave a half-hearted nod of her own."Jiao Jiao, Mingze, since you're on break, you can go outside and have a snowball fight if you'd like. The snow is very thick, perfect for building tall snowmen tomorrow morning," Cheng Shuo said with a smile.
Clatter— Xue Jiao dropped her chopsticks.
Li Sitong looked puzzled. "Jiao Jiao, what's wrong with you today?"
Xue Jiao set down her bowl and suddenly stood up. "I... I need to go out for a moment!"
"Wait—"
Cheng Shuo held back Li Sitong, who wanted to stop Xue Jiao, and called out, "Put on your down jacket before you go!"
"Okay!"
She responded while hastily throwing on her coat and grabbing an umbrella.
It was too cold outside, and the snow was too heavy. Xue Jiao couldn't gamble on whether that person had already left or not.
He was so smart, so rational...
Yet sometimes, just like her, he could be incredibly stubborn.
Xue Jiao hurried out with her umbrella, her face full of urgency.
The streets were brightly lit. Though it was already night, the thick white snow reflected the light, making everything appear somewhat bright.
The wind howled outside, bitingly cold.
Xue Jiao zipped up her jacket, covering half her face, then craned her neck to look around.
No one... He must have left...
She sighed in relief, but a strange sense of loneliness rose in her chest.
Still, it was good that he left—at least he wouldn’t freeze.
She stomped her feet, about to turn back, when she bumped into someone behind her.
Xue Jiao froze. The person had already taken the umbrella, sheltering both of them.
"Jiao Jiao..." His voice was soft, laced with amusement.
She looked up.
Lin Zhihua stood there in black, holding the umbrella, smiling down at her.
They were standing so close. His head was lowered, his eyes fixed intently on her.
Xue Jiao had never noticed before...
How blatant his gaze was.
Perhaps now that she knew his feelings, he no longer bothered to hide, revealing his true emotions.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she averted her eyes, avoiding that look.
"I... you... you..."
Lin Zhihua chuckled. "Jiao Jiao, what do you want to say?"
"Don’t come here anymore. Go back quickly..." Xue Jiao scuffed her foot on the ground, blurting out the words.
A typical young man might have been hurt or upset.
But Lin Zhihua had spent two years with her, studying her carefully. He likely understood her personality better than she did herself.
"Are you worried I’ll catch a cold?" he asked lightly.
Xue Jiao jerked her head up, sounding almost angry. "Why would you just stand here like an idiot? What if I didn’t come out? What if I didn’t know? Were you just going to wait here forever?!"
Lin Zhihua’s smile deepened. His left hand held the umbrella, while his right reached out, curling slightly as he gently tapped the tip of her nose.
"Silly girl, you did come out, didn’t you? I was waiting for you."
Xue Jiao froze, then her eyes widened.
"Did my dad help you?!"
How was that possible? Didn’t Cheng Shuo dislike her... being friends with Lin Zhihua?
Lin Zhihua coughed lightly into his hand.
Cheng Shuo wasn’t exactly helping him—he was helping them...
Well, Lin Zhihua hadn’t been entirely sure whether Xue Jiao would come out even if she knew.
He had been gambling, betting on whether she cared about him.
Luckily, he’d won.
She did care.
Seeing him just smile, Xue Jiao glared. "Aren’t you too old for this? Whatever—don’t do this again. Take the umbrella and go back quickly."After speaking, she put on her hat and walked straight toward the neighborhood gate.
Behind her, Lin Zhihua reached out and gently wrapped his arms around her, his hands clasped over her abdomen.
Then he lowered his head, resting his chin on her shoulder.
The umbrella fell to the ground, spinning once before coming to a stop, its handle pointing upward.
Xue Jiao froze, as if someone had pressed pause, locking her in place.
Lin Zhihua nuzzled against her affectionately, murmuring softly, "Jiao Jiao, I like you. I want to be with you forever."
"Boom—"
It felt like something exploded in Xue Jiao’s head.
His movements were light, the weight of his head barely noticeable, yet to Xue Jiao, it felt like a thousand pounds.
All her attention was stolen by the warmth enveloping her. Her heart pounded wildly, her thoughts came to a halt, and even the snowflakes drifting down around her went unfelt.
Under the dim glow of the streetlight, snowflakes swirled as a man in black gently embraced a girl in blue from behind.
The air was filled with snow, yet at this moment, it seemed to shimmer with pink bubbles.
The man behind her exhaled, his chest vibrating as he whispered, "Because of you, I’ve realized I’m just an ordinary man—my blood runs hot, my heart is warm. I worry about you, I get jealous, I get angry, I miss you… and I want to walk a long, long road with you, from newlyweds to old companions."
Xue Jiao stiffened even more.
"Jiao Jiao…" Lin Zhihua tilted his head, his lips brushing lightly against her cheek as he murmured her name.
His breath fanned over her skin, his voice right beside her ear—soft yet clear, laden with emotion, unbearably intimate.
Xue Jiao’s breathing grew heavier, her mind still a muddled mess, unable to form a single word.
The weather was cold, but her entire body burned.
After a moment, she broke free and dashed away.
Her retreating figure could be summed up in four words—fleeing in panic.
Yet Lin Zhihua didn’t feel the slightest bit disheartened. Watching Xue Jiao’s retreating back, he smiled brightly.
Her ears had turned red.
And he had heard her frantic heartbeat just moments ago.
Lin Zhihua suddenly felt no rush, his eyes crinkling with amusement—
Little turtle, let’s see how much longer you can hide.
——
Xue Jiao ran all the way home in one breath, slamming the door shut behind her and leaning against it, her face still flushed with shock.
Li Sitong, who had just finished tidying up, looked at her in confusion. "Jiao Jiao, what’s wrong? Why is your face so red?"
Xue Jiao froze, and instantly, her cheeks burned even hotter, turning completely scarlet.
"Are you sick?" Li Sitong asked worriedly, stepping forward.
Xue Jiao hastily waved her hands. "No, no! I’m going to my room—good night, Mom!"
She dashed off as she spoke, and by the time she finished, her bedroom door was already shut.
Li Sitong was left utterly bewildered.
Cheng Shuo and Cheng Mingze emerged from the study, the former’s expression sour.
"Honey, what’s wrong?" Li Sitong turned her concern to Cheng Shuo.
Cheng Shuo only cast a gloomy glance at the closed door before muttering bitterly—
"Just got snatched up by a pig…"
"Huh?" Li Sitong blinked in confusion.
"Our daughter is about to be carried off by that wolf, Lin Zhihua!"
As soon as Cheng Shuo said this, Cheng Mingze’s brow furrowed deeply, though he remained silent.
Li Sitong, however, replied, "Oh? That’s not a bad thing. Lin Zhihua and Jiao Jiao are a great match."
Cheng Shuo: "…"
——
After running back home, Xue Jiao didn’t dare go out again.
This time, Lin Zhihua didn’t come to disturb her, but he sent her a text every morning and evening, along with a video call at night.Fortunately, he didn't say anything else that would make her heart race—just the usual goodnight wishes or inquiries about her thesis progress, same as before.
Yet it was also different from before. Occasionally, he would suddenly utter—
"I miss you."
Every time she heard those four words, Xue Jiao would toss and turn at night, only to admit—
She seemed to miss him too.
But Xue Jiao still couldn't muster the courage to see him.
Because she knew… if she went to see him, it would mean… she had agreed to be with him.
The idea of her "mentor" becoming her "boyfriend" was such a monumental shift that Xue Jiao still felt hesitant and afraid.
Luckily, her thesis work consumed most of her energy, keeping her from dwelling on it all day.
——
Seven days passed in this unhurried manner.
Xue Jiao's first draft was nearly finished, and with the New Year approaching, she had already promised Teacher Tan she would submit it before the holiday.
The workload was still heavy, and she had been typing away on her laptop nonstop.
On the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, Xue Jiao received a phone call.
"Hey, Jiajia, what's wrong?"
On the other end, Mai Jiajia sounded frantic: "Jiao Jiao, quick, contact Ding Qi! Something seems to have happened to Shu Lan!"
"What?!" Xue Jiao shoved her laptop aside and shot to her feet.
While changing clothes, she called Ding Qi: "Qiqi, where's Shu Lan? What happened?!"
"Jiao Jiao, don’t panic, it's fine now—but you should come over. We're at Hengshan Road..."
Nodding, Xue Jiao rushed out to hail a taxi.
Uncle Xing had gone out with Cheng Shuo today, so she had to get there on her own.
Hengshan Road was a well-known villa district. Cheng Shuo had mentioned it when they were considering moving, but they had ultimately chosen another location nearby.
Their new place was also fully furnished, with only final adjustments left. They were set to officially move in on New Year's Eve.
When Xue Jiao arrived, Ding Qi and Shu Lan were waiting outside a residential complex—Ding Qi standing, Shu Lan crouched on the ground.
Seeing them unharmed, Xue Jiao finally let out a relieved sigh.
"What exactly happened? Jiajia was so vague, she scared me half to death."
"Ask Shu Lan what she did! She’s being a complete idiot!" Ding Qi glared, clearly furious.
Xue Jiao was baffled. "What’s going on? Why did you two come here?"
Shu Lan covered her face, silently crying.
Ding Qi stepped forward and explained everything to Xue Jiao.
Turns out, Lin Yinyin’s parents’ company had gone bankrupt, forcing Lin Yinyin to leave Beijing. The Yu family had also pressured Yu Cheng to cut ties with her.
Overjoyed, Yu Cheng had officially gotten together with Shu Lan and even talked about getting engaged.
Today was supposed to be the day Yu Cheng brought Shu Lan home to meet his parents.
But when they arrived, they walked in on Yu Cheng’s parents introducing him to another girl—her family was already sitting in their living room.
Furious, Yu Cheng declared he only loved Shu Lan and would never be with anyone else—that Shu Lan was the only one for him.
The girl’s family, who were well-off enough to catch the Yu family’s eye, took offense. The mother stormed out with her daughter, leaving harsh words behind.
Yu Cheng’s father, Yu Zhengguo, flew into a rage and started beating Yu Cheng with a stick. Shu Lan stepped in and took two hits for him.Then Yu Cheng's mother, Su Qing, had someone escort Shu Lan out and locked Yu Cheng up.
That was how the whole incident unfolded.
Xue Jiao frowned, looking at Shu Lan. "Are you okay? Did those two hits injure you?"
Shu Lan's voice was hoarse. "I'm fine..."
Ding Qi was still furious, her tone sharp with anger. "Jiao Jiao, why are you worrying about her? She practically threw herself into humiliation!"
At these words, Shu Lan trembled slightly.
But they all knew Ding Qi had always been blunt—she didn’t mean any real harm.
Xue Jiao sighed, patting Ding Qi reassuringly before reaching out to help Shu Lan stand.
"Lan Lan, you knew what his family was like. Why did you come back with him when he couldn’t even protect you?"
Shu Lan’s legs were numb as she leaned against Xue Jiao, her voice raspy. "We didn’t expect his parents to actually..."
Yu Cheng had planned this—they had returned home to confront his family, to test the waters.
But they hadn’t anticipated that his parents were already arranging blind dates for him, which led to this mess...
"Lan Lan... what are you going to do now?" Xue Jiao asked, watching her.
Shu Lan’s gaze was vacant, drifting toward the building where Yu Cheng lived, gradually turning dull.
"Even if Yu Cheng is perfect in every way, with a family like his, you can’t stay with him long-term! Break up!" Ding Qi’s voice was resolute.
But clearly, Shu Lan wasn’t the type to make such a decision easily.
"I..."
"Jiao Jiao, look—she’s still hesitating?!" Ding Qi exclaimed in disbelief, tugging at Xue Jiao.
Xue Jiao shook her head, supporting Shu Lan as she said, "Let’s go to the hospital first and check if you’re hurt."
She paused before continuing, "Also... I know nothing we say about Yu Cheng will make a difference. I just hope... you won’t come back here again."
Shu Lan stiffened slightly before replying, "I won’t."
Being humiliated once was enough.
"If you two don’t have the strength to face his family yet, and he can’t even convince them, then you shouldn’t interact with them. As for the two of you..." Xue Jiao hesitated again, "You decide for yourself. I don’t understand relationships..."
She was a mess herself and couldn’t offer Shu Lan any real advice.
Shu Lan bit her lower lip and nodded.
After a moment, she whispered, "Thank you both..."
She was truly moved. No matter what happened, having friends by her side felt incredibly comforting.
Without them... she might still be crouched on the ground, lost and unsure of what to do.
Whether it was Ding Qi scolding her or Xue Jiao supporting her, they were her warmest memories in this cold winter.
Xue Jiao and Ding Qi took Shu Lan to the hospital for a checkup—and it was a good thing they did. Shu Lan had thought she was fine, but her back was covered in bruises.
Furious, Xue Jiao and Ding Qi wanted to storm back to the Yu family, but Shu Lan stopped them.
"I was the one who stumbled into it. He was hitting... Yu Cheng. Don’t worry, it won’t happen again..." Shu Lan’s voice was still hoarse.
Xue Jiao sighed, exchanging a glance with Ding Qi. "Let’s take you home."
They escorted Shu Lan back.
In Xue Jiao’s eyes, Shu Lan’s family background was already quite good—both her parents were elementary school teachers, and they owned their own home.
Shu Lan herself was obedient, sensible, and well-educated. Were Yu Cheng’s parents really so snobbish that they’d only accept a girl from a big corporation?Xue Jiao couldn't figure it out, nor could she understand.
After that, Shu Lan and Yu Cheng barely contacted each other, and life remained relatively peaceful.
Xue Jiao's life was also quiet, filled only with papers, papers, and more papers...
Lin Zhihua was temporarily forgotten in her mind as she poured all her energy into her thesis.
New Year's Eve in Beijing was much livelier than in City C. Every household was brightly lit, with lantern festivals and fireworks creating a bustling atmosphere.
Amidst such sounds, Xue Jiao spent her third New Year in this world.
On New Year's Eve, the whole family moved into their new house. The new place had three floors but was smaller than their home in City C. According to Cheng Mingze, Cheng Shuo would now have to start repaying the mortgage.
Beijing... truly was a place where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold.
On New Year's Eve, the family gathered merrily, drinking together. Even Xue Jiao was poured a glass of red wine.
Her cheeks flushed from the alcohol, and she gazed dazedly at the TV.
"Jiao Jiao, if you're sleepy, go to bed," someone said.
Xue Jiao shook her head, mustering her energy to continue watching the Spring Festival Gala. "No... I want to stay up for the New Year."
Li Sitong smiled and ruffled her hair. "This is your first time drinking. If you don't sleep early tonight, you'll probably sleep until noon tomorrow."
Xue Jiao: "..."
That couldn't be... Her biological clock was pretty reliable...
She wasn’t just waiting for the New Year—she was also waiting for a certain someone's call.
For the past two years, they had essentially celebrated the New Year together. The first year, Lin Zhihua had come downstairs to her place. The second year, she had called him.
This year...
She was waiting for Lin Zhihua's call.
But by nearly 1 a.m., there was still no call.
Not even a message!
"Jiao Jiao, go to bed now," Cheng Shuo urged.
Xue Jiao nodded, frowning, and staggered back to her room.
Though alcohol should have made her sleepy, Xue Jiao tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.
By almost 2 a.m., she finally realized—
He definitely wasn’t going to call.
At this thought, an inexplicable anger surged within her.
With a forceful motion, she threw the phone she had been clutching onto the nightstand, then pulled the covers over her head.
Arghhh!
Fine, don’t call!
Who’s even waiting anyway?!
She buried her head under the covers, but after a while, feeling suffocated, she freed herself and closed her eyes, finally drifting off to sleep.
——
Li Sitong was right. When Xue Jiao woke up, it was already 10 a.m.
This had never happened before!
Was this the so-called "slacking off" after starting university?
Scolding herself inwardly, she got up and dressed.
Then she reached under her pillow and found three red envelopes.
The first was thick, with a note that read—
"Jiao Jiao, Happy New Year. Wishing you happiness every day in the coming year. —Dad."
The second said—
"Jiao Jiao, Happy New Year. Mom loves you."
The third—
"Little sister, sleepyhead, Happy New Year."
Xue Jiao glared at the third envelope.
Cheng Mingze, that jerk.
Still, she happily collected all the envelopes, neatly folded her blankets, and opened the curtains.
Huh?
Xue Jiao froze. A red envelope was clipped to the small balcony outside, standing firmly in place.
She glanced around but saw nothing else.
Pushing the window open, she stepped outside.
On the envelope were two words, written in bold, clear strokes—Jiao Jiao.
Lin Zhihua's handwriting.
She recognized it well.
Xue Jiao slowly approached, then reached out and picked it up.It was very thin, probably not containing money inside.
Xue Jiao's lips twitched slightly, then quickly stilled.
When had he placed this here?
She hurriedly opened it—inside was a folded piece of paper.
Xue Jiao looked puzzled as she slowly unfolded it—
Look up.
Huh?
Look up at what?
Xue Jiao froze, instinctively looking up.
A shadow enveloped her as something pressed against her forehead.
Gentle and warm.
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