The Early Spring

Shаng Zhi Taо's hаnds раusеd over the kеуboard аs she loоkеd uр аt Luаn Niаn.

"I don't understаnd," she said. "How do we tаkе cаre оf it tоgеthеr?"

Luan Niаn wаtсhеd hеr for а long moment bеfоre rеplying, "Cаn we talk аfter Luke finishеs his IV аnd wе gеt hоmе?"

"Оkay."

Shаng Zhi Тaо fеlt а bit flusterеd.

It seеmеd like a lоng timе sincе she'd felt this waу—unable to fосus оn anуthing, her thoughts thrown intо disаrrаy bу just оnе sеntеnсe frоm Luаn Nian.

Nеither оf them spоke furthеr. Аftеr finishing his IV, Luke rеfusеd tо wаlk on his own, whimpеring to be carried. Luаn Nian carriеd him all the wаy hоmе, drawing stаres from many along the way. Some muttered unpleasant remarks: "Never seen someone care for their own parents with such devotion."

"What's it to you? Got a problem?" Luan Nian wasn't one to tolerate such nonsense. He shot back, "Mind your own business."

Shang Zhi Tao knew Luan Nian well—he had always been like this, never allowing himself to suffer the slightest grievance. She also found those comments unpleasant, but she often chose to ignore them. As for the hurtful rumors circulating among the neighbors about her, she had never considered confronting anyone directly. This was probably just one of the differences between people.

Once inside, Luan Nian set Luke down. Fresh from his IV, Luke was listless, lying motionless on the floor. When Shang Zhi Tao tried to get him to drink water, he couldn't manage it. Worried, tears began to stream down her face.

The girl who had once never cried in front of Luan Nian no longer clenched her teeth to hold back her tears. Luan Nian had regretted countless times that when Shang Zhi Tao had broken down in front of him before, he hadn't embraced her. Now, he would never allow such a thing to happen again.

He placed his hands on her shoulders and drew her into his arms.

This wasn't just her head resting against him while their bodies remained apart. It was a true embrace.

Luke stood up, perhaps wanting to make some noise. Luan Nian's hand, resting on Shang Zhi Tao's back, pointed a finger downward and gave a slight tap: Lie down.

Having been trained by Luan Nian for so long, Luke understood the command perfectly. He lay back down, quietly watching them.

Satisfied, Luan Nian focused entirely on holding Shang Zhi Tao. The fragrance of her hair made him lose himself; without doing something, it would be hard to rein in his emotions.

Luan Nian's hand caressed her head, his fingers threading through her hair as he cupped her face. Her tears were still wet. Their breaths mingled as Luan Nian gazed down at Shang Zhi Tao, his eyes soft and lingering, making her heart flutter.

He lowered his head, his lips brushing against hers. Afraid she might resist, he pulled back slightly, repeating the motion until finally, his lips settled on hers, pressing insistently as his tongue parted her teeth.

Luan Nian would always be Luan Nian.

He could restrain himself from touching you, playing the part of a gentleman. Over the years, he had mentally "sentenced" Shang Zhi Tao countless times. Now, expecting him to take things slowly was nothing short of a pipe dream.

Once his tongue entered the fray, his domineering nature burst through the veneer of civility, asserting itself in every corner of her mouth. Their breathing grew ragged, and he suddenly tightened his arms around Shang Zhi Tao, pulling her forcefully against him. Shang Zhi Tao collided with his firmness and abruptly snapped back to reality. She pushed against him with all her might, but Luan Nian refused to let go. In desperation, she bit his lip and, summoning every ounce of strength, finally broke free from his embrace.

The two stood locked in a tense standoff in the dimly lit room. A fire burned in Luan Nian's eyes, intense enough to reduce Shang Zhi Tao to ashes. She covered her mouth, glaring at him. "So this is what you wanted to talk about."

"Yes!"

"Is this how you talk?"

"What's wrong with how I talk?"

...

"That's not talking—that's taking advantage!"

"Since when did you just meet me?""If you're going to talk like that, then I won't talk to you!"

"Suit yourself!"

Luan Nian put on his coat and headed for the door. His hand was already on the doorknob when he felt unwilling to leave just like that. He turned around, slowly took off his coat, tossed it onto the sofa, and walked step by step toward Shang Zhi Tao.

Shang Zhi Tao was frightened. She had never seen Luan Nian like this before. She took two steps back, only to be pressed against the bookshelf by Luan Nian. She let out a soft gasp as he sealed her lips with his own. Luan Nian wanted to kiss her so badly—to hell with taking it slow. They were both this old already, what was there to take slow?

He lifted her up, pressing his body firmly against hers, sealing her lips in a fierce, almost savage kiss. He even thrust his hips against her forcefully. Shang Zhi Tao whimpered, with nowhere to escape, hating him intensely in her heart. She bit his lip corner hard, and the taste of blood began to spread. Luan Nian calmed down slightly, pulling away from her lips just a little. He stared at her darkly, gritting his teeth as he said, "If it weren't for wanting to be with you forever, I would have taken you today just to vent this anger!"

They both knew what Luan Nian meant. The soft whimper Shang Zhi Tao had let out was her body surrendering—her body had given in, but her heart still wanted to resist.

Luan Nian kissed her once more, then set her down. He licked the corner of his lips with his tongue and wiped it with his thumb, looking every bit the rogue.

Shang Zhi Tao was stunned by his words about wanting to be with her forever and didn't speak for a long time. She slipped away from between him and the bookshelf, standing next to Luke, and pointed at the door. "Go stay at a hotel!"

"I'm not going!"

"This is my house!"

"Luke isn't fully recovered yet. I'm not leaving."

At the mention of Luke, Shang Zhi Tao's anger subsided. If something happened to Luke again at night, she would be terrified. No matter how strong she was outside, making major decisions in just seconds, once she returned home and faced Luke, she became that soft, vulnerable person again.

"Then go to the guest room!" Shang Zhi Tao snapped at him.

"I haven't had dinner yet. Is this how you treat a guest?" Luan Nian retorted sharply, taking off his sweater and putting on a white T-shirt before heading into the kitchen.

Shang Zhi Tao mocked him inwardly. He even knew how to layer clothes, truly keeping up with the trends of the younger generation. But she was too cowardly at the moment to mock him openly. She was afraid Luan Nian might turn into a beast again—she couldn't control him. She picked up her laptop and sat down next to Luke, starting to work online. Occasionally, she glanced up at him—still those broad shoulders, a tight waistline, and a nice curve to his hips. Just his silhouette made it clear he wasn't someone to be trifled with.

She thought again of his words, "If it weren't for wanting to be with you forever," and felt that he really didn't know how to say nice things properly. Shang Zhi Tao gently stroked Luke's head and whispered to him, "Your dad isn't human. Your dad has a terrible mouth. How about we poison him and make him mute?"

Luke clearly disagreed. He stood up and barked in protest, startling Shang Zhi Tao. "What are you barking for?"

"He's sick. What's wrong with him barking once? Why are you being so harsh with him?" Luan Nian came out of the kitchen and said to Shang Zhi Tao, "Be gentler with Luke."

...

After saying this, Luan Nian returned to the kitchen. There were still some groceries left in the fridge from his previous shopping. He stewed a fish, braised some pork ribs, and prepared to stir-fry two more dishes. Just as the vegetables hit the pan with a sizzle, Shang Zhi Tao heard the front door open. She looked up and saw Old Shang and Da Zhai walking in, carrying bags.

Hearing the noise, Luan Nian peeked out from the kitchen. He and Old Shang and Da Zhai faced each other, and the room fell silent.

Shang Zhi Tao hurriedly explained, "Luke is sick. He came to take care of Luke.""Hello, uncle, hello, auntie." Luan Nian greeted politely, standing there calmly. He wasn't afraid of others giving him a cold shoulder—there were only a few people in this lifetime who could truly give him a bad look, and Shang Zhi Tao's parents were definitely among them.

"Mom, Dad, what brings you here?"

"Fewer people at the shop today," Da Zhai said, then caught herself. "Can't we come?"

"You can."

Old Shang walked into the kitchen with his hands behind his back, seeing the steam rising inside. Luan Nian was particular about cooking too, insisting on color, aroma, and taste—so picky that he wouldn't even compromise when it came to making a meal.

"It's about to burn." Old Shang pointed at the stir-fried greens in the pan, then strolled back out, winking at Da Zhai and stifling a chuckle.

Since they were here, they might as well eat together.

The meal felt a bit awkward. Luan Nian hadn't won over Shang Zhi Tao yet—he wasn't her boyfriend, just Luke's co-parent. So, during the meal, the conversation revolved entirely around Luke.

Luan Nian finally understood where Shang Zhi Tao's good upbringing came from—her parents were exceptionally well-mannered. Even on the day Da Zhai learned his identity, she hadn't been rude to him, just handing him a plate of peanuts without uttering a single hurtful word.

The three of them sat together, looking every bit like a family. Da Zhai sat upright in her chair, while Old Shang was slightly more relaxed, though still not as casual as most people.

Old Shang asked Luan Nian, "Care for a drink?"

"Sure."

"No drinking!" He's not your son-in-law, what are you drinking for? In this room with four people and a dog, Shang Zhi Tao could only control herself—who else would listen to her? Even Luke talked back to her.

Old Shang deliberately kept pouring drinks for Luan Nian, wanting to see how he handled alcohol. Luan Nian knew it, but he drank whenever Old Shang offered. By the end of the meal, a pound of baijiu was gone—Luan Nian had seven liang, Old Shang three. After drinking, Luan Nian's speech was slurred, but his logic remained intact, with no signs of agitation.

Old Shang and Da Zhai prepared to head home and casually asked Luan Nian, "Which hotel are you staying at?"

"The one nearby."

"Shall we walk together?"

"Sure."

Luan Nian stood up, put on his coat, and swayed slightly as he followed them out. At the door, he said to Shang Zhi Tao, "It's cold, don't come out to see us off."

Old Shang and Da Zhai watched Luan Nian enter the hotel before leaving reassured. Ten minutes later, a man walked out of the hotel, his face slightly flushed but his steps steady, heading straight for Shang Zhi Tao's place. Old Shang had underestimated him—how much was that? Luan Nian's tolerance had been honed over years; he could handle half a pound of baijiu even after three rounds of drinking.

Upstairs, he entered the passcode himself and walked in. Shang Zhi Tao had just changed into her pajamas and came out in surprise at the sound of the lock. With a look that said "what are you going to do about it," he took off his coat, fetched his suitcase, opened it, pulled out his pajamas, and headed to the guest room to change. Hearing Shang Zhi Tao's footsteps following him, he smirked, pulled off his sweater and T-shirt in one go, revealing his well-toned body.

Shang Zhi Tao had just reached the doorway when she saw this, her face flushing instantly. She met Luan Nian's teasing gaze: "Want me to take off another piece for you?" His hand went to his belt, slowly pulling it out and tossing it to the floor.

Shang Zhi Tao was driven mad by Luan Nian. Without realizing it, she echoed his tone: "Are you crazy?" and turned to leave.

This was the first time since their reunion that the two were living under the same roof—Luan Nian in the guest room, Shang Zhi Tao in the master bedroom. Late at night, neither could sleep, listening to the sounds outside. Luan Nian's heart pounded against his chest, and he laughed at himself: "It's not like I'm twenty anymore! What are you so nervous about?"How could he not be flustered? The woman he had longed for day and night was right across from him, and he couldn’t sleep. He simply got up to find some water to drink, and after drinking, he went to look for Shang Zhi Tao. The door to her room wasn’t locked—even after all these years, she still trusted him.

Luan Nian pushed the door open. Behind him, the living room was lit by a single nightlight, nothing more. Shang Zhi Tao lay on the bed, not daring to move a muscle.

By the faint light, Luan Nian saw her timid appearance and couldn’t help but chuckle softly. Then he stopped and said to her, “Shang Zhi Tao, I know you’re awake. I want to say a few words to you. You don’t have to respond.”

“After you left, I thought everything through very clearly, and I realized how much pain you endured during those years we were together. I know that when you started with me, it wasn’t because you wanted to be my bed partner—it was because you loved me.”

“I know I was despicable, taking advantage of your love for me to do whatever I wanted. But what I want to say is that the first time I felt something for you was the day I pushed open the door of the coffee shop and saw you sitting there so properly. You were so proper, unlike anyone from this modern age.”

“I’m just that kind of rotten man, a bad man, the one who made you suffer for years. But what I want to say is that during those years, I was sincere with you too. I know you could sense it.”

“When I said I wanted to take care of Luke with you, I meant it. But what I really want most is for me to take care of you and Luke. There’s still a long life ahead, and I don’t think I’m in a hurry. I’ll take it slow.”

Shang Zhi Tao’s eyes grew warm, and her nose felt a little stuffy. She lay there motionless, digesting Luan Nian’s words. She had wondered countless times whether she was unworthy of love in her twenties, but later she realized that what she cherished most was that, no matter what she went through, she had always maintained her independence. Later, during the fierce winds and heavy snows of Ice City, she recalled her moments with Luan Nian time and again, and she knew that he had truly loved her.

“I’m sorry. For everything back then.”

Luan Nian said this, then walked out and gently closed the door.