The Early Spring

"Sо whеn did wе еver saу wе wеrе gеtting married?" Shang Zhi Таo rollеd over tо fасе Luаn Niаn.

"You don't sеem to want to marry mе?" Luаn Nian рinchеd hеr сhеek. "Нmm?"

"А gеntlеmаn uses his mоuth." Shang Zhi Taо рrotеsted.

"You're right."

Luаn Nian reаlly did use his mоuth.

Lаtеlу, whеnеvеr he was аlоne, hе wоuld hаve wild fаntasiеs, аnd Shang Zhi Tао alwаys provоked him. While he wаs still in а mеeting, shе would send him a рhоtо—moist rеd liрs аnd а slеndеr neсk, а half-еxрosed сhest; оr whеn hе was аt а businеss dinnеr, she would send а picture of two lоng legs intertwined.

Нe would mаintain his соmpоsure, pretending to be proper, and send her a "?". And Shang Zhi Tao? She would play innocent and ask, "Does this nightgown look good?"

She kept teasing him, as if she had attended some strange training course. Luan Nian even wanted to pay for another round of her training sessions—he absolutely loved Shang Zhi Tao's mischievous side.

The hardest part was at night, looking at her photos and suddenly losing control. At first, he would get up and go for a run, but running didn't help at all. Whenever this happened, he would curse Shang Zhi Tao in his mind: "Just you wait! I'll make you pay!"

Luan Nian kept his word, really going all out to make Shang Zhi Tao pay.

Shang Zhi Tao lay sprawled on the bed, refusing to move. He squeezed in, pulled her up, and slapped her butt: "You like sending photos, don't you? Hmm?"

Sweat dripped onto her back. He arched his body and licked it clean. Shang Zhi Tao lost her balance and fell into the bedding. His hand slid to the front, his teeth gently nibbled her earlobe, and his tongue licked the delicate skin behind her ear. Then, he suddenly turned her face toward him, silencing her scream with his mouth.

Shang Zhi Tao was completely overwhelmed. She suddenly felt a little resentful toward Lumi.

It was Lumi who taught her to understand romance and even gave Shang Zhi Tao a tutorial on what to say and when. Shang Zhi Tao listened to her, using these methods to maintain their relationship, but in the end, she was the one left exhausted.

Luan Nian was truly driven to the edge by her.

When he was pushed to the edge, she couldn't handle it. Finally, she began to soften, calling out to him in a delicate voice: "Luan Nian... I won't send you photos anymore..."

Luan Nian pinched her cheek again: "Keep sending them. Don't stop. Send them every day, from head to toe, all over." His hoarse voice trembled in her ear. She tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let her, even saying something even more outrageous: "Sending videos is fine too, any kind of video."

"I was wrong."

"You weren't wrong." Luan Nian bit the spot below her collarbone. "Keep it up. I like it."

Luan Nian was no saint. He had many dirty thoughts about Shang Zhi Tao in his mind, and he wanted to try them all.

The night was so long, and they hadn't seen each other for another week. The buildup had been too perfect—this night was not meant to be wasted.

At one point, Shang Zhi Tao even felt a sudden sense of shame. She wanted to push him away, to stop him from looking, but he pulled her hands aside and buried his face between her legs. The sound of swallowing made Shang Zhi Tao uneasy. Having just experienced a moment of pleasure, she felt unbearably vulnerable and begged him: "Luan Nian... don't..."

"Don't you like it?"

Shang Zhi Tao wanted to say she didn't like it, but she let out a soft moan, unable to tell whether she liked it or not. In any case, Luan Nian was too much.

Luan Nian was too much. Shang Zhi Tao thought as she closed her eyes.

The next day, when she opened her eyes, she saw Luan Nian acting as if nothing had happened, replying to messages. Seeing her awake, he pulled her close: "Were you satisfied with last night's service?"

Shang Zhi Tao's face flushed red: "Aside from being a bit tired...""Tired?" Luan Nian snorted with a laugh. "I've been self-service the whole time, barely needed your cooperation."

"..."

With someone like Luan Nian, even when he talks dirty, it sounds like he's mocking you—yet his descriptions are spot-on, precise, and hit the key points. Shang Zhi Tao, flustered and angry, bit his shoulder, her long hair falling in a thick cascade over his chest.

Luan Nian's fingers tangled in the ends of her hair before letting go. Shang Zhi Tao bit down harder, and he finally winced in pain, pinching her chin. "Are you a dog?"

"Who told you to dismiss all my effort?" Shang Zhi Tao retorted defiantly.

"How exactly did you put in effort?"

"...I moaned..."

"That you did." Luan Nian's lips brushed her cheek, then slowly moved to the corner of her mouth, kissing her gently. Shang Zhi Tao loved this good morning kiss—though Luan Nian seemed to be showing off his skills, kissing her until she felt dizzy and lightheaded. She didn't even realize when she ended up sitting on top of him.

After another round of fooling around, they finally got out of bed. As Luan Nian dressed, he asked Shang Zhi Tao, "Want to watch a movie?"

"Yes!" Shang Zhi Tao jumped out of bed too, quickly putting on her clothes. Her fair complexion meant she could throw on any Morandi-toned trench coat and look both chic and gentle.

Sometimes you have to admit—when two people have been together for a long time, their auras slowly blend together. The other person's essence seeps into your bones, so much so that even if you're standing a meter apart, passersby can tell at a glance: this couple is together.

Shang Zhi Tao was satisfied with everything—except for Luan Nian's damn attitude. It was just a movie, but he dressed so well, sunglasses hiding his eyes, accentuating the lines of his nose and thin lips. Just standing there waiting to enter seemed like he was showing off. Girls kept sneaking glances at him, but he completely ignored them, leaning down to ask Shang Zhi Tao, "No popcorn? No Coke? Didn't you say these were your movie partners?"

"..." Shang Zhi Tao had once complained that Luan Nian never watched movies with her. She said, "Do you know how much fun it is to watch a movie with Coke and popcorn? You don't get it at all, you boring old man!"

Luan Nian remembered. He went to the counter to buy popcorn and Coke, then entered the theater with Shang Zhi Tao.

Shang Zhi Tao suddenly remembered Dr. Liang and Luan's Father at the hotel and said to Luan Nian, "Let's go find Dr. Liang after the movie."

"Dr. Liang doesn't need you to worry about him."

"Huh?"

"They went on a trip to the suburbs with Old Shang and Da Zhai."

"What? No one told me?" Shang Zhi Tao was a bit surprised. "My parents didn't tell me either?"

"Who do you think you are?" Luan Nian said self-deprecatingly. "I only found out when I called just now."

The two looked at each other and laughed.

Sitting in the dark theater, Shang Zhi Tao leaned her head on Luan Nian's shoulder and asked him, "Why did you suddenly suggest watching a movie? Are you planning to propose to me in the theater? Like, when the movie ends and the credits roll, 'Shang Zhi Tao, marry me' appears, then the whole audience stands up and cheers, and our friends rise from the seats around us to congratulate us?"

Proposing in movie theaters had become popular in recent years, and videos of such moments often appeared online. Shang Zhi Tao felt a little nervous. "Right? Are you planning to propose to me today?"

"Really not," Luan Nian told her. "I really wasn't planning to propose to you." Then he added two words: "Today."

But Shang Zhi Tao didn't believe him. She was sure there would be a proposal today—otherwise, why would he suggest watching a movie? She watched the film absentmindedly, frequently turning around to see if there were any familiar faces in the audience.For some reason, she had never really thought about marrying Luan Nian before, but on this day, she suddenly felt a sense of anticipation. She didn’t have any particular expectations for a so-called "proposal." As she watched the movie, she thought to herself that even if Luan Nian just said, "Let’s get married," while they were walking the dog or having a meal together, she would agree. Proposing while walking the dog still had a sense of ceremony—after all, their dog son was there.

Luan Nian noticed her distraction, but he was determined not to say anything. Life was long—what was the rush? He wasn’t going to use those clichéd tricks to propose to her. He had his own plans, just as he had said before: inspiration strikes in an instant, but turning a good idea or inspiration into reality requires careful refinement. Luan Nian’s perfectionism was acting up again. Until then, he would play the fool, building up the dramatic effect to the fullest.

"If you don’t feel like watching the movie, why not do something else?" Luan Nian’s hand rested on her thigh, his fingers gently moving upward, only to be grabbed by Shang Zhi Tao, who was suddenly nervous. Luan Nian chuckled, pecked her cheek, and withdrew his hand. After a moment, he leaned in again and asked, "Are you sure you don’t want to try it in the theater?" Seeing Shang Zhi Tao’s eyes widen, he grabbed her hand and said, "Watch the movie, or we’ll do something else."

Shang Zhi Tao was genuinely startled by him. She sat there, not daring to move, afraid that Luan Nian might actually try something with her. Watching a movie with Luan Nian felt surreal. Even though he was just sitting there, his presence was overwhelming. Shang Zhi Tao kept wanting to glance at him, and he would openly look back, taking the opportunity to tease her.

After leaving the cinema, Luan Nian asked her, "Want to go to the library?"

"Huh?" Shang Zhi Tao was a bit confused. Luan Nian usually preferred to stay at her place when he visited, and at most, they would go grocery shopping together. He rarely suggested going out on a date.

"Don’t you like going out on dates?"

"Yeah, I do."

"So, will you go to the library with me?" Luan Nian glanced at his watch. "We’ll have afternoon tea first, then go to the library." He didn’t bother discussing it with Shang Zhi Tao—he was just that domineering.

"So, what’s our plan for today?" Shang Zhi Tao suddenly felt excited. She didn’t mind not being in charge—the fact that Luan Nian wanted to spend the whole day on a date with her was thrilling enough. She was curious about how this "dog man" had planned their day.

"Next, we’ll have afternoon tea, go to the library, have dinner afterward, then go to a bar to listen to music, and finally walk home." Luan Nian spoke very seriously. "You can voice your objections, but I won’t change my plans."

Shang Zhi Tao burst out laughing. "No objections here! Let’s go on our date!"

Luan Nian took her to a café for coffee and pastries, then they went to the library to read. Shang Zhi Tao picked up a book about live-streaming e-commerce, while Luan Nian grabbed a magazine.

He glanced at her book and asked, "Thinking about getting into live-streaming e-commerce?" He knew Shang Zhi Tao well—whatever she did, she always studied first. If she didn’t understand something, she wouldn’t dive in.

"Is it too late to get into it now?"

"Not at all. You can consult Lin Chun’er. Their company has been working on agricultural support projects."

"What I want to do is also related to agricultural products—helping farmers sell rice, soybeans, cabbage, garlic, and green onions." Shang Zhi Tao whispered to Luan Nian, "Do you have any suggestions?"

"The core of live-streaming e-commerce is logistics and quality assurance. Make sure you’ve thought through those two aspects. It’s a completely different field from advertising.""Mm! I just have the idea, haven't decided yet."

"Alright. Harbin's female entrepreneur, I wish you success." Luan Nian patted her head, then peacefully flipped through his magazine.

For dinner, they chose a Russian restaurant near the bar. When Shang Zhi Tao was alone, she rarely ate Russian food, and even when gathering with friends in Harbin, they never had Western cuisine. Harbin's Russian cuisine is actually quite authentic. When Shang Zhi Tao was little, Old Shang would occasionally take her to eat it after getting his paycheck. As she grew older, it became less frequent. Counting back, it had been over a decade since she last stepped into a Russian restaurant in Harbin. The European-style decor in the restaurant was grand, and Luan Nian had reserved a table in advance; otherwise, they would have had to wait in line for a long time.

As soon as they sat down, the evening's performance began. Beautiful Russian young men and women played instruments and sang, creating a lively atmosphere.

Shang Zhi Tao loved borscht, sipping it slowly. The flavor was rich and intense. As she drank, she voiced a wish: "If only I could have borscht at home."

"I'm not your hired cook. If you want it, make it yourself."

"Oh." The music suddenly quieted down, and soon many people around them stood up, singing love songs. Some began recording with cameras and phones. Luan Nian glanced at Shang Zhi Tao's expression and cursed inwardly, Damn, what a coincidence today.

"Shang Zhi Tao," he called her.

"Hmm?"

"It's not me proposing to you. Manage your expression."

Sure enough, it wasn't. As those people sang, a young man stood up from a nearby table, reached out, and pulled his girlfriend up. He spoke at length, saying something about how the journey had been difficult and hoping they could stay together forever. The young man knelt on one knee, took out a ring, and the girl burst into tears. It was so touching that Shang Zhi Tao even felt as if she were experiencing it herself.

Luan Nian watched Shang Zhi Tao laugh and cry at someone else's proposal, looking like a complete fool.

After the proposal was over, Shang Zhi Tao turned back to the table and said to Luan Nian, "That was so moving."

Luan Nian raised an eyebrow. "You seemed quite expectant just now, thinking I was going to propose to you? Are you that eager to marry me?" He took a bite of steak as he asked.

Shang Zhi Tao mimicked his raised eyebrow. "Mr. Luan is overly confident."

After finishing their meal, the two went to the nearby bar to sit.

The bar was quiet, with everyone leaning back in their armchairs listening to the singer. Luan Nian found a seat by the window, ordered two drinks, and leaned back on the sofa. Shang Zhi Tao nestled in his arms, quietly listening to the music.

Sometimes she felt exhausted.

Running her own company was different from working for someone else. Every day, she pondered business strategies, as it concerned the livelihoods of over fifty people in the company. If she were to bring in agents from other manufacturers, she would have to hire even more people.

Her mind was constantly occupied with various matters, making it rare to have such a perfect day where she hardly had to think about work—not even what to do next, as Luan Nian had planned everything.

Luan Nian walked up to the small stage and exchanged a few words with the singer. The singer handed him the guitar, and Luan Nian sat down with it. Speaking into the microphone, he asked, "Shang Zhi Tao, do you want to sing?"

Everyone in the bar turned to look at Shang Zhi Tao. The girl was poised and radiant, much like Harbin in spring.

"Me?"

"Us." Luan Nian invited her to sing with him. He wasn't particularly fond of being so conspicuous in such settings, but the spring night was beautiful, and the bar's atmosphere was just right, so the idea suddenly came to him."Then I want to sing 'Way Back Into Love.' Can you handle it?" Shang Zhi Tao challenged a bit.

"Can't I?"

Luan Nian strummed the strings twice: "Come on, Ms. Shang." He looked at Shang Zhi Tao. The bar was dim, but the light in his eyes was brilliant, clearly loving the girl before him. Everyone watched them, some taking out their phones.

It was the first time the two had sung together in all these years of knowing each other.

Shang Zhi Tao looked at Luan Nian. He was still arrogant, but he was different from before—because he loved her, his gaze was gentle when he looked at her. Shang Zhi Tao’s heart raced wildly. She took out her phone and asked the singer, "Could you help record it?"

Their first duet was truly worth commemorating.

Luan Nian played the intro, sometimes looking at the strings, sometimes at Shang Zhi Tao.

Their voices harmonized perfectly, the melody was beautiful, and with just one glance at each other, it felt like spring swallows carrying mud, ready to build a nest in each other’s eyes.

When the song ended, they both stood up and bowed slightly to the audience before returning to the window. Shang Zhi Tao opened the video to watch. Every time their eyes met, sparks flew. She loved it so much. She sent it to Sun Yu, Lumi, He Yun, and also to the small group chat with Chun’er and Xiao Mei. Luan Nian casually tossed it into the group chat as well.

The brothers’ group chat erupted. Chen Kuan Nian teased, "Come quick and watch middle-aged people in love! So cheesy, so cheesy!"

"Just one romantic plan that keeps Luan Nian up at night away from reaching the finish line," Tan Mian said.

"So how far along is it?" Song Qiu Han asked.

"In full swing," Luan Nian replied.

He never imagined that the most heartfelt work of his life wouldn’t be for his career but for this moment. He poured everything he had learned into it, yet always felt it wasn’t enough. He didn’t even realize how deeply he had invested in this relationship, leaving no room for retreat.

A man nearing forty, giving his all for love. How many people wouldn’t believe it if they heard, and how much ridicule would it invite? Who cares! He was willing.

Sun Yu saw the video and said to her, "You two should consider getting married. Our company now offers marriage counseling services. Hahaha."

Lumi exclaimed, "Holy shit! My stubborn mule isn’t stubborn today! But somehow he’s even sexier?"

Shang Zhi Tao reminded her to watch her language and said, "I used everything you taught me. I can’t handle the consequences."

"Tsk tsk. A man in his prime. Well, I’ve got more tricks up my sleeve. Still want to learn?"

"Might as well learn. You’re never too old to learn," Shang Zhi Tao joked.

Lin Chun’er watched them sing and thought they were a perfect match.

Shang Zhi Tao’s sunshine, brightness, and gentleness enveloped Luan Nian, softening his edges—not smoothing them away, but covering them just right.

She said, "People in love don’t need to speak; love is in their eyes, at the corners of their mouths, even in the tips of their hair."

"The poet has begun," Xiao Mei teased her.

Shang Zhi Tao really loved this day.

She knew it was truly rare to have a whole day like this, completely letting go, simply dating Luan Nian. After tomorrow, Luan Nian would fly back to Beijing, and they would each return to their own battles. Shang Zhi Tao didn’t regret it; she loved the way they were.But she knew that even though they could only be together two days a week, she had begun to rely on Luan Nian. In the past, Luan Nian had been her work mentor—when she encountered problems, she would think of turning to him for answers; back then, even though she loved him, she didn’t truly depend on him. But now, she did.

When she ran into trouble, she would tell him; when she needed help, she would seek him out. The moment she had free time, she would contact him. When apart, they each worked hard; when together, they were each other’s priority.

Gradually, they found a true balance between them.

That night, Luan Nian stood before the book-lined wall in Shang Zhi Tao’s living room and said to her, “I completely understand the feelings you shared with him back then. I also understand what these books mean to you. I will cherish these books with you, and I will cherish the genuine affection that belonged to the two of you, along with the youthful years you shared.”

Shang Zhi Tao nodded and threw herself into his arms. “Luan Nian, I really love this day.”

This day was truly wonderful.