The Early Spring

Lаtеr thаt evening, Lоng Zhеntiаn саlled Shang Zhi Tао, slurring his words as hе insisted on tеlling hеr а Сhristmаs stоry.

"I didn't requеst a lesson today, sо this оne dоesn't соunt tоwаrd pауmеnt," Shаng Zhi Тaо teased him.

"Nо сhargе, consider it vоlunteer tеaching tоdау."

"Вut I dоn't wаnt tо learn drunk-slurrеd Еnglish," she jоkеd, рoking fun аt his intoхiсated sреeсh as they bаntered baсk аnd fоrth.

Suddenlу, Long Zhentian turnеd sеriоus: "Tао Тао, сomе tо Amеricа with me?" His аbrupt intеnsitу stаrtled Shаng Zhi Тао, leaving her sрeechless on thе other end оf the line.

"Did уou hеаr me? Сome with me?"

"Sober up first, Long Zhentian," Shang Zhi Tao hung up, wondering why Christmas made everyone act so strangely.

"What's wrong?"

Shang Zhi Tao shook her head. Had everyone gone mad?

When they returned home, Sun Yu took a small gift box from her bag and placed it in Shang Zhi Tao's palm, speaking with rare gentleness: "Shang Zhi Tao, Merry Christmas."

Shang Zhi Tao accepted the gift, dashed into her room, then hurried back out: "I got you something too." She placed a wrapped box in Sun Yu's hands and hugged her.

She had prepared a Lego house for Sun Yu, while Sun Yu had gifted her an eternal rose. These small moments of sweetness in their ordinary lives became unforgettable chapters of friendship.

Shang Zhi Tao began enjoying her visits to Sun Yuanzhu's room to borrow books—having a mini-library at home felt wonderful. But she understood restraint and manners, only entering his room when others were present. In her eyes, Sun Yuanzhu was like an immortal being, and she couldn't bear to see him tainted by worldly dust.

During her book borrowings, she would exchange a few words with Sun Yuanzhu, always sensing a trace of melancholy about him. Yet his perpetual calm made her wonder if it was just her imagination.

She handled Sun Yuanzhu's books with utmost care, following his habits—turning pages delicately, leaving no trace of her presence.

During the New Year holiday while others went out, she curled up in bed reading. Not just reading, but taking notes too.

Only one day did she go out—hiking with Long Zhentian. After sobering up, he repeatedly apologized for his phone call indiscretion. His apologies sounded so earnest they almost resembled confessions. He said Shang Zhi Tao embodied his ideal Chinese woman—gentle, resilient, and kind—which made him blurt out those words, begging her forgiveness.

Foreigners could be so amusing, who knew what went through their minds?

Blushing as she listened to his praises, Shang Zhi Tao finally responded: "Long Zhentian, I can't go to America with you. I have parents, you know? There's an old Chinese saying: 'While parents live, children don't travel far.' Working in Beijing already feels somewhat unfilial—I certainly can't go abroad with you. Besides, I think you're a wonderful teacher and friend, but you're not my type!"

"My heart is broken!" Long Zhentian lamented, clutching his chest dramatically as Shang Zhi Tao giggled at his antics.

On the final day of the holiday, Shang Zhi Tao came down with a severe cold.

She had always enjoyed robust health, rarely falling ill. Back when classmates caught colds one after another, she remained healthy as a little steel cannon. Old Shang often said, "My daughter's greatest asset is her strong constitution."Shang Zhi Tao, who had always been in good health, came down with a severe cold. Her nose was so stuffed that half her head felt numb, her eyes brimmed with tears, making her look as if she had suffered a great injustice. She couldn't stop coughing and was also running a fever. Despite feeling so terrible, she still dragged herself out of bed early and went to work. She didn't want to take time off—with the New Year approaching, she wanted to save her leave days to spend more time at home with Old Shang and Da Zhai.

Sniffling, she stepped out of the elevator and ran into Luan Nian, who was just leaving the office in the hallway. Though she didn't feel like talking to him, she rubbed her nose and greeted him anyway: "Good morning, Luke."

Luan Nian walked past her without even a glance, his expression icy.

Shang Zhi Tao was too miserable from her cold to bother guessing what Luan Nian was thinking. She probably understood that for him, once a relationship was over, it was over. He already thought she was foolish and didn't want to speak with her. Her head felt heavy and foggy, so she took a pill and, seeing there was still time before work, laid her head on the desk to rest. This cold had hit her hard, and by the afternoon, she was running a high fever, her face flushed bright red.

Lumi returned from getting water and saw her sitting at her computer, staring blankly. She placed a hand on Shang Zhi Tao's forehead. "Goodness, your forehead is hot enough to fry an egg!"

"Huh?" Shang Zhi Tao reacted slowly, also touching her own forehead. "It does feel a bit warm..."

"Go home. Take sick leave."

"Sick leave... does it count as annual leave?"

"Don't be silly. It's paid sick leave. Just remember to get a doctor's note if it's more than two days."

"Okay."

Shang Zhi Tao packed her things and stood up. Lumi bundled her up tightly and walked her out. Worried, she asked, "Are your roommates home?"

"I don't think any of them are."

The two stepped into the elevator. Just as the doors closed, Luan Nian and the girls from the creative center walked in—they were heading to the first-floor café for a meeting.

Lumi smiled at everyone, then whispered to Shang Zhi Tao, "What will you do if no one's home? Never mind, I'll take you back."

Lumi was Shang Zhi Tao's first friend in Beijing—chivalrous and bold. Even sharing an elevator with the CEO, she said openly, "Wait for me on the first floor. I'll grab my down jacket and drive you home."

Shang Zhi Tao secretly tugged at her sleeve, urging her to be careful, but Lumi just pursed her lips. Once, Kitty had slipped out in the afternoon to buy shoes at the nearby mall and was spotted by Lumi, who was downstairs to meet a supplier. They were all the same—putting on a proper face at work but sneaking off like cowards when playing hooky.

Lumi wasn't afraid of any of that! Shang Zhi Tao got off the elevator and waited in the lobby on the first floor while Luan Nian and the others entered the café through the back door. Luan Nian glanced at Shang Zhi Tao's unusually flushed face and felt a sudden twinge of softness.

That night in Hokkaido, when he was drinking and saw Shang Zhi Tao's message ending their relationship, he had actually felt a flicker of anger. He didn't like getting entangled with women. After downing one glass, he thought about coming back to teach her a lesson, but after a few more drinks, he decided it was better to just end things. Shang Zhi Tao couldn't handle casual relationships, and he wasn't serious either—continuing would only lead to trouble.

But now, seeing Shang Zhi Tao sitting there, sick yet still sitting upright, a hint of pity stirred in his heart.

"Are you sick?" he texted her, unusually initiating a private conversation.Shang Zhi Tao saw the message Luan Nian sent her but put her phone in her pocket without replying. Only she knew why she had fallen ill this time. On one side was her hopeless feelings for Luan Nian, and on the other was the thought of letting go, both tormenting her in turns. The feeling of not being loved was too terrible, so terrible that a dark fire ignited in her heart with nowhere to vent. If she hadn’t fallen ill, she feared she wouldn’t be able to handle it.

Luan Nian was in a department meeting when he glanced through the glass back door of the café and saw Shang Zhi Tao putting away her phone without replying to his message, her posture stubborn.

Lumi arrived and took her away.

Luan Nian had always known that Shang Zhi Tao had a bit of stubbornness in her. It was hidden deep, often making people mistake her for someone who always yielded to circumstances. But her occasional outbursts revealed that stubbornness.

After finishing the discussion with them, he stood up: “Grace will lead the rest of the work.” He went upstairs, put on his coat, drove out of the company, and ran into Lumi, who had just returned from taking Shang Zhi Tao home, in the elevator. Lumi greeted him: “Hey, Luke.”

“You skipped work?”

“…Ah… Flora is sick, so I took her home,” Lumi said confidently.

“Hmm. Skipping work means a pay deduction. Go report it to HR.” Luan Nian kept a straight face, making it impossible to tell if he was serious or not.

Lumi scoffed behind him, thinking, I’ll report your beloved Kitty too while I’m at it.

Luan Nian pressed the door close button. Sometimes he thought these people were quite foolish. If your face is flushed with fever, why the hell go home instead of the hospital?

He drove to the entrance of Shang Zhi Tao’s neighborhood and called her, but she didn’t answer—maybe she was asleep, or maybe she just didn’t want to pick up.

“Come downstairs,” Luan Nian texted her. “Fill out the leave form.”

Luan Nian used his authority as the boss to pressure her, and his businesslike attitude finally extinguished Shang Zhi Tao’s anger. She pondered how to reply when she saw another message from him: “Bring your ID and health insurance card. Fill it out on my computer.”

…Shang Zhi Tao felt Luan Nian was really overstepping. Did he have to chase employees all the way home just to ask if they filled out the leave system? With so many people in the company, was he going to monitor everyone’s attendance one by one? She dawdled her way downstairs and saw Luan Nian driving the car she had crashed into, making her feel a bit guilty.

Getting into the car, she said to Luan Nian, “Sorry, Luke, I didn’t mean to skip filling out the system. I forgot.”

For some reason, her fever, which had subsided for a while, flared up again. Her throat felt as if she had choked on water, making it difficult to speak. She coughed uncontrollably, almost gasping for breath.

Luan Nian waited for her to finish coughing before asking, “Did you bring your ID and health insurance card?”

“Yes.”

Luan Nian said nothing more and started the car. Shang Zhi Tao was a bit surprised and turned to look at him. “Where are we going?”

Luan Nian didn’t answer and drove to the hospital near Shang Zhi Tao’s home.

“Get out.”

“I’m not going to the hospital.” Shang Zhi Tao had always been healthy since childhood but was also most afraid of hospitals. Seeing the hospital now, her legs went weak, and she grew timid, sitting motionless in the car. “I want to go home.”

Luan Nian raised an eyebrow and said, “Let me see who you listed as your emergency contact in the system.” He reached for his laptop, and Shang Zhi Tao hurriedly pressed his hand down. “Don’t.”Her palm was scalding hot against the back of Luan Nian’s hand. Realizing it was inappropriate, she quickly withdrew her hand. “I’ll go in and register now. Thank you for bringing me here.” She didn’t want to get entangled with Luan Nian anymore. Over the past few days, she had thought through so many things. Unlike Luan Nian, who could pick things up and put them down with ease, she didn’t have that ability. She had accidentally seen him with another woman and knew that to him, she was merely a means to satisfy physical needs. It could have been her, or it could have been someone else. She had originally thought she wouldn’t care, but she did.

She entered the hospital outpatient clinic alone, thinking to herself, I’m definitely not getting my blood drawn. The clinic was bustling with people. She walked around inside, looking for a quiet place to wait for a while before heading home. When she turned around, she saw Luan Nian standing behind her, mocking her: “Don’t know where the registration window is, huh?”

Shang Zhi Tao pressed her lips together and said nothing. She didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t figure out why Luan Nian was meddling in her affairs. He was like this—just when you had given up all hope, he would show you a little kindness, making you think you were someone special to him.

Luan Nian couldn’t be bothered with small talk. He walked up to Shang Zhi Tao, took her ID card and medical insurance card from her down jacket pocket, and didn’t forget to threaten her: “Your emergency contact is Shang Wenbin, right?”

The threat worked. Shang Zhi Tao was most afraid of her parents finding out she was sick. During her four years studying in Nanjing, she had fallen ill once or twice, but she had kept it well hidden.

In the end, she obediently saw the doctor.