The Early Spring

Тhе уеаr сame tо an end just like that.

Shang Zhi Tао sat аt her wоrkstаtiоn, writing hеr yеаr-еnd rеflеctiоns. She also tооk out thе to-do list she hаd written from hеr drawer. Shе hаd lеаrnеd tо drivе—that cоuld bе chесkеd off. Нer Еnglish hаd improvеd а little—shе could put а checkmаrk thеrе. She hаd made morе thаn thrеe friеnds—аftеr thinking аbоut it, shе reаlizеd she hаd aсhieved thаt toо.

Lооking baсk sеriоuslу on everуthing that had happеned over thе yeаr, she fеlt а hint of bittеrness, but more than that, happiness. As for what exactly the bitterness was about, she couldn’t quite put it into words.

She put the to-do list back into the drawer and began tidying up her desk. She would be heading home early the next morning, and the feeling was truly wonderful. She had received over forty thousand yuan as her year-end bonus. Back when she had made a mistake, Luan Nian had said he would deduct her bonus, but it turned out he was just scaring her. Thinking about the tens of thousands of yuan sitting in her bank account, she suddenly felt like she was someone with savings. She had already started planning how to spend the money. She would buy new reading glasses for Old Shang and Da Zhai, and get them two sets of new clothes.

After the New Year, she would prepare gifts for her roommate, Lumi, and Yao Bei, and she would also buy herself a gift. In her drawer, there was a small box—a New Year’s gift she had bought in advance for Luan Nian, but she had never given it to him.

Luan Nian had given her two bags. Exactly how much they cost, Shang Zhi Tao didn’t know—she had never opened them to check. She felt she should give him something in return, but Luan Nian lacked nothing. She always felt that giving him a gift would seem strange, even risking the delicate balance they had managed to find between them.

After thinking about it for a long time, she finally decided to give Luan Nian a box of fish food. She bought it based on the brand she had seen under his fish tank at home. Over the weekend, after finishing her English lessons, she went to the flower, bird, and fish market and asked several shops before finding it. Pointing at a fish, she asked the shopkeeper, "This kind of fish—what’s it called? What does it usually eat?"

The shopkeeper said, "Red Arowana."

"How much?"

"Four thousand. Better quality ones are a bit more expensive."

"Oh, I see." So Little Red Flag was a Red Arowana. Every time it saw Shang Zhi Tao, it seemed to recognize her, swimming along the direction of her fingertip in the fish tank. Little Red Flag was much more personable than Luan Nian.

"I’ll buy its food, the most expensive kind."

"Four hundred and thirty per box."

...Shang Zhi Tao gritted her teeth and bought it. Now, looking at the small gift box beside her, she couldn’t muster the courage to give it to Luan Nian no matter what. Seeing that her colleagues had all left and Luan Nian was also packing up his laptop, she knew if she didn’t give it to him today, there would be no chance tomorrow. He had a flight to the U.S. in the early hours, and she had a train back to Ice City early the next morning. Luan Nian would be away for a long time this time—visiting family, attending meetings at headquarters, and participating in a creative competition. He wouldn’t be back until early March.

As Luan Nian left the office, Shang Zhi Tao picked up her bag and the gift box, following him into the elevator. From the elevator mirror, Luan Nian saw the small box in her hand and her uneasy expression. He simply asked her directly, "Is that for me?"

Shang Zhi Tao’s face flushed slightly as she nodded.

Luan Nian reached out his hand, but when Shang Zhi Tao remained motionless, he frowned. "Not giving it anymore?"

Shang Zhi Tao placed the small box in his palm and, before the elevator doors opened, said to him, "Have a safe trip."

"You too."

Luan Nian got into his car and stared at the gift box for a long time before finally opening it. The moment he unwrapped it, the uneasiness in his heart vanished. Looking at the box of fish food, he laughed out loud.

Shang Zhi Tao really was something.

He drove out of the parking garage and deliberately circled around to the front of the company. Sure enough, Shang Zhi Tao was still trying to hail a taxi. He pulled up in front of her and said, "Get in."Shang Zhi Tao was a bit puzzled. Today wasn't Friday, and tomorrow they would each be traveling far.

"Not getting in?" Luan Nian urged her when he saw her hesitating.

Shang Zhi Tao opened the car door and saw the gift she had given him placed in the passenger seat. Luan Nian picked it up and waited for her to sit down before placing the fish food on her lap. There was also a set of keys. Shang Zhi Tao froze, looking from the keys to Luan Nian.

Luan Nian kept his eyes on the road ahead and said calmly, "Since you gave this gift, you might as well provide some after-sales service. While I'm away, I'll trouble you to take care of my fish."

..."But your home has so many valuable items..."

"They can't all be taken away."

"Oh."

"Thank you for the gift."

"You're welcome. You've given me gifts too."

Luan Nian noticed her stiffness and suddenly laughed. "Shang Zhi Tao, do you know when you're the bravest?"

"Hmm?"

"In bed." Luan Nian paused. "Especially wild, especially brave."

Luan Nian had also wondered if there were two people living inside Shang Zhi Tao—one responsible for her wildness and the other for her humility. Otherwise, why did she change her demeanor so quickly?

"First, during our last meeting of the year, I hope you'll change how you address me." Luan Nian found the way she addressed him quite ridiculous and mimicked Shang Zhi Tao's tone: "You... don't kiss there..."

Luan Nian rarely spoke this much. Shang Zhi Tao realized that when he did talk more, he could actually be quite funny. His imitation of her tone was spot-on. But he had to pick the most embarrassing line to mimic. She couldn't help but laugh, though her face also flushed.

"Is it strange?" Luan Nian asked her.

Shang Zhi Tao nodded. "Strange. Then how should I address you..." She stopped when she caught Luan Nian's glance.

"Just call me Luan Nian."

"Oh. And second?"

"Second..." Luan Nian parked the car in the garage. "You're so stiff, as if we've never slept together."

"I don't mean to be. It's just that we're not very familiar yet..."

Luan Nian nodded. "So it's because we haven't slept together enough..."

He picked Shang Zhi Tao up, tossed her onto the bed, and began unbuttoning his own shirt. He fell silent again, only his deep gaze fixed on Shang Zhi Tao, carrying a hint of menace. Shang Zhi Tao felt a flicker of nervousness and unconsciously bit her lip, only to be restrained by Luan Nian. He said in a low voice, "Don't bite your lip. Bite me."

Shang Zhi Tao was always obedient. She bit his neck, expecting Luan Nian to dodge as he had before, but this time he didn't. In the past, Luan Nian would say, "It's inconvenient when meeting female clients." He was telling the truth. If Jiang Lan saw a hickey on his neck, she would definitely storm over and demand a similar encounter. Luan Nian didn't want to deal with that.

Shang Zhi Tao's teeth pressed down slightly, and her tongue brushed against the vein on his neck. Luan Nian's heavy breathing fell into her ears, more effective than anything else.

"I want to bite you a few more times," Shang Zhi Tao whispered in his ear. "Dare you?"

"Bring it on."

Shang Zhi Tao really did bite him. She left marks on his neck, chest, and shoulders. She felt a bit like a puppy marking its territory—this place is mine now, so Luan Nian's bed partners in New York should steer clear.

But Luan Nian was quietly accomplishing something big. When she was nearly driven to madness, he took a small patch of skin on her neck into his mouth, returning her wildness to her.

Then he asked her, "Are we familiar now?"

"A little more familiar."The revelry lasted until the early hours of the morning. Luan Nian had a flight to catch, and Liu Wu was waiting for him at the door. Shang Zhi Tao hid inside the house, unwilling to let Liu Wu see her. Luan Nian understood her little concerns clearly and didn’t press her, leaving quietly.

Shang Zhi Tao carried the key to Luan Nian’s home, feeling its weight as if it might slip away at any moment, so she kept it in her small personal bag at all times.

When she returned to Ice City and saw the endless expanse of white snow, the lanterns lining the streets and alleys dusted with frost, her heart finally settled. She loved the snow of Ice City, the worn-out buildings of the old town, the popsicles laid out for sale on the roadside, and the rows of Spring Festival couplets and decorative scrolls. The New Year was approaching!

Old Shang and Da Zhai grinned widely when they saw her. Da Zhai pinched her cheeks as if kneading dough, murmuring, “My daughter has lost weight…”

“Mom!” Shang Zhi Tao pouted in protest. “Where have I lost weight? I’m as strong as ever!”

“Then what about those dark circles? Are you working too hard?”

Shang Zhi Tao felt a pang of guilt. Work hadn’t been particularly demanding these past few days at year-end; it was serving her boss yesterday that had worn her out. Da Zhai shooed her back to her room to sleep. “Rest for an hour first. I’ll call you when the meal is ready.”

Shang Zhi Tao truly could fall asleep. She buried herself under the covers to catch up on rest, hearing the door creak softly twice during her nap. When it creaked a third time, she peeked out from under the blankets and saw Old Shang and Da Zhai sneaking glances at her from the doorway.

The elderly missed their child but couldn’t bear to disturb her sleep, so they kept stealing looks. Shang Zhi Tao’s nose tingled, and she nearly burst into tears. She thought about getting up to spend time with them but suddenly remembered the mischief Luan Nian had caused—she had to cover her neck. Otherwise, her parents would surely ask questions. So she wrapped herself tightly in the blanket and whined, “I want to sleep a little longer~ I stayed up all night yesterday and I’m exhausted.” She didn’t mention why she had stayed up.

Old Shang, heart aching for his daughter, nodded. “Then sleep a bit more. We’ll eat later.”

“Mhm, mhm.”

After Old Shang closed the door, Shang Zhi Tao rummaged for a high-neck sweater to put on. Fortunately, this was Ice City, where high-neck sweaters didn’t look out of place. Then she went out to eat with Old Shang. Shang Zhi Tao volunteered to have a drink with him, and Old Shang poured her just a thimbleful of baijiu. “With your limited tolerance, drink less.” Shang Zhi Tao chuckled and clinked glasses with him. Back home, she relaxed completely, quickly forgetting everything about Beijing.

After the meal, she started calling her classmates. She had a few close friends from high school—some had joined municipal bureaus after graduation, others worked in government, and a couple had started small businesses. In Ice City, stability was prized; a secure job was worth more than anything. They agreed to go singing on the second day of the Lunar New Year. The conversation lasted late into the night, and when she opened her eyes again, it was New Year’s Day.

During the Chinese Lunar New Year, Luan Nian had just arrived home. Dr. Liang was bickering with Luan Mingrui. “That’s such a narrow-minded thing to say.”

Dr. Liang was a medical expert specializing in oncology, aloof and disciplined. Luan Mingrui was in business, handling vast sums of money daily. Two completely unrelated individuals had ended up together, bickering their whole lives.

When they saw Luan Nian enter, they fell silent. Dr. Liang went to hug him and, noticing the hickey on his neck, tutted. “So intense?”

For some reason, Luan Nian’s face flushed slightly. He didn’t mind carrying the hickey across oceans, but he never expected his mother to tease him about it. He thought to himself, Shang Zhi Tao really left a mark—much darker than his own.“A dog bite.” He said lightly, then went upstairs to change clothes. Standing before the dressing mirror and seeing the marks on his body, he remembered Shang Zhi Tao’s slightly wild look and suddenly laughed out loud.

When he came downstairs, Dr. Liang’s eyes were still fixed on his neck, teasing, “That’s quite a mark you’ve got.”

Luan Mingrui finally stood up and walked over to Luan Nian, looking at him with a smile as he said, “Young people.”

“So, after a long separation, the family of three has no other topics to talk about?” Luan Nian resisted their constant staring at his neck and simply found a band-aid to cover it, only making it more obvious.

“Putting it on is good. When everyone arrives later, they’ll definitely ask about it,” Luan Mingrui teased him.

“Who’s coming today?”

“Today, your Uncle Song’s family and Uncle Chen’s family.”

“Will Qiu Han and Kuan Nian come too?”

“Otherwise, should we leave them at home to starve?”

Overseas Chinese in the U.S. like to gather for the New Year—it’s livelier that way. Luan Nian liked those two boys, a few years younger than him but both promising young men. They had even agreed to start traveling together next year.

Amidst the lively celebrations this year, Luan Nian had dinner with family and friends and received an email from Shang Zhi Tao, who sincerely wished him a happy New Year. She said: Happy New Year, may everything go well in the new year.

Luan Nian replied to her: Happy New Year, next time bite a little lighter.