Xin Di attended the wedding and returned to his hometown to continue working. He received a call from Lu Fei today, whose voice was anxious.

  "Xiao Di, have you got any news about Xiao Chen? I haven't been able to reach her by phone for almost a week. According to the weather forecast, there will be heavy snow in the area from Luogu Lake to Yading."

  Xin Di was surprised, "Don't you know? Chen Zi didn't go on that hike, she returned to Kunming last Monday and went to Beijing on Tuesday. Yan Xuhui has set up a photography studio and invited her to work there, she accepted. By the way, she changed her phone number, I'll give it to you."

  Lu Fei memorized the phone number and remained silent for a long time.

  He sent a text message to Xin Chen at Lijiang Airport: "No matter what, believe that I love you."

  Xin Chen's reply was: "Thank you, but I'm afraid I no longer have the ability to love someone as you wish, sorry."

  This reply left him speechless, and it was also the last message they exchanged. He called Xincheng's phone again, but no one answered, and he didn't receive any response to his text messages either.

  He anxiously collected the weather information from that area, his mobile phone was on for 24 hours, deeply afraid of missing any news, but she remained out of touch. He knew she would definitely try her best to keep in touch with home, so he called Xindi, but didn't expect to hear such unexpected news.

  He leaned back in his chair, staring at the computer screen, thinking: She's indeed straightforward and has decided to cut off their connection. His persistence might be just an obsession of his own, bringing her only unwelcome troubles.

  He dialed the number again, and Xin Chen answered quickly: "Hello."

  "Xiao Chen, have you found a place to live in Beijing?"

  "Yan Xuhui provided employee dormitories, living with colleagues, convenient transportation, and a decent environment."

  "That's good, Beijing's autumn weather is changeable, take care of your body."

  "Alright, thank you."

  Lu Fei's tone remained calm, without any questioning or anger. However, such polite conversation had clearly revealed the distance between them. Xin Chen put down his phone and thought, isn't this what you wanted?

  She was pushing a shopping cart, selecting daily necessities in a supermarket. The weekend was bustling with people coming and going. Just a week ago, she was still in the quiet Rig, and the noise in front of her now made her feel a bit strange.

  That day, Xincheng was sunbathing and surfing the internet at the Riggs Guesthouse. She easily opened her email account and received an email from Yan Xuhui that he had sent half a month ago. The content was that he had set up his own studio, was recruiting people, and wanted to invite her to work in Beijing. He couldn't get through to her mobile phone, so he hoped she would reply to the email as soon as possible.

  She was moved in her heart and immediately called Yan Xuhui, "Is that position still vacant?"

  Yan Xuhui burst out laughing, "If you call a little later, I'll give it to someone else. Come over right away."

  Xin Chen had originally planned to hike around Lugu Lake for the next few days and see if it was possible to climb Lion Mountain, but she made a decision right away. "No way, I've already paid for today's accommodation, let me enjoy one more day of freedom. Tomorrow back to Kunming, the day after tomorrow to Beijing, that's settled."

  The next day after checking out, she sent a text message to the team leader Old Zhang, telling him that she would not participate in the next leg of the trip and reminded them to pay attention to the weather conditions. Then she returned to Kunming, said goodbye to her father and stepmother, repacked her luggage, and came to Beijing.

  She lugged a large bag of things back from the supermarket to a two-bedroom apartment located on the North Third Ring, which was Yan Xiu Hui's old residence.

  Yan Xuhui's family was quite well-off. After resigning from his job and moving to Beijing, he only spent a short period of time struggling before his mother came to visit him. Seeing that he was living in a dark and damp basement with others, her maternal love and tears overflowed at the same time. She insisted on buying this house for him, and at that time, Beijing's housing prices had not yet reached terrifying levels, so it was a very worthwhile investment. Xin Chen came to Beijing three years ago to find work and stayed here for a few days.

  Many of Yan Xuhui's friends who came and went had art as their ideal or career direction, struggling to survive in this city where opportunities and disappointments were equally abundant. In comparison, Yan Xuhui had not suffered much from the beginning, and his development in the fashion photography circle was exceptionally smooth. In just a few years, he bought a house and a car, and now he has invested in setting up a studio, which can be considered as achieving success. When friends half-jokingly teased him, he never minded.

  He went to the airport to pick up Xin Chen and brought her here directly. She asked about the rent, he just smiled, "Employee benefits, you don't have to pay rent, but there's a colleague, Xiao Ma who does photography, living with you, is that okay?"

  Xin Chen didn't mind, she was well aware of the expenses and troubles of renting a house in Beijing.

  Yan Xuhui told her about the details of his daily life, such as commuting. He is now well-off and has just bought a new BMW. In fact, he doesn't have much to say about the ordinary days of working-class people. However, any man who has ever liked a girl will always have a delicate and subtle possessive care for her, even if he already has a girlfriend.

  Xin Chen then formally settled down in this city, which she had hastily left three years ago. The first thing she did was change her phone number. When she removed the old SIM card, she hesitated for a moment before casually throwing it into the trash can.

  She didn't intentionally avoid Lu Fei, nor did she want to play the melodramatic and silly game of "disappearing into the crowd". She just thought it was fine to cut off contact like this.

  Autumn in Beijing is said to be "a burst of autumn rain, a burst of coolness", which comes thick and fast, with leaves quickly turning yellow, and the wind carrying a coolness. Compared to Kunming's four seasons of blooming flowers and my hometown still being lush and green until November, the autumn atmosphere is faint and distant, leaving only a clear sky and white clouds, it's a completely different feeling.

  The little horse who lived with Xin Chen was a thin and small boy from Guizhou, a bit neurotic but also outgoing and lively. He had come to Beijing two years ago, and under his guidance, Xin Chen quickly adapted to the city, taking the subway to work, using directions like east, south, west and north to navigate the roads. In his free time, he would go out with colleagues to sing karaoke, and occasionally participate in short hiking trips on weekends.

  She met Lin Leqing online and talked about her current life, using the evaluation of "very satisfied". Lin Leqing smiled and said that maybe he will choose Beijing as his first choice for work after graduation.

  Yan Xuhui invested heavily in expensive digital cameras, flash lights and a series of professional equipment. At the beginning of the studio's establishment, the personnel structure was relatively simple, but photographers, videographers, photography assistants, professional makeup artists, makeup assistants, planners, and copywriters were all present. Xin Chen and another colleague were responsible for graphic design, retouching and post-production, Yan Xuhui himself was the artistic director, and his girlfriend Shunshun was in charge of finance, administration and external liaison.

  Shun Shun is a northern drifter and a part-time model, speaking fluent and standard Beijing dialect without any accent. After getting to know Yan Xuhui, she gave up her modeling career that was going nowhere and became his full-time agent, being very shrewd and capable. At first, she had some hidden guard against Xin Chen, but Xin Chen's work is purely technical, she works diligently and focuses on the task at hand, interacting with people in a straightforward manner. Her behavior quickly put Shun Shun at ease, and once she determined that Xin Chen was not a threat to her, she immediately became warm and friendly towards her.

  By November, Beijing suddenly entered the cold winter, no snow, but the weather was already dry and cold. Xin Di came to attend the China Fashion Week launch event, and David Fan naturally followed suit.

  Xin Chen took a leave of absence to attend Xin Di's solo press conference.

  A designer who has consecutively showcased at fashion fairs and fashion weeks within a year, such dedication and craftsmanship naturally draws attention in the industry. This time's press conference, unlike the brand launch three months ago, highlighted Sommei Design Director's name, showcasing more of Xindi's personal works, abandoning the conventional professional attire style from last time, incorporating many evening wear and creative elements, with a simple theme of two words: "Flourishing Flowers".

  The entire show did not highlight specific flowers, but each outfit carried a pure and vibrant youthful spirit, with imaginative designs that were beautiful and unrestrained, and a strong personal style.

  With the rock music, one by one model walked on the T-stage, in a dazzling and bewildering manner, making people feel that the best years of life seemed to be reborn with brocade clothes, without poverty and suffering, without confusion and doubt. The eyes were filled with light fur, slow belt, happy and carefree, proud and heroic. It was truly a feeling of prosperity and splendor. When the last model came out to bow, the whole audience stood up and applauded for a long time.

  At night, Yan Xuhui invited them to sing songs. A large group of people in the private room were very lively. Xin Di and Xin Chen sat in the corner drinking wine and chatting. Xin Di looked tired, and Xin Chen asked her: "You're so calm, it's making me worried, can't you be a bit more excited? Today is really worth being excited about."

  Xin Di sighed, "In order to hold this press conference, I communicated with Lao Zeng countless times. Fortunately, he recognized my idea and agreed that the designer's personal style and brand strategy can also be integrated and complementary at times. This process was too laborious, now it doesn't feel like much after all. All I can say is that one of my most satisfying works in recent years has finally had a chance to see the light of day."

  "It's clear where a person spends their time, just look at your press conference and you'll know that your efforts haven't been in vain." After a pause, Xin Chen said softly, "I'm proud of you, Dizi."

  In Xindi's memory, this was the first time that Xinchen had acknowledged her talent in such a direct way. She felt a surge of warmth in her eyes and tightly grasped her younger cousin's hand. Both of them were unaccustomed to revealing their emotions so openly and didn't dare look at each other, instead gazing fixedly at the TV screen. After a while, Xindi asked: "Chenzi, are you adapting well here?"

  "It's okay, but heating won't be supplied until the 15th, these few days are freezing."

  "Lu Fei came over to see you, didn't he?"

  "We now occasionally exchange phone calls, what's the point of him coming to see me?" Xin Chen's phone contact with Lu Fei has become sparse and polite, usually calling once every ten days or half a month, simply asking about each other's well-being before saying goodbye.

  Xin Di couldn't help but feel surprised. That day, she attended Ye Zhiqiu's wedding and took a late flight back. At the airport, she ran into Lu Fei and casually asked him where he was returning from on a business trip. He replied calmly, "I went to Luguhu Lake to see Xiao Chen." She knew how busy Lu Fei's new job was, but he still managed to squeeze out time to visit Xin Chen after getting off the plane and taking a six-hour drive to a place with inconvenient transportation. His intentions were clear without asking. How could things have changed so suddenly and become so distant? She knew it would be pointless to ask Xin Chen, so she just sighed.

  Yan Xuhui brought the fruit platter in front of them, "Xin Di, staying in this inland city is a waste of your talent. If you were to develop your career in Beijing or coastal cities, you would have been modeling at fashion week two years ago."

  "Here we go again, can't you come up with something new? Talking about David Fan, if he had come to Beijing back then, he would have become a famous model by now; talking about my cousin Chenzi, if he had stayed in Beijing back then, his worth as a graphic designer would be the same as that of so-and-so by now. Beijing is your lucky place, no need to be like this, right? Hey, you're not allowed to bully Chenzi, did you hear me?"

  "I don't have any, Xiao Chen can testify for me, I care about her. But she's too introverted and quiet now, Shunshun introduced a handsome guy to her, but she didn't even respond."

  Xin Chenbai shot him a glance, "Forget it, look at his appearance, he's practically a 10-year-younger version of David Fan. If I were to walk with him, who knows if people would say I'm coveting my sister's boyfriend and then taking it out on him? Just this point alone is unbearable for me."

  Yan Xuhui chuckled and said, "Don't mention it, he really looks like Old Dai. Next time I'll call him over and let you all see him, guaranteed to give Old Dai a fright."

  Xin Di just laughed out loud, but suddenly realized something. After Yan Xuhui walked away, she grabbed Xin Chen and asked, "Did you hear what my mom said?"

  "Nothing, don't think too much. It's my turn to sing now, give me the mic."

  Xin Chen got up and sang a song, Xin Di felt a bit suffocated, walked out of the package room, sat on the sofa in the outer hall, thought about what her mother had said, and associated with Xin Chen's sudden departure, couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. She has always been heartbroken for her cousin, seeing that she is now completely different from before, living freely, but choosing to bury everything in her heart alone, even carefully avoiding dating men who look like David Fan, can't help but be melancholy.

  "What's wrong? You seem unhappy all of a sudden?" David Fan walked out and sat down beside her.

  "I think my emotions have always been too simple, and when I see others' plots getting a bit complicated, I get a little unbearable."

  David Fan smiled and said, "Have you gone crazy? I've always thought that simple and clear emotions are the ones that bring happiness."

  Xin Di was shocked, staring straight at David Fan. David Fan felt uneasy under her gaze, "Hey, I'm not bragging about myself. True, I've dated many girlfriends before, but I've never tried to cheat or play with multiple girls at the same time. If I feel like it's not working out, I'll definitely talk to them clearly and not play games. I really think that if you make life complicated, it will be messy and meaningless."

  Xin Di smiled and leaned into his arms, "You're right for once, it's rare that you say something that makes me admire you."

  Xin Di's fashion week release received widespread acclaim, and Yan Xuhui's photography and David Fan's production of the album also won praise from industry insiders. For a time, Yan Xuhui's studio was booming with business, and Xin Chen was extremely busy.

  Yan Xuhui called her into the office and introduced her to a slender woman in a beige suit sitting in the office, "Xin Chen, our studio's graphic designer." Then he said to Xin Chen, "This is Miss Ji Ruoleng, the curator of the art exhibition promotion we took on. She has some specific requirements for the poster design, let her tell you directly."

  Ji Ruoluo looked at Xin Chen in surprise, but Xin Chen had long since acquired the skill of not revealing her emotions to anyone. She sat down, pulled out a notebook, "Miss Ji, please list your requirements, I will come up with a plan that is as close as possible when designing the poster and editing the photo."

  Ji Ruoluo regained her composure and began to state her demands, speaking clearly and concisely. Xin Chen took notes, then went over them briefly with her to ensure nothing was missed.

  "This time the sponsor of the art exhibition is Haotian Group. I flew to Shenzhen yesterday and had dinner with Vice President Lu, a woman, and communicated with her. She agreed with my idea and will not make any special propaganda, trying to keep a low profile."

  Yan Xuhui nodded in agreement, "This is rare nowadays. When businesses sponsor art exhibitions, they often try to steal the show by prominently displaying their logos and mentioning themselves in every promotional material. The purpose and utilitarianism are too strong."

  Ji Ruoke said, "Lü Yu has a very high artistic appreciation and we have a good private relationship. In this aspect, our ideas are consistent."

  Xin Chen didn't interrupt, quietly listening until they finished speaking. Then he stood up and said, "Miss Ji, after you come up with a preliminary plan, I'll get in touch with you as soon as possible to go over it with you. I have something to attend to, see you later."

  Xin Chen and Ji Ruoluo met more often than usual clients, Ji Ruololo came over frequently, was meticulous and strict, required perfection, attached great importance to details, while Xin Chen's patience was good enough to make her convinced, she took every request seriously, but also didn't compromise without principle, when discussing with her, she would express her own views, from a professional perspective, insisted on certain handling methods.

  Xin Chen's calm and gentle tone made Ji Ruochen subconsciously reflect on whether she had any shortcomings in her demeanor, and this subtle comparison made her feel a little disheartened.

  The poster and brochure have finally been finalized, and it's already past working hours. Xin Chen is packing up the things on her desk when Ji Ruolan says: "I should be sending you off, Miss Xin, but I have a dinner appointment with Lu Fei today, so I'll take my leave first."

  Xin Chen's hand paused slightly on the office desk, she thought that this seemingly flawless disguise still had a gap. However, the next moment, Xin Chen raised her head and smiled at her, with the shallow dimple on her left cheek appearing again, "Miss Ji, don't delay your time, wish you a pleasant evening."

  Ji Ruoxin sat in her bronze-colored BMW Mini Cooper, both hands on the steering wheel, looking ahead. The dim yellow light of the underground parking lot made her think of Xin Chen's smile, which seemed to convey a hint of understanding and indifference towards her.

  It's probably only when she has complete confidence in a man that she would unconsciously take on such a condescending attitude, she thought bitterly, with a mix of self-pity and anger.

  How could she possibly have a pleasant evening?

  It was still half a month ago when I met Rou Fei by chance at Yan Xuhui's studio. After returning home, she called Rou Fei directly and asked: "Sister, didn't Rou Fei stay with her? Why did Rou Fei go back for her, but she came to work in Beijing instead?"

  Lu said tactfully: "I don't know the specific reason, and I don't plan to ask Lu Fei. He has his own life, even if he's as close as a sister, it's impossible to interfere too much."

  She had always been sensitive and naturally understood the implication, her face suddenly burning with heat, realizing that she had overstepped her familiarity. Indeed, she had gotten along very well with Lu Fei's family since they met, Lu Fei's parents and sister were very kind to her, and Lu Fei himself had always been able to talk to her, even after she broke up with Lu Fei, the two still kept in touch, and discussing work cooperation was also unusually smooth.

  But after all, she was his ex-girlfriend, and going to ask again would be a delusion that she herself didn't dare to confront. At this thought, she broke out in a cold sweat.

  She finally made up her mind to clean out her apartment. Lu Fei had only stayed over at hers a few times before, so there wasn't much of his stuff left behind - two shirts, two ties, two sets of underwear, one nightgown, a razor, and a few English financial magazines, all of which could be thrown away.

  She knelt on the bedroom carpet for a long time, but called Lu Fei's phone and asked when it would be convenient to hand it over to him: "I also want to go to your place to pick up my own things."

  Lu Fei was clearly surprised by the phone call, "Ruo Li, you have my key, you can go get it directly, and after you're done, just leave the key behind."

  Ji Ruo Lian sneered with a smile, "Indeed, it's clear and logical. Are you saying that after this, you don't plan on meeting me again? Is your new love, oh wait, I mean old love, so strict with you?"

  Lu Fei said: "Yue Li, I hope we can still be friends. Let's do this, after some time, I might go to Beijing on a business trip, and when I arrive, I'll get in touch with you."

  So there was this date tonight.

  At the restaurant they both used to like, having an unusually dull dinner, Lu Fei asked about her work. She hesitated for a moment, took out an invitation from her bag and handed it to him, "Recently I've been busy preparing for this art exhibition. On Christmas Eve, our company will be hosting a reception. See if you have time, if you're free, you can come and attend."

  Lu Fei suddenly stopped and his gaze lingered on a line of small text on the invitation: "Xu Hui Photography Studio, full promotion."

  "This should be my last attempt to probe you." Ji Ruo Lian smiled wryly, "So, you know she's in Beijing and also know where she works, right?"

  "Of course, I know, I keep in touch with her, although it's not very frequent."

  "Can't you satisfy my damned curiosity, what's your current situation?"

  Lu Fei looked at her and smiled slightly, "She's unsure if she wants to be with me, I've decided not to disturb her, I'll wait until she figures it out."

  "Is there a deadline for this wait?"

  Lu did not beckon the waiter over, but instead instructed him to bring the bill. Then he simply said, "Nothing for now."

  These two words heavily fell into Ji Ruochen's heart.

  The two left the restaurant, and she drove him back to his apartment, going straight in to pack up his things. The pajamas, underwear, jackets, sweaters in the bedroom were stuffed into a suitcase, then he went to the master bathroom, looking at the array of skincare products, thinking about how many items Rufen had left at her place, and she felt a wave of annoyance - she hadn't realized that even though he didn't stay over often, he would bring so much stuff.

  She probably still wants to be involved in his life, every time she comes over, she buys a bunch of things, whether they're useful or not. Lu Fei had joked that she probably has a shopping addiction, but she didn't explain. In fact, what she loves buying the most is all sorts of ingredients, filling up the fridge to the brim. At the same time, she enthusiastically buys back cookbooks, studying and cooking with gusto, never getting tired of it. Now thinking about it, it feels desolate.

  She casually picked up the cosmetics on the shelf and threw them into the trash can one by one, making a clattering sound. Lu Fei heard the noise and walked in, she could only laugh at herself, "I really didn't need to come this time, I'm too lazy to want it, just tell the cleaning staff to throw everything away."

  She went to the study to get her own books, and her eyes fell on the photo of her and Lu Fei on the desk. The photo was taken at the beach in Beidaihe. She had developed two copies, each framed separately, one placed in her own home and the other here. At that time, she had even smiled brightly and said: "Let you always face me." She walked over, picked it up but then put it down again, and couldn't help but think with a bit of malice, don't mention the photo, from the layout to the decorations, what in this house didn't have her thoughts and marks. Let him deal with it as he pleased, thinking this way, she sneered coldly.

  She handed the key to Lu Fei, "Alright, we've cut ties thoroughly. You can rest assured and live here from now on."

  Lu didn't take the key and casually put it on the coffee table, "From now on, whenever I come to Beijing, I'll be on a business trip and can stay in a hotel. I will return the key to my sister."

  She thought dejectedly, it turned out that leaving this mark was also a delusion. The man in front of her had already decided to bid farewell to that part of his life thoroughly. There was a sour feeling in her eyes, and she could only try her best to hold on, "Alright, from now on, we probably won't be in touch anymore, right?!"

  "If it's oak, we've said it before, no more apologies or forgiveness." Lu Fei remained calm, "But I do have a sense of regret towards you. Perhaps the last thing I can do for you is to disappear completely from your life."

  Ji Ruo was silent for a moment before speaking: "That's not necessary, Lu Fei. Probably only after completely letting go of each other after a breakup can we be friends. Give me time, one day I will let go."

  On Christmas Eve, Yan Xuhui asked several staff members to attend the reception of the art exhibition together. The day before, he specially reminded them to pay attention to their dress and etiquette, "Wear something strange, trendy, street-style, sexy, you can choose whatever you like, just don't wear your usual work attire, people will suspect your professionalism."

  "If there's an allowance for attire, I'd dare to wear Chanel." The young girl Xiaoyun, who was in charge of planning, muttered under her breath, naturally just saying it privately.

  The weather was cold, and everyone was dressed formally. Xin Chen wore a small evening dress made of dark green silk fabric that was elegant yet subdued, which complemented her newly regained pale skin. The cut was fluid and simple, with a square neckline that revealed her delicate collarbone. When she took off her outer coat, everyone gasped in surprise, asking what brand it was and where she bought it.

  "My elder sister's design, this is the only sample."

  Shuang Shuang yelled excitedly: "Next time I see Xin Di, I'll definitely ask her to design one for me."

  The wine party was held at a bar in the 798 Art District. As soon as they entered, they saw a crowd of stylishly dressed men and women, including some familiar faces. Xinxin excitedly pulled Sichen to look at a certain celebrity, while Yan Xuexi said with disdain: "Every time our studio has a plain-faced model come in, you get all excited, I really shouldn't have brought you here."

  "Boss, the more it's like this, the more you should take me out to see the big scene. One day, I'll cultivate to the point where I'm as calm and composed as Xin Chen."

  No sooner had he finished speaking than Xin Chen glanced forward and said, "Huh, Johnny Depp."

  Xiao Yun almost jumped up, "Where, where?"

  She saw a chubby half-bald foreign man standing in the direction that Xin Chen had indicated, and several colleagues around her were laughing so hard they couldn't straighten their waists. She only then realized she'd been pranked, feeling both angry and amused at the same time. Xin Chen patted her comfortingly while stifling a laugh, "Come on, after a few more times like this, you'll be fine, it's way more effective than going out with the boss."

  Xin Chen absent-mindedly held her cup of cocktail, sipping it as she moved freely among the crowd, greeting friends and chatting with them. People naturally formed small groups here and there, and she chose to stand with Xiao Yun, wandering on the periphery of the lively scene, feeling rather at ease. Xiao Yun's eyes widened as she looked around, occasionally telling Xin Chen who had just arrived, who was talking to whom, and so on. Xin Chen listened with a faint smile, finding it comforting to have a familiar face by her side in an unfamiliar environment.

  Representing the host, Ji Ruoluo took the stage to speak. She wore a black evening dress by MiuMiu, with her hair tied back, looking elegant and moving. She briefly introduced the famous artists participating in the art exhibition, the curator's ideas, and thanked the guests present. Next was the exciting performance, where popular singers took turns singing songs, interspersed with lottery activities. When the guests arrived, they received a numbered ticket upon presenting their invitation card. The prizes given out were diverse and included limited-edition keychains, crystal decorations, famous brand perfumes, as well as signed photos, CDs, hugs, or kisses from the stars present.

  Finally, this kind of sexy prize is naturally very lively. When the lottery number was announced, Xin Chen took a look and found that it was his own. The DJ on stage announced that the winner could choose any star to give him a kiss, "regardless of gender". He dragged out his voice and added these four words, causing screams throughout the audience. Xin Chen handed the lottery card to Xiao Yun, "Give it to you, see who you want to eat tofu with."

  Xiao Yun excitedly rushed onto the stage and hugged her, while Xin Chen smiled as she watched. A girl of the same age as her was having so much fun that it made her envious. A hand reached out and took the empty wine glass from her hand, then handed her another glass of wine. She turned around in surprise to see Lu Fei standing in front of her, dressed in a dark gray suit. He smiled slightly, "Thank you."

  Two people stood side by side, neither asking nor explaining why they were here, as if such encounters happened every day, and it was nothing out of the ordinary. On the small stage, Xiaoyun was interacting enthusiastically with the DJ, surrounded by laughter and whistles, applause and cheers, everyone's face wore a smile, the atmosphere was so lively that it made people feel a little dizzy.

  "It's snowing lightly outside." Lu Fei said softly.

  Although from a city that only occasionally has light snow and melts immediately, after experiencing Tibet and Meili Snow Mountain, Xin Chen is no longer fascinated by snow. At the end of last month, Beijing had its first snowfall since winter began, but it came and went quickly, not very satisfying, followed by dry coldness again. Fortunately, there was sufficient heating indoors, which made it slightly better than the humid and unheated winters back home. She walked with Lu Fei to the window, and indeed, outside, the snow was falling densely, swirling and dancing in the air under the streetlights, a vast expanse of whiteness stretching far and near.

  Xiao Yun rushed over with a flushed face, "Xin Chen, I'm so happy! I've decided not to remove my makeup or wash my face tonight." She came too suddenly, and before Xin Chen could turn around, she had already bumped into his elbow. The wine glass in his hand tilted, and half the wine spilled onto his waist.

  "Sorry, sorry." Xiaoyun hastily tried to make amends.

  Xin Chen took the tissues handed over by the roadside, smiled and shook her head, "It's okay." She looked down at her little dress skirt, the dark green tone of the wine stain was not very obvious, but it was uncomfortable to stick to her body wetly, "I'll go first, go back and change my clothes."

  She patted Xiaoyun and motioned for her to continue playing. Lu Fei said: "I'll take you, I drove my friend's car here."

  He took her out to get her coat, put it on for her, and the biting north wind blew through the gap in the door, she involuntarily shrank back, and the damp spot at her waist was instantly chilled.

  "Wait here, I'll go get the car." He walked into the wind and snow.

  She knew it would be difficult to hail a taxi today, and standing by the roadside in such thin clothes on a winter's day wasn't fun, so she decided to wait patiently where she was.

  "He still couldn't help but come." Ji Ruochen's voice came from behind her, she turned around and saw Ji Ruochen standing behind her, his delicate makeup face looking a bit pale.

  "Miss Ji, it's very windy here, be careful not to catch a chill." Xincheng reminded her as he saw that she was only wearing a thin evening dress.

  "What does it feel like to see a proud man bow down for you?"

  Xin Chen looked at her with some surprise.

  Ji Ruò's eyes were unusually bright, but her voice was very soft. "I loved him for five years, always taking his pride, calmness, and wisdom as his most precious qualities, willing to look up to his composure. But suddenly I found out that he would give up all his reserve in front of another girl. What do you think I felt?"

  "There's no need to bring these out for comparison." She said perfunctorily.

  Ji Ruo hummed, "Yes, you can tell me directly. This man loves you and does everything willingly. I should have lost without a word, and fundamentally had no capital to ask why."

  "This isn't a war about who wins or loses, Miss Ji. There's no winner or loser between him and me. We have a long past together, a part of me that I couldn't get rid of even if I wanted to. You like his pride, calmness, and wisdom, yes, I admit those are attractive qualities in a man. But when I met him at 14, he was just himself, without any conditions attached. I would have liked him back then as naturally as liking ice cream in summer and sunshine in winter." Xincheng pulled her coat tighter, tilted her head to think for a moment, "If we're going to nitpick, shouldn't I also ask why someone who loved so deeply would leave; why they'd want to see each other again after leaving? These kinds of questions are destined to have no answers, there's no need for us to dwell on them and make ourselves miserable."

  Lu Fei appeared at the door, looking at the two of them. After a moment of silence, he reached out and put his hand on Xin Chen's waist. "Let's go." Then he nodded to Ji Ruolan, "Goodnight, Ruolan. The snow is getting heavy, be careful driving home."

  Lu Fei opened the door of the black Lexus parked in front of the bar, Xincheng got in, Lu Fei bent down and helped her put the hem of her long coat into the car before closing the door, then got into the driver's seat and started the engine.

  Xin Chen said: "I live in North Third Ring..."

  "I know where you live." Lu Fei interrupted her, steering the car onto the highway and stopping for a moment before continuing, "Yes, I do. And I did something very boring yesterday evening, standing under your building, thinking back and forth, not knowing whether to go up and disturb you."

  His frankness, combined with what Ji Ruoke had just said, left Xin Chen speechless. Looking out through the car window, all he saw was a vast expanse of wind and snow, with the red taillights of the cars in front flickering nonstop.

  "Sometimes in the middle of the night I wake up and ask myself: why did I choose to leave back then."

  "Is there an answer?"

  "All I know is if I had to do it all over again, I'd make different choices."

  Xin Chen shook his head slightly, "You're also overthinking this, Lu Fei. If you stay with her, a girl who is so capricious and lacks security, it's likely that you'll only end up spoiling her even more, making her even more dependent on you and desperate to hold onto you. With all the practical problems added in, that relationship might still be hopeless."

  "You accepted everything, understood everything, and looked at the past with such tolerance, only to make me more doubtful of my own choices. Did I really love you as I thought back then? I loved your beauty, your courage, your frankness and innocence, even your willfulness, but ignored your insecurity, left when you needed me most, and comforted myself that once you grew up, you would naturally understand. Understand what? Lu Fei let out a short laugh, "Understand that my love was too selfish?"

  "Stop criticizing yourself, Lu Fei. I really can't bear this heavy conversation. Now I feel that personality is indeed a kind of fate. I've never been a tolerant person, but neither do I want to blame others nor my own destiny. Emotions are like sand, holding them in the palm may keep them for a while, but grasping them tightly will only let them slip through fingers, and no one can resist. After you left, my life is neither miserable nor decadent, so your self-blame has no meaning to me. If this continues, I'll become someone who takes advantage of our past relationship to torment you, and you'll suffer for no reason."

  "Yes, the past can't be recalled, and there are still many days ahead. You didn't accept others before, so give me a chance, let's start anew, okay?"

  Xin Chen turned her face away, her forehead against the car window glass, and remained silent for a long time. The wine on her clothes had been dried by the warm air in the car, and the smell of wine mixed with her perfume lingered in the enclosed space, bringing a slight dizziness. Lu Fei didn't continue to say anything, but focused on looking ahead. The weather, combined with the crowds of people out celebrating Christmas Eve, made Beijing's traffic even more congested, with all vehicles crawling along the snowy road. However, no matter how tortuous the journey was, there was always a moment of arrival, and finally, the car stopped in front of Xin Chen's apartment building.

  Luofei reached out, unfastened Xinchens seatbelt, gently stroked her hair, and smiled at her, "I've troubled you again, haven't I? Yes, I tried to convince myself to wait quietly, but couldn't help coming to see you."

  Xin Chen turned her head and pressed her face into his warm palm, "You're tempting me, Lu Fei."

  Lu Fei's low voice echoed in the small car, "If I could bring you more happiness, I would have a few tempting assurances, but unfortunately, up to now, it seems that I've brought you more trouble."

  "I've been tempted. I know you'll be good to me, and being with you would allow me to enjoy your very tolerant and gentle love. This temptation is too great for me, but I don't dare take it." Xincheng removed Lufen's hand from his face and looked at him seriously, "Listen to me finish, Lufen. At 15 or 16 years old, I wouldn't consider anything except my own feelings, but now I have to think about other things too. For example, will my uncle be affected by my recklessness? Will your family accept your choice?"

  Lu Fei was almost outraged, "Is this all you've been thinking about? You're questioning whether a man approaching 30 has the ability to control his own emotions and life? If I couldn't even control these things, how would I dare disturb you?"

  "Yes, you see, I'm just that pragmatic. When a man shows his love, the first thing I think of is no longer emotions. From childhood to adulthood, I've caused my brother-in-law too much trouble, and I can't rely on him anymore for my own sake. I don't want to bother him with my problems and make it difficult for those who truly care about me. Besides, my requirements for romance are just to have fun together. I always feel that there's nothing worth making myself uncomfortable for, and I don't want to face your family's opposition."

  Lu Fei couldn't help but recall the time he stood outside Xin Chen's house, listening to her say similar words to another man. To her, he and that other man were treated no differently. He calmed down, "What if I said none of these are a problem?"

  "The problem is back on me. To be honest, I'm not only not brave enough, but also probably don't love you enough. I've lost the ability to love someone with abandon like before. You heard that conversation, my ex-boyfriend realized it, and sooner or later you will too, and be disappointed in me."

  "Don't treat my feelings and his as the same." Lu Fei said clearly and firmly, while Xin Chen laughed.

  "Of course, you're different from me. If you were to give up and let go completely, that would be fine too, now breaking up wouldn't hurt me. But you... Xin Chen sighed softly, "Lu Fei, you're too self-disciplined, and towards me, you've had this inexplicable sense of guilt. Even if you were to give up, you'd still insist on going on, enduring the choices you made yourself. If I were to accept this temptation, then I would truly be selfish beyond salvation."

  "Your behavior towards me is based on a premise that assumes my love for you is built on guilt and misunderstanding, so all my actions in your eyes become a logically clear paradox. Do you think this is fair to me or you?"

  Xin Chen gazed blankly ahead, the snowfall had lessened, with only scattered snowflakes dancing silently and soundlessly onto the front windshield, melting into water droplets that slowly trickled down, leaving behind long streaks, before being disrupted by another string of water droplets merging together to flow away.

  "We've known each other for almost twelve years, and I left you to get married with another girl. Xiao Chen, if I still say I love you after all this time, it's really shameless. Yeah, I just can't forget you, whether I'm happy or lonely, I always think of you. And thank goodness life didn't play a trick on me, didn't let me get married to another man and completely forget about you before coming back. You see, if we talk about selfishness, mine is definitely more than yours."

  "We'll just end up going back and forth like this, it's pointless, and a bit ridiculous." Xīn Chén forced a smile, reached out to open the car door, "It's too late, I have work tomorrow, you should head back and get some rest."

  Xin Chen went upstairs, took out the key to open the door, but saw a pair of women's boots placed at the entrance hall. The door to Xiao Ma's bedroom was tightly closed, and ambiguous voices could be heard coming from inside. This wasn't the first time he had brought a girl back for the night. Last time, she had gone to the bathroom in the morning with sleepy eyes, only to bump into a disheveled girl coming out, which gave her quite a fright. The other girl was surprisingly calm.

  Now she is already used to it, and only made three rules with Xiao Ma: not allowed to enter her room, not allowed to touch her private belongings, and not allowed to occupy public space for children's performances. Xiao Ma readily agreed and basically did all of these points.

  Living together can't be too picky. Xincheng could only comfort himself that this was much better than hearing the sound coming from his father's room.

  She hastily took her pajamas to take a bath, then returned to her room and closed the door tightly. She walked to the window, which was not facing the road on this side, separated by 11 floors of distance, plus the light snow fluttering, looking out only a blurred view, the distant and near lights with a dazed halo, in a flash, she had been in this metropolis for two months, and this long year was also coming to an end.

  At this time of year, the scenery is withering and the years are passing quickly. With a thousand miles away from home, she stays in a bustling metropolis that holds over ten million people, like a tiny dust particle. She can't help but think that among the millions of people tonight, the only one who is tightly holding onto her thoughts seems to be the man who just drove away.