Chapter 44: Always Do It Once In Spring

Ji Zhen Tang slept until dawn and had no idea that she had exposed her true nature while she was drunk.

When she woke up, she was in Zhong Yu Bai’s bed, in his standalone villa at the Lan Ting manor, which was always the quietest place to enjoy.

The warm and soft bed made her sink into it, Ji Zhen Tang turned over, gathered her limbs that were spread out wantonly, checked the time, and originally wanted to laze around for a while. She heard the sound of running water in the bathroom and suddenly sat up.

With the mischievous thought of seeing the handsome man coming out of the bath, Ji Zhen Tang smiled brightly, lying on the edge of the bed, propping her head with her hand, eagerly staring at the bathroom door.

This was her first time waking up in this room, looking out of the window to the open air, she could see the nearby beach, the horizon of the sea, and the yacht club belonging to him.

This bath probably wouldn’t be finished for a while.

Ji Zhen Tang leisurely recalled last night.

She was a bit drunk, but not to the point of blackout. She remembered she talked a lot when she was drunk, and remembered giving the watch that had bound her to Zhong Yu Bai.

But as for the details, she couldn’t recall exactly what she had said to him.

—”Exert force in what way.”

At that time, when Zhong Yu Bai asked this question, Ji Zhen Tang saw a slight confusion in his eyes, so she, feeling a moment of inspiration, explained it to him in detail when he really didn’t understand. After all, she had been through a lot on erotica websites and forums, although it was all theoretical. She made a detailed and comprehensive interpretation of the phrase “exert force,” explaining what it meant, how to do it, and why it was necessary. She used terms as per her knowledge, asking him if he understood. Zhong Yu Bai couldn’t stop her flow of words, so he could only nod helplessly and say he didn’t quite understand.

She said, “You really have no clue!”

After passionately explaining, she even insisted on recommending something to him: “This book I’ve been reading recently is really spicy!”

She insisted on showing him her account on the pink website.

Zhong Yu Bai patiently took her phone, slowly turned it off to avoid obstructing his view while driving, and said, “Another day for sure.”

Later, when they arrived home, she hooked her leg around his, everywhere, and kept bringing up the phrase “another day for sure,” smiling cheekily, insisting on asking him which day “another day” referred to.

As she kept asking, she became a bit anxious. Seeing him not answering, she pressed on, asking, “Just tell me, which day is ‘another day’?”

…

Just as she recalled this, the bathroom door clicked open. A figure wearing a white bathrobe appeared, Zhong Yu Bai held a towel in his hand, gently wiping his damp hair.

Ji Zhen Tang didn’t dare to look at the handsome man coming out of the bath anymore, she quickly dived under the covers, pretending to be asleep!

Could Zhong Yu Bai not notice her little movements? He bent down and, through the covers, embraced her. Ji Zhen Tang remained still until the man’s hand stealthily slipped under the covers, gently patting her buttocks.

Like a reflex, Ji Zhen Tang trembled, instinctively shrinking towards the edge of the bed—

“What are you doing?”

Seeing her almost about to fall, he extended his arm and caught her.

Ji Zhen Tang rolled over, and in an instant, she rolled steadily into his embrace.

“Go take a shower,” he said in a deep voice.

“I didn’t shower last night?” She just noticed that she was still wearing yesterday’s clothes and had slept in them. He had actually endured her sleeping like this.

“You passed out as soon as you touched the bed,” Zhong Yu Bai said, lowering his head to smell her cheek. “You smell like alcohol.”

It got onto him, so he had to take multiple showers.

Ji Zhen Tang also felt like she was starting to smell bad, so she quickly stood up. “Why don’t you help me wash?” Feeling a little groggy she asked unbuttoning her cardigan, revealing the white camisole underneath.

“I’d love to,” Zhong Yu Bai leaned against the bed, his bathrobe loosely draped over his shoulders, “but if I really helped you wash, you wouldn’t be able to sleep so peacefully today.”

She didn’t quite understand what he meant by that, but it definitely wasn’t a serious statement. Ji Zhen Tang slipped into the bathroom and came out wearing the dress she had left at his place last time.

Since Zhong Yu Bai didn’t have a regular housekeeper in this house, probably because he didn’t usually live here always, most of the household chores like cleaning were done by whenever necessary. So, making breakfast was something he did himself.

He wasn’t a great cook, but he could whip up something to eat. Not exquisite but very practical.

He also prepared a hangover soup for her.

“Where’s my hairpin?” Ji Zhen Tang had just washed her hair and couldn’t find her hairpin. She asked him for it during breakfast.

Zhong Yu Bai handed it to her, neatly stored in a brand new sandalwood case.

Ji Zhen Tang actually wanted to say, “I don’t need such an expensive box; I can just put it in my bag and take it with me.” However, she thought about the embarrassment she might have caused yesterday, not intending to fuss, she accepted his kindness.

“My account has recently reached a bottleneck and still lacks a qualified brand scale.”

While having breakfast, she flipped through her own homepage, filled with design drafts, which seemed a bit monotonous. “I think I need to find a team to shoot some advertisements, or let models help me take some photos for endorsements. Otherwise, it’s so boring to just post some necklaces and rings every time.”

Zhong Yu Bai listened silently.

She was afraid of being misunderstood as asking him for sponsorship, so she hurriedly waved her hand and said, “I don’t mean to ask for your help; I can handle it myself.”

He expressed his non-involvement: “The sense of achievement after work also brings happiness.”

Ji Zhen Tang curiously asked him, “Do you want me to handle everything myself?”

Zhong Yu Bai said, “I don’t have any specific desires; it depends on your willingness.”

After some thought, he added, “But I encourage you to take action, not for profit, but to combat for your own desire; that’s important.”

Not acting for profit, combating for desire. It’s also a kind of spiritual pursuit. She agreed deeply, saying, “Otherwise, it’s like Wang Qiyao in ‘The Song of Everlasting Sorrow,’ where Director Li’s golden cage was the starting point of her destruction.”

He had promised her; their beginning was different from what was written in the book.

Speaking of which, while pouring hot milk into her cup, Zhong Yu Bai asked, “Will you still act in the later parts?”

Ji Zhen Tang shook her head and said, “No, the president said I best fit the image of being a Shanghai lady in the earlier parts. It’s not suitable for me to act in the later parts, with all the hardships and sorrows.”

Zhong Yu Bai looked at her beautiful face and smiled, “You are shining.”

She propped up her chin, “It’s just my face; in reality, I’m very worn out and desolate, like a withered flower.”

“Then such a flower should live in an ideal country,” Zhong Yu Bai said.

She smiled at him, wanting to hear more.

This quiet morning, the comfortable atmosphere of conversation moved Ji Zhen Tang. Clearly, she had denied the truth of permanence just yesterday, but in this moment, she wanted to extend this peace until the end of time.

He continued, “It needs a caring gardener to diligently water it, so it can grow beautifully.”

“The ideal country only exists in books.”

Zhong Yu Bai didn’t directly respond but said, “I can make everything smooth sailing for you.”

If she was willing, he could build a kingdom from a fairy tale for her, making her worry-free, letting her experience it.

But this ideal country wasn’t a golden cage. She had room to grow and freedom to spread her wings.

Ji Zhen Tang remained silent for a while. After finishing the cup of perfectly warm milk, she said, “Zhong Yu Bai, when I’m with you, I occasionally feel that winning or losing isn’t so important. All along, I’ve set many imaginary enemies for myself; I wanted to win against my brother, against Zhao, against everyone, to make them look up to me.”

At this point, her throat choked up slightly.

The unsaid lines: So this is how it feels not to lack love…

She looked out the window, then randomly changed the topic, “You said the other day that this club was owned by the British a hundred years ago, and a hundred years later, it’s not clear who owns it. Why is there no confidence in rulership? In my opinion, your name should be carved on this piece of land.”

Ji Zhen Tang stuffed bread into her mouth, jokingly.

Zhong Yu Bai followed her gaze and said, “Glory and prosperity, like the ebb and flow of the tide.”

Then he looked at her puzzled eyes and said, “But the tides of life have longer cycles, not within days and nights, so it’s difficult to comprehend in three or five years;”

When he said these words, she felt he was not like a thirty-year-old but rather someone who had already lived a full life, with a sense of detachment from the pursuit of fame and fortune.

Maybe three hundred years!

Ji Zhen Tang laughed, “This idea sounds like it could be practiced into the realm of ‘the four empties’ in yoga tantra.

He said, “It’s not just an idea; it’s a natural law.”

She tilted her head, examining him seriously, “You seem to not believe in forever either.”

Zhong Yu Bai understood what she meant and emphasized, “I’m talking about fate, not love.”

“What’s the difference?” She showed a pair of innocent eyes.

He said, “One is controlled by nature, the other is followed by the heart.”

Ji Zhen Tang fell silent for a moment and asked him, “What about love in your opinion?”

He said, “I believe in eternal love.”

Ji Zhen Tang was slightly stunned, surprised by his firmness, then dryly laughed, “Well, we’re quite different then.”

After she said this, their conversation ended. Ji Zhen Tang thought again about how Zhong Yu Bai rarely seemed relaxed. Perhaps at his level, emotions were no longer simply defined as happy or unhappy.

She looked at his silent and calm eyes and suddenly wondered if he didn’t quite like his current state. Even though the wave in his life had reached its peak, what was he persisting for? To avoid falling, to combat emptiness?

But occasionally, she could see a hint of emptiness in his eyes, a subtle bitterness in extreme loneliness.

He said the soul is like a lamp that needs to illuminate itself. He had been a qualified guide for her, but in the end, it seemed he couldn’t illuminate himself—such was the loneliness and bitterness.

Zhong Yu Bai personally drove her back to school. When they parted ways, he didn’t tell her to study hard but simply told her to rest well.

Back at school, Ji Zhen Tang kept thinking about how to recruit actors for advertising. Sometimes in class, she would stare blankly at her empty wrist.

Beside her, Su Yunli wore luxury brands, and Ji Zhen Tang had thought even a Cartier watch could satisfy her vanity.

But unexpectedly, she took it off after only a few days.

That watch was too heavy, carrying the insincere love of Ji Huan, suffocating her.

Ji Zhen Tang initially wanted to give it a name, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t find one that felt right. Finally, she handed it over to Zhong Yu Bai, and she finally felt relieved, light as if a burden had been lifted.

It felt like she had unloaded a burden.

For a while, the words “love” and “eternity” lingered in her heart, making her ponder repeatedly without finding an answer.

Later, she went to ask Su Yunli how to determine if love exists.

Su Yunli’s response was, “When you enter into a relationship and gradually discover that besides happiness, you also start feeling the sadness of being apart from them, even considering future together, feeling attached. That’s probably when you’ve fallen in love with that person.”

Ji Zhen Tang said, “But can’t you restrain yourself from thinking about it?”

“If you can restrain yourself, then it’s not love,” she said. “From falling in love to heartbreak, for those who don’t love, it feels like a game, but for those in love, it’s almost like going through a calamity.”

A game and a calamity, two cruel and unequal life experiences.

Ji Zhen Tang said, “What if it’s very balanced? I love him very much, and he loves me too.”

“Then why would you still separate?” Su Yunli couldn’t understand.

“Well, there are always many unavoidable reasons, right?”

“Is it because of family background?” Su Yunli laughed. “If it’s about that, I’ve never believed that there’s truly no other choice. Ultimately, it’s still about imbalance.”

Whether it’s family background or something else that leads to relationships not lasting long, she couldn’t explain it clearly, but she always harbored a sense of distrust deep in her heart. After all, even familial love can easily dissipate; how can romantic love be eternal?

That day in class, Ji Zhen Tang searched the classroom for someone suitable to be her model.

Thinking about it, if she asked for Zhong Yu Bai’s help, he would surely solve it.

He could even make a rising star come to dance to cheer her up, but to find a model in the entertainment industry, shoot a soft advertisement, it would be effortless for him.

But Ji Zhen Tang felt that her niche brand was just beginning to thrive, and such an extravagant approach wasn’t necessary.

After discreetly searching around, Ji Zhen Tang wandered around with her hairpin, looking for a suitable candidate. Although there were classmates willing to help, none matched its temperament well.

Ji Zhen Tang’s appearance was too striking, not classical enough, and Su Yunli was beautiful but too sweet.

She needed a look that was both cold and classical, with a hint of stubbornness.

Ji Zhen Tang didn’t know how news of her search for a model had spread to the faculty office. This time, when she was summoned to the office again, the dean, vice dean, and faculty advisors greeted her with smiles, as if they were very familiar with her, saying all sorts of polite things.

“Congratulations, Ji, on winning first prize. Your certificate has arrived at the college, and your work will be publicly displayed on the school’s homepage,” the vice dean said, holding her award certificate with a beaming smile. “It’s incredible, incredible! Our college has produced a talent. The principal just sent his congratulations to us!”

Standing among these teachers, Ji Zhen Tang took what she deserved, but she felt a sense of unease.

It’s hard to describe this feeling, it’s odd. She still remembered being overshadowed by Zhao Siqi in the past, trapped in a dilemma here, and now, with new faces around her, treating her with kindness, it made her uncomfortable.

Perhaps she knew that this kindness was borrowed, not genuinely directed at her.

Ji Zhen Tang glanced at the words and stamps on the certificate, feeling a bit silly, and asked, “Is this really sent by the country?”

The vice dean chuckled, “Of course, it’s a nationwide competition, you won first prize, and the prize money will be transferred soon.” She congratulated her slowly, her eyes betraying a hint of flattery.

“Prize money?” Ji Zhen Tang almost forgot, winning the prize would provide her with some startup capital.

The vice dean said, “Yes, your brand can go public now. Oh, about shooting advertisements, if you need help, I can arrange it with the New Media department.”

“Wait, wait a minute!” She was extremely uncomfortable with this sudden enthusiasm and quickly intervened. “This matter is not difficult to handle. Just let me take care of it myself, there’s no need to trouble other teachers.”

“It’s not trouble at all, shooting a video, hiring professional models, wouldn’t that be better? I’ve been following your account; you have great potential.”

“…” Ji Zhen Tang smiled weakly, “Thank you, but if this matter succeeds, it’s good; if it doesn’t, it’s okay too. I can now accept many outcomes calmly.”

In the end, she softly added, “I’ve always just wanted to rightfully reclaim what belongs to me. If this award doesn’t belong to me, I can accept failure, but please don’t turn me into another Zhao Siqi.”

The vice dean’s expression faltered, and she quieted down.

Finally, the somewhat kind-hearted Teacher Liu smiled at her and said, “Congratulations, Ji, your wish has come true.”

Ji Zhen Tang smiled slowly, “Well, there’s still a long way to go.”

The good news spread to the dorm, and Ji Zhen Tang was teased into treating everyone.

Everyone toasted to her achievements. She sat in front of the steaming hot pot, watching the captivating chaos of the bustling city outside.

Perhaps due to a little alcohol, she felt a bit melancholic. Ji Zhen Tang sipped her juice languidly, lacking appetite, and started talking to herself about the past: “When I was young, I dreamt of having an art exhibition for myself. But as I grew up, I became busy with livelihood, studies, and aspirations. I stopped thinking about it. But my heart is still burning; there’s an artist living inside me, that’s the child I used to be.”

Lin Guixue said, “You’ve really made it now. This is called perseverance pays off.”

Ji Zhen Tang smiled faintly, “I don’t know why, but I always feel like no matter how high I climb, it’s still not enough, like I’m missing something essential.”

Su Yunli said, “You just demand too much from yourself.”

Ji Zhen Tang wasn’t sure if that was the reason, perhaps to some extent, but the answer she gave herself was that it lacked a bit of purity.

A few days later, Ji Huan invited Ji Zhen Tang to his house.

Ji Zhen Tang had originally intended to take this opportunity to tell her father about winning the award.

No matter how complex and strained their relationship was now, whether there was love or not, Ji Huan was still her father.

“This matter should be informed.”

However, as soon as she entered, Ji Zhen Tang felt a strange atmosphere enveloping her, making her hesitate to immediately deliver the good news.

Xu Qiang was cooking in the kitchen, with a table full of delicious dishes. Ji Zhen Tang sat in the warm atmosphere of the hearth, faintly feeling the warmth of home. But she also knew rationally that this warmth was fleeting, borrowed.

So when she held her bowl, her smile seemed constrained.

Xu Qiang politely asked her to help herself to the dishes, and Ji Zhen Tang nodded, only eating some vegetarian dishes and avoiding looking at the good stuff like chicken legs. She was afraid of showing her desire to eat and afraid that others would think she wanted to eat but didn’t dare to.

Ji Chen probably found her a bit disagreeable.

Even though she had been very careful to restrain herself, Ji Chen still showed signs of being against her.

Whenever Ji Zhen Tang picked up a dish, Ji Chen would push it back.

“I want to eat this!”

Xu Qiang noticed her son’s stubbornness and opposition, slapped his hand, and asked him to yield to his sister.

Ji Zhen Tang silently thought, there’s even a term like “yield to the sister.” It was a bit funny to her, but also because, in this family, she was just a guest.

The more distant, the more like a guest she became.

This meal was arranged by Ji Huan, but throughout the whole process, Ji Huan’s face remained dark, as if he was brewing a storm.

He asked Ji Zhen Tang, “Where’s your watch?”

She calmly lied, “It’s at home.”

“Don’t like it or something?” 

She shook her head, “No, I just didn’t wear it today.”

Ji Huan fell silent for a moment.

At this moment, Ji Zhen Tang felt it was a good time to interject.

She took the teddy bear backpack hanging on the back of the chair, reached inside, grasped her award certificate, and was about to take it out, “Dad, I—”

A gentle call was drowned out by Ji Huan’s cold voice.

He asked her, “How far have you gone with him?”

The item slipped from her palm and fell back into the inner layer of the backpack.

Choking on a piece of eggplant, Ji Zhen Tang coughed twice, took the napkin handed to her by Xu Qiang.

She stammered, “What do you mean by how far? Cough, cough.”

Xu Qiang gave Ji Huan a meaningful look, clicked her tongue, and told him not to discuss this at the dining table.

As a woman, she was trying her best to maintain the dignity of this family.

However, Ji Huan’s emotions seemed unstoppable: “Do you know, the Zhong family has not a single good person? If you don’t know, let me tell you.”

Ji Zhen Tang looked at him in astonishment.

“What are you saying…?”

Before she could react, Ji Huan continued on his own—

“His elder brother, brought a mistress into the family, kept a bunch of concubines outside, never stayed at home for years, engaging in extramarital affairs everywhere. A few years ago, he almost killed an actress, but in the end, he just paid her off and sent her away. His second brother, has been dead for years. When he was young, he was just as reckless, smuggling weapons, colluding with foreign underworld, one moment imposing, the next waiting to be shot dead! His second sister-in-law, a lunatic, locked up in a desolate courtyard. This is the kind of woman associated with the Zhong family. Go ask, which one of them had a good ending!?”

Ji Zhen Tang was stunned.

She had never heard such specific things related to the Zhong family.

Although she had asked Zhong Yu Bai with a bit of curiosity, the only answer she got was, “I just want to make you happy.”

He said more words were useless.

Indeed, these messy affairs seem too distant from their refined and gentle stories. They shouldn’t be appearing in their elegant, tender tales. And now, such direct narration and exposure, without any embellishment, one bloody conclusion after another, made her feel completely at a loss.

“You said…”

Ji Huan became more and more agitated as he spoke, almost flipping the table, “If it weren’t for a few days ago, someone I know seeing you spending your birthday with him, I wouldn’t have known that you two were already, already—”

“Hey! Stop, stop talking.” Xu Qiang saw the situation was getting out of control and hurriedly held Ji Huan’s shoulder, frowning and scolding, “We’re just having a family meal, why are you saying these things!”

Upon hearing this, Ji Zhen Tang buried her head, gripping the chopsticks tightly, remaining silent for a while. Her wrists trembled uncontrollably, as she struggled to contain her surprise and a subtle hint of indignation.

After pondering for a long time, still with her head down and her voice slightly hoarse, she slowly spoke up, “When I was with Zhong Heng, you obviously knew, but you didn’t tell me any of this.”

Ji Huan clenched his fists, angrily pounding the table, “Can he be compared to someone you met at school?!”

Ji Zhen Tang also knew that he didn’t say anything at the time for a simple reason, because Zhong Heng couldn’t enter the realm of power. This pile of rubbish, it was also the reason why he chose to study medicine and stay away from disputes. He truly managed to protect himself with wisdom.

Moreover, Ji Huan was well aware that Ji Zhen Tang would never become a woman related to the Zhong family. How could someone surnamed Ji have any significance in the eyes of others? How could the young master marry his daughter?

But when it came to Zhong Yu Bai, it was a whole different story. Even if they hadn’t reached the stage of marriage, when a man himself was an abyss, the nature of this matter completely changed.

“How is it different?” Ji Zhen Tang clearly knew in her heart, yet she still stubbornly asked.

Ji Huan answered her loudly, “One is in love, the other is playing around. Stop pretending, get it straight!”

Ji Zhen Tang lifted her eyes and saw her father pointing at her with that index finger.

She stared at him, sneering coldly, “Playing around? Such a filthy word. Now that things have come to this, why don’t you ever think that maybe we’re both playing each other? Because you all always value money and power too highly, subconsciously treating women’s bodies as tools. When everything is unequal, you firmly believe that there’s no love involved. Why is it that Zhong Heng and I were in love, but Zhong Yu Bai and I can’t be? Just because his wealth far exceeds mine?”

Ji Huan repeated, “Why are you arguing with me? If you don’t believe me, go find out for yourself what fate awaits those women in their family!”

Ji Zhen Tang said, “Just because the women of the Zhong family are all unfortunate, do you think I will also be unfortunate, either dead or insane? You’ve already predetermined the outcome for me, using such results to warn, criticize, and obstruct me. Is this the most memorable lesson you leave for your daughter as a father?”

Ji Huan never taught her any good principles of conduct, but now, encountering such a situation, he rushed forward to question her in a hostile manner, incessantly.

She was fed up!

The conflict escalated quickly, with Xu Qiang constantly trying to mediate. She stopped Ji Huan, who was about to stand up in anger, but couldn’t stop Ji Zhen Tang’s sharp tongue.

She continued, “Only despicable men would view ‘playing around’ as a function, a tactic, or a means for women to lure. Just like how you deceived Mom into bed initially, then cruelly told her you wouldn’t marry her, telling her not to entertain unrealistic ideas, leaving her heartbroken. Now you’re saying these things to me again, don’t you find it ridiculous? Anyone is entitled to use the word ‘play around’ to admonish me, but not you. If it weren’t for you, Ji Huan, how could I have ended up like this today?”

Listening to her speak so disrespectfully about the past, Ji Huan couldn’t help but tremble with anger, slamming the bowl onto the table, “Shut up! Who gave you the right to lecture me here?!”

Ignoring Ji Huan’s outburst, Ji Zhen Tang got up and walked to the door, coldly leaving one last sentence, “You always talk about good and bad, yet never tell me how to define them. Someone kind to me may not be a good person, but I know for sure that someone who treats me badly is definitely not a good one!”

“…”

Bang!

As the door of the house closed, her world suddenly became quiet.

—Forget it, what kind of family is this anyway? This is Ji Huan’s family, with no connection to her.

Taking a deep breath, Ji Zhen Tang quickly descended the stairs.

It had been a long time since she had argued with anyone, but today, after venting her feelings, she didn’t cry. Instead, she felt relieved.

Standing in the darkness of the night, she gently lifted the corners of her lips.

Upon careful consideration, she and Ji Huan had never argued so sharply and bitterly before. All along, Ji Zhen Tang had been doing things according to his wishes, obediently calling him ‘father’, as if there was some blood tie between them, always prioritizing filial piety and upholding the principle of honoring parents.

At this moment, however, she absurdly wondered if all this was also for the sake of someone, defying the whole world?

Feeling hungry, Ji Zhen Tang returned to Luotang Pavilion.

Unable to quell the anger in her heart, she found her sketchbook, tore out the page with the aquarium drawing, ripped it into pieces, and threw it into the fireplace, burning it to ashes.

Even as she did all this, she still didn’t cry.

Throwing away the watch, burning the painting, finishing the argument, she had done the most intense cutting, yet her mood was surprisingly calm.

She sat in front of the fireplace, waiting for Ji Xinhe to come back.

“What’s wrong?” Ji Xinhe asked.

Ji Zhen Tang shook her head, “Nothing.”

“What did you burn?”

She smiled and said, “Worthless things.”

After saying that, she hurriedly left. Ji Zhen Tang called Zhong Yu Bai and asked where he was.

On the other end, Zhong Yu Bai’s voice was calm, “At the company.”

Ji Zhen Tang thought for a moment and said, “I’ll wait for you at Lan Ting Mansion.”

Zhong Yu Bai was slightly surprised, pausing for a second or two, surprised that she seemed to be in such a rush to meet him late at night. After considering for a moment, he said, “I’ll send someone to pick you up.”

“No need,” Ji Zhen Tang quickly shook her head, “I’ll come to find you myself, in person.”

She took the initiative, and he wanted to pick her up. In fact, there wasn’t much difference, but she inexplicably insisted on this small matter.

Without asking why. After a while, Zhong Yu Bai responded, “I’ll be back soon.”

Ji Zhen Tang took a taxi to his house, an empty house that inexplicably gave her a sense of security.

She went to the fridge to find something to drink, then found some snacks, and rested in the space undisturbed by anyone, sitting on the sofa in the living room. She watched a movie boredly for a while, unable to find any exciting ones. The comedies weren’t funny, and the thrillers weren’t scary.

Everything seemed dull and lacking in meaning.

In the end, she put on a romance movie.

Whether it was good or not was secondary; at least it could arouse some emotional enthusiasm.

She lay down on the sofa, the thin gauze skirt sliding down her legs.

Zhong Yu Bai had set up a simulated fireplace area in the living room background wall.

The fire was fake, but the warmth was real. A gentle heat wafted behind her, and Ji Zhen Tang had always been curious about this thing, but she hadn’t dared to touch it much for fear of getting burnt, even though he assured her it wouldn’t harm anyone.

Today, she suddenly found some courage. In the dimly lit living room, with people on the TV engaged in passionate activities on the bed, she reached out and touched the glass of the fireplace.

As a result, it was warm, not hot at all.

Always seeing the flames roaring, she had thought she would be burned alive if she got too close.

She chuckled, inexplicably reminded of Zhong Yu Bai’s words: “This is also your assumption.”

Ji Zhen Tang pressed her slightly cool palm against the warm glass, and soon her whole body felt comfortably warm.

Voices came from outside.

She turned her head in the direction of the sound.

Zhong Yu Bai had driven back himself, parked the car in the yard, knowing she was waiting. He strode in quickly.

Soon, his tall and slender figure stood at the doorway. He glanced at the dimly lit interior and was about to reach for the light switch when he caught sight of the intimate scenes on the TV.

His hand paused in mid-air for a moment before he slowly withdrew it.

Approaching Ji Zhen Tang, he bent down to look at her face, then cupped her cheek in his hand, carefully examining her, observing the dimness in her eyes amidst the silence.

“You’re very sad,” he said.

Ji Zhen Tang forced a smile, her lips twitching slightly, “No, I was just a bit angry earlier, but I’m fine now.”

He observed her for a while longer, confirming whether she was truly okay, then asked with great care, “Is there anything I can do?”

She shook her head.

“Don’t be my trash can. I haven’t treated you like one.”

Saying so, Ji Zhen Tang also stood up with him, covering his mouth before he could speak, and pointed outside the window. “Listen, what sound is that outside?”

At their ears, several long, somewhat sharp cries came, distant and seemingly from the area behind the mansion.

“Meow—”

“Meow—”

“Stray cats in heat,” Zhong Yu Bai replied.

“You see, even the kittens know not to let this spring night go to waste,” Ji Zhen Tang hugged his neck, smiling, and kissed the corner of his lips. She leaned close to his ear and whispered like a breath, “We should make love in springtime, don’t you think?”

She tilted her head, with a hint of girlish innocence still in her eyes.

Zhong Yu Bai looked into her tender and affectionate eyes, his gaze deep and unreadable. He lightly supported her slender waist, afraid she might catch a cold, yet also gently used his fingers to secure her clothes, covering her exposed body as much as possible.

Ji Zhen Tang tiptoed to kiss him on the face, softly and randomly, without pattern, from his nose to the corner of his mouth. Under the influence of the long movie scenes, she had long been immersed in the tide of emotions.

All this passion was ready.

Just waiting for him to come back.

Ji Zhen Tang’s lips were slightly dry, in need of moisture. Yet her body was engulfed in waves of heat, surging for a long time.

Zhong Yu Bai let her kiss for a while, then gently pushed her away, somewhat abruptly for him.

Cradling her cheeks, the man gently rubbed her skin, smooth and glossy like an egg, with his fingers. He softly and tenderly said, “To write on a wrinkled paper, I must first smooth it out.”

He wasn’t in a rush to indulge in the springtime. What mattered most to him now was to understand why she had come to this point, why she was sad, and why she was angry.

At all times, he adhered to one principle: her happiness mattered more than anything else.

Ji Zhen Tang closed her eyes and buried her head in his embrace. A sweet smile curved her lips. “Seeing you, I naturally feel at ease.”

He was tall, gently embracing her.

Like a mountain, like a warm hearth. Allowing her to lean on, allowing her warmth.

“Really, you holding me for a while is better than anything else,” Ji Zhen Tang murmured softly.

A few minutes later, Zhong Yu Bai removed his tie.

The moaning voices of the characters in the movie drowned out the rustling of their embrace.

As Ji Zhen Tang lay down on the sofa, she asked, “How should I remember today?”

The first dance at ten thousand meters high, the first rose, the first kiss on the cruise deck, the first sunset tilting in a kiss, and the first birthday speeding through a sea of flowers.

Each of the first times he made her unforgettable was endowed with vivid colors. She recalled each scene as if falling into a colorful dream.

And this time, in the large living room, with no embellishments, the seemingly mundane environment, only the fire behind them still burning.

The characters in the movie had been swept over by wave after wave.

Yet they still gazed at each other, dry-eyed.

“By breathing, by feeling.”

This was Zhong Yu Bai’s answer.

He lit two sticks of incense, embedding them in the incense holder.

The scent was the best time machine, anchoring her in this night.

The scent of a dignified and noble masculine fragrance mixed with the warm and shallow scent of spring.

Amber and sandalwood, blended with cherry blossoms and roses.

The feeling of climbing a misty mountain on a foggy morning came back to her when she closed her eyes. The solemnity of temple bells and drums in the fog, she ascended the steps, unable to see the road conditions, only feeling the drifting petals falling on her nose and eyelashes.

Such a fragrance made her linger and be infatuated.

“From now on, whenever you smell this scent, you will think of tonight.”

The man’s low magnetic voice seemed to come from the steps not far away, leading the way ahead.

Outside the dense fog, he guided her through the chaos.

She visioned clearing away the morning mist, while he collected the fallen flowers.

—

Seeing her birthmark, in an extremely concealed spot, about a finger wide, he used the tip of his middle finger to unravel the most unique one.

It was an extremely graceful, unpicked pale pink camellia.

Ji Zhen Tang gripped his shoulder, her throat tightening, and her vision became even more hazy. The fog thickened for a moment, then thinned out. It made her steps feel suspended, unable to distinguish east from west or north from south. The sensation of not being able to touch the ground made her curl her toes tightly, and soon, he gently held her.

In this dizzying world, there was only one voice, clear and profound —

“Would you still forget about me?”

She suddenly felt a sense of danger.

He truly knew how to make someone feel unforgettable.

In the time of two incense sticks burning, all her previous little tricks and ineffective measures were engulfed by the depth of this moment’s scheming.

Zhong Yu Bai made her understand what true surrender was.

At the last moment, she laboriously reached the mountaintop. In an instant, the clouds dispersed, and he lightly brushed the dew on the petals, letting the condensation from the mist in his palms fall.

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