Chapter 2

The blind date was arranged at a local café, one Song Wei had chosen herself. Starting with a cup of coffee would allow for a quick retreat if the other party wasn’t interested—saving time for both sides.

When she left home, no one was there. Professor Song was at the research institute, deeply immersed in his work, and Principal Yang had back-to-back meetings as usual. The couple’s busy schedules had been the norm for over a decade.

The weather wasn’t great; the sky was overcast, hinting at possible snow later in the evening. Song Wei stood at the base of her apartment building for a minute or two, hesitating before deciding against going back upstairs for an umbrella.

She bet it wouldn’t snow.

Before she arrived, her aunt messaged her:

“He’s very busy with work and barely managed to free up some time, so make sure you’re not late.”

Song Wei replied with a simple “Got it” and pushed open the café door.

Inside, the warmth turned her wind-chilled face even rosier. She exhaled softly, unwound her heavy scarf, and finally breathed easier.

After ordering her coffee, she found a seat by the window and quietly observed the people passing by outside.

Life in a small city was slower than in the capital. People’s walking pace seemed set to 0.75x speed, their expressions more vivid and animated, as if each frame lingered a bit longer.

By the time her coffee was half-finished, it was 4:15 PM.

The agreed-upon meeting time was 4:00 PM. He was already 15 minutes late.

Song Wei frowned slightly.

Being late on a first meeting—regardless of the reason—showed a lack of respect.

Her phone vibrated with an incoming call from an unfamiliar number. Thinking it might be her blind date, she answered, “Hello?”

A familiar girl’s voice came through, “Hi, this is the volunteer from the shelter. Do you remember the kitten you brought in the other day?”

Song Wei hadn’t expected a call from the shelter. “Yes, I remember. What’s the matter?”

“Well, we’ve posted about it in the group, but no one has come forward to claim it. We’re preparing to start the adoption process. I wanted to ask if you’d be interested in adopting it.” The girl, Jiang Xiaoyu, spoke in a lively, enthusiastic tone. “You must have a special bond with the kitten since you found it, right? You’re familiar with its condition, and it’s super healthy now—bouncing around every day and incredibly cute! Honestly, it’s a perfect match for a pretty sister like you.”

Song Wei couldn’t help but smile at the girl’s pitch-like enthusiasm. When she finished, Song Wei politely declined, “I’m sorry, but my family doesn’t allow pets at home.”

She recalled how, back in middle school, she had adopted a British Shorthair despite her mother, Yang Yingqiu’s, reluctance. Her mother had considered it troublesome. Song Wei had insisted, and the compromise was that she had to maintain her grades in the top three of her class.

That hadn’t been a problem for Song Wei.

However, after only two months, the cat ran away and never returned. Heartbroken, she had been distracted for two weeks, and her grades plummeted that term. From then on, Yang Yingqiu strictly forbade any pets in the house.

Song Wei herself lost the courage to adopt another. She couldn’t bear the pain of separation again.

On the phone, Jiang Xiaoyu sighed with disappointment, but her enthusiasm reignited within seconds. “How about I add you on WeChat and send you some photos of the kitten? Maybe your family will change their minds once they see how cute it is.”

“There’s no need. Please try finding someone else.”

“Just take a look first, okay? You can decide after seeing the photos, please?”

The girl’s persistence was hard to resist. Reluctantly, Song Wei agreed to add her on WeChat.

The messages came quickly: seven or eight photos and two video clips, all at once.

The videos showed the kitten, now a plump little Ragdoll, energetically leaping after a cat teaser toy—so lively that it was hard to believe it was the same fragile creature she had rescued.

In another clip, a shelter worker was stroking its head. The kitten stayed perfectly still, squinting its eyes in sheer bliss. It was unbearably cute.

Song Wei’s heart softened slightly.

A voice message from Jiang Xiaoyu followed: [Isn’t it adorable? If I didn’t already have two cats, I’d adopt it myself. Please think about it, sister!]

Before Song Wei could respond, a shadow fell across her table. A faint, clean scent reached her nose.

She looked up and was momentarily surprised to see the man she had encountered at the shelter.

As recognition dawned, the man’s face aligned with the photo her aunt had shown. Tall and lean, he wasn’t wearing glasses today, which made him look even more attractive. His tailored coat and suit exuded an air of sophistication and tidiness.

But wasn’t he already in a relationship?

She glanced at her phone to check the time—4:30 PM. Half an hour late.

Song Wei couldn’t help but wonder: could he be here reluctantly, already having a girlfriend but forced into this blind date?

The man sat down and confirmed, “Miss Song?”

“Yes.”

“Hello, I’m Chen Jubai.”

“Hello.”

After the brief exchange, the atmosphere grew somewhat awkward. Chen Jubai noticed her half-finished coffee and apologized, “I’m sorry for being late.”

Chen Jubai hadn’t known who his blind date would be, nor had he wanted to attend. When his aunt had told him about it the night before, he had declined. Yet, in the middle of a meeting today, she had called to say the girl was already waiting, insisting he go to save face.

He had no choice but to wrap up his meeting quickly and rush over, though he was still late.

“It’s fine. I was early.” Song Wei sipped her now-cold coffee and cautiously asked, “The shelter, the other day?”

“Yes. What a coincidence.”

Coincidence? Hardly. Song Wei forced a smile. “But… don’t you have a girlfriend?”

Chen Jubai froze for a moment before smiling faintly. “That wasn’t my girlfriend. That was my younger sister.”

Relief swept over Song Wei. Of course. The girl had looked so young.

Embarrassed, she smiled apologetically. “Sorry, I misunderstood.” She pushed the menu toward him. “What would you like to drink?”

He called the waiter, placed his order, and then turned back to her, seemingly choosing his words carefully. After a moment, he said, “Did Aunt Yang tell you about my situation?”

“She mentioned some things.”

Sitting upright, he clasped his hands on the table and spoke calmly:

“I’m 28 years old, 186 cm tall, 140 pounds. Unmarried and single. I don’t smoke, and I only drink occasionally for business. No other bad habits.”

“My mother passed away when I was nine. My father and I aren’t close. My most familiar relatives are my aunt—Aunt Yang’s colleague—and my cousin, whom you met at the shelter, Jiang Xiaoyu.”

“I currently run a small company. The revenue is decent. I own two properties and a car, all paid off.”

Song Wei was dumbfounded. Was this a formal introduction or a résumé? Who shares their entire personal and financial details right after saying hello?

Should she introduce herself as well?

Following his template, Song Wei outlined her basic background and family situation. At the end, she honestly added, “I was just laid off, so I’m currently unemployed.”

“Okay,” he responded with a faint acknowledgment, seemingly unconcerned.

The conversation stalled again. Song Wei glanced at him discreetly, only to unexpectedly meet his gaze. Startled, she quickly lowered her head and asked, “My aunt said you’re very busy with work. Can I ask, how busy is ‘very busy’?”

Chen Jubai thought for a moment before replying slowly, “Extremely busy. I almost never leave work on time. Pulling all-nighters during busy periods is routine.”

“Do you have to work overtime every day?” she probed further.

He said, “I used to.”

“Where do you live?”

“There’s a rest area in the office.”

“What about meals?”

Chen Jubai hesitated. “Not very regular.”

“And earlier?”

He apologized again. “I had an important meeting. I’m sorry for keeping you waiting.”

“It’s okay.” Song Wei shook her head inwardly. This was too much—being so busy that even a scheduled blind date was delayed.

They exchanged a few more fragmented words. By the time her coffee cup was empty, it had started snowing outside. Both of them glanced at the falling snow before looking back.

Song Wei said, “Let’s end it here for today. I have something else to do.”

“Alright.” Chen Jubai glanced outside at the increasingly heavy snow. “How are you getting back?”

“I’ll call a ride.”

When they stepped outside, Song Wei checked her ride-hailing app. Her queue number was 23, meaning it would be a while.

Chen Jubai didn’t leave. They stood awkwardly by the café entrance, avoiding eye contact, like two strangers seeking shelter under the same roof from the wind and snow.

Snowflakes swirled through the air, and cars on the road slowed. Finally, he said, “I’ll drive you.”

Song Wei hesitated briefly before nodding. With the weather like this, getting a ride would indeed be difficult.

“Where to?”

Once in the car, Song Wei remembered her earlier excuse. She didn’t actually have anywhere to go; she had only wanted to end the blind date. If she said she was heading home, wouldn’t it expose her lie?

After some thought, she said, “To the shelter. I want to check on the kitten.”

“Alright.”

His driving was steady, and the car’s heater was on high. The warmth flushed her face red. The confined space was quiet, and Song Wei remained silent, fidgeting with her hands.

At a red light, she turned slightly and caught a glimpse of his profile—handsome and focused on the road ahead.

She had only caught a quick look at him at the shelter that day and had thought he looked decent.

Now, under closer observation, his skin was clear, his features well-defined and refined. His almond-shaped eyes had slightly upturned corners, framed by long lashes—classic “peach blossom eyes.”

As for his personality, it was too early to tell after only an hour or two. But based on their interaction so far, he seemed straightforward, stable, and unpretentious—someone who spoke calmly without airs.

It didn’t quite match his face.

The shelter wasn’t far. He parked the car by the roadside, and Song Wei politely asked, “Are you coming in?”

“No, I’ve still got some work to do.”

“Oh, alright. I’ll head in then.”

Song Wei placed her hand on the door handle and opened it a crack. The wind and snow immediately rushed in.

Before she could make her next move, he spoke up, “Umbrella.”

Song Wei turned back and saw the black folding umbrella he was holding out to her. She looked up, meeting his gaze for two seconds.

Outside, snowflakes danced through the air. Knowing she’d have to walk back from the shelter later, the umbrella was timely. Without hesitation, she accepted it graciously. “Thank you.”

She got out of the car, opened the umbrella, and watched as his car drove away.

Since she was already there, Song Wei decided to check on the little Ragdoll kitten.

Jiang Xiaoyu was surprised to see her and exclaimed excitedly, “Sister, have you decided to adopt the kitten?”

Song Wei closed the umbrella and set it aside. “No, I was just passing by and thought I’d stop in.”

“Come, come, take a look! I wasn’t lying to you.” The kitten wasn’t in a cage today. Jiang Xiaoyu picked up the fluffy little ball from a chair behind the service counter. “Sister, hold it.”

Song Wei reached out to take it. The kitten let out a soft “meow,” opening its watery blue eyes. As it turned its gaze toward her, it seemed to recognize her, nudging her palm with its tiny head.

Song Wei’s heart melted instantly.

Jiang Xiaoyu didn’t miss the tenderness that appeared on her face and took the opportunity to say, “Sister, see? It remembers you.”

“What’s its name?”

“It doesn’t have one. We’re leaving that for its adopter to decide.” Jiang Xiaoyu cozily clung to her hand. “Sister, why don’t you give it a name?”

Song Wei could hear the underlying implication in Jiang Xiaoyu’s words. Her resolve wavered slightly. “Why are you so eager for me to adopt it? Do you have a quota to meet?”

“No, it’s just that this little Ragdoll is so adorable. Someone will adopt it sooner or later. But sometimes, people adopt on a whim, and when they grow tired of it, they might abandon it again. If that’s the case, we’d rather find it a truly loving owner from the start.”

Jiang Xiaoyu’s voice suddenly turned pitiful. “Sister, you picked it up back then because you couldn’t bear to leave it. That shows you like animals. You’re its best owner.”

“If you really don’t want to adopt it, that’s okay. I just hope this little Ragdoll finds someone who will never let it be abandoned again.”

Song Wei knew Jiang Xiaoyu was being deliberate, but her words were true—abandoning pets came with almost no consequences.

Looking down, she stroked the kitten while imagining Yang Yingqiu’s reaction if she brought it home.

She wasn’t a teenager anymore. Yang Yingqiu didn’t have to worry about her grades, and Song Wei wasn’t planning to leave Nan’an City again. She had the time and energy to care for a kitten now.

But adopting a pet wasn’t like buying a toy. Once you made the decision, you had to commit to taking care of it for its entire life, sharing your days together.

Song Wei handed the kitten back to Jiang Xiaoyu. “I’ll think about it.”

Jiang Xiaoyu looked visibly disappointed. “Alright.”

Outside, the snow had lightened, but footprints crisscrossed the snowy ground, creating a chaotic pattern.

As Song Wei opened her umbrella, her phone buzzed repeatedly with incoming messages.

Yang Yingqiu: [I have plans tonight. Don’t wait for me for dinner.]

Song Gaoyi: [Weiwei, Dad has to work late tonight. If your mom doesn’t cook, make something yourself or order takeout.]

Song Wei sighed silently and closed the chat app.

She stood in the snow for a moment before turning back to the shelter.

…

She and Jiang Xiaoyu decided on a name for the Ragdoll: Xuehua (Snowflake). It had been snowing the day she rescued it, and it was snowing again the day she adopted it. With its snow-white fur, Snowflake seemed like the perfect name.

When Song Wei returned home with Snowflake in her arms, the house was still empty and quiet.

She took the kitten straight to her room.

On WeChat, Jiang Xiaoyu kept sending her messages, listing tips for raising kittens and recommending suitable food and supplies—more than 20 messages in a row.

The most urgent task was setting up a small bed for it.

Song Wei gathered two old sweaters she didn’t wear, making a makeshift nest. It looked decent enough, and Snowflake didn’t seem picky, curling up comfortably inside and dozing off.

Song Wei snapped a photo and sent it to Jiang Xiaoyu, then clicked on the links she had sent to order the essentials.

By the time she finished, half an hour had passed, and her aunt had sent a new message.

[Here’s Xiao Chen’s WeChat. Add him.]

[Do you not like him? Why didn’t you add him after the meeting?]

[But Xiao Chen went out of his way to ask his aunt to get your WeChat from me. Seems like he’s interested. Put some effort into this.]

Song Wei didn’t know how to respond. Staring at the profile picture—a scenic shot of blue skies and white clouds—she sat in silence for a while before laughing quietly.

He certainly did go to some lengths.

He’d had plenty of chances to add her himself.