1

Although it was already the start of winter, the weather in Shenzhen remained warm and pleasant. With its subtropical monsoon climate, winter here barely made an appearance. As Meng Yu stepped out of the airport, the sun beamed down on her, and before long, a light sheen of sweat formed on her skin. This was nothing like the biting chill of Yancheng in the north. She took off her coat and hailed a taxi.

Shenzhen, known as a hub of technology, boasted a city layout that exuded modernity. Not only was it a powerhouse in cutting-edge chip production, but it also attracted top tech talent from all over. Especially in the high-tech zone, it wasn’t unusual to run into familiar faces who had appeared in business magazines or tech forums.

Tianyi Garden, located on the southern side of the high-tech zone, was a luxury apartment complex—one of the earliest upscale residential areas developed in the city. The complex was surrounded on three sides by renowned tech parks, arranged in a fan-like formation. Most residents here were influential figures working in those nearby parks.

Despite being an older development, the facilities were anything but outdated. Smart security systems like facial recognition and fingerprint access had long been standard. Meng Yu rode the elevator up to the 28th floor and unlocked the door with her fingerprint. The apartment interior was furnished in a sleek, dark-toned minimalist style. It was spotlessly clean and sparsely decorated, lending a subtle sense of emptiness to the spacious rooms.

The living room was empty except for two robot vacuums silently going about their work. From the kitchen came the faint sound of activity. She walked over—and sure enough, there was Xiao Qi, cooking.

He was no longer dressed in his usual business attire. Instead, he wore a black sweater and casual cargo pants. His posture was upright and composed, like a pine tree rooted firmly in place.

Sometimes, Meng Yu felt Xiao Qi was a cold, aloof man who seemed untouched by the mundane world. Other times, she found him surprisingly warm, almost domestic in his quiet attentiveness.

Like now.

Bathed in the soft kitchen light, he seemed to glow with a gentle warmth that made her want to lean on him—so she walked up and hugged him from behind.

His body tensed slightly, but realizing it was her, he didn’t turn around. He just continued with what he was doing.

“You should’ve told me you were coming,” he said. “I would’ve made enough dinner for two.”

“It’s fine,” she replied. “There’s still time to make more now.”

He turned off the stove and glanced at her. “If you want to eat sooner, you’ll need to let go of me.”

Meng Yu let go and obediently went to wait in the living room.

Xiao Qi, a leading figure in the AI world, was known for his discipline and restraint. Yet, he was impressively capable and liked to handle things himself. Whenever he had time, he would tidy the place from top to bottom—and never neglected his meals.

Before long, dinner was ready: two plates of fried rice. His cooking was surprisingly good—the rice was fragrant and flavorful.

After dinner, Xiao Qi, as usual, settled down with a book.

Meng Yu watched TV for a while but quickly grew bored. She ended up leaning over the back of the sofa, quietly watching him instead.

He was sitting cross-legged on a round chair, a floor lamp glowing softly beside him. The warm light cast across his face, softening his otherwise cold, distant expression.

Whatever he was reading must have been serious—his lips were pressed into a thin line, and the angle of his jaw had tightened. But this cool, composed look was exactly what fascinated her most about him.

She walked over and crouched down beside him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and rested her face on his thigh.

Xiao Qi looked down at her. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other,” she said with a pout. “Don’t you even miss me a little?”

She gazed up at him, deliberately putting on an aggrieved expression. His cool brows knit together, and his already stern face took on an even more serious look—just like one of those strict, intimidating instructors during military training. Every time he wore that expression, she couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.

“You know I don’t like saying things like that.”

Meng Yu stuck out her tongue and buried her face back in his leg. Of course she knew—he didn’t like cheesy talk, didn’t like being overly close to people, didn’t like her clinging to him. Sometimes, she felt like Xiao Qi was as rigid and ascetic as a stoic old official with no desires at all.

Xiao Qi glanced at his watch. “It’s getting late. Go get some rest.”

She didn’t move.

“Not sleepy?”

She lifted her head, her gaze hazy and seductive as she looked up at him, her voice soft and sweet as she whispered, “I don’t want to sleep alone.”

His gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds before shifting away.

“So what is it you want?”

“I want to sleep with you.”

“…”

She took his wrist and gave it a gentle shake. “We’ve been together for so long. I think it’s time we took the next step.”

He looked down and turned a page in his book, his attention returning to it. “I’ve told you before—things like that will have to wait until after we’re married.”

“Then when are we getting married?”

“When my work is a little more stable.”

It was always the same answer. No touching until after marriage. No marriage until work stabilized. But what did that even mean anymore? She couldn’t understand what more stability he was waiting for.

He was already the Vice President and Head of Technology at Pangda Navigation—the leading company in China’s AI industry. His net worth had long since crossed the billion mark. If that wasn’t stable, then what was?

She couldn’t shake the feeling that he was just brushing her off with that excuse.

Frustrated, Meng Yu stormed back to the bedroom with a pout. But after sitting on the bed for quite a while, she still didn’t hear him come in. She eventually lay down, a mix of irritation and disappointment churning inside her. He was never the type to comfort anyone—expecting him to coax her was wishful thinking. In the end, she’d only succeeded in making herself upset.

The next morning, when she woke up, she noticed a neatly folded set of clothes by the bedside. It wasn’t the outfit she’d worn the day before. Since she lived in Yancheng and Xiao Qi was based in Shenzhen, she occasionally stayed at his place for a few days. She kept a few changes of clothes here. The outfit she’d worn yesterday had already been washed, folded, and put away in the wardrobe.

He must’ve done it after she fell asleep—he’d even washed her underwear.

Looking at the tidy stack of freshly laundered clothes, she couldn’t help but smile. The resentment from last night quietly dissolved. She had loved Xiao Qi for so many years, but he had always kept that same distant, cool demeanor. Her warmth, her affection, her flirtation—none of it ever seemed to get through to him. Loving him had always been hard.

But he had his good sides too—his brilliance, his calm, his quiet attentiveness, his sense of home. And every time she felt tired of it all, those parts of him would suddenly shine through again, making it impossible for her to let go.

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. She blinked in surprise—who would be visiting this early?

She quickly got dressed and went out. Xiao Qi was still asleep. She walked to the door and opened it, only to find a woman standing there with a child in tow.

The woman looked surprised to see her, but quickly smiled.

“You must be Meng Yu, right? Qi Qi’s mentioned you before.”

Meng Yu: “?????”

Qi Qi… as in Xiao Qi?

Just then, Xiao Qi emerged from the bedroom. The little girl’s eyes lit up the moment she saw him. She broke free from the woman’s hand and ran straight toward him, hugging his leg tightly and shouting excitedly, “Daddy!”

“Daddy?” Meng Yu was stunned. When did Xiao Qi have a daughter this old?

The woman looked a little embarrassed. She walked in quickly, gently pulling the child away. “How many times have I told you not to call people that?” she chided softly. Then she turned to Meng Yu with an apologetic smile.

“I’m so sorry—kids say the silliest things sometimes.”

Meng Yu was still a little dazed. Who were this woman and child? And what was their relationship to Xiao Qi? She looked at him, her eyes silently asking for an explanation.

Xiao Qi said calmly, “This is Sister Ai Qing. She was my neighbor back in my hometown. And this is Huan Huan, her daughter.”

Ai Qing? The name rang a bell.

Suddenly, Meng Yu remembered—she had once seen a photo in Xiao Qi’s wallet, and on the back of it were the words “From Ai Qing.” That was before they’d started dating. One time, while they were out eating together, he’d accidentally dropped his wallet, and the photo had slipped out. She’d picked it up and asked casually who the girl in the picture was. He hadn’t answered, and she hadn’t pressed the issue.

Later, once they were officially together, she never saw that photo again. In fact, she’d even insisted he replace the picture in his wallet with one of her.

It had been so long she couldn’t clearly remember what the girl in the photo looked like. But if Ai Qing had given it to him, it wouldn’t have been a photo of someone else. The girl must’ve been Ai Qing herself.

And if Xiao Qi had kept her photo in his wallet back then, carried it with him every day, then their relationship had to be something more than ordinary.

“I brought breakfast,” Ai Qing said, smiling. “Let’s all eat together.” Then, noticing Meng Yu was still distracted, she walked over and gently took her arm.

“Meng Yu, come on, join us for breakfast.”

Meng Yu sat down at the table, her mind still in a fog. Ai Qing’s sudden appearance had stirred something inside her—a vague, wordless sense of unease. She wasn’t usually the jealous type; she was confident in herself and in her place in Xiao Qi’s life.

But this feeling—it was unfamiliar, irrational, and irritating.

She picked at her food absentmindedly while Ai Qing and Xiao Qi chatted in a light, familiar tone. At one point, they started reminiscing about their childhood. Ai Qing placed a crab roe bun in front of him.

“Your favorite,” she said with a smile. Then she laughed, remembering something.

“Do you still remember the first time you tried one of these? You burned your mouth so bad you couldn’t speak, but you still kept eating it. I asked why you didn’t just spit it out, and you gave me that silly look and said, ‘Because it was too delicious to waste.’ You were always like that—so stubborn and so silly.”

She heard a soft chuckle beside her. Startled, she turned her head sharply.

Sure enough—Xiao Qi was laughing.

She almost couldn’t believe her eyes.

He rarely smiled. Even when she joked or teased him, he might smile out of politeness, but it always felt forced. But now, this smile—it was different.

There was a softness to it, a hint of shyness, the kind of smile that belonged to a bashful young man lost in a fond memory.

And that realization made her heart sink just a little.

She had never seen Xiao Qi like this before.

In front of her, he was always composed and distant—strong, cold, almost domineering. Though he was only two years older than her, his overly rigid demeanor often made him feel more like a strict elder than a partner, always pressing down on her with quiet authority.

So to see him now—smiling like a shy, boyish version of himself—left her completely stunned.

After breakfast, Ai Qing got ready to leave with Huan Huan. But the little girl clearly didn’t want to go. She looked up at Ai Qing with innocent curiosity and asked,

Why do we have to leave? That auntie isn’t leaving.”

Ai Qing offered an awkward smile and replied gently, “Auntie Meng Yu is Uncle Xiao Qi’s girlfriend. She lives here, so she doesn’t have to leave.”

Huan Huan pouted. “Then let’s live here too. Let’s not go, okay?”

Ai Qing looked embarrassed. She glanced at Xiao Qi, then at Meng Yu, and crouched down to coax the child.

“Be good, Huan Huan. Mommy will buy you a princess dress, alright?”

The little girl lowered her head, sulking quietly but no longer putting up a fuss. Her lips were still pursed in protest, though, clearly unhappy.

Ai Qing turned to Meng Yu with an apologetic smile. “She’s just a bit spoiled. I hope you don’t mind.”

Before Meng Yu could respond, Xiao Qi stepped in smoothly. “It’s fine. I’ll walk you two out. I’m heading to work anyway, so I can drop you off on the way.”

He grabbed his coat and shrugged it on. Just before leaving, he turned back to Meng Yu.

“Wait for me at home. If you get bored, feel free to go out and walk around. I left a card in the bedroom—if there’s not enough money on it, just call me.”

Just as he was about to leave with the mother and daughter, Meng Yu called out to him.

“Xiao Qi.”

He paused and looked back. “What is it?”

“I need to talk to you,” she said, her voice tight.

Xiao Qi glanced at Ai Qing. She caught the hint and quickly said, “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

With that, she took the child and stepped out. The door closed softly behind them.

Only then did Xiao Qi turn back to her. “What do you want to talk about?”

There was a weight in Meng Yu’s chest she couldn’t shake. She didn’t want to start a fight—really, she didn’t. But maybe it was because she cared too much that she couldn’t control herself anymore.

“You like her, don’t you?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Xiao Qi frowned. “What nonsense are you talking about?”

Meng Yu let out a bitter laugh. “Nonsense? That ‘Sister Ai Qing’ of yours—she’s the same girl from that photo you used to keep in your wallet, isn’t she? Don’t tell me you didn’t like her, and yet you kept her picture like some precious keepsake?”

There was a brief pause.

“Yes,” he said calmly. “I did like her. Does that answer satisfy you?”

Meng Yu stared at him, stunned.

He said it so plainly, without hesitation. Not in anger, not to provoke her—just as casually as if he were confirming he’d made the eggs for breakfast.

“I have to get to work,” he added, already turning away. “I don’t have time for this drama.”

After he spoke, he turned to leave. But just before opening the door, his steps paused. He looked back at her and said, “When I was a kid, my family was poor. Ai Qing’s family helped us a lot. She’s going through a difficult time now, and I’m simply returning that kindness. I hope you won’t question me about her again—there’s no need for it.”

Then he walked out.

Meng Yu stood frozen for a long time, as if her body had forgotten how to move. Eventually, she drifted over to the couch and sank into it like someone who had just run out of strength.

Why did she argue with him? Every time they fought, the one who ended up hurting was always her.

But still…

How could he let someone else’s daughter call him “dad”?        

How could one word from another woman make him smile like a shy, lovestruck boy?

Yet when she asked him just one question, he looked at her with displeasure, as if even mentioning Ai Qing was some kind of offense.

She was his girlfriend.

Wasn’t she?

Then what exactly did he see her as? Had he ever truly considered her feelings?

A wave of exhaustion swept over Meng Yu, deeper than anything she’d ever felt before.

She looked around the empty apartment, and it suddenly struck her—her heart felt just as empty.

She didn’t want to admit it, but deep down, she’d always known: Xiao Qi didn’t love her.

And after seeing Ai Qing today, that truth was clearer than ever.

Xiao Qi didn’t love her.

Yes, he was generous—he let her spend his money freely.                

Yes, he could be thoughtful—he remembered her birthday, bought her gifts, washed her clothes, even cooked for her sometimes.

But none of that meant love.

He never reciprocated her affection.

If nothing was going on, he’d never call her first.

No matter how late she stayed out with friends, he never cared.

Even if she spent the night somewhere else, he never asked.

But then again, she didn’t really have the right to blame him. From the very beginning, he’d told her clearly—he didn’t want to date, and he had no plans to get married. It was she who had stubbornly clung to him. She was the one who had said it was okay, that it didn’t matter if he didn’t like her right away—they could just see how things went.

She had placed herself in such a low, humble position from the start. How could she blame him now for not giving her the response she wanted?

The truth was… she had only herself to blame.

She had been pathetic.

But still… she was tired.

Tired of his cold indifference, tired of loving someone who didn’t love her back.

Tired of getting hurt again and again and always having to patch herself up, pretend it didn’t matter.

She was just… so tired.

She stood up and quietly began to gather her things. Then, with her bag on her shoulder, she sent him a single text message:

“I’m leaving.”

=^_^=

Blurb 1

On Yan’er’s coming-of-age day, her classmate Xiao Lin gave her a red dress.

She slipped out of her oversized school uniform, her slender pale legs unsteady in unfamiliar high heels.

Wobbling slightly, she nearly fell into his arms.

When she looked up, she found Xiao Lin staring at her, his throat bobbing.

“Do I look good?” she asked.

He turned his head. “It’s… alright, I guess.”

Eight years later, out of the blue, Xiao Lin said he wanted to see her in that red dress again.

Yan’er raised a brow. “Didn’t you say it was just ‘alright’?”

Xiao Lin smiled and kissed her. “I meant the dress was just alright—you were beautiful.”

Blurb 2

Yan’er had a one-sided crush in high school that quietly faded away.

When Xiao Lin casually asked about it, she laughed, “I got over it long ago. Who would be silly enough to hold onto someone for seven or eight years?”

Xiao Lin was silent for a moment, then replied, “Me.”

Eight years ago, he was a proud, stubborn little wolf. Eight years later, he’s a loyal, devoted dog.

TL: I don’t know if this Blurb 1 is connected to the story or what, but in any case, I will still translate this one. To those who knows, please comment below and tell me >.<