Chen Qing Wu slept until eleven in the morning when she was awakened by a video call from Liao Shuman.

She had posted the note on her bedroom door handle, where Liao Shuman would see it when she came to wake her up.

Naturally, Liao Shuman came to demand an explanation, saying that her temper was getting worse and worse. She had only said a couple of things to her the previous day, and Qing Wu had run away from home overnight. It wasn’t even a serious scolding, so why such a strong reaction?

Chen Qing Wu, exhausted, just mumbled an apology.

The doorbell rang on Liao Shuman’s end, and she said, “I have to go. —You can’t do this again, do you hear me? It’s dangerous for a girl to drive alone at night.”

“I wasn’t alone…” Chen Qing Wu mumbled sleepily.

“Who was with you?”

“Brother Yuan drove me.”

Liao Shuman seemed incredulous, “Meng Fu Yuan? He has a flight this afternoon, and he drove you last night?”

Chen Qing Wu suddenly woke up, “…He’s leaving this afternoon?”

“Yes.”

“From where?”

“Flying from South City to North City to transfer.” Liao Shuman said as she walked to the door, “You are so stubborn, causing so much trouble for others.”

“Brother Yuan… is he back in South City now?”

“How would I know…”

It seemed that the guest had already entered, and the call ended.

Chen Qing Wu couldn’t sleep anymore. She quickly sat up and sent a message to Meng Fu Yuan: “Brother Yuan, do you have a flight this afternoon?”

Surprisingly, the reply came instantly. Meng Fu Yuan confirmed it.

Chen Qing Wu: Why didn’t you tell me earlier?

She added an exasperated emoji.

Yesterday, when Meng Fu Yuan mentioned his trip had been rescheduled, she had assumed it would be after the Dragon Boat Festival at least.

Chen Qing Wu: If I had known, I definitely wouldn’t have troubled you.

Meng Fu Yuan: It’s fine.

Chen Qing Wu: You’re flying from South City to North City to transfer, right? So, are you…

Meng Fu Yuan: I changed my flight. I’m flying directly from East City this afternoon.

Chen Qing Wu sent a facepalm emoji, replying: I’ve caused you so much trouble. I don’t know how to thank you…

Meng Fu Yuan: You can treat me to a meal.

Chen Qing Wu: Absolutely!

After finishing the WeChat conversation, Chen Qing Wu lay back down but couldn’t sleep anymore.

She felt that during this period, Meng Fu Yuan had taken care of her far more than she could ever repay.

Honestly, if she had a flight abroad that afternoon, especially a long one, she wouldn’t have had the energy or patience to drive someone for four hours overnight.

She reviewed all their interactions over the past few months.

The more she thought about it, the more confused she became, and the less she could sleep.

***

On the other side, Liao Shuman opened the door and didn’t see Meng Fu Yuan.

Before she could ask, Qilin said, “Fu Yuan isn’t coming today. He had to go back to his company last night because something came up.”

Liao Shuman felt even more apologetic, “It wasn’t because of work; it was because Qing Wu argued with me last night and ran back to East City. She even bothered Fu Yuan to drive her.”

Qilin laughed, “So that’s what happened? I was wondering what was so urgent that he had to leave overnight.”

Liao Shuman said, “Qing Wu was being unreasonable. She really caused him trouble.”

“What’s the big deal? Qing Wu is like a sister to him. As her brother, it’s his duty to take care of her. We can’t let a girl drive alone at night.”

Meng Qi Ran, listening nearby, felt something was off.

It wasn’t about Meng Fu Yuan driving Chen Qing Wu. As her brother, he always took responsibility without hesitation.

After a moment, he realized what was wrong:

Driving someone isn’t a bad thing, so why did Meng Fu Yuan lie?

***

Chen Qing Wu had a simple takeout lunch and rested for half an hour before getting up to work.

Zhao Yingfei had gone home for the Dragon Boat Festival, and without any close friends in East City and the city center being far away, she had no interest in socializing.

There was a pile of chores to do, the most troublesome being photographing her previous works.

Setting up, lighting, photographing… the afternoon flew by.

As she was about to go out for dinner at the nearby university town, she heard footsteps outside.

Thinking it was the delivery man, she looked outside.

A tall figure in a dark blue T-shirt, gray shorts, and sneakers, carrying a black sports backpack over one shoulder—it was Meng Qi Ran.

Meng Qi Ran glanced at her. His handsome, cold, and arrogant look always made it hard to meet his sharp gaze.

Chen Qing Wu turned to pack up the soft lightbox on the ground, “Why are you here?”

“The gifts I gave you, you only opened one. Don’t you like them?”

“I don’t need anything. Take them back.”

“I never take back gifts I’ve given. If you don’t like them, throw them away.”

Meng Qi Ran walked over, looked at what she was doing, and suddenly reached out, grabbed the power cord of the lightbox from her hand, squatted down, and folded it in circles, finally tying it with a Velcro strap.

Chen Qing Wu tried to take it back several times but was gently pushed away.

After he finished, he said softly, “You’re really heartless, Chen Qing Wu.”

Chen Qing Wu froze.

“You won’t let me get close, won’t listen to me, won’t accept my gifts… Are you really not giving me any chance?”

Chen Qing Wu felt a wrenching pain in her chest.

Meng Qi Ran lowered his eyes, “You can talk normally to anyone but me. Didn’t you say our relationship as childhood friends wouldn’t change? Have you lived up to that?”

Chen Qing Wu couldn’t speak.

Meng Qi Ran reached out, paused, and held her wrist.

Still squatting, he slightly raised his eyes to look at her, “I’ve been in a lot of pain lately, Qing Wu. I don’t know what to do. I’ve tried many ways, but it seems I always do it wrong…”

From this low vantage point, even the hardest of hearts would find it hard to stay stern.

“I know I’m a jerk, and I’ve relied on our parents’ tacit approval to pressure you. I only found out at noon that you ran away from home last night to avoid this. Don’t worry, I won’t do this again. I’m not asking you to agree to anything right now, but at least… don’t stop talking to me.”

“I haven’t stopped talking to you…”

“What you said was no different from not talking to me.”

Chen Qing Wu knew she wasn’t a cold-hearted person. Her determination was because she thought further ahead than Qi Ran, “I’m sorry, Qi Ran. But I really don’t want to go back.”

“I said I won’t ask you to decide now, just don’t push me away.”

“…But you assume I’ll eventually agree, right?”

Meng Qi Ran said nothing.

“If I know I won’t agree and still accept your pursuit, wouldn’t that make me despicable…”

“Why can’t you agree?”

“I told you, I don’t like you anymore.”

Silence.

Meng Qi Ran let go, stood up, and said in a voice hard to read, “It doesn’t matter. You can’t really cut me off anyway.”

“How do you know I won’t…”

“You won’t.”

“Then block me now.” Meng Qi Ran picked up her phone from the table and handed it to her, “Block me right now.”

He forced the phone into her hand.

Meng Qi Ran stared at her, his gaze sharp and demanding.

Chen Qing Wu looked up and met his eyes, “You think I don’t dare?”

Seeing her really about to open WeChat, Meng Qi Ran snatched the phone and put it back on the table.

In that moment, he felt alarmed, realizing he always misjudged her.

The current Chen Qing Wu always showed sides of her he had never seen, very unfamiliar, making him doubt if he ever really knew her.

“Have you had dinner?” Meng Qi Ran clumsily changed the topic.

Chen Qing Wu didn’t respond, feeling confused by his sudden change.

“No? Then treat me to dinner.”

Chen Qing Wu felt it was absurd, “…Why should I treat you to dinner?”

“I lost my wallet.”

“Everyone uses mobile payments now, thank you.”

“It’s really lost. I found it missing at the train station, my ID and everything are in it. I don’t even know if I can stay in a hotel tonight.”

Chen Qing Wu was stunned, “Really?”

Meng Qi Ran opened his backpack, “See for yourself if you don’t believe me.”

Chen Qing Wu didn’t actually check his bag.

“Treat me to dinner, and I’ll leave right after. I won’t bother you tonight.”

“What about after?”

“Who knows.”

“…”

“Hurry! I came straight here without lunch, I’m starving.”

In the end, Chen Qing Wu went out to the university town with Meng Qi Ran for a quick meal.

Continuing to refuse would be pointless, only making him more determined to achieve his goal.

Fortunately, after dinner, Meng Qi Ran left promptly without further pestering.

He said he was going to stay with a friend, get a temporary ID tomorrow, and take the high-speed train back to South City to replace his ID and a stack of bank cards.

In the following days, Meng Qi Ran occasionally sent her messages, such as his new ID photo, lunch at the train station, his newly upgraded car…

All sorts of details, not caring if she replied or not.

Just like she used to do.

***

That afternoon, Chen Qing Wu was struggling to think of a name for her studio when she had a visitor.

Surprisingly, it was Pei Shao.

Pei Shao was carrying an LV briefcase and wearing an overly formal suit, looking like a spoiled young master about to trade lives with a mafia boss.

Pei Shao smiled and placed the briefcase on her workbench, “Delivery for you, Miss Chen. Please sign.”

“…Explanation?”

“Oh, it’s from Meng Fu Yuan for you.”

“He’s back?”

“Yes, but not in East City. An investor in North City wanted to talk to us, so he flew there right after arriving at East City’s airport. He said the contents of the briefcase shouldn’t be bumped around anymore; it’s safer with you.”

This wording made Chen Qing Wu a bit nervous, “…What’s in it?”

“Porcelain. It’s well wrapped, so it shouldn’t break. But to be safe, you should check it yourself. Meng Fu Yuan said he packed it himself, not very professionally, so he’s worried it might break. He even insured it.”

Chen Qing Wu pressed the lock and opened the briefcase.

There were five items inside, but they were wrapped tightly, so she couldn’t see what they were.

Pei Shao checked his phone, “I have something to do tonight, so I’ll leave now, Miss Chen.”

Chen Qing Wu thanked him, “Sorry to trouble you.”

“No problem, no problem.” Pei Shao swaggered out but stopped suddenly, “Oh, by the way, can I add you on WeChat?”

Chen Qing Wu took out her phone and opened her contact QR code for him.

Pei Shao scanned and submitted the request, which Chen Qing Wu accepted.

Pei Shao immediately said, “Can you share your classmate’s WeChat with me?”

Chen Qing Wu felt like a tool, laughing, “Sure, but she’s a bit eccentric, so she might not accept.”

“No problem, just send it to me.”

Pei Shao received Zhao Yingfei’s contact and thanked her before leaving.

Chen Qing Wu fetched a utility knife and started unpacking the items in the briefcase.

She cut through layers of tape, revealing air cushions inside.

After removing the air cushions, there was bubble wrap, sponge, and silk cloth.

Additionally, there was a wad of old newspapers inside.

Each of the five items was wrapped in five layers.

She had never been this frustrated unpacking a delivery.

After removing all the packaging, she finally placed the items on the table. It was a set of unusually shaped porcelain:

All five pieces were bowls, but they differed in size, depth, and foot height.

The porcelain was very thin, with a bluish-white glaze. When held up to the light, they had a translucent jade-like quality.

The base of each bowl had a seal with the character “Ying” in iron wire script.

An extremely beautiful set of porcelain, with a very distinctive personal style, clearly indicating the ceramist’s high skill and taste.

But try as she might, Chen Qing Wu couldn’t recall which ceramist with the character “Ying” in their name had this style.

She picked up one of the bowls, admiring its color, the smooth and rounded arc of the bowl, and the seamless foot.

Such exquisite porcelain, luckily undamaged during transport, otherwise, she would have been heartbroken…

Thinking of this, Chen Qing Wu paused.

A sudden thought struck her.

When she moved from Porcelain City to East City, she was most worried about breaking the expensive and delicate glass cups Meng Qi Ran had given her.

So, she wrapped them in layers and didn’t place them in the moving truck’s compartment but carried them in a box on her lap in the passenger seat.

That cautious and cherishing feeling should have been familiar to her.

What kind of sentiment would drive someone to personally transport a fragile item without any damage over a long distance?

When such a possibility dawned on her, it seemed that all past clues connected.

Giving her a lighter, bringing pomegranate juice, buying allergy medicine, upgrading her flight, finding and funding her studio, introducing her first order, fearing she might fall from a ladder, comforting her when she cried, the pinky ring, showing great interest in her profession, taking her out in the wind, and watching the kiln opening early in the morning…

And driving her for four hours at night to leave home.

And knowing she liked freesia.

And the staff telling her decisively that Mr. Meng only drank Misty Green tea…

Chen Qing Wu suddenly felt restless.

She wanted to use more details to deny this absurd speculation, but those fleeting glances and breaths, those words that seemed to pierce her heart, all seemed to further confirm it.

Chen Qing Wu, as if burned, put the porcelain bowl back on the table.

She found a cigarette and a lighter, lighting up and taking a few hurried puffs, trying to calm down.

It didn’t work.

She paced anxiously around the studio before decisively picking up her phone and sending an SOS to Zhao Yingfei.

Zhao Yingfei: What’s wrong?!!!

Chen Qing Wu: Are you busy? Can you come over?

Zhao Yingfei: Wait, I’ll be there soon.

In less than twenty minutes, Zhao Yingfei arrived.

Chen Qing Wu was sitting on the steps at the entrance, smoking, and looked up at the panting Zhao Yingfei, “I’m doomed…”

“What doomed? What happened?”

“I… how should I say it?”

“Just say it! Are you trying to kill me with anxiety?”

Chen Qing Wu stood up, pondering how to phrase it, until Zhao Yingfei seemed about to hit her, then she spoke, “Do you have a highly respected elder or senior? Someone upright, exceptionally capable, who you feel reassured by their presence no matter what happens.”

“I do. My mentor.”

Chen Qing Wu opened her mouth, “…How old is your mentor?”

“Fifty-nine.”

“…” Chen Qing Wu was speechless, “Any younger ones?”

“My senior sister.”

“…Has to be a man.”

“There’s one, kind of. What’s going on?”

“Just suppose you suddenly find out that this man might like you, what would you do?”

“He’s married. That’s gross.”

“…Miss Zhao, are you trying to ruin my analogy?”

Zhao Yingfei looked innocent, “Can you just say it directly, without beating around the bush?”

“I’m afraid if I say it, it’ll scare you to death.”

Zhao Yingfei became interested, “Say it quickly!”

Chen Qing Wu opened her mouth but found she couldn’t say it, as if afraid that speaking it would make it real.

“…Suppose that senior you mentioned isn’t married. And you find out he might like you, what would you do?”

Zhao Yingfei was annoyed by her roundabout way, “Just say a respected senior likes you.”

“…”

“That depends on your thoughts. If you’re interested, you could get closer. If not, keep your distance, be a bit cold, and maybe they’ll get the hint.”

“…Wouldn’t that be too harsh?”

Zhao Yingfei scratched her head in frustration, “You might be asking the wrong person for relationship advice. I’d rather give you ten more glaze recipes.”

“You said it?”

“…”

Since she was already there, Zhao Yingfei stayed. They ordered some barbecue delivery and sat on the sofa watching a variety show, making snarky comments as they watched.

After taking a sip of cola, Zhao Yingfei suddenly said, “By the way, Meng Qi Ran’s brother…”

Chen Qing Wu was startled, “What about him?”

“What about you? Why so nervous?” Zhao Yingfei glanced at her, “Their company wants to hire me as a technical advisor, with a standard advisory fee.”

“That’s good, right?”

“It’s a lot of money. I feel guilty taking it.”

Chen Qing Wu fell into thought.

Although she knew Meng Fu Yuan was professional, could he have slightly inflated the price because she was a friend?

After a moment of distraction, she said, “They must think you’re worth it to offer such a high fee.”

Zhao Yingfei nodded, “I’ll think about it.”

After finishing their midnight snack, Zhao Yingfei left.

Chen Qing Wu turned her attention back to the porcelain set.

Holding it in her hands, she marveled at its fragility and the timing and circumstances that brought it to her.

***

Two days later.

Around seven in the evening, Chen Qing Wu was trimming clay when she heard footsteps at the door.

To her surprise, she realized she could already tell whose footsteps they were.

Looking up, it was indeed Meng Fu Yuan.

He wore a casual white shirt, looking calm under the pale white light.

His gaze, still seemingly peaceful, “Have you had dinner?”

“…Yes.” Chen Qing Wu avoided his eyes, “Is your business trip over?”

“Yes.” Meng Fu Yuan nodded, “Did you receive the porcelain?”

“I did.”

“Any damage?”

“No. Not at all.”

Chen Qing Wu put down the trimming knife, washed her hands, and went to get the porcelain set from the display shelf.

Meng Fu Yuan’s eyes followed her. She wore a gray T-shirt and denim skirt, with a brown apron over it, her hair loosely tied up, revealing her slender, beautiful neck.

The five pieces of porcelain were arranged in a row on the workbench.

Chen Qing Wu smiled, “I checked a lot of information but still can’t figure out their origin.”

Meng Fu Yuan said, “During my trip, I visited a friend’s house and saw this set of porcelain in the cabinet. My friend said it was made by his grandmother.

Her name was Zhuang Shiying, who moved overseas with her husband at the age of twenty.

Zhuang Shiying had always been frail and often needed to take

 Chinese medicine.

Meng Fu Yuan picked up the small 6-inch bowl, “This one was used for taking medicine.”

Chinese medicine was too bitter, so Zhuang Shiying made this jade-colored porcelain bowl.

Such an elegant bowl naturally held elixirs.

For her, it was a way to stay optimistic.

She later made the other bowls.

One was for hot milk—she never got used to it, but they said milk was nutritious. The milky white milk in the bluish-white porcelain bowl looked like nectar.

One was for salad—glass bowls were too plain. Cherry tomatoes in the semi-translucent bowl had an ethereal beauty.

One was for noodles—plain noodles in the bowl looked so appetizing that even immortals would be tempted.

Chen Qing Wu listened, fascinated, “It must have been joyful to be her friend.”

“The old lady passed away a couple of years ago. She only made porcelain for family and friends, so she didn’t leave a name in the industry. When I first saw this set, I thought you would like it.”

Meng Fu Yuan paused, looking down at her, “Do you like it?”

He was asking about the porcelain, but it seemed to imply more.

She had always been frail, like Mrs. Zhuang Shiying.

How could she not understand the sentiment behind Meng Fu Yuan’s gift?

Chen Qing Wu’s eyelashes trembled, overwhelmed by a surge of emotions.

Ultimately, she felt a deep sadness.

How could he be so good?