Meng Fu Yuan arrived at the airport at noon.

After having lunch with the members of the inspection team and taking a short rest at the apartment, he went to the company.

Pei Shao wasn’t there, so he didn’t know the origin of the leather suitcase on the desk. He thought it was a New Year’s gift box from a business partner, so he set it aside, not bothering to open it.

Later, he suddenly realized that using a suitcase to pack things was Chen Qing Wu’s style.

So he hurriedly took it and opened it.

Inside was a tea set, a pot with four cups.

The clear, greyish-blue color was reminiscent of a rainy day, with mist rising, like the distant mountains emerging with a hint of green.

There was also a handwritten card inside the box:

“Last year, when I went to Sister An’s tea room, I suddenly wanted to give you a tea set as a return gift.

It took until now to complete it because I was unsatisfied several times and had to start over.

I finally achieved the glaze I was happy with before your birthday.

I want to name it ‘Mist Green’.

Happy Birthday.

Other people’s praises for me are just ashes.

Your reproaches are also commendations.

January 17th

Chen Qing Wu”

Without time to appreciate it fully, he immediately set off, heading to Nancheng. He had originally planned to go home tomorrow.

As he got off the highway and entered the city, it started to snow.

The roads were jam-packed, with car lights stretching endlessly, filled with people rushing home for the New Year.

It felt like an eternity, but he finally arrived.

He smoked a cigarette in the snowy courtyard to collect his thoughts before going up the steps.

Just as he was about to open the door, the maid came out.

She told him that Chen Qing Wu and Meng Qi Ran were both out, probably having gone out together.

Inside, he heard laughter coming from the tea room. Too tired to socialize immediately, he quietly went upstairs, planning to take a bath and change clothes first.

Passing by the study, he noticed the door was ajar.

No one was allowed to enter without permission, a rule he had established that no one in the household dared to break.

He stopped immediately, curious to see who dared to be so bold.

Pushing the door open and adjusting to the darkness, he recognized the person standing by the window and was momentarily stunned, followed by a surge of thinly veiled anger.

Did she think that by entering his space while he was away, her actions would go unaccounted for?

“Who let you in?”

Chen Qing Wu was visibly startled, “I…”

Before she could speak, Meng Fu Yuan slammed the door shut behind him, not turning on the light, and walked straight towards her.

Because of the snow, the outdoors were brighter than usual, and the courtyard lights were on.

The dim light filtered in, enough to make out Chen Qing Wu’s outline.

He took off his coat and threw it onto the desk not far away.

He reached out and grabbed her wrist, dragging her without a word towards the single sofa in the corner.

“Meng Fu Yuan, listen to me…”

He feared hearing “it doesn’t count” from her again, so he coldly interrupted, “There will be time for you to speak.”

He pressed Chen Qing Wu onto the single sofa.

As Meng Fu Yuan leaned closer, her eyelashes trembled, and she closed her eyes.

Suddenly, the room brightened.

Only then did she realise he had reached out to pull the cord switch of the vintage floor lamp beside her.

Meng Fu Yuan stepped back and sat down on the wooden coffee table opposite.

In the quiet, dimly lit room, Meng Fu Yuan seemed somewhat agitated, loosening his collar and taking a cigarette from his pocket.

He tapped out a cigarette, lit it, tossed the new lighter aside, exhaled a puff of smoke, and then looked at her. “I didn’t want to tell you this, because saying it might seem like emotional blackmail.”

Chen Qing Wu felt inexplicably nervous, her hands gripping the edge of the sofa as she looked at Meng Fu Yuan, waiting for him to continue.

Meng Fu Yuan lowered his gaze for a long while before speaking again, “Have you ever wondered, Qing Wu, why only Qi Ran has both parents’ surnames in his name?”

An unexpected opening.

But Chen Qing Wu didn’t ask anything, just nodded.

Of course, she had wondered and even asked Liao Shuman once if Brother Yuan wasn’t their biological child. Liao Shuman said it was nonsense; she had seen Meng Fu Yuan being carried out of the delivery room.

“They had an arranged marriage. My dad broke up with his first love because of family reasons, and under the arrangement of the elders, he met my mom. They got married three months later…”

After the marriage, their relationship was initially very cold.

Or rather, it was Meng Chengyong who was cold.

Meng Chengyong initially worked in a machinery factory, and Qi Lin was in human resources there. She had a crush on Meng Chengyong early on, so she asked a matchmaker to help set them up.

What was supposed to be a happy newlywed life turned out to be dull and tasteless.

This lasted for three years until one day, Meng Chengyong reunited with his first love.

By then, she had just divorced and was very depressed. Meng Chengyong couldn’t ignore her and ended up caring for her.

Later, Meng Chengyong decided to divorce Qi Lin and rekindle his romance with his first love.

At that moment, Qi Lin found out she was pregnant.

With pressure from both families and an unwillingness to abort the child, Meng Chengyong finally chose to give up his first love.

When he finally made this decision, the child was already nearly five months old.

For Qi Lin, those five months were indescribable, filled with humiliation and torment.

When Meng Chengyong finally decided to return to his family, he was sent to Africa for three months.

Qi Lin almost single-handedly went through the entire pregnancy.

He didn’t make it back in time for the premature birth.

Even the child’s name was chosen by the grandfather.

Later, Meng Chengyong returned from his business trip, quit his job at the factory, and went into business.

Through mutual support, their business thrived, and their relationship grew.

To both families, they became a model of “love after marriage.”

Under these circumstances, they had a second child, Meng Qi Ran.

Born with love and expectation, even the name reflected their combined heritage.

Before Qi Ran was born, Meng Fu Yuan didn’t feel particularly mistreated because the traditional belief was that boys shouldn’t be spoiled and should be strictly raised.

It was only with the contrast of Qi Ran that he gradually realized his parents were colder towards him, lacking natural intimacy.

At that time, he didn’t think much of it, believing as the eldest son, it was natural to bear more responsibility.

Until he was sixteen, when he went to his grandfather’s house to tidy up the study, he accidentally found the correspondence between Meng Chengyong and his first love, confiscated by his grandfather.

The letters documented his father’s struggles, efforts, and reluctant abandonment.

Only then did he realise that his birth was untimely from the start.

Without him, his parents would have divorced and started over separately.

His existence was a glaring stain, reminding Meng Chengyong of his failure to pursue his first love and Qi Lin of her compromised position.

“When you started wearing glasses in the second year of high school, it was because…” Chen Qing Wu’s voice faltered.

Meng Fu Yuan nodded.

He didn’t want anyone to see the occasional envy in his eyes when he looked at his parents and Qi Ran.

Despite being overlooked, children still seek parental approval.

When he realised he couldn’t gain unconditional love, he focused on becoming an excellent person by societal standards.

In pushing himself to excel, he learned to hide his emotions and scrutinise his surroundings.

That envy for Qi Ran faded over time, becoming almost nonexistent.

He thought he wouldn’t envy anyone again until, at twenty-six, he unexpectedly fell for Chen Qing Wu.

His life seemed like a contrast to Meng Qi Ran’s: he was excellent and successful, yet utterly defeated.

“It’s not like that…” Chen Qing Wu’s throat tightened.

Meng Fu Yuan pressed her hand, signalling her to let him finish.

“When Qi Ran was twelve, he nearly drowned, and I was partly to blame.”

Chen Qing Wu had always known about this.

That day, Qi Ran was swimming in the deep end when he suddenly got a cramp. Meng Fu Yuan was indoors taking a call and didn’t hear his cries for help.

Qi Ran almost drowned and was barely saved.

That afternoon, while she was napping at the vacation villa, she awoke to a commotion and learned about the near-tragedy.

She remembered how Meng Chengyong and Qi Lin blamed Meng Fu Yuan.
Meng Fu Yuan had just finished his college entrance exams and was far from being able to bear the responsibilities of an “adult.”

At that time, Meng Fu Yuan remained silent throughout, not offering a single word in his defense.

She secretly observed his expression, but his eyes were hidden behind his glasses, making it impossible to read his emotions.

She vaguely felt that he was extremely desolate, as if he was fighting against the entire world’s criticism alone.

Afterwards, Meng Fu Yuan rarely “argued” with Meng Qi Ran as he used to. No matter what material needs Qi Ran had, he would unconditionally support him.

Qi Ran’s involvement in those extreme sports was mostly expensive, and without his financial support, it would have been difficult to sustain.

Someone as introspective as he was often tormented more deeply by responsibilities and morals.

Chen Qing Wu looked at the person sitting opposite her.

The cigarette was held in his hand, and under the light, it emitted a faint blue mist.

“Qing Wu…” Meng Fu Yuan’s gaze was fixed on her. “My relationship with my parents was already thin, and I feel indebted to Qi Ran. Once I decide to follow my heart, it inevitably means I will no longer have a place in the Meng family. I said I would wait until you have completely made up your mind before making a decision. This final step, I’ll leave it to you. I can wait, but you can’t keep testing me…”

Meng Fu Yuan leisurely extinguished the cigarette in the ashtray.

Then, he suddenly leaned forward.

Chen Qing Wu instinctively held her breath.

Meng Fu Yuan raised his hand, his fingers pinching her chin, forcing her to lift her head slightly and meet his gaze. “You have no idea how much determination it took for me to resist coming to find you. Since you’re still undecided, why did you send me a set of porcelain, so beautifully crafted?”

His gaze through the lenses held a dangerous edge that made one’s spine tingle, and his voice turned a shade colder: “Do you intend for me to stay celibate for you forever? Hmm?”

“I…”

Meng Fu Yuan lowered his head, his lips close to her ear, the deep voice seemingly drilling directly into her ear, “Perhaps you think I’m despicable, inconsistent. None of that matters because you came to me voluntarily. Three strikes and you’re out, Qing Wu. I won’t care about your life or death anymore.”

Her ears itched, making her involuntarily tighten her neck. The fresh scent from him hit her nose, reigniting that lonely fire in her heart, making her throat dry as she couldn’t help but swallow.

At that moment, Meng Fu Yuan’s arm tightened around her waist, his lips brushing along her ear and finally stopping behind it, giving a low warning, “Don’t make a sound. The door isn’t locked. If they hear, you’ll be completely ostracized.”

His hand slid down, close to her waist, lifting the hem of her sweater and slipping underneath.

Chen Qing Wu found it hard to breathe, every touch magnified. His slightly rough fingertips, and the silver tail ring brushing against her skin.

Finally, his hand reached her ribcage, stopping just inches away from the edge of her undergarment.

This moment of hesitation did not escape Chen Qing Wu’s notice.

She opened her eyes amidst her racing heartbeat, her voice like a flickering flame, “… You don’t dare, do you?”

Meng Fu Yuan’s eyes narrowed.

“You said you don’t care about my life or death, right?” Chen Qing Wu chuckled lightly. “Since you came in, you’ve been talking non-stop. Can I have a chance to say something?”

Her voice was like a soft whine, with a hint of unbearable sweetness.

“… Speak.” Meng Fu Yuan’s adam’s apple moved involuntarily.

Chen Qing Wu noticed, her hand caressing his neck, fingers brushing over his adam’s apple.

As her hand fell, she stood up slightly, grabbed his wrist, pulled him around, and pushed him down onto the sofa.

She bent her knees, kneeling between his legs, raising her hand to grab his glasses and threw them onto the coffee table behind her.

Meng Fu Yuan instinctively closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, he saw her slender hand gripping his tie’s knot, pausing for a moment before pulling it off.

She kept her eyes on him as she pulled his hands together, wrapping the tie around his wrists, one loop after another.

“Forget it… it’s not important.” She smiled, crossing the tie and pulling it tight.

Meng Fu Yuan let out a muffled groan.

Chen Qing Wu tied the knot, her fingers climbing up his hand.

She stared into his eyes the whole time, her fingers touching the tail ring on his pinky finger, taking it off and sliding it onto her ring finger.

The next moment, she leaned in closer.

He couldn’t help but tilt his head back.

Her kiss landed on his adam’s apple, scorching like a brand.

“Let’s be ostracized together… Brother Yuan.”