Chapter 35

On the day of the first snowfall, it was New Year’s Eve.

The pressure of various exams and lab reports during finals had been overwhelming, and on top of that, Youyi had to go home.

The intensification of conflicts was like the sea under the scorching sun—seemingly calm but already boiling over.

Returning home took only two hours. High-speed rail tickets were easy to buy, and with a three-day weekend from Saturday to Sunday, it was enough time for a visit.

On Thursday evening, while packing, Youyi sat on the sofa, contemplating what to take home.

Her room had everything, yet when she thought about it, it had nothing.

She decided to skip the suitcase.

A simple backpack would suffice.

On the coffee table was a bouquet of freshly bought tulips, quietly watching her. Youyi looked at them, reaching out to touch the petals.

When she returned in three days, she wondered if they would still look as vibrant.

Fu Cheng came out of the study and approached her.

“I won’t be accompanying you back,” he said. “Next time, I’ll go with you.”

Fu Cheng told Youyi that he had work at the company during the New Year’s holiday.

Why was his company so busy even during the New Year?

Youyi shook her head and said it was fine.

She always returned home by herself each year, and this year was no different for her.

Fu Cheng said, “Be careful.”

Youyi replied, “Mm, I know.”

The weather on the day of the first snowfall wasn’t very cold. From what she learned in high school, the truly cold days are those when the snow melts.

Fortunately, the snow wasn’t heavy and didn’t significantly affect railway traffic.

Fu Cheng dropped Youyi off at the high-speed railway station.

She had a ticket for a train that left just after nine, but it was only eight-thirty now. The check-in and security would take at most ten minutes, so she still had time to spend a bit more with Fu Cheng.

“You always dress so lightly,” Youyi couldn’t help but ask.

In this weather, while she was bundled up in a down jacket with a scarf and hat, Fu Cheng was wearing only a thin coat.

Youyi reached out to touch his hand. Even though he was driving, it was warm.

“Aren’t you cold at all?”

Fu Cheng said, “It’s colder in the border regions, and you can’t wear too much there.”

It wasn’t that he was naturally not afraid of the cold; it was a result of training.

He was used to it.

The New Year’s holiday saw a large increase in passenger flow at the high-speed railway station. Youyi glanced at the time and thought she should allow an extra ten minutes in case of delays.

So, she prepared to get out of the car.

Fu Cheng reached out, holding her face in his palm, turning her chin toward him, and said softly, “Just give me two minutes.”

“Will it delay you?” he asked, his tone insistent.

And so, a kiss was exchanged.

His lips were cooler than his hands. Having not shaved for a few days, his stubble lightly scratched her lips. She didn’t find it uncomfortable at all and even responded with a gentle kiss.

She liked his kisses very much. Under his dominant control was a tenderness unique to Fu Cheng.

Only Youyi would understand that softness.

Youyi suddenly didn’t want to leave.

She nuzzled his chest and said, “I’ll miss you.”

He just replied with a quiet “Hmm.”

“Let me know when you’ve bought the return ticket. I’ll come pick you up when you get back.”

Fu Cheng wrapped her scarf snugly, covering only half of her face.

When Youyi got out of the car, she waved and said, “Goodbye.” Although Fu Cheng should have left, he stopped, opened the car door, and got out.

Youyi asked, “Is there something else?”

Fu Cheng shook his head, “Just wanted to see you a bit more.”

Indeed, even when faced with someone you like, it’s hard to part ways.

For the first time, Youyi felt her heart was completely filled with him. His presence had occupied every part of her heart, leaving no room for anything else.

After she entered the station, went through ticket check, and boarded the train, she glanced back at the Shenglin High-Speed Railway Station, recalling last year’s New Year’s Eve when she was heading home. The same place but entirely different scenes.

*

After Youyi boarded the train, Fu Cheng stayed in the car for a while before heading to the hospital.

He had a simple check-up last time. This visit was for a pathological biopsy and a follow-up on the areas affected by the previous two surgeries.

Although hospitals generally have New Year’s holidays, with fewer staff and patients, the entire outpatient building was very quiet.

Fu Cheng came out of the daytime operating room with his right hand wrapped in bandages.

A friend emerged shortly after, removed his mask, and handed Fu Cheng a bottle of water.

“Why do you have time now?”

“Only for three days,” Fu Cheng said, “The test results should be available in three days, right?”

“Originally, they wouldn’t be,” the friend replied. During the New Year, departments are understaffed, and non-urgent matters are postponed until after the holidays.

However, Fu Cheng had asked a friend in the pathology department for a favor, treating him to a meal and requesting expedited processing.

The results should be available the day after tomorrow.

The friend advised, “You should leave a few more days, and then you can schedule the surgery before the end of the year. It’s harder to schedule surgeries as the year closes, and it could take even longer if it’s postponed until after the New Year.”

Fu Cheng took the water but remained silent.

“When you had those two surgeries years ago, it was like you came back from the brink of death. I saw the photos of your injuries later. Honestly, even after years of practicing medicine, I was shocked.”

The friend found it hard to imagine what Fu Cheng had endured, and seeing him now in good health made his recovery seem extraordinary.

“Let’s not dwell on that.”

“How’s your company doing? Are the profits okay?”

The friend knew Fu Cheng had started a company after returning and had developed several military bases, taking on military training activities. He had also signed a contract with Shenglin University for military training for future sessions.

It should be doing quite well.

Given its current scale, the friend guessed that earning over a hundred thousand a month was not a problem, and the earnings would only increase with further expansion.

“Have you saved a lot?”

“Not too bad,” Fu Cheng said, “It’s all with my wife.”

“You don’t leave any for yourself,” the friend thought, realizing that Fu Cheng was under his wife’s control.

Fu Cheng said, “I have a supplementary card.”

“Then you have money for dinner?”

“Let’s go.”

As soon as Fu Cheng arrived home in the evening, Youyi called.

She had promised to call him at nine if there were no issues, and she was punctual.

“Have you arrived home?” Youyi asked.

“Just got in.”

Hearing his voice made Youyi feel a strong sense of reassurance, as if he were right there with her despite the distance.

She liked this feeling.

“You’re so busy today, coming home only now.” Youyi reminded him, “Remember to eat on time.”

Fu Cheng promised.

“Remember to water the tulips on the table. Not too much—just enough to fill the bottle halfway.” Before leaving, Youyi had forgotten this detail and made sure to remind Fu Cheng.

Fu Cheng glanced at the vase of flowers on the table.

Youyi wasn’t very skilled at taking care of plants, but she enjoyed studying them and had many favorite varieties. Whenever she saw a beautiful flower, her eyes would light up.

So whenever Fu Cheng saw something nice, he guessed that she would like it, so he would buy it and put it at home.

Two months ago, the house was still cold and empty, but now it’s filled with flowers in every corner.

Fu Cheng agreed and went to the kitchen to get some water.

Youyi sighed lightly.

“My house is full of people today. My uncle and aunt, and my great-aunt and great-uncle are all here. My mom was scolding me in front of them.”

She was criticized for not coming home often enough and not caring about the family. Her uncle and aunt kept asking about Fu Cheng, hoping he could help their cousin.

Youyi felt helpless but could only remain silent in front of her elders.

Her mom also scolded her for listening to her grandfather, questioning why a girl like her would marry while still studying and not follow the proper procedure.

“I forgot to tell you, there’s a gift in your bag,” Fu Cheng said. “For your parents.”

Youyi hadn’t opened the bag since she came back, so she didn’t even know about it until Fu Cheng mentioned it.

“What?”

“Open it and you’ll see.”

Fu Cheng heard the sound of wind on the other end and asked, “Where are you?”

“I’m downstairs in the neighborhood,” Youyi said. Wrapped in a cotton coat over her pajamas, she sat on a bench in the neighborhood, where the recently melted snow was still absorbing the air’s temperature.

She had come out under the pretense of throwing away the trash; otherwise, she wouldn’t have had a chance to call Fu Cheng.

Her uncle and aunt were still at her house.

“Be careful not to catch a cold,” Fu Cheng said, noticing her voice sounded a bit muffled, possibly due to the cold.

“I won’t. I’m just out for a little while today.”

Youyi’s voice, soft and gentle through the phone, said, “It’s much colder today than before. Even if you’re not afraid of the cold, you shouldn’t wear so little. Otherwise, why are your fingers and lips so cold?”

Fu Cheng paused and said, “I know.”

When he said he knew, he meant that he understood Youyi’s feelings for him had grown, that she started to remember and miss him more.

From the night of the snowstorm when she suddenly appeared, even though she had gone far away, Fu Cheng still looked in the direction she left. He remembered the first time he saw her, a little girl like a snowball.

How much did he love her?

It was to the extent that he couldn’t believe it when he realized it one day.

Love defies explanation.

For Ding Youyi, he felt like she was the only exception in his life, a warm current that flowed into a barren mountain, nourishing the land and making it bloom.

He was probably destined to love Ding Youyi.

“Husband, goodbye.” Youyi said softly, then hung up the phone.

After she returned, Youyi checked her bag.

Inside was a gold bracelet.

It was quite heavy and seemed expensive.

But… it was something her mother would like.

She decided to wait until the day she left to give it to her. Otherwise, it might cause another argument.

She guessed it would really be like that.