Chapter 1

In late December, the temperature in Nan’an City had dropped below freezing after a snowfall. The cold wind cut like a knife, and the snow in the neighborhood remained unmelted.

A suitcase rolled over the green tiles, leaving two wet tracks.

A familiar neighbor greeted her on the way, “Xiao Wei, you’re back?”

It was a workday, and she should have been at work, not dragging a suitcase through her old neighborhood. Song Wei’s expression remained composed. “Just some personal matters.”

The neighbor, concerned, asked, “What happened? Is everything okay at home?”

Reluctantly, Song Wei replied, “Nothing happened, just thought I’d visit.”

“Oh, your mother must be thrilled!” The neighbor assumed a chatty stance. “You’re the pride of our community! Always a top student, getting into A University, and now working for that prestigious company. Didn’t your mom say you were promoted to manager recently?”

Song Wei kept a polite smile. “Not at all, don’t believe everything my mom says.”

“Well, it’s only a matter of time,” the neighbor reassured, patting the child she held by the hand. “This is Sister Xiao Wei from upstairs. She scored nearly 700 points on her college entrance exam, earns tens of thousands a month now. Learn from her, okay?”

No one likes being compared to “other people’s children.” The kid pouted and ran off.

“This child!” The neighbor looked helpless. “Well, I won’t hold you up. Off you go.”

“Goodbye, Auntie Wu.”

Song Wei sighed softly as she stood still for a moment.

Successful? Not really—she’d just been laid off.

The overcast sky hinted at more snow. Dragging her suitcase, Song Wei arrived at the entrance of her apartment building. As she prepared to lift her suitcase up the stairs, a faint meowing sound caught her attention.

She looked around but didn’t see any kittens. Perhaps it was a neighbor’s pet calling out.

However, as soon as she entered the elevator lobby, the meowing grew more distinct. The long, trembling cries clearly indicated something was wrong.

Pausing for a moment, Song Wei hesitated before setting down her suitcase and following the sound.

The cries grew fainter and stronger intermittently. After a short search, she found a little kitten trapped among some branches in a flower bed.

The kitten was soaking wet, looking utterly miserable as if it had been there for ages, barely clinging to life.

Her heart tightened as she carefully freed the poor creature from the foliage.

It was a small Ragdoll kitten, light as a feather in her arms, its eyes closed and body trembling.

The kitten appeared clean, unlikely to be a stray, perhaps a runaway that had gotten trapped.

Remembering a nearby animal rescue center, Song Wei cradled the kitten and left the neighborhood.

The rescue center was narrow and old, with a cold and empty interior. Behind the service desk, a young girl was engrossed in her phone and didn’t notice Song Wei entering.

Song Wei tapped the desk. “Hello.”

The girl looked up briefly, immediately understanding the situation. Putting down her phone, she pointed to a form on the desk. “Fill this out first.” She then grabbed a clean towel from behind the counter and came around. “Give it to me.”

Reassured by the girl’s practiced demeanor, Song Wei handed the kitten over. The kitten whimpered twice in apparent protest during the handover.

“I found it in the neighborhood,” Song Wei explained. “About five or six months old, doesn’t seem like a stray.”

The girl placed the kitten on the counter and began drying it while asking, “Has it been to a vet?”

“Not yet.”

Having been warmed up by Song Wei’s coat on the way, the kitten had stopped trembling but was still curled up, letting out soft whimpers.

The girl retrieved a small bottle and some cat food from the back room, giving the kitten a bit of water and food. Finally, it quieted down and fell asleep.

Only then did Song Wei start filling out the form.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the girl gently place the kitten in a cage, handling it with expert care.

“Here, you should clean your coat.”

Song Wei turned to see the girl handing her a towel. She accepted it. “Thank you.”

The girl sat back at the desk, scrolling through short videos on her phone, chuckling occasionally.

Song Wei smiled faintly as she wiped her coat.

Soon, fragments of a phone conversation reached her ears. “I’m still at the rescue center… Are you picking me up?… My shift ends at six.”

Glancing at the sweet and cheerful girl, who seemed about eighteen or nineteen, Song Wei guessed she was talking to her boyfriend, her tone dripping with affection.

It was 5:55 PM—five minutes until closing time.

Song Wei quickly filled out the form, not wanting to delay the girl’s departure.

The form required plenty of information: her personal details, contact number, the address where she found the kitten, its condition, and more.

The little girl ended the call and started scrolling through short videos again.

Song Wei gently asked, “What’s the next step?”

“Tomorrow, someone will take it for a check-up. Then, we’ll post about it in the community group. If no one claims it, we’ll wait for someone to adopt it,” the girl replied.

“Should we feed it a bit more?”

“No need. A five-month-old kitten has a very small stomach, and what it ate just now is plenty.”

Song Wei nodded in understanding and went back to filling out the form.

When she finished at 5:58 PM, someone walked into the center. The girl immediately ran out to greet him, beaming, “You’re here!”

Song Wei glanced at the entrance, surprised.

The man was impeccably dressed in a suit, tall and imposing. The girl barely reached his shoulder. He seemed about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with a serious demeanor.

A couple?

The disparity in both height and age seemed significant.

In the brief moment their eyes met, the man’s gaze was sharp, making Song Wei feel as if she’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t. She quickly looked away.

Placing the pen down, she thanked the girl. “Thank you for your help.”

“No problem, the kitten should thank you instead.”

Song Wei nodded and smiled before leaving.

The girl, Jiang Xiaoyu, grabbed her bag from the desk, looped her arm through Chen Jubai’s, and chirped, “Let’s go, let’s go. Time to clock out.”

Chen Jubai’s gaze lingered on the retreating figure of the woman before lowering his eyes to the lively girl beside him. “No sense of decorum.”

“Hey, I’m just happy you came to pick me up for once!” If it weren’t her birthday, she wouldn’t have expected her busy brother to spare the time.

As they locked up and headed to the car, Chen Jubai asked, “Who was that?”

“Oh, just a sister who found a kitten.” Jiang Xiaoyu arched a brow. “Why? Did you take a liking to her? She’s quite pretty, isn’t she?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Jiang Xiaoyu stuck out her tongue. “I’m not talking nonsense. You men are all the same—just driven by looks.”

Chen Jubai flicked her forehead. “Where do you pick up this nonsense?”

“Hehe.”

…

At the tenth floor of Building Two in Bihu Court, Song Wei stood outside her apartment door. Adjusting her still-damp coat, she hesitated for several minutes, unable to mentally prepare herself to enter.

At this hour, her parents were likely already home from work.

With a creak, the door opened from the inside. Her father, Song Gaoyi, stood there, surprised for a moment. His gaze shifted to the suitcase by her side. “On holiday?”

Song Wei shook her head. “No.” She leaned slightly forward and asked cautiously, “Where’s Mom?”

“She’s not back from work yet.”

Relief washed over her as she let out a quiet breath. Keeping her words brief, she said, “Dad, the company downsized. I want to come back and rest for a while.”

Song Gaoyi understood immediately. Noticing the tension on her face, he stepped aside to let her in. “The economy’s rough lately. If you’ve been let go, so be it. It’s almost New Year’s—stay home and get some proper rest.”

He went to the kitchen to pour her a glass of warm water. Song Wei held the cup in her hands, letting its warmth seep into her.

The past few years had seen waves of layoffs across industries. Her company was no exception. With a shrinking business scope, her team was inevitably affected. The result was predictable.

They offered severance: N+3. After four years on the job, she received over 200,000 yuan—not a small amount. Yet the word “layoff” stung, leaving her feeling defeated. When the notice came, a wave of uncertainty swept over her. What had all her hard work meant? What was next?

Standing in her family home now, unease lingered. To her mother, Yang Yingqiu, no matter how high her salary was or how senior her role became, none of it mattered. Her mother envisioned a future where Song Wei followed her guidance into a stable position in a government office or university, found a carefully chosen husband, and led a secure, predictable life.

Now, as if fulfilling that vision, she had returned home, her confidence battered.

After she had drunk half the water, Song Gaoyi spoke with a touch of guilt, “Weiwei, I didn’t know you’d be back. I just came home to grab some documents. I still have to head back to the institute.”

Song Wei smiled faintly, her lips pressed together. “Got it, Dad. Go ahead.”

“Have a good dinner with your mom tonight. Don’t fight.”

She raised her right hand, four fingers up. “I promise, no fighting.”

After her father left, Song Wei went to her room, changed clothes, and replaced the bedding on the bed she hadn’t used in almost a year. As soon as she lay down, exhaustion overtook her.

She had woken early to catch a morning flight and had barely rested before rescuing a kitten. Fatigue swept over her, and she fell into a deep sleep.

When she woke up, the aroma of food filled the air. Slipping on her slippers, she stepped out and saw her mother busy in the kitchen.

Yang Yingqiu turned when she heard the noise, glanced at her daughter, and simply said, “Wash up for dinner.”

Dinner was three dishes and a soup: braised pork ribs, tomato beef stew, stir-fried greens, and chicken soup—her favorites. Song Wei ate a piece of rib, her eyes stinging slightly. “Thanks, Mom.”

Yang Yingqiu glanced at her twice. The fleeting moment of mother-daughter tenderness quickly passed. “Since you’re back, take some time to prepare for the exams. The provincial civil service and public institution exams are early next year.”

Song Wei froze. In a small voice, she replied, “I don’t want to.”

Her mother set her chopsticks down, her posture straightening as she assumed her commanding tone. “Song Wei, I let you have your way in the past. But don’t you see what’s happening outside? No matter how well you perform, you still got laid off. Our family doesn’t need the little money you earn. Wouldn’t it be easier to have a stable, relaxed life?”

Song Wei had heard this lecture countless times before. In the past, she might have argued back, but now, with her confidence shaken, she no longer had the strength. She didn’t want to argue either. She poked at the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks, remaining silent for a long moment before muttering, “I just want to rest for a while.”

Seeing her daughter’s lowered head, Yang Yingqiu didn’t press further. “I only want what’s best for you.”

Perhaps noticing her low spirits, the next few days passed quietly. No one mentioned the layoffs. Each day, after her parents went off to work, Song Wei stayed home alone, watching shows, cleaning, doing laundry, and occasionally zoning out. Life was calm and easy.

But unusual peace often foreshadows something. On the fourth evening, her aunt paid a visit.

Her aunt looked her up and down, her eyes nearly squinting from smiling. “Why do I feel like our Weiwei has gotten even more beautiful? If you keep this up, what will become of the rest of us?”

Song Wei had a slender, balanced figure, and her gentle, sweet appearance, complete with dimples when she smiled, made her naturally likable. Her aunt grew more satisfied the longer she looked, taking her hand and getting straight to the point. “Weiwei, you’re still single, aren’t you?”

Song Wei paused for a moment before replying, “No, I don’t have one.”

Her aunt beamed. “Perfect! Let me introduce someone to you. He’s my colleague’s nephew, two years older than you. He’s his own boss now, makes a lot of money, and is very handsome.”

As she spoke, her aunt pulled out her phone to show a photo. Song Wei wasn’t interested, but the phone was thrust right in front of her.

The photo showed a man in profile, wearing glasses and focused on his work. He appeared clean-cut and scholarly, a bit thin, and since he was seated, his height was indeterminate.

Song Wei thought he looked vaguely familiar, but it was just a side profile, and she couldn’t immediately place him.

The phone was then passed to Yang Yingqiu, her mother. Her aunt said, “Sister, this young man graduated from your school. Do you remember him?”

Yang Yingqiu was the vice principal of Nan’an High School. With countless graduates over the years, it wasn’t realistic for her to remember them all.

Seeing her shake her head, her aunt leaned closer and said, “How could you not remember? His name is Chen Jubai. When he graduated, you handed him his diploma yourself. His aunt even showed me the photos.”

At that, Yang Yingqiu’s memory clicked. There had indeed been such a person. In any high school, students who could get into Tsinghua or Peking University were a source of pride for the school. But she didn’t remember him for that reason. Instead, it was because, despite being qualified for Tsinghua or Peking, he chose to attend a local university instead. Back then, this decision had impacted the school’s implicit performance metrics. She had even tried to persuade him, but the boy had insisted on his choice.

Now, eight or nine years later, Yang Yingqiu looked at the photo of the man but didn’t recognize him. “What does he do now?”

Her aunt replied, “I just told you—he owns a company. A tech company with hundreds of employees. Just last year, he was recognized as one of the city’s outstanding young talents, and the mayor personally presented him with the award.”

A glint appeared in Yang Yingqiu’s eyes. “Someone like that still needs to go on blind dates?”

“Exactly! I was curious too, but his aunt explained it’s because he’s so busy with his company that he often forgets to eat, let alone think about relationships.” Her aunt patted Song Wei’s hand. “We shouldn’t let good things slip away. That’s why I’m here to see what you think.”

Before Song Wei could respond, Yang Yingqiu had already started asking more questions. “What’s his family background like?”

“He has a father, but his mother passed away when he was very young. Honestly, this works out well—no mother-in-law conflicts for Weiwei.”

Song Wei, who had tuned out most of the conversation, suddenly looked up, half-amused and half-shocked. How had the topic already jumped to marriage when she hadn’t even agreed to the date?

Her mother seemed quite pleased with the prospect and made a decision on the spot. “Since you’re not preparing for any exams and just idling at home, you should go meet him.”

Song Wei had no interest whatsoever. “Mom, Auntie, I don’t want to get married or date right now. Wouldn’t meeting him just waste his time?”

Her aunt wasn’t deterred. “How can you say you’re not interested without even meeting him? A photo doesn’t show much. You might find him appealing in person.”

Yang Yingqiu joined in, adding her own persuasion. Before long, she was about to launch into her usual arguments about civil service exams and stable jobs. Song Wei cut her off just in time and reluctantly agreed.

Between enduring another round of her mother’s lectures and having a meal with a stranger, she preferred the latter.