He Shen opened the passenger door of the car and turned his head, gesturing for Zhu Yiyi to get in.

But she didn’t move.

In fact, Zhu Yiyi was still trying to process what He Shen had just said.

However, her appearance seemed like she was embarrassed to Zhang Boyuan, who stepped forward and tried to break the awkwardness, “Yiyi, why don’t you sit in the back with me?”

He Shen glanced at him, but less than half a second later, his gaze returned to Zhu Yiyi, asking her what she wanted.

Zhu Yiyi licked her dry lips, lowered her head, “I’ll sit in the back.”

He Shen’s eyes turned cold.

He slammed the passenger door shut with a “Bang,” walked around the front of the car, towards the driver’s seat, and said, “As you wish.”

The atmosphere in the car was a bit strange.

The oblivious Zhang Boyuan didn’t notice, and was busy studying He Shen’s car. Heaven knows how envious he was the first time he saw He Shen’s car. It was a top-of-the-line Maybach, with a price tag that was ridiculously expensive. If it wasn’t for a coincidence, he would never have had the chance to ride in such a luxury car in his life.

“Yiyi, thank you so much,” Zhang Boyuan said, touching the leather seats with affection, lowering his voice, “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t even have seen this kind of car.”

Zhu Yiyi reluctantly curved her lips.

Zhang Boyuan continued to chat, leaning close to her ear, “Do you know how expensive this car is? You couldn’t even buy one with three apartments in Xuanzhou. Sigh, I’ll never be able to afford it in my life. I’m only worthy of riding a small electric scooter.”

“Small electric scooters are pretty good.”

“Really?” Zhang Boyuan joked, “Do you like this Maybach or a small electric scooter?”

Their conversation unknowingly grew louder.

Zhu Yiyi didn’t deliberately lower her voice, and her words reached He Shen’s ears, “Someone like me, a hard-working donkey, the most suitable thing is a simple and practical small electric scooter. This kind of luxury car, I’m not worthy.”

Zhang Boyuan laughed, “That’s what I think too. We’re truly from the same world.”

Zhu Yiyi raised her lips, “Yes, we’re from the same world.”

Just as they were waiting for the red light, He Shen stopped the car and glanced in the rearview mirror.

Zhu Yiyi in the back seat was chatting happily and comfortably.

He didn’t know whether her words were intentional or unintentional.

The red light turned green, He Shen lowered his eyelids, stepped on the gas pedal, and the car sped off.

The viewing platform was only three streets away from the hotpot restaurant, a short drive of only ten minutes.

But because everyone wanted to see the snow, the road to the viewing platform was jammed with people, packed like dumplings.

The viewing platform was located on a high ground.

The wind was strong, the snow was cold, and the temperature was much lower than at ground level.

Zhu Yiyi wasn’t cold, but her exposed face was stung by the wind, her eyelashes were covered with sparkling snow particles, and her nose was red from the cold. She kept breathing out and rubbing her hands.

A dark shadow pressed down in front of her.

It completely blocked the cold wind blowing in front of her.

He Shen, “Want to go sit there for a while?”

His black coat was like a wind barrier, all the wind and snow around him were subdued.

Zhu Yiyi followed his gaze. There was a small shop there, not big, but it could provide warmth and a place to rest.

“Let’s go, wait there.”

There weren’t many people in the tea shop, probably because everyone was rushing to the viewing platform.

The owner enthusiastically served three cups of hot tea and a menu, letting them order whatever they wanted.

Zhang Boyuan took the menu and walked to the back, “Yiyi, you sit inside, it’s warmer.”

Zhu Yiyi looked at the place he was pointing to.

It was in the back, surrounded by clutter, a bit crowded, and not easy to breathe.

She hesitated, but her personality made it difficult for her to refuse someone’s kindness.

Zhu Yiyi lifted her skirt and was about to sit down.

A hand gently pulled her out.

“You sit here.” He Shen tilted his head and pointed to the outer position with his chin. Then, he sat down in the inner position.

As for Zhang Boyuan, who was a little confused, He Shen calmly glanced at him and said in a slow and deliberate tone, “Yiyi doesn’t like the inner position, it’s too crowded.”

“Oh, okay,” Zhang Boyuan touched his nose awkwardly, “I didn’t think about that.”

The tea shop also sold small wontons.

Zhu Yiyi had been eating clear soup dishes while having hotpot, intentionally avoiding certain foods. But she had a heavy palate, so she wasn’t full at all.

Now, she smelled the wontons in the shop, and her stomach started rumbling.

She asked Zhang Boyuan, “Can you still eat wontons?”

“I’m okay. I heard that the wontons here are quite good,” he suggested, “Do you want to order a bowl and try them?”

“Okay.”

After Zhu Yiyi finished speaking, she seemed to remember something and glanced at He Shen on the other side.

The man was playing with his phone, and suddenly stopped typing. He looked up at her.

His eyes behind his glasses were piercing.

Zhu Yiyi felt inexplicably nervous.

She had just asked Zhang Boyuan, but she hadn’t asked him…

But Zhu Yiyi knew better than anyone.

He Shen never ate those things.

Once, when they were dating, Zhu Yiyi smelled the aroma of grilled meat from a street stall and excitedly bought two skewers, one for herself and one for He Shen.

The man’s first reaction was to frown, and he said earnestly, “Yiyi, eating this kind of thing is bad for your stomach. If you want to eat grilled meat, shall we go to a restaurant tonight?”

Zhu Yiyi’s eyes dimmed at that time. She felt like every little thing reminded her that they were so incompatible.

Her heart ached, but she didn’t say anything.

Now, although they had broken up, she still had to maintain appearances. Zhu Yiyi politely asked, “He President, do you want some wontons?”

Unexpectedly.

He Shen casually swiped his phone and nodded, “Yes.”

Zhu Yiyi “Ah”ed, and after a long pause, said, “…Okay.”

Zhang Boyuan was also a bit surprised, “I didn’t expect He President to be so down-to-earth. I thought successful people like you wouldn’t eat at small shops.”

It wasn’t clear whether he was being sarcastic or whether Zhang Boyuan genuinely felt that He Shen was separated from them, hard-working people, by a great distance. His words sounded a bit strange.

Zhu Yiyi frowned.

He Shen, however, remained calm, “Yiyi eats them, so naturally I will too.”

Zhang Boyuan was stunned. Before he could figure it out, He Shen changed the subject, “What flavor?”

He stammered and said, “Anything is fine,” then turned to ask Zhu Yiyi, “Yiyi, what about you?”

Zhu Yiyi had to avoid certain foods because she was pregnant, and her diet was light.

She was about to speak when He Shen got up, walked towards the counter, and said, “No cilantro, less salt. I know.”

He was wearing a black coat today, reaching down to his knees. His long legs were clad in leather shoes, and in the crowded and cramped shop, his back seemed even more desolate.

He would bend down when talking to the short shop owner.

Humble, gentlemanly.

Zhu Yiyi slowly lowered her gaze.

“Yiyi, your boss is quite considerate of his subordinates. Unlike our school leaders, they’re always full of bureaucracy and officialese. I wish I hadn’t become a teacher.” Zhang Boyuan sighed, “I wish I hadn’t become a teacher.”

Zhu Yiyi smiled, “Being a teacher is pretty good too.”

Their conversation shifted to the differences between company work and being a school teacher.

Zhang Boyuan said that the school was too formalistic now, focusing not on how to teach but on writing all sorts of forms. They would even blame teachers for not having good teaching skills.

Zhu Yiyi felt the same way. She said that it was similar in the company. Some of the older employees in their department felt that they had seniority and bullied the newcomers.

After a few more words, He Shen came back after ordering.

Zhu Yiyi closed her mouth.

She wouldn’t forget that He Shen was her boss.

He Shen was holding a silver thermos. He took Zhu Yiyi’s cup, filled it with warm water, and pushed it back. But this time, he kept it a little further away from Zhu Yiyi’s hand, “Be careful, it’s hot.”

Zhu Yiyi’s fingertips curled up quietly. She said softly, “Thank you.”

The wontons at the tea shop were small, but they were indeed delicious. Zhu Yiyi rubbed her warm stomach after finishing them, feeling relaxed and comfortable.

There were fewer people waiting outside now.

The three of them set off for the viewing platform.

A few careless children ran by. Zhu Yiyi didn’t have time to dodge, and there was thin ice under her feet, making her almost slip.

Just as Zhang Boyuan was about to reach out to grab her –

He Shen put his arm around her, pulling her from the outside to the inside, “You walk here.”

Zhu Yiyi was still scared. She held onto his arm, not daring to let go, “Is it non-slip here?”

“Hmm.”

“Okay,” she said obediently, “Then I’ll walk this way.”

It was a familiar conversation, and the natural movement, as if they had interacted like this many times before.

The unspoken aura didn’t allow anyone else to intrude.

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Zhang Boyuan’s face, and the hand that was halfway raised retracted.

The few children who had been running around stopped. They were all little sprouts. One of them, a little girl with two pigtails, blushed and apologized, “I’m sorry, sister. I accidentally bumped into you.”

Zhu Yiyi liked little girls the most.

They were soft and chubby, like plump white dumplings.

She squatted down and smiled, pinching the little girl’s face, “It’s okay, but you can’t run around anymore. You’ll bump into other people, okay?”

The little girl nodded emphatically, “Okay!”

The pigtails on her head also swayed back and forth, like a Teletubby.

Zhu Yiyi’s heart melted.

“Sister,” the little girl grabbed Zhu Yiyi’s hand and shook it. She looked at He Shen innocently, “This brother is so handsome. Is he your boyfriend?”

Zhu Yiyi’s smile froze on her lips, not knowing how to react.

She secretly glanced at the person next to her.

He Shen didn’t have any particular expression. He smiled slightly, bent down and touched the little girl’s head, and said softly, “Your parents are calling you. Go now.”

The little girl waved her hand, said goodbye in a childish voice, and ran towards her parents.

“Children are innocent,” Zhu Yiyi lowered her head, casually stepping on the snow, “He President, don’t take it to heart.”

“Children are innocent, but they only speak the truth.” He Shen put one hand in his pocket, leaned closer, and said in a voice only they could hear, “Exes are also considered boyfriends, right?”

Zhu Yiyi: “…”

They took the elevator to the fifth-floor viewing platform.

The crowd from earlier had mostly dispersed. There were even fewer people on the fifth floor.

The wind blew fiercely on the high ground. Zhu Yiyi pulled her scarf tighter, zipped up her down jacket, and braved the strong wind to approach the outermost pavilion.

The first snow of 2018 fell on Xuanzhou.

Snowflakes swirled in the air, falling softly.

Below the viewing platform was Xuanzhou’s town river, the Xuanjiang River. The water was clear, and a rowing boat was slowly gliding on the surface. The ancient buildings on both sides were like a fairyland.

“Wow, it’s so beautiful.” Zhu Yiyi didn’t even dare to speak loudly, afraid of disturbing the snowy scene. She stretched her hand out of the pavilion, catching a piece of snow like catkins in her palm. She gently squeezed it, and it melted.

She quickly took out her phone and took a picture.

After taking the picture, her hands were red from the cold. She put them to her mouth and breathed on them to warm them up.

On the cold snowy day, a faint layer of fog formed on the lenses. He Shen took off his glasses, folded them, and put them in his pocket.

He wasn’t nearsighted.

He wore glasses to better conceal his sharp edges.

“Is it beautiful?” he asked.

Zhu Yiyi looked at the snowy scene, “It’s beautiful.”

“I think so too.”

At that moment, Zhu Yiyi’s heart felt like it was being gently tapped by snowflakes.

The next day, they were going to set off back to Beijing.

Zhu Yiyi packed all her luggage. When she went out of the room, He Shen was already waiting for her.

Before she could speak, he naturally took the luggage from her hand and went downstairs first.

The car was parked at the entrance of the hotel.

The driver opened the door respectfully, “Mr. He, Ms. Zhu.”

He Shen handed the luggage to the driver, turned around, and saw that Zhu Yiyi hadn’t gotten in the car yet, “Anything else?”

“I want to go to the supermarket to buy two bottles of pickled radishes.”

Pickled radishes were a specialty of Xuanzhou. They were crisp and refreshing, and went well with rice. The ones you bought in other cities were all fake.

“Where do you buy them?”

“It’s just a small supermarket next to the hotel,” Zhu Yiyi tilted her head, “Can you wait for me?”

On the winter morning, the girl’s slightly messy hair couldn’t hide her watery almond-shaped eyes.

They were big, bright, and alluring without her realizing it.

He Shen rubbed his itchy fingertips discreetly and nodded, “Okay.”

With permission, Zhu Yiyi went to the supermarket and quickly bought a few bottles of pickled radishes.

On the way back, she checked the time on her phone and saw that it was still early. She leisurely walked and strolled, enjoying the fresh air.

Unexpectedly, she bumped into someone.

Her phone fell to the ground with a “Snap.”

Zhu Yiyi was heartbroken over her new phone, and she quickly picked it up to see if it was broken. But someone pulled her arm forward.

“What are you doing,” Zhu Yiyi was angry, struggling, “Let go of me!”

The man looked to be in his forties or fifties, wearing work clothes. The hand that was grabbing her arm was covered in dried cement, dirty and smelly, and he reeked of alcohol.

He was half-drunk and half-awake, “Zhu Yiyi?”

Zhu Yiyi stopped struggling, “Do you know me?”

The man squinted his eyes, sizing her up, finally stopping at Zhu Yiyi’s face. His smile grew wider, “It’s really you.”

A bad feeling surged through Zhu Yiyi’s heart.

As the man spoke, a strong smell of alcohol hit her face, “I didn’t expect you to grow up so beautiful. You’re even prettier than your mother when she was young…”

He was about to touch her face.

Zhu Yiyi felt sick to her stomach. She wanted to dodge backward, but she couldn’t break free.

At this moment, she realized that when He Shen had pulled her earlier, he hadn’t really used much force. It was like a child playing house, and she could have easily shaken him off.

But not now. The man’s nails were filled with dirt, and his hand was like an iron clamp.

“Yiyi, don’t you recognize me? I’m your dad.”

Zhu Yiyi’s struggling movements froze.

She stared blankly at the man’s face, slowly, it overlapped with the face she hated the most in her memory.

It was him, Lin Haifu.

The heartless man, the scum.

The source of her unfortunate childhood.