◎ Chen Erha and Chen Ergou ◎

Of course, he wouldn’t close his eyes. The rabbit had finally taken the initiative, and there was no way Chen Fang would miss this opportunity. He draped one arm loosely around her waist while the other supported his head, letting her enjoy teasing him. In the end, she would be the one to calm him down. She was the one getting excited now, so he just had to wait for her to beg for mercy later. Even if she shed tears tonight, he wasn’t going to soften.

Her long lashes fluttered, the tips of them slightly trembling. The reddish hue at the edges of her eyes was like the glow of the sunset, so beautiful that he didn’t want to miss a second. Her kiss felt like she was savoring jelly—lapping, sucking, and nibbling with her soft teeth, her warm tongue hovering just outside his lips, teasing him with every touch. She never quite let him in for a satisfying kiss.

Tao Xiaoxi kissed for a while but couldn’t continue. Even with her eyes shut, she could feel him staring at her, which made her uncomfortable. She hated being watched while doing something, and what she was doing now was barely at a five out of ten.

Finally, she bit his lip, rolled off of him, and wrapped herself tightly in the blanket, leaving only her eyes exposed. Meeting his intense gaze, she feigned exhaustion. “I’m so tired.”

Chen Fang chuckled softly, his voice raspy, “If you’re tired, then go to sleep.”

She wanted to sleep, but the problem was, she wasn’t sure if she could.

His hand mischievously roamed under the blanket. “You said you were tired, so why aren’t you sleeping?”

Tao Xiaoxi’s eyes welled with tears. 

Sleep? Not a chance.

He gently wiped the tear from the corner of her eye, then kissed her lips again. “Now you’re a little stream, all watery.”

Tao Xiaoxi, frustrated, bit down harder.

The night was quiet, the moonlight silver.

Winter nights should belong to warm, cozy beds full of heat and sweat.

Tao Xiaoxi’s thoughts wandered, and the sleep she had wasn’t very deep. Whenever he moved, her eyes opened.

“Are you leaving?” she asked, straining her tired eyes to look at him.

Chen Fang’s foot that had just touched the floor quickly returned to the bed. He bent down, lowering his voice, “Not yet. Go back to sleep. It’s still early. I set the alarm for 8 a.m.”

“I’m not sleeping anymore. I’ll get up,” Tao Xiaoxi shook her head hard, trying to wake herself up.

Chen Fang saw she had no intention of going back to sleep, so he turned on the light. “Didn’t you agree with A Jian to get up at nine? Why are you up so early?”

“I have to make breakfast for you,” Tao Xiaoxi tried to sit up but her legs were too sore, so she could only sit against the headboard, giving him a half-hearted glare.

Chen Fang smiled and pulled her into his arms, squeezing her waist and legs. “Why the sudden desire to make breakfast today?”

Tao Xiaoxi yawned. “Before a long trip, you should eat a warm home-cooked meal. That way you’ll have the strength to face the demons and monsters outside.”

Chen Fang froze.

He didn’t know where she had come up with such a strange reasoning or where the monsters had come from, but he felt like he understood. It reminded him of when he was young. His father would leave early every day for work. In his half-sleeping state, he would hear his parents whispering to each other, and the one thing he heard most often from his mother was, “Eat a bit more.”

Family wasn’t something you could touch or see, and sometimes it was hard to express, but meals seemed to be the most straightforward way to show it.

His throat tightened. He wanted to say something, but in the end, nothing came out. His big hand gently rubbed her sleepy face. “Then wake up quickly. My wife is making me my first breakfast. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Tao Xiaoxi’s drowsiness melted under his touch, and a flare of anger replaced it. Didn’t he know the phrase “cherish the delicate”? He had used so much force to rub her, and just last night she had almost been worn out. But hearing his words, her anger melted away. During their marriage, she had been sleeping in late every morning, while he had to wake up early for work and still make her breakfast. If her mom knew how lazy she was living, she’d pinch her ears off.

Feeling guilty and lacking confidence, she murmured, “Don’t expect too much. I can at least make sure the food is cooked, so you won’t go hungry. As for the taste, I can’t promise anything.”

She could cook, but his taste was spoiled by the old lady’s cooking. High expectations would only lead to disappointment.

Chen Fang pulled her out of the blanket and directly lifted her off the bed. “Just focus on making it.”

“Fine, since you say so.”

Although it was said that she made it, there weren’t many dishes that were actually made by her. The little wontons were packed by her mother yesterday and brought back for her, she only boiled them and poured some hot soup over them. The meat buns were made by her grandmother and frozen in the fridge; she just steamed them. She also mixed two small cold dishes and sliced a small plate of braised beef. With everything together, it looked pretty decent.

Once he finished packing, her buns were ready, and the timing was just right.

She usually ate very little in the morning, and because she woke up so early, she didn’t have much of an appetite. She only had a small bowl of wonton soup and ate half a meat bun. He fed her half of his too, and the rest of the table was wiped clean by him.

She knew he always had a big appetite, but she was still a bit shocked. “Are you full?”

She saw that he still looked a bit unsatisfied, worried that he hadn’t had enough.

“I’m full. The taste was great, especially the cold dishes, which really opened my appetite. I ate too much without realizing it.”

Tao Xiaoxi curled her lips into a smile, but it was quickly suppressed. She cleared her throat and gave him a warning, “You don’t need to flatter me so much. I’m not always in the mood to wake up and cook for you.”

Chen Fang took a tissue and slowly wiped his hands and mouth. “Got it. It’s fine once in a while, like last night. A rare occasion. I’m satisfied, don’t you think it wasn’t bad either?”

…

Tao Xiaoxi wanted so badly to splash the water from her cup right into his face. He still dared to bring up last night, and he thought it wasn’t bad. He had tricked her into nearly dying last night.

She threw a tissue at him across the table. “You’ll see if I ever make you another meal.”

Chen Fang caught the tissue steadily. “If you don’t cook for me, I will. After all, in a marriage, either you serve me or I serve you.”

She might as well bite him, Tao Xiaoxi thought angrily. It seemed she hadn’t bitten hard enough last night; his serving was definitely not just on the surface.

The breakfast ended with Tao Xiaoxi’s red face and ears. She had planned to not speak to him for the rest of the day, but when he grabbed his suitcase, she still followed him to the door.

“I’ll call you when I arrive,” Chen Fang said as he put on his coat.

Tao Xiaoxi nodded.

“Before going to bed, remember to check that the doors and windows are locked.”

Tao Xiaoxi nodded again.

“If you feel bored at home, just go stay with your parents for a couple of days.”

Tao Xiaoxi replied, “How could I be bored? I still have Grandma.”

Chen Fang had no other instructions. He grabbed the door handle but didn’t move.

The two of them stood at the door, one tall and one short. Tao Xiaoxi looked up at him for a moment before shifting her gaze. Chen Fang lowered his eyes to look at her dark hair, knowing it was time to leave, but his feet were stuck.

“I–“

“I–“

Both of them spoke at the same time and stopped at the same time.

Chen Fang smiled and looked at her. “You go first.”

“Uh… I forgot what I was going to say.” Tao Xiaoxi’s eyes wandered a bit.

Chen Fang sighed. “I’ll come back as soon as I finish my work. On New Year’s Day, we’ll eat outside. I already talked to your parents and grandma last night, and I’ve booked the table. You don’t need to prepare anything.”

“Oh, great. You’re so thoughtful.”

Tao Xiaoxi reflected on herself. She hadn’t even thought about the New Year’s plans until now. She didn’t even know when he talked to her parents about it.

“Your parents and grandma both think that in the future, we should spend the holidays together. The two families live so close, so either they come here, or we go to your parents’ place. It’s fine either way.”

“Mm.” Tao Xiaoxi’s eyes showed a smile. “That sounds best. The holidays feel livelier when we’re all together. I like spending them with both our families.”

Chen Fang corrected her, “We are one family. Whether you want both families together is up to you, but you’re talking about your parents’ family or mine?”

Tao Xiaoxi rubbed her nose with her finger. “Got it. You’re the head of the family, so whatever you say goes.”

Chen Fang had no words to refute her. In fact, there was nothing else to say. If he didn’t leave now, he’d miss the high-speed train.

“Well, I’m leaving now.” His hand gripped the door handle again.

Tao Xiaoxi waved him off. “Go ahead.”

She looked eager for him to leave, which didn’t sit well with him. Chen Fang grabbed her arm and pulled her over, kissing her without any warning. He had been wanting to do this for a while. Normally, she would tease him, but now when it was his turn, she didn’t tease him.

Tao Xiaoxi’s neck hurt from tilting back, and just when she thought it was almost over, she was lifted by the waist, her toes barely touching the ground. She felt like a drifting weed, unable to rely on anything but clinging to his neck, allowing him to kiss her deeply.

In the end, it was the vibrating phone that interrupted them. Chen Fang didn’t want to let go, but Tao Xiaoxi gently kicked his calf.

His breath lingered at the corner of her lips, his tone fierce. “Hold onto it. When I come back, I’ll definitely get it back with interest.”

Tao Xiaoxi looked at him, half teasing and half complaining, “Wasn’t what you got last night enough?”

Mentioning last night made Chen Fang reluctant to let go.

Tao Xiaoxi wrapped her arms around his neck. “Your coworkers might be getting anxious.”

Chen Fang looked at her rosy lips and her tender, glistening eyes. His muscles tightened even more.

Tao Xiaoxi stroked the back of his neck. “I’ve already drawn the draft for you in the apron. I should be able to finish it when you come back. I’ll show you then, okay?”

The words ignited his wolfish desire. The thought of her thinking about his body at home while drawing made him almost lose control.

The phone rang a third time, and Chen Fang finally stepped out. However, he insisted that she update him on her drawing progress every day.

Tao Xiaoxi agreed, though agreeing was one thing, and actually updating him was another. Both of them were busy. She had taken on some urgent work, and with the shop situation, she had been busy like a spinning top for the past few days. It had been a while since she felt this kind of busy. It wasn’t bad—it felt like everything was moving forward. He must have been even busier. When he called her in the evening, sometimes she could answer, but other times, she had already fallen asleep. There weren’t many times when they could have a proper conversation.

In the meantime, she made a quick trip home. Her mother didn’t even invite her to stay for dinner. Before it was even 4 p.m., she was sent packing, with the excuse that Chen Fang wasn’t home and that she should stay with the old lady for dinner. Tao Xiaoxi nodded in agreement, then headed to the kitchen, planning to sneak half a braised pork knuckle. This earned her a scolding from Meng Qing, who commented that she was truly like a daughter married off, just water spilled out. She ended up taking two pig’s trotters along with her.

When Tao Xiaoxi entered the old lady’s home, she received a video call from Chen Fang. She tossed the car keys on the cabinet and answered. His face appeared on the screen, holding a cigarette in his mouth. It looked like he was by the roadside, and the background noise was a bit loud. Tao Xiaoxi felt like he had lost some weight, though it had only been a few days.

“You’re outside?” she asked.

She removed her scarf and turned on the light as she walked into the living room.

Chen Fang held the cigarette in his hand and replied, “I’m at the restaurant entrance. I’ll be eating soon.”

“Oh, Grandma is still out playing mahjong. Otherwise, you could talk to her for a bit.” Tao Xiaoxi sat down on the sofa, wanting to pick up her phone, but then felt it a bit awkward to stare at each other through the phone screen, so she placed the phone on the coffee table instead.

“What did you do today?” Chen Fang asked, looking at the ceiling on his side.

“I went to the shop, then visited my parents. I brought back half a braised knuckle and two pig’s trotters. Mom scolded me, saying I was water spilled out.” Tao Xiaoxi rested her chin on her hands, chatting with him idly about her day.

Chen Fang couldn’t help but laugh at her words, and the fatigue from the past days seemed to vanish in an instant. “When I get back, I’ll bring half a pig’s knuckle to apologize to Mom. Let her know that the water spilled out can still be collected.”

Tao Xiaoxi propped the phone on the coffee table to look at him. “Your train is tomorrow afternoon at two, right? I’ll pick you up.”

The high-speed rail station was nearly an hour’s drive away, and taking a taxi wasn’t very convenient.

“There’s a last-minute change. I won’t be back until the day after tomorrow morning. You and Grandma should go to the restaurant first. I’ll get off at ten, and I’ll be at the restaurant around eleven.”

“Oh, okay.” She ignored the little sense of disappointment in her heart and perked up, asking, “Things not going smoothly?”

“It’s going well enough. It’s Zhou Ying, your sister Yingying. She’s encountered something here, and I’m helping her deal with it. Tomorrow, I’ll be with her and—” Chen Fang stopped himself, swallowing another name, and continued, “We’ll all head back together, have dinner, and touch base. I’ll fill you in when I get back to the hotel.”

The name that Chen Fang didn’t mention was Qiu Tingyu. The lawyer handling Zhou Ying’s divorce case was introduced by Qiu Tingyu. Qiu Tingyu studied law and completed both his undergraduate and master’s degrees in the capital. After graduation, he moved south to develop his career. Zhou Ying’s company had a business relationship with the law firm where Qiu Tingyu worked, and they had some professional interactions. Moreover, they were both from the same hometown and alma mater, so they became familiar with each other over time. When Qiu Tingyu found out that Zhou Ying was going to file for divorce, he immediately recommended the most specialized divorce lawyer from his firm.

Chen Fang would definitely not take the initiative to mention Qiu Tingyu’s name in front of Tao Xiaoxi. Why would he mention him? To make her reminisce about her first love again? He wouldn’t give her that opportunity.

Tao Xiaoxi unconsciously rubbed her phone case. She only knew that Zhou Ying was in the south, but she had never paid attention to which city. Turns out, it was the same city as his business trip.

“Oh, okay. You go ahead and eat. I need to cook, Grandma should be back soon.” Tao Xiaoxi glanced at the clock on the wall and was about to hang up.

Chen Fang didn’t want to end the call so quickly. They hadn’t had a proper conversation in the past few days.

He asked, “Do you want any gifts?”

Tao Xiaoxi tilted her head and thought for a moment. “Is there any good food there? You could bring some back.” Then, she changed her mind. “Forget it, don’t bring anything. Mom says I’ll get fat if I keep eating. I’ve already gained four pounds.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being a pig, soft and squishy. It’d be really comfortable to cuddle one at night.” His voice lowered, and by the end, he took the cigarette he had almost discarded and put it back in his mouth, squinting his eyes with a mischievous look.

Tao Xiaoxi shot him a glance. “I’m hanging up now. Go buy a pig to hug.”

Chen Fang chuckled briefly, his gaze turning intense. “No pig is as soft as my wife. When I get back, I’ll check where those four pounds went, okay?”

Tao Xiaoxi was really about to end the call now—he was getting too cheeky.

“Chen Fang, when did you arrive? Why didn’t you go inside? It’s already so congested on the road.”

A woman’s voice came from the other side of the phone. It had been years, but Tao Xiaoxi still recognized who it was. Her hand hesitated before hanging up. Chen Fang said something she didn’t catch, and the person on the screen changed.

“Xiaoxi!” Zhou Ying waved at her with a smile.

With her sharp bob haircut, almond eyes, and bright smile, Zhou Ying’s dimples appeared on either side of her lips, radiating confidence. Some people say that eighteen is the best age for a girl, but it’s not true. Youth has its own charm, and maturity brings its own elegance. Seeing Zhou Ying like this, Tao Xiaoxi felt that the approaching thirties didn’t seem so scary, and she even felt a bit of anticipation. Every age has its own beauty, unique and irreplaceable.

Tao Xiaoxi smiled and said, “Sister Yingying, it’s been so long!”

“Yeah, it’s been years. I had planned to attend your wedding, but something came up. I couldn’t make it. When I return this time, we must get together. Oh, you don’t know how happy I was when I heard you and Chen Fang got married. I remember my dad telling me you were on a blind date, and I immediately thought of Chen Fang. I don’t know why, but I felt you two’s energies would match. Look, you two really made it, so fate is truly amazing.”

Zhou Ying spoke quickly and then turned to Chen Fang. “Don’t listen to Old Zhou boasting about being your matchmaker. If we’re talking about matchmakers, that’s me. If I hadn’t reminded him, would he have had such good insight? Xiaoxi, I can let you off, but Chen Fang, you should at least buy me a drink as the matchmaker.”

Tao Xiaoxi couldn’t see Chen Fang, but she could hear his voice. “I’ve already toasted Old Zhou with the matchmaker wine. If you want to drink, go find Old Zhou. It’s not like someone can just appear and say they’re the matchmaker and that I have to toast them too. How long do you expect this matchmaker wine to go on?”

Tao Xiaoxi smiled even wider as she listened to the playful banter between the two of them on the phone.

The sound of the password being entered came from outside the door. The old lady hummed a little tune as she entered. When she saw Tao Xiaoxi, she looked pleasantly surprised. “Xiaoxi, you’re back! I thought you wouldn’t be back until after dinner.”

“Yeah, Grandma, I just got back.” Tao Xiaoxi quickly walked toward the entrance while holding her phone. “Grandma, it’s Sister Yingying. Do you want to talk to her?”

“Zhou Ying?” Yan Qiufang quietly confirmed with her, taking the phone. When she saw who was on the screen, she exclaimed, “Oh, Zhou Ying! Xiaoxi mentioned Sister Yingying, and I didn’t even realize! When will you be back? Will you be home for the new year?”

Tao Xiaoxi went to the kitchen, washed her hands, and checked the fridge to see what ingredients she had before starting to prepare dinner. The living room was filled with the sound of the old lady and Zhou Ying talking and laughing, with occasional remarks from Chen Fang. Tao Xiaoxi felt a bit stuffy in the kitchen, so she put down the vegetables and decided to open a window for some fresh air.

The old lady came over holding the phone. “Xiaoxi, Chen Fang wants to talk to you.”

Tao Xiaoxi was about to take the phone but stopped. “Grandma, my hands are wet. Tell him to eat first. We can talk when he gets back to the hotel.”

Yan Qiufang laughed and said to the person on the screen, “Did you hear what Xiaoxi said? If you have anything private to discuss, wait until you’re back at the hotel.”

Tao Xiaoxi felt embarrassed by Grandma’s misunderstanding. She didn’t open the window and instead turned back to continue washing the vegetables. Dinner wasn’t even over by 7 p.m. Afterward, she went for a short walk in the little park with her grandma. When they returned, the old lady went to the neighbor’s house to play Mahjong, and Tao Xiaoxi went upstairs.

She had just grabbed her clothes and was about to take a shower when her phone vibrated. Tao Xiaoxi thought it was Chen Fang and was surprised how quickly dinner had finished. However, when she checked her phone, it was a message from her senior about the urgent task she had submitted for final approval yesterday. The client had sent feedback, and there were some changes that still needed to be made. She was asked if she could make the revisions tonight.

Since it was the client’s request, Tao Xiaoxi couldn’t say no. She quickly scanned the file and replied that she could pull an all-nighter without issue.

Her senior immediately sent a red envelope, saying it was to thank her for the hard work. She didn’t accept the envelope because her senior’s commission for her was already quite generous in the industry.

The phone stayed quiet for a while, so Tao Xiaoxi put it on silent, turned on the TV, and switched to a variety show. She liked having background noise while working, whether it was music or a mindless show. From the hammock chair, she moved to the sofa, the clock on the wall ticking, and the sky outside gradually shifted from inky black to dark blue and then to a pale white. Only then did she get up, stretch, send the revised pictures to her senior, and text her grandma that she wouldn’t be coming downstairs for breakfast or lunch tomorrow.

Someone had messaged her on WeChat around 10 p.m. last night, asking if she was asleep.

She replied, explaining that she had been working late and didn’t hear the message because her phone was on silent.

He should have been awake by now, so Tao Xiaoxi waited for five minutes. When no reply came, she stopped waiting. After getting ready for bed, she took her time and finally climbed into bed. In the first two years after graduation, staying up late was common for her. She would pull an all-nighter, take a shower when she got home, drink a couple of cups of coffee, and still go to work full of energy. Now, though, she couldn’t do that anymore. If she stayed up all night, she would feel like half of her life was drained.

The thick curtains blocked the light and the cold northern wind from outside. Tao Xiaoxi slept fitfully. In the middle of the night, she thought she heard some noises. She assumed it was her grandmother, but then remembered her grandmother had never entered their room with the password. She always knocked on the door. Was it a thief? Should she go check? She thought to herself, but she had no intention of getting up. In the next moment, she fell back into a deep sleep.

Tao Xiaoxi woke up from thirst. The room was too warm, and she had forgotten to turn on the humidifier before bed. In her dream, she had been looking for water everywhere. Finally, when she thought she was about to drink, her body jerked awake as if she had missed a step on a ladder. With a dry throat, she half-propped herself up in bed and searched the nightstand for a cup. When she couldn’t find it, she was about to get out of bed, but in her blurry vision, she saw someone lying on the side of the bed. Her instincts kicked in, and she immediately kicked out her foot without thinking. But by the time she recognized who it was, she couldn’t retract her foot in time.

Was he trying to scare her to death? Didn’t he say he was coming back tomorrow? Or had she already slept through until tomorrow?

Her foot didn’t land on him, but he caught her foot with his hand. Slowly, he opened his eyes, turned to face her, and his dark eyes glistened in the dim room. “Tao Xiaoxi, are you trying to kill your husband?”

She awkwardly met his gaze, “Didn’t you say you were coming back tomorrow? Has Sister Yingying’s matter been settled?”

Chen Fang’s hand gently stroked the sole of her foot. “Someone was eager to be courteous, so I handed it over to him.”

Tao Xiaoxi didn’t understand what he was saying. She just wanted to drink some water. She tried to pull her foot away, but her little strength was completely useless in front of him.

“Let me go. I need to get some water.” She struggled a little, but it was futile.

Chen Fang reached over, turned on the light, and the dim room instantly brightened. He released her foot but pressed closer, trapping her on the bed. He picked up two pieces of paper from the nightstand and held them against her.

“Tao Xiaoxi, I want to know, who is this you’ve drawn?”

Tao Xiaoxi buried her face in the blanket and replied, “Didn’t I label them?”

Chen Fang glanced at the drawings.

One showed well-defined abs, a slender waist, long legs, everything in place, except the head was that of a stupid-looking dog with its tongue hanging out.

The other was his head, but from the neck down, it was a smooth white radish.

The title of the first painting is — Chen Erha.

The title of the second painting is — Chen Ergou.

Tao Xiaoxi peeked at his furrowed brow, adopting a serious academic attitude as she said, “If you don’t like these two names, you can also call them Chen Erlou and Chen Erbo.”

Chen Fang: …Is this really about which names he likes or dislikes?