Long time no see.

Jiang Chen paused for a moment, lowered his eyes to take a calm sip of tea, and smiled.

He then shifted his laptop toward Ye Mian. On the screen were over a dozen projects undergoing data updates—some in English, but the majority in Chinese. All of them were well-known construction projects.

"It’s true, I’m not lying to you. Enjoy your New Year’s without worrying about me, okay?"

Ye Mian didn't pay much attention to the projects; she knew that Jiang Chen had been visibly busy during this period. Instead, her gaze lingered on his face, observing him for a long while. Only after confirming that he wasn't just trying to put her mind at ease, but genuinely had important business to attend to, did she ask, "Will you be having New Year's Eve dinner with him? Will there be lots of delicious food? Will he exploit you and not let you rest?"

To Ye Mian, the New Year meant sitting down to a feast. It was clear she still hadn't quite grasped the hierarchy of the relationship between Jiang Chen and Guan Yi.

"We will have a New Year's Eve dinner," Jiang Chen replied with a faint smile. "He can't exploit me, don't worry."

Ye Mian hesitated for a moment before saying with a smile, "Alright then. Let's video call on the day of the New Year? I’ll show you the fireworks in the water town."

"Deal," Jiang Chen replied. "Where in Jiangcheng is your grandmother’s place?"

Ye Mian rested her chin on her hand, imitating his posture, and recalled, "In Qiao Town. Have you heard of it?"

"I've heard of it, but I’ve never been."

Ye Mian grew animated, her eyes crinkling. "I’ve only been once, when I was little. I remember it was so beautiful. There weren't many tourists, and every household had a river flowing right in front of their gate. People would wash their clothes by the water. There were so many rivers and so many bridges, which is why it’s called Qiao Town. It’s an ancient town with stunning scenery."

"My favorite things there were the flour-coated fried little fish and the candied haws. They always tasted so sweet, not sour at all. And there were sugar skewers made from wild fruits. When I get back after the New Year, I'll bring some for you, okay?"

Jiang Chen listened to her intently. After a moment of thought, he nodded and smiled. "Okay."

...

Three days later, in the morning.

Ye Mian woke up at the crack of dawn. Today was the day Jiang Chen was going to the hospital for a check-up; if all went well, he could have his cast removed. As usual, Ye Mian pushed his wheelchair.

She always felt that Jiang Chen’s cold, aloof elegance was already at odds with the clunky plaster cast. If he had to add crutches to the mix... she couldn't even bear to imagine it.

The winter wind was biting. Ye Mian pushed Jiang Chen to the entrance of the residential complex and booked a business-class vehicle through an app—the kind that could accommodate a wheelchair and offered better service than other models.

Watching the young girl deliberately stand on the side the wind was blowing from, her frail frame insisting on shielding him, a corner of Jiang Chen’s heart softened. He reached out, his pale, cool fingertips taking hold of her hand and pulling her toward him, positioning her behind a withered tree on the steps that perfectly sheltered her from the wind.

When the car arrived, they headed to the hospital.

After the examination, the doctor confirmed that Jiang Chen had recovered quite well and could have the cast removed. When they left the hospital, Jiang Chen was still in that same black-framed wheelchair covered in childish stickers, but the heavy, cumbersome burden on his leg was gone.

Although the cast was off, it would still be several weeks before he could walk normally. Ye Mian was more than happy to keep pushing him, and she didn't arrange for any crutches. She repeatedly studied his leg without the cast, eventually reaching a beaming conclusion: Jiang Chen looked even better without it.

Jiang Chen found her exasperating at times. The way the girl would occasionally stare at him with a dazed, silly smile made him feel like a unique specimen in a zoo. But the girl was a rather uncivilized spectator.

Sometimes, she would poke his leg with her finger and say in surprise, "I got so used to seeing you with the cast that it feels quite magical now that it's gone."

The heavy snow stopped and started again. By the end of January, as the streets began selling couplets and paper-cuts for the holidays, it was time for Ye Mian to leave Wencheng. She bought a plane ticket for that evening to return to Jiangcheng.

At noon, Ye Mian pushed Jiang Chen to a nearby Thai restaurant for a meal, and then he insisted on taking her to the airport himself.

Once they arrived, Ye Mian watched with reluctance as Jiang Chen contacted Guan Yi. Although it was only a half-month separation—insignificant compared to the year they had spent apart previously—her heart began to ache in a chaotic way. Unlike the numbness she used to feel, she now had much deeper emotions regarding their parting. She was constantly afraid that the moment she turned away, Jiang Chen might be bullied somewhere out of her sight.

Taking advantage of the time before Guan Yi arrived, she hugged Jiang Chen from behind, acting a bit spoiled, and pressed her warm cheek against his. Putting on a brave, cheerful front, she said, "Don't let yourself get hurt again. Wait for me to come back and bring you candy."

They had never been this intimate before. Jiang Chen was taken aback, but he indulged her. He closed his eyes, thinking to himself that if he were truly despicable, he would greedily cling to this moment.

The wind at the airport was chaotic.

In the parking lot, a black Porsche pulled up. The driver got out with an umbrella to open the door, and Guan Yi walked over to them with a smile. He greeted Jiang Chen first, "Brother Jiang," then looked at Ye Mian with a gentle nod. "Hello, Ye Mian."

Ye Mian had a good impression of this well-mannered young master and nodded back with a smile. "Hello."

She helped Jiang Chen up from his wheelchair and into the car. Turning back to them, she said, "You two head back now. Happy New Year in advance."

Guan Yi nodded. "Happy New Year."

Jiang Chen sat in the car, his fingers interlaced. His gentle gaze never left Ye Mian. His voice was soft and clear as he said, "Send me a message when you get back. I’ve prepared something for you; you’ll see it when you arrive."

Ye Mian assumed it was a secret New Year's gift he had prepared. She marveled at his romantic side and smiled, "Okay."

She watched the black car pull out of the parking lot before turning toward the terminal.

Inside the car, Guan Yi’s smile widened. The capital he had seen flowing back this year told him that following Jiang Chen was truly a promising path, and even his father had higher expectations for him now. Recalling the person Jiang Chen had sent over, he pulled out his phone, made a call, and handed it to Jiang Chen once it connected.

The man on the other end sounded incredulous. "Who is this?"

Jiang Chen sat upright against the leather seat, glanced at the phone, and said calmly, "Long time no see, Ye Chuli."

—

When Ye Mian returned to Jiangcheng, her father came to pick her up. It had been a long time since they had seen each other, and the two chatted happily all the way home.

The snow in Jiangcheng wasn't as thick as in Wencheng, but white snow still clung to every branch, though there were no rows of icicles.

After arriving at Birch Garden, Ye Mian went straight to the security guard's office to pick up her deliveries. To her surprise, there were two huge boxes. Checking the shipping information, she saw they were both from Jiang Chen. She couldn't carry them herself, so the guard helped her take them home.

When she opened the boxes, she was stunned.

Was Jiang Chen giving her a gift, or had he basically bought her an entire luxury New Year’s feast?