Inside the movie theater…

As the scenes changed, they made Song Fengwan’s small face look dazzlingly colorful. Her fingers were tightly clenched together, and her palms were sweaty. If I knew the hibiscus stone had this meaning, I would have never given it to Fu Chen and made him misunderstand it like this.

“Third Master, I really didn’t intend to hint at anything.” Her heart was pounding wildly, and she didn’t dare to look him in the eye.

She was scared out of her wits by Fu Chen’s words, and her face was full of panic. At this moment, in the dark, her right hand was suddenly held by someone. She shrank back and wanted to pull her hand back, but he clutched her hand tightly…

“Your wound hasn’t healed yet. Why are you clenching your hands so tightly?” Fu Chen pulled her tightly clenched fingers apart. His hand was very big, almost enough to wrap hers entirely, and felt warm and slightly moist.

“Third Master…” Why is his palm as sweaty as mine?

“What’s the matter?” The movie was too loud, and the two of them had to be close to talk.

Their foreheads seemed to be rubbing as they leaned against each other…

It felt as though they were on fire.

In the dim environment, their vision was narrowed, and the awkwardness was magnified infinitely. This kind of intimate touch was making the blood in their bodies scream and tremble.

Their heart palpitations were unbearable.

“I’m a normal person too.” Fu Chen stuck close to her as he spoke, his voice low and hoarse. “I thought that you wanted to hint at something to me, so I also got nervous and sweaty.”

Song Fengwan thought about Duan Linbai’s comments when they had barbeque skewers previously.

From the start, she had placed Fu Chen in a high position, so she even felt that such a person would be calm and collected at all times.

“I was already terrified when something happened to you. Everyone has emotions and desires. After interacting with you for a long time, I…” Fu Chen held her hand and looked up. Their eyes met, and his eyes looked like they were blazing due to the screen light reflecting in them.

His breathing was light and soft, gentle and warm, and accompanying it was his inherent sandalwood fragrance, addicting and indulging.

It was reassuring.

Song Fengwan held her breath, as if once her breathing became entangled with his…

They would be inseparable for the rest of their lives.

He rubbed her palm carefully, making her feel numb.

“And to you…” He smiled faintly. “I care about you and like you.”

As though thunder exploded in her head, something choked her throat inch by inch, and her heart was throbbing as though she was suffocating.

Fu Chen smiled. “What? After taking care of you for so long, you didn’t develop any feelings for me?”

Song Fengwan came back to her senses. He’s talking about the feelings between family members. I definitely have that. She nodded. “I have feelings for you.”

“Last time when I asked you, you said you didn’t hate me. So, I guess this can be considered that you kind of like me too.” Fu Chen had indeed thought of addressing the elephant in the room.

But she had been overstimulated recently, and she would return to Yuncheng soon. He was afraid that her feelings for him were not that deep…

If I act rashly and scare her, she might avoid me.

Her uneasy and frightened look just now was really pitiful. Fu Chen ultimately…

… couldn’t bear to force her.

I can only slowly test if she has feelings for me.

Song Fengwan thought for a moment and nodded seriously.

“You don’t always have to think that I’m scary…” Fu Chen held her hand and suddenly placed it on his chest.

He was wearing a sweater vest. The material felt soft as her palm was pressed against it…

She felt his heartbeat through her palm. It was vigorous and strong, and it was becoming increasingly stronger and faster, causing her breathing and heartbeat to subconsciously speed up and synchronize with his.

“Do you feel it?”

“Yes…” Song Fengwan’s palm was burning.

“I’m just an ordinary person. When I interact and get close to someone, my heart will also involuntarily beat faster, and I will also like and even fall in love with someone.”

Song Fengwan nodded seriously. She lifted her shoulder in embarrassment and freed her fingers from his palm.

Actually, all he wanted to express to her was that he was just like any other ordinary person.

If he wanted to say it, he could’ve just done it. Why did he have to use actions to show it? Song Fengwan rubbed her palms.

The heat wasn’t dissipating.

***

When the two of them walked out of the theater, it was just past three in the afternoon.

The mall was brimming with people, and everyone was wearing more layers of clothes, so it was inevitable that they would bump into each other when walking.

Fu Chen raised his hand to protect her shoulder, acting very restrained and polite.

When they were in the crowded elevator, his fingers moved down and held her wrist. “Don’t get lost.”

Song Fengwan had never held hands with the opposite sex like this before, so she kept feeling that something was odd in her heart. But seeing how serious he looked, she felt that her thoughts were too dirty and was quite embarrassed.

After the two of them got into the car, Fu Chen took a look at his phone. Almost all the messages were birthday blessings. He didn’t mind if people only sent him the words ‘Happy Birthday’, but he just couldn’t stand that Duan Linbai had written a long paragraph for him out of nowhere. He clearly doesn’t mean it.

“Where are we going now?” Song Fengwan was at his beck and call today.

“Come with me to the monastery. We’ll be able to rush back for dinner if we go now.”

“Sure.”

Fu Chen took a look at his phone. The weather system app had a notification that said: In two hours, there will be rain and snow in Beijing. Please pay attention to your safety when you go out.

His finger swiped on the screen to delete the notification.

Song Fengwan’s phone was new. She adjusted the settings and tilted her head to look at Fu Chen. “Third Master, can you share your hotspot with me?”

“Hotspot?” Fu Chen raised his eyebrows.

Song Fengwan recalled that he had always used an old phone before, so he probably didn’t even know what hotspots were. She sighed. “Give me your phone.”

Fu Chen passed his phone to her. She still remembered the password, and after unlocking it, she went to turn the hotspot on and connected her phone to it.

“Actually, it’s just sharing your mobile data with me.”

“Do whatever you want.” Fu Chen had already driven out of the mall’s underground parking garage.

Song Fengwan was still happily using his mobile data to download apps, and she totally had no idea that…

A few hours later, there would be a blizzard, making it hard for them to return.

She had already boarded the pirate ship and walked onto the path of no return.

***

Yunjin Prime Manor…

Eating noodles on birthdays was a tradition. Even though Fu Chen didn’t go to the old residence, Uncle Nian still made a trip there and brought some of the noodles that Old Madam Fu had made. When Fu Chen returned home later and wanted to eat, he could just cook it.

He went out on foot, as he liked to take the bus. He carried the noodles and was walking back while humming. When he reached the entrance of the manor, he saw a woman pacing around nearby.

She glanced at the door from time to time yet was hesitant to enter.

“Miss, are you looking for someone?” Uncle Nian sized her up. She looks unfamiliar. I’ve never seen her before.

“I…” She coughed twice. “Do you live here?” She pointed at the mansion.

“Yes.” Uncle Nian nodded.

“Does Song Fengwan live here?” she asked cautiously, for fear of saying something wrong.

“Yes. You’re looking for Wanwan?” Uncle Nian was surprised. Song Fengwan had lived here for so long, but almost no one had come to look for her before. But this lady was around 25 years old and didn’t look like Song Fengwan’s peer.

“Oh, I’m the teacher in charge of her tutoring class. My name is Gao Xue.”

Gao Xue came to look for Song Fengwan according to the registered address she had used when registering for the tutoring class. This mansion was the only residence in the area, and just by looking at how big it was and its exterior design, it already gave off the feeling of looking down arrogantly on others.

It was clearly a specially designed private residence.

“Oh, you’re her teacher. Please come in.” Uncle Nian didn’t know what had happened in the tutoring center at all, so when he found out that she was Song Fengwan’s teacher, he naturally became respectful to her and led her inside.

Gao Xue followed him in and couldn’t help looking around. Even the shrubs and plants at the entrance were trimmed well, let alone the furnishings inside.

She knew that Song Fengwan’s family was well-off, but she didn’t know that she was this well-off.

“You’re looking for Wanwan, right? She’s gone out and will probably come back for dinner. Should I call her?” Just as she sat down, someone brought a cup of hot tea over.

“Thank you.” Gao Xue accepted the tea reservedly. “It’s alright. It’s already past four. She might be back soon. I’ll wait for her.”

“Are you here for a home visit?” This was the first time Uncle Nian saw a teacher taking the initiative to visit their student at their home.

He had watched Fu Chen grow up, and no teacher had dared to visit the Fu residence at all. At the time, Old Master Fu hadn’t retired yet and was usually busy, so his sister would attend the parent-teacher meetings in his stead.

Later on, a student had apparently called her Mother Fu and praised her for being young and beautiful.

After coming back, she was furious and swore to never attend a parent-teacher meeting ever again. Ever since then, the Fu family had to draw lots to take turns to attend parent-teacher meetings.

“Home visit… Something like that.” Gao Xue lowered her head, feeling a little guilty.

Ever since Song Fengwan left that day, all the teachers of the tutoring center had been in a state of anxiety. Their boss had even called her over to reprimand her, saying that her way of handling things was wrong, and asked her to settle this matter properly.

She had hesitated for a long time before deciding to visit Song Fengwan.

The management in the tutoring center wasn’t as strict as that of schools. So when people came to look for their students, they were basically able to see them. How could she have known that such a disaster would happen?

***

Song Fengwan was already on the way to the mountain at this moment. The monastery was halfway up the mountain, and after driving more than halfway up the road spiraling up the mountain, it was a twenty-odd minute walk there.

Along the way, Song Fengwan heard from Fu Chen that the incense offerings there flourished the most during the Lunar New Year. But it was winter now, so fewer people were going to the mountain.

As they walked up the stairs made of thousands of green bricks, they saw tall pine and cypress trees along the way. The higher they went, the colder it was.

The copper bells on the eaves of the monastery and the red silk ribbons with wishes written on them along the side of the path shone with a breathtaking red light.

The monastery wasn’t big, and there were very few people here. There were only a few monks wearing gray clothes made of rough cloth walking around in the temple. When they saw Fu Chen, they all greeted him with a smile.

“It has been a while since you’ve come, Third Master.”

“Yes.” Fu Chen nodded.

“Are you here to burn incense and pray for the old madam?”

“No, this time it’s for me…” Fu Chen turned his head and looked at Song Fengwan. “… And her.”

Fu Chen was led by a young monk to a hall to kneel and pray.

Incense was burning in the hall, and the heavy aroma made people feel very at ease.

Gods and Buddhas had always existed if you believed in them, and if you didn’t believe in them, they wouldn’t exist. Their existences were mostly for the sake of people seeking peace of mind.

Song Fengwan thought about how everything hadn’t been going well recently and thus also knelt beside Fu Chen, preparing to pray for luck.

She closed her eyes and put her hands together, her actions pious and focused.

I have to achieve good results in the art joint exam in a few days. I hope that I’ll be luckier these days and avoid encountering those strange things. I pray for my mother, uncle, and cousin to be healthy.

Fu Chen had already finished praying and turned his head. Looking at her serious face, he smiled inexplicably.

I don’t know what she’s praying for.

But I’m here to ask for the fate for us to marry.

I just want…

… to be with her.

After praying, Fu Chen went to look for a master to read his fortune.

I thought only older people were passionate about fortune telling. I didn’t expect Third Master Fu to be so into it as well.

Fortune telling had always been a little mysterious. Song Fengwan didn’t know what Fu Chen wanted to ask the fortune teller. Maybe he’s asking about his luck, or if he’ll make money next year, or something related to his family. These things were always rather private, so she didn’t wait in the room and went out to look around.

***

The monastery wasn’t big, so it took her only about ten minutes to walk around it. As she went around, she even met a few novice monks who were around five years old. They were all very cute.

When she looked at the time and was preparing to go back, she saw snowflakes falling sparsely from the sky. There was no wind in the mountains today, and the thin snow filled the sky. With the monastery’s bricks and tiles complementing the snow, there was a unique beauty to the scenery.

The temperature in the mountains was low, and the plum flowers were blooming. Song Fengwan took a few pictures with her phone before rubbing her fingers together and going to find Fu Chen.

Fu Chen was waiting for her in the courtyard they were at previously. He wasn’t wearing much, and under the fluttering snow, he looked even thinner. His entire body seemed to be able to blend into the snow, looking elegant and ethereal.

“Third Master, it’s snowing.” The tips of Song Fengwan’s hair and her clothes were already speckled with snow. Her face was rosy and tucked into her turtleneck sweater, making her look exceptionally cute and lovable.

“Yeah.” Fu Chen looked up at the sky. The snow was getting heavier…

When I was in school, the weather forecast was never accurate, and I would always go home in the rain. But now, the weather forecast has become very accurate. As he looked at the sky full of falling snow, the corners of his mouth slowly curled up. He was very satisfied.

“It’s rare for it to snow in Yuncheng. Even if it does, the snow doesn’t stay for long, and the ground is always just covered in mud and dirty water.” Song Fengwan rarely saw snow and was unable to contain her joy.

“Wanwan…” Fu Chen tilted his head to look at her.

“Huh?” Song Fengwan was still immersed in the excitement of seeing snow.

“We may not be able to go back tonight.”

Song Fengwan was all smiles just now, but once she heard that they might not be able to go back tonight, her smile froze…

Can’t go back?

What does he mean?

Are we going to spend the night here together?